Len Goodman, the urbane, long-serving judge on “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing,” has died, his agent said Monday. He was 78. Agent Jackie Gill said Goodman “passed away peacefully,” without giving a cause. A former dancer and British champion, Goodman was a judge on “Strictly Come Dancing” for 12 years from its […]
New listing data hasn’t recovered since last year’s big Can we now say that the housing market‘s spring selling season is finally underway? Since 2020, the seasonal bottom for housing inventory has arrived several months later than normal, making it more complicated to track housing inventory data. Still, we have some promising signs that we […]
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” continued to rack up coins at the box office, leading ticket sales for the third straight weekend, as the animation hit neared $1 billion after just 18 days in theaters. The weekend’s top new release, the horror reboot “Evil Dead Rise” debuted solidly, launching with $23.5 million, according to studio […]
Tony Award-winning comedian Barry Humphries, internationally renowned for his garish stage persona Dame Edna Everage, a condescending and imperfectly-veiled snob whose evolving character has delighted audiences over seven decades, has died. He was 89. His death in a Sydney, Australia, hospital, where he spent several days with complications following hip surgery, was confirmed by his […]
The guardians of Champagne will let no one take the name of the bubbly beverage in vain, not even a U.S. beer behemoth. For years, Miller High Life has used the “Champagne of Beers” slogan. This week, that appropriation became impossible to swallow. At the request of the trade body defending the interests of houses […]
A viral AI-generated song imitating Drake and The Weeknd was pulled from streaming services this week, but did it breach copyright as claimed by record label Universal? Created by someone called @ghostwriter, Heart On My Sleeve racked up millions of listens before Universal Music Group asked for its removal from Spotify, Apple Music and other […]
Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement on the President’s appointment of a group of distinguished Black Americans to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans: details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: Website of U.S. Department of Education
It’s been delayed, but that’s not enough for the mortgage industry. In a blog post published Thursday, Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) President and CEO Bob Broeksmit made the case that the Federal Housing Finance Agency‘s (FHFA) loan level price adjustments (LLPA) related to a mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is unworkable and should be scrapped […]
A man paces a 50-meter stage doing breathing exercises. Crew members chatter while putting together final touches to the set, as a pianist rehearses. Acclaimed South African artist William Kentridge’s play “The Head & The Load” is almost ready for its much-awaited African debut. “Being able to show it at home feels very important,” Kentridge […]
Muslims in Minneapolis can now hear their call to prayer broadcast five times a day from mosques around the city, thanks to a new law. From Minneapolis, Mohamud Mascadde has the story, narrated by Salem Solomon. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
The trading volume of mortgage-rights servicing (MSRs) so far this year is on pace to meet or exceed last year’s robust mark, when MSRs on some $1 trillion worth of home loans exchanged hands — then fueled by the spike in interest rates, industry players say. As of late April 2023, mortgage interest rates, though […]
One aspect I didn’t like to see in this report is that the days on market fell and are back to under 30 days. This is the reality of our world: total active listings are still near all-time lows and demand so far has been stable since We only have 2.6 months’ worth of housing […]
Denver-based brokerage franchise Motto Mortgage, owned by RE/MAX, has accused broker shop UMortgage of “tortious interference” in its contract with a former franchisee called TRB Solutions, whose controlling member was Breon Price, the top-producing loan officer. According to a lawsuit filed in March in a U.S district court in Colorado, UMortgage “unlawfully solicited” and “induced” […]
Moon Bin, a singer from South Korean boy band Astro, was found dead at his home in Seoul, his management agency said Thursday. The 25-year-old was reportedly found by his manager who went to the singer’s home Wednesday evening because he wasn’t responding to contacts. Police are investigating his death but have so far found […]
Distributed retail lender Guild Mortgage has picked up a top-producing team of loan officers, branch managers and back-office staff in California from rival retail shop Fairway Independent Mortgage. Guild, publicly traded and based in San Diego, added 40 employees across eight branch offices in California, the company said Thursday. John Lowe leads the new California […]
