News
2021
April
20
- Five apartment community trends (in the wake of the pandemic). From the wide-ranging effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the increased digitization of our world to a new generation shaped by an increasingly connected society and the reality of ongoing economic uncertainty, the ripple effects
19
- Rising debt, falling income: How to dig out. More Americans over age 55 are carrying debt loads, and their nonmortgage debt grew significantly during the pandemic.
16
- Biden’s first-time homebuyer tax credit proposal. Consumers have been closely following President Joe Biden’s proposed first-time homebuyer tax credit, but the newest form of that proposal has several significant restrictions. The latest draft of a down-payment assistance bill would
- Off the Grid: Federal aid that fails to reach our poorest families. llinois law prohibited winter utility cutoffs for nonpayment, but Shawna knew that the disconnections would start again soon, and she knew that she would likely be at the top of the power company’s
15
- $50 billion in rent relief: Landlords are working with tenants to get help. Typically, rent relief is supposed to bridge a temporary loss of income and help keep renters in place. But massive job losses due to the pandemic have made the need for relief even more critical.
14
- Biden is bringing back Obama-era housing rules. Housing Secretary Marcia L. Fudge moved this week to reinstate fair housing regulations that had been gutted under President Donald Trump, in one of the most tangible steps that the Biden administration has taken
13
- Is now the right time to buy a home? Three factors to consider. As with most financial decisions, whether this is the right time to buy comes down to several factors. Here are three things to ask yourself before making an offer.
- These resources can help you teach your kids about money. Much has been said about the importance of teaching your children about money. Resources abound, if parents know where to look. There are free online materials available, as well as children’s books and
12
- In infrastructure package, child care help is delayed. Many parents have been eagerly anticipating President Biden’s infrastructure bill, a landmark piece of legislation expected to include sweeping benefits for caregivers and fundamentally reshape the U.S. child-care system. But the Biden
09
- The $50 billion race to save America’s renters from eviction. With judges ruling against a federal eviction ban, pressure mounts on the Biden administration to distribute billions in aid to renters.
07
- FDIC tries to help unbanked Americans get stimulus payments. To make it easier for millions of households to get their stimulus funds, the FDIC has launched a public awareness campaign—#GetBanked—to persuade unbanked individuals of the benefits of having a bank
06
- New proposal would ban most foreclosures until 2022. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a new rule that would prevent servicers from starting foreclosure proceedings until after Dec. 31. The intent, bureau officials said, is to give borrowers coming off forbearance time to consider
05
- CFPB warns mortgage servicers to be flexible with homeowners. The CFPB said that the agency expects mortgage servicers to assist millions of homeowners as pandemic protections end and will closely monitor efforts to help borrowers remain in their homes.
01
- Housing madness: 76 all-cash offers on one home. A realtor listed a fixer-upper in suburban Washington, DC for $275,000 on a Thursday. By Sunday evening, she had 88 offers. Of those 88 offers, 76 were all-cash, said Coleman, who works for RE/MAX Realty Centre. The inventory
- Turning away from nursing homes, to what?. The occupancy rate in nursing homes in the fourth quarter of 2020 was 75 percent, down 11 percentage points from the first quarter, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care, a research group. A
March
31
- Here’s the best way to book a beach house this year. While many hotel rooms in the United States stayed vacant last year, stir-crazy travelers headed to private beach and mountain houses, where they could enjoy nature but keep their distance from others. So, with
- CDC extends national evicton ban through June 30. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended the national ban on evictions through the end of June. The protection was slated to expire today.
29
- What happens when payment deferrals end?. Payment deferrals have been a lifeline for millions during Covid. But what happens when they end? Consumer advocates warning of a looming debt crisis say they want the government's watchdog to take an aggressive
26
- Biden administration to help Black farmers. The initiative, which is being run through the Agriculture Department, is at the center of the White House’s racial equity agenda.
25
- Illinois caps rates at 36%, adopts state-level CRA. The anti-predatory-lending law with a 36% rate cap, which takes effect immediately, applies across all consumer loan categories. Auto title loans in Illinois currently have an average annual percentage rate of 179%, and payday loans have an
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