Chinese organizers have confirmed participants in next year’s Winter Olympics will be strictly isolated from the general population and could face expulsion for violating COVID-19 restrictions. Vice mayor and Beijing 2022 organizing committee official Zhang Jiandong told reporters Wednesday that those taking part in the games beginning Feb. 4 must remain in a “closed loop” […]
Leading reverse mortgage lender Finance of America Reverse (FAR) has lowered the minimum qualifying age for its “HomeSafe” suite of proprietary reverse mortgage products to 55 in the majority of the states in which the suite is available, Reverse Mortgage Daily has learned. This makes FAR the second major reverse mortgage lender in the nation […]
Nothing says Halloween like a visit to a pumpkin patch where selections range from cute to specimens so gigantic, they arrive by truck. Titi Tran has this report from Orange County, California. Camera: Titi Mary Tran details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
Seven months after a $16 million Series B round, digital mortgage platform Maxwell has raised $52.5 million in additional funding, the company said on Tuesday. The latest round was led by Fin VC, the venture capital firm that also led the Series B capital raise. Existing investors TTV Capital, Prudence, and Rotor Capital participated in […]
The niece of Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Princess Mako, married a commoner Tuesday, relinquishing her royal status following a heavily scrutinized, controversial four-year engagement. The Japanese Imperial Household Agency issued a statement announcing the marriage of Mako to Kei Komuro, both 30 years old. The couple broke with tradition by foregoing the usual rituals and ceremonies […]
Bill Borden, corporate vice president of worldwide financial services at Microsoft Tech giant Microsoft plans to launch a new cloud-computing offering targeting the financial-services market on Nov. 1 as part of an effort to further bolster its fast-expanding cloud business. The secondary market may want to take note. The Microsoft Cloud for Financial Services has […]
This is part two of a two-part series on joint ventures in the housing industry. To read the first part of this series, go here. On a sunny, serene fall afternoon, the Chicago neighborhood of Ravenswood featured quiet socializing on outdoor brewery patios, cyclists of all ages, and, hidden alongside the elevated train tracks, the […]
Production of the movie that Alec Baldwin was making when he shot and killed a cinematographer last week has been officially halted, but producers of the Western described the move as “a pause rather than an end.” In an email to crew members, the movie’s production team confirmed that work on “Rust” has been suspended […]
Servicers’ forbearance portfolio volume declined at a reduced pace this week, as mortgage holders continue to exit COVID-19 plans, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The total number of loans in forbearance decreased by seven basis points to 2.21% as of Oct. 17. In the previous week, the rate dropped 34 basis points […]
“Belfast”, a film drama by acclaimed actor and director Kenneth Branagh, chronicles the beginnings, in 1969, of the thirty-year political and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. Penelope Poulou reports. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
New York State is close to approving a controversial bill that expands the requirements of the state community reinvestment act (CRA) to non-depository lenders, following the lead of Massachusetts and Illinois. The CRA rule, enacted in 1977, mandates that banks help meet the credit needs of communities in which they take deposits, specifically in low- […]
In a decision with potential ramifications across European museums, France is displaying 26 looted colonial-era artifacts for one last time before returning them home to Benin. The wooden anthropomorphic statues, royal thrones and sacred altars were pilfered by the French army in the 19th century from Western Africa. President Emmanuel Macron suggested that France now […]
The excited and at times nervous first-time homebuyers that James Dunn often represents ask him how that whole process of taking out a mortgage works, and Dunn, a Los Angeles-based real estate agent with eXp, replies with a few trusted names. “There are probably three or four people that I work with,” Dunn said. “Anyone […]
Calls were growing Sunday to ban the use of firearms in movie-making, as Hollywood struggled to come to terms with Alec Baldwin’s fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. A memorial service will be held Sunday for 42-year-old Hutchins, who was struck in the chest when Baldwin fired a prop gun during the filming of […]
The South Korean television show, Squid Game, has become Netflix’s biggest series launch ever, topping 111 million viewers globally. Karina Bafradzhian examines the phenomenon of the Squid Game. Camera: David Gogokhia details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
Eleven Picasso paintings and other works that helped turn Las Vegas into an unlikely destination for art were sold at auction on Saturday for more than $100 million. The Sotheby’s auction was held at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, where the works had been on display for years, and took place two days before […]
