Good morning! Today is Tuesday, March 9. New CDC guidance says fully vaccinated grandparents can visit safely with unvaccinated grandchildren. Netflix hit miniseries “Queen’s Gambit” may be headed to Broadway as a musical. Dubai’s airport is rolling out an iris-scanner that verifies one’s identity and eliminates the need for any human interaction when entering or leaving the country.
And in mortgage and housing news …
RATE FALLOUT: A new report released by Redfin found that homebuyers lose $23,250 in spending power with a mortgage rate of 3.25 percent versus a 2.75 percent rate, where they were sitting earlier this year.
FORBEARANCE REPORT: Nearly a year into the pandemic, 2.6 million homeowners remain in forbearance plans in the United States, according to a report released by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
SPRING HOMEBUYING: U.S. employment improved in the last month, how will it affect the spring homebuying season?
CONSTRUCTION FINANCING: When you build your home from the ground up, a regular mortgage may not suffice. Instead, you might need a construction loan.
SELLING/BUYING GAP: Knock, an innovative lender that helps homeowners buy a new home before selling their old one, has entered the Southern California market.
CREDIT FREEZE: A rise in data breaches have increased the need to freeze credit reports. However, this need not be permanent, and you can also lift a credit freeze.
STUDENT LOAN DEBT: Student loan debt is influencing who can own a home in South Carolina’s booming real estate market.
FIN-INFLUENCERS: The topic of personal finance is becoming more commonplace with ‘fin-influencers’ leading the charge by making the topic more engaging, relatable and accessible via social media. Here’s how these top influencers hope to see financial education change.
PMI COST: If you don’t make a 20 percent down payment on a conventional mortgage, you’ll be hit with private mortgage insurance, or PMI. Can you avoid it?
PHYSICIAN LOANS: There are mortgage products available for physicians. Here’s what you need to know.