Good morning! Today is Wednesday, December 23. President Trump slammed the recently passed $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, and demanded that Congress amend the bill to increase direct payments to Americans. States impose the strictest lockdowns on businesses and social gatherings since spring in an effort to prevent a holiday-fueled coronavirus surge. A Canadian gold miner unearthed a mummified Ice Age wolf puppy.
And in mortgage and housing news …
STREAK OVER: Existing home sales decline in November.
RESOLUTION PLANNING: FHFA announces proposed a new rule on living wills for GSEs.
FORBEARANCE REPORT: The number of mortgages in forbearance increased slightly.
REBOOTED PPP: The rebooted PPP includes changes on issues such as eligibility for second-time applicants.
BEFORE YOU BUILD: Here’s what you should know about construction loans.
HISPANIC HOMEOWNERSHIP: Realogy spotlights how the Hispanic population is responsible for 51.6 percent of all homeownership growth in the U.S. from 2009 to 2019 and the important role they have in real estate.
RENTERS/OWNERS: In metro Atlanta, the pandemic has only widened the divide between renters and homeowners.
A-I LENDING: Credit modeling is still an imperfect science, even with the use of artificial intelligence, acknowledges Dave Girouard, co-founder and CEO of the online lender Upstart.
DIGITAL MORTGAGES: Lenders should target Gen-Z with improved digital loan origination process.
POST-PANDEMIC BOOM: The pandemic has upended the country’s housing markets, and some cities and regions are better positioned to bounce back than others.
PREDICTIONS: What to expect from the housing market in 2021.