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on Wednesday released a proposed rule that would codify many of its regulatory policies related to fair housing and fair lending. In formalizing housing regulation policies through the rulemaking process, the Biden administration hopes to make it more difficult for future administrations to untangle them. The proposed rule would codify in regulation FHFA’s fair […]
Real estate valuation technology provider Clear Capital announced on Thursday an expansion of its partnership with CoreLogic. Through the expanded partnership, Clear Capital’s recently launched Universal Data Collection product will be available for order and fulfillment through CoreLogic’s suite of Valuation Workflow Solutions. “The key to appraisal modernization is wide-spread adoption, and alongside CoreLogic, we […]
Interest rates for mortgage loans broke five straight weeks of declines caused by the bank crisis. This week, the 30-year fixed rate rebounded due to recent data indicating a still-resilient economy, the potential continuity of the Federal Reserve’s tightening monetary policy, and pressures in the secondary market. “For the first time in over a month, […]
Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement after Speaker Kevin McCarthy released a proposal that would cancel the Biden-Harris Administration’s targeted, one-time debt relief program: details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: Website of U.S. Department of Education
Owners of a North Carolina property have filed an amended lawsuit against Rocket Mortgage that claims the lender rejected a refinance application in order to impose a higher rate. In an amended complaint, filed Monday, two couples — John Speicher and his wife, Patricia Giles, from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and Jeremy and Courtney Speicher from […]
The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB), an association representing the interests of individual mortgage loan originators and small to midsize mortgage businesses, is welcoming the introduction of a bill that would end the sale of trigger leads. The bill, H.R. 2656, was introduced by Representative Richie Torres of New York on April 17, and […]
In February, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an advisory opinion addressing how certain mortgage comparison site platforms could potentially be violating the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) section 8. According to the advisory opinion, if the mortgage comparison site “provides enhanced placement or otherwise steers consumers” to certain operators based on compensation, an […]
People worldwide have long been paying more for a premium cup of coffee. But what about a cost of over $100 for a cup? From Panama City, Panama, Oscar Sulbarán has the story, narrated by Cristina Caicedo Smit. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
The big difference in this housing recession versus other cycles is that housing completions are still rising, which is unusual. However, because of the COVID-19 delays, we are still working through a backlog of homes under construction. From Census: Housing Completions Privately‐owned housing completions in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,542,000. This […]
Like most Facebook users, I am targeted by advertisements relating to my interests, particularly Native American. So, when an ad popped up recently advertising a “Navajo Tufa Cast Corn Stalk Design Bracelet” cast from 55 grams of sterling silver, it got my attention, especially because its price was an implausible $6.48. “Because of Black Friday, […]
Introducing Inside Voices with Kristin Messerli, a new interview video series hosting by Messerli, who’s research on NextGen homebuyers helps to inform tomorrow’s generation. She is also author of NextGen Homebuyer Research and a speaker and educator. Today, she interviews Yanely Espinal, the Education Outreach Director for NextGen Personal Finance. She shares what every leader […]
In a cyclical mortgage industry, hedging is key to maintaining a buffer against losses. For New American Funding (NAF), the country’s 33rd-largest mortgage lender, hedging is how the company was able to manage through the troughs of the mortgage business cycle, Rick Arvielo, co-founder and CEO of NAF, said in an interview with HousingWire. “We’re […]
MISMO, the real estate finance industry’s standards organization and a subsidiary of the Mortgage Bankers Association, plans to launch a working group that will create standards for Electronic Home Equity Lines of Credit (eHELOC). The launch of the working group comes at a time when HELOCs are an increasingly popular choice for homeowners who want […]
While a mortgage business’ battle against margin compression is seemingly endless, that fight is less noticeable in times of surging revenue. This year, thus far, has been anything but that. The decline in mortgage volume, along with increasing rates and uncertainty about the months ahead, have amounted to a scramble for revenue and a continual […]
Higher interest rates pushed up profits for Bank of America (BofA) in the first quarter of 2023, but much like its depository peers, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo, the mortgage business dropped by double-digits during this period. The bank posted a net income of $8.2 billion from January to March, rising 15.5% quarter over […]