Led by an unlikely hero, the Atlanta Braves are heading back to a place that used to be so familiar to them. The World Series. Eddie Rosario capped a remarkable National League Championship Series with a three-run homer, sending the Braves to the biggest stage of all with a 4-2 victory over the defending champion […]
Somali filmmaker Khadar Ahmed won the top prize at the FESPACO film festival in Burkina Faso on Saturday for “The Gravedigger’s Wife,” which he wrote and directed. The 40-year-old was not at the ceremony to receive the Golden Stallion award, but his work bested 16 other African films for the top prize. The films in […]
Alec Baldwin was handed what was described as a safe “cold gun” on the set of his movie “Rust,” but the prop gun contained live rounds when it was fired, according to details of the police investigation into the fatal shooting released on Friday. The shot hit cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in the chest, and director […]
In the face of a serious housing shortage, exceptional service from brokers is more important than ever. With forced bidding becoming the new norm, top brokers understand the importance of providing loan pricing with speed and certainty. Purchase originations demand more of brokers’ resources than a refinance. There are many more moving pieces and loan […]
This week’s HW+ spotlight features Karen Mayfield, head of National Retail Sales at Wyndham Capital Mortgage. In her role, Mayfield is tasked with expanding on the company’s digital roots into the retail mortgage environment. With more than two decades in the industry, Mayfield most recently served as a division lending executive at Citi, where she oversaw up […]
Hollywood star Alec Baldwin said Friday, “My heart is broken” after a cinematographer died when he fired a prop gun on a New Mexico movie set, adding that he was cooperating with a police investigation to determine how the incident occurred. “There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident […]
There has been controversy leading up to the 2022 Winter Olympics scheduled to begin in China in February. The latest protest is in Greece. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details. Camera: Laurent Laughlin Produced by: Elizabeth Lee details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
Austin-based mortgage tech platform UpEquity raised $50 million in a Series B funding round led by the venture capital firm S3 Ventures. The funding will support the company’s growth as UpEquity forecasts more than $1 billion in originations over the next 12 months. The funding consists of $20 million in equity and $30 million in […]
Twenty affordable housing groups teamed up to tell the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) its requirements for the government sponsored enterprises to support manufactured and rural housing, and preserve affordable housing don’t make the grade. The coalition, dubbed the “Underserved Mortgage Markets Coalition,” includes the Center for Community Progress, the National Housing Conference, the National […]
US actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that killed a cinematographer and wounded the director on a film set in New Mexico, US law enforcement officers said Thursday. The incident happened on the set of “Rust” in the southwestern US state, where Baldwin is playing the lead in a 19th-century western. Halyna Hutchins and […]
The largest triceratops skeleton ever found was sold for $7.74 million Thursday at an auction in Paris to a private American collector. In a statement on its website, the Drouot auction house said the fossilized remains of “Big John,” as the skeleton is known, was expected to go for between $1.4 and $1.7 million. But […]
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona today announced the recipients of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership for 2021. Eight school leaders from the 2021 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored during the National Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal […]
An offering of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage servicing rights (MSR) linked to a loan pool valued at nearly $2.2 billion is now being marketed by the Prestwick Mortgage Group on behalf of an undisclosed independent mortgage banker, according to a bid document obtained by HousingWire. The offering is yet another sign that the […]
The average 30-year-fixed rate mortgage climbed to 3.09% during the week ending Oct. 21, rising from 3.05% the week prior, according to the latest Freddie Mac PMMS Mortgage Survey. A year ago, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.80%. Most economists believe they’ll continue to climb. “Mortgage rates continued to rise this week due to the […]
The past three days have been an engaging experience as I’ve listened and learned alongside all of you. From Canada, America’s close neighbor to the north, to our Asian colleagues in Singapore and China, to our many friends in Europe, it’s been a privilege to sit at this virtual table with all of you and […]
