Good morning! Today is Wednesday, December 30. U.S. Covid-19 hospitalizations have hit a new high. Florida, Ohio and Texas prioritize elderly over essential workers for Covid vaccine, bucking federal advice.NASA approved two missions to better understand space weather.
And in mortgage and housing news …
PRICES, SALES UP: Home prices surged 14 percent and pending home sales were up 34 percent year over year for the four-week period ending December 20, according to a report released by Redfin.
RATE PREDICTIONS: Will mortgage rates go up or down in January 2021?
HOUSING RELIEF: The National Association of Realtors championed several provisions within the COVID-19 relief measure, including rental assistance, extended unemployment, and small business assistance.
EQUITY BOOM: Homeowners enjoyed the largest year-over-year home equity gain in six years during the third quarter.
RECOURSE LOAN: Do you know the difference between recourse and nonrecourse loans? If you’re a prospective borrower, you might want to read this.
LOW-RATE IMPACT: The battle of low housing inventory and rising demand.
REAL ESTATE POLICY: The federal government has some big decisions to make about real estate.
COMPACT LIVING: What’s “compact living,” and why do a number of developers building in Boston think it’s the wave of the future for multifamily?
PROPERTY TAX: If you own investment or rental property, TurboTax will help you with deductions, depreciation, and getting your biggest possible refund.