Not only do prophets lack honor in their native land, some don't do much for real-estate values — at least to judge by Walt Disney's childhood home on Chicago's Northwest Side.

On the market for more than a year and now listed at $179,000, it offers prospective buyers a two-story home with hardwood floors and built-in nostalgia for fans of Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. It was built by Disney's father, a carpenter who worked on the 1893 Columbian Exposition, the Chicago World's Fair that reportedly inspired Disney's theme-park ventures. Walt Disney was born Dec. 5, 1901, on the second floor.

Refinancing

drops off

Mortgage applications in the U.S. declined in the week ending June 22 by the most since March as refinancing slumped from a three-year high.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's index decreased 7.1 percent from the prior week. The purchase gauge dropped 1.4 percent. The refinance index fell 8.3 percent, retreating from the highest level since April 2009.

Bloomberg News