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☆ Mortgage rates may be stabilizing after the election. Here's what to expect into early 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Don't expect 'huge swings' on mortgage ratesElection uncertainty contributed to an upward swing in mortgage rates during October. But now that we have a president-elect, mortgage rates are expected to gradually come down over time, Lautz said. Experts say that mortgage rates might head into a "bumpy" or "volatile" path over the next year. "Our expectation is that rates are going to be in the 6% range as we move into 2025," she said. For example, if you bought your home around this time last year, when mortgage rates peaked at around 8%, you might benefit from a mortgage refinance, Lautz said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, it's, Jessica Lautz, Lautz, Jerome Powell, Robert Dietz, Jessica Lautz Jessica Lautz, Jeff Ostrowski, Jacob Channel Organizations: Getty, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Treasury, Trump, Federal, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ Wall Street looks for Nvidia to take the baton from election trades to keep rally alive in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

What exactly President-elect Donald Trump's second term means for the stock market will be the question investors continue to grapple with in the week ahead. Nvidia earnings results will also be on deck as investors deal with stubbornly high interest rates as well. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged past 44,000 for the first time ever, and the S & P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite similarly posted new records. Sales of Blackwell and Grace Blackwell are expected to start to show up in results next year. The SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF has surged 11% this month.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Jimmy Chang, Jensen Huang, CNBC's, Blackwell, Grace Blackwell, Harsh Kumar, Piper Sandler, Kumar, Jensen, Donald Trump, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Novavax, Ken Mahoney, Trump, There's, Mahoney, Rockefeller's Chang, Chris Rupkey, Jerome Powell Organizations: Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Rockefeller Global Family, Treasury, Nvidia, Blackwell, Health, Human Services Department, Moderna, Asset Management, Regional Banking ETF, Federal, White, FWDBONDS, Housing, Walmart, Lowe's, Palo Alto Networks, Philadelphia Fed, . Kansas City Fed Manufