Good morning! Today is Thursday, February 11. The White House is looking at domestic travel restrictions as COVID mutations surge in Florida and California. Japanese Olympic leader Yoshiro Mori will resign after making sexist remarks. A driver survived his truck’s 70-foot plunge off a snowy Wisconsin highway. And in mortgage and housing news … MORTGAGE APPS: Mortgage applications in the United States slipped last week, though remained significantly higher than a year ago, according to a report released by the Mortgage Bankers Association. LANDLORD OPTIONS: There are options for landlords who have fallen behind in their mortgage and loan payments. TRACK APR: Home shoppers should be reminded that lenders’ fees are added to the interest rates borrowers pay, so the annual percentage rate is the true measure…
Good morning! Today is Tuesday, February 9. Johns Hopkins University data shows that more than 10 percent of residents in several states have received an initial dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Tesla invested $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and said it might start accepting the cryptocurrency as payment for its products. Nielsen still doesn’t have any Super Bowl LV ratings to report and isn’t saying why. And in mortgage and housing news … CRE RECOVERY: Commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations were 76 percent higher in the fourth quarter than the quarter before – but remained 18 percent lower than the same period in 2020, according to a report released by the Mortgage Bankers Association. HOUSING FEARS: Millions of Americans are feeling insecure about their…
Good morning! Today is Monday, February 8. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Democrats will propose a $3,000-per-child benefit today as part of a Covid-19 stimulus relief package. Chicago teachers tentatively agree to return to classrooms for in-person instruction this week. And in mortgage and housing news … SUPER BOWL ADS: Several lenders got in on the Super Bowl ad game. Comedian Tracy Morgan teamed up with Rocket Mortgage to deliver with a humorous “Certain is better” tag line, and Guaranteed Rate featured elite athletes with an “I believe you will” message. FORBEARANCE EXIT: The first round of CARES Act mortgage forbearance relief is about to expire in March. 10-YEAR BOOM: A new long-term housing boom is upon us. And COVID-19 is the…
Good morning! Today is Friday, February 5. A potential third vaccine made by J&J that only requires one shot could become available in the U.S. within weeks. Members of the House Homeland Security Committee, which is investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and domestic terrorism, urged tougher penalties and holding social media companies accountable. United and American Airlines said tens of thousands of workers again could face furloughs as demand for air travel continues to lag. And in mortgage and housing news … HOME VALUES: Home values in the United States exploded during the last year, as interest rates and home inventories both hit record lows. Are they sustainable? MORTGAGE RATES: Mortgage rates didn’t budge this week – and that’s good news for borrowers. STICKER…
Good morning! Today is Thursday, February 4. President Biden signaled openness to sending $1,400 payments to a smaller group of Americans in the next round of coronavirus relief legislation. A British clinical trial will test combining Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines. Hundreds of San Francisco homeowners fell for a prank and applied for “Blue Check” verified homes. And in mortgage and housing news … UWM EARNINGS: United Wholesale Mortgage’s parent company announced financial results for the first time since going public last month, reporting large increases for the quarter and 2020 over the year before. MORTGAGE APPS: Mortgage applications in the United States surged 8.1 percent the last week of January from a week earlier, according to a report released by the Mortgage Bankers Association. PAST…
Good morning! Today is Wednesday, February 3. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos steps down. Andy Jassy, who has run the company’s cloud computing business, will take the reins. The US Senate took a tentative step Tuesday towards pushing through a massive economic aid package proposed by President Joe Biden, but bipartisanship was absent. And in mortgage and housing news … NEW LAWYER: The Federal Housing Finance Agency is getting a new general counsel for the first time since its creation. BORROWERS MISLED: Some mortgage companies misled borrowers about forbearance, regulators say. CLIMATE EFFECTS: Nearly three-quarters of Americans who bought or sold a home in 2019 say that an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters is “somewhat” a factor in their decision to buy or sell, according to…
Happy Groundhog Day! Today is Tuesday, February 2. The U.S. is expressing grave concern over reports of a military coup in Burma and “will take action.” The Transportation Security Administration is authorized to fine passengers who fail to comply with the new mask requirements on public transportation systems. SpaceX announced its first mission to space with an all-civilian crew. And in mortgage and housing news … FLYING OFF SHELVES: More than half of homes that went on the market in the United States earlier this month had an offer within the first two weeks, according to a new report released by Redfin. FORBEARANCE REPORT: The number of mortgages in forbearance in the United States remains stubbornly at 2.7 million, where it has largely sat for…
Good morning! Today is Monday, February 1. Winter Storm Orlena is pummeling the East Coast with heavy snow and strong winds. The job of vaccinating much of the American public is about to fall largely on retail pharmacies, with chains like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Kroger saying they are ready to give tens of millions of shots a month. Chicago teachers are threatening a strike over reopening schools to in-person learning. And in mortgage and housing news … NEW ADMINISTRATION: The Biden administration is bringing a new focus on housing policies. YEAR OF THE SELLER: Why 2021 is the year to sell your home. BIDEN/HARRIS REAL ESTATE: The president and vice president both maintain multiple homes throughout the country—but not as many as you might think. SIGHT-UNSEEN…
Good morning! Today is Friday, January 29. General Motors announced it will sell only zero-emissions vehicles by 2035. The New York Attorney General says the state’s nursing home deaths were undercounted by 50 percent. A faster-spreading South African variant of the coronavirus was detected in the U.S. And in mortgage and housing news … BIDEN IMPACT: The burning question for lenders in 2021 is: How will President Biden, who’s been around this block before, respond to today’s complex housing market that has been propped up by forbearance and historically low interest rates? DOWNPAYMENT OPTIONS: There may be an upside for the young adults who were forced to move back home with their parents during the pandemic. MORTGAGE RATES: Mortgage rates fell for the second consecutive week, inching closer…
Good morning! Today is Thursday, January 28. Internet-fueled amateurs are gathering on platforms like Reddit, Discord, Facebook and Twitter to create a Wall Street power shift and it’s working. The Department of Homeland Security warned that violent domestic extremists could attack in the coming weeks, emboldened by the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Apple is urging iPhone and iPad users to update their devices to fix security flaws that might have been “actively exploited” by hackers. And in mortgage and housing news … ROCKET DIRECTORY: Rocket Mortgage announced a new national broker directory on its website – allowing homebuyers and homeowners seeking to refinance to find local independent mortgage brokers to guide them through the process. MORTGAGE APPS: Mortgage applications tumbled 4.1 percent for…