Good morning, Chairman Aderholt, Ranking Member DeLauro, and distinguished members of the Committee. I am pleased to join you today to testify on behalf of President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 Budget Request for the Department of Education. My time in front of you today is about choices. The choice to invest in America’s children, or […]
The share of Americans who volunteer their time to help charities build houses, serve food, do environmental cleanup, and much else has been on the decline nationwide but nowhere as sharply as in Florida, where only 16% of residents donate their free hours to local organizations, according to the latest available statistics. That’s a drop […]
Senegalese singer-songwriter Baaba Maal on Monday was named a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification. Maal has long been an activist on climate change and refugees. Since 2003, he has been committed to various development challenges in Africa, working with different U.N. family organizations. His NANN-K Trust recently opened a solar-powered irrigation […]
As the COVID-19 national emergency draws to a close, the forbearance rate has decreased month over month, according to a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) on Monday. While the MBA still expects a recession this year, credit quality is generally good, and borrowers facing financial hardship can access enhanced loss mitigation options, the […]
Elevated mortgage rates are continuing to give homeowners a reason to stay at their current homes, according to the 2023 Borrower Insights Survey conducted by ICE Mortgage Technology. But while the inventory-lacking market has caused issues for buyers, one bright spot is that about half of the current homeowners say they plan to sell their […]
As leaders, it is critically important that we pause and reflect on the legacy we are passing on to emerging generations. How can we leave the industry better, stronger, more flourishing than we found it? What can we do to pave the way to unbiased, equitable opportunity and limitless potential for all who aspire to […]
Multi-channel mortgage lender New American Funding (NAF) is entering the joint ventures arena, offering multiple JV models in a margin-compressed and highly regulated industry. Under the JV model, partners will have access to NAF’s infrastructure and mortgage originating process. It will allow the company to mitigate the risk associated with being in the mortgage business […]
Think an old dog can’t learn new tricks? Some say that the nearly 150-year-old title industry has a difficult time adapting and evolving. However, the title industry has proven these critics wrong over the past decade, and importantly, it has done so without leaving homeowners vulnerable to unnecessary risks. Title companies have embraced digitization, automation […]
That compares to only 28% for both GSEs combined. To be clear, the FHA remains the primary provider of mortgage financing for minorities in this country. And, if you read The Urban Institute, a well-known think tank in Washington, D.C., has a Housing Finance Policy Center that does a significant amount of research and analysis […]
The final curtain came down Sunday on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” ending Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier. It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of […]
World record-holder Eliud Kipchoge has the speed to outclass the rest of the field when he makes his Boston Marathon debut on Monday. To win, he may have to slow things down. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and 12-time major marathon champion knows that the 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay isn’t like […]
The seasonal housing inventory bottom evaded us again last week as active listings fell and new listing inventory decreased. Purchase application data rose again, with more positive than negative data in 2023. Mortgage rates didn’t move much last week, but the 10-year yield rose even though inflation data was tamer than expected, and we had […]
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” scored the best second weekend ever for an animated movie in North American theaters with $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The family-friendly Universal release dropped a slim 41% from its record-making opening weekend. With $94 million from international showings, “Mario’s” global total now stands at […]
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. It’s simple and can be played in small spaces so popular with all age groups. But not everyone loves it. Maxim Moskalkov reports. details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: VOANews.Com
Ireland’s president has led tributes to Mark Sheehan, guitarist with Irish rock band The Script, after his death at 46. The band said Sheehan died in a hospital Friday after a brief illness. In a statement, The Script called him a “much-loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend.” Formed in Dublin in 2001 by […]