The nation’s network of Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) expects to be required to increase its share of investments in affordable housing. The push will come from the Congress, where the COVID-19 pandemic rekindled discussions about a program established in the 1990s. The Affordable Housing Program (AHP) requires that each of the 11 FHLBanks in […]
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement on today’s Senate confirmation of Catherine E. Lhamon as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: Website of U.S. Department of Education
Since Rohit Chopra was confirmed as the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in September, there’s been one particular word on the lips of mortgage executives. And it gives them chills: redlining. “We are going to see a lot of emphasis on redlining: when you’re actively, intentionally separating out areas that you […]
Mortgage application activity dropped 6.3% for the week ending Oct. 15, according to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association survey. And, as you might have guessed, mortgage rates had a lot to do with it. “Refinance applications declined for the fourth week as rates increased, bringing the refinance index to its lowest level since July 2021,” […]
Executive Vice President at Rocket Pro TPO Austin Niemiec ” data-image-caption=” Executive Vice President at Rocket Pro TPO Austin Niemiec ” data-medium-file=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?w=1024″ loading=”lazy” width=”1200″ height=”713″ src=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?w=1024″ alt=”HW+ Austin rocket” class=”wp-image-325834″ srcset=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png 1200w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?resize=150,89 150w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?resize=300,178 300w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?resize=768,456 768w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?resize=1024,608 1024w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HW-Austin-rocket.png?resize=600,357 600w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”>Executive Vice President at Rocket Pro TPO Austin Niemiec […]
Purchase mortgage applications for new homes were down 16.2% in September compared to a year ago, according to Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data released on Tuesday. This is also marks a 4% decrease from the prior month. Based on data from the survey, MBA estimates that there were 66,000 new single-family […]
In New York City, artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada unveiled a unique piece of art called The Hug, created to honor those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Nina Vishneva was there for the unveiling and has more in this story narrated by Anna Rice. Elena Wolf contributed to this report. Camera: Max Avloshenko, Elena Matusovsky details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com […]
Today, the U.S. Department of Education released a new resource: Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health to provide information and resources to enhance the promotion of mental health and the social and emotional well-being among children and students. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: Website of U.S. […]
Forbearance declined across the board this week as government agencies and industry stakeholders chart a path out of forbearance and into loss-mitigation. The total number of loans still in forbearance was down 34 basis points from 2.62% of servicers’ portfolio volume the prior week to 2.28% the week ending Oct. 10, 2021, per the latest […]
Three protesters carrying a Tibetan flag and a banner that said “No genocide games” attempted to disrupt the flame-lighting ceremony for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Monday. The protesters, who are calling for a boycott of the games, tried to gain access to the ceremony at the Temple of Hera in Greece, the birthplace of […]
A Russian actor and a film director making the first move film in space returned to Earth on Sunday after spending 12 days on the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz MS-18 space capsule carrying Russian ISS crew member Oleg Novitskiy, Yulia Peresild and Klim Shipenko landed in a remote area outside the western Kazakhstan […]
As kids growing up in different states, Shoba Narayan and Michael Maliakel shared a love of one favorite film — “Aladdin.” Both are of Indian descent, and in the animated movie, they saw people who looked like them. That shared love has gone full-circle this month as Narayan and Maliakel lead the Broadway company of […]
To Charlotte Bennett, the new book that arrived at her Manhattan apartment this week — Anita Hill’s “Believing” — was more than just a look at gender violence. It was a dispatch from a fellow member of a very specific sisterhood — women who have come forward to describe misconduct they suffered at the hands […]
Over the last month, two of the biggest housing regulators either changed or were rumored to change leadership. In mid-September, there were talks that the Biden administration would nominate Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending, as the new FHFA director, and at the end of September, Rohit Chopra was officially confirmed as director of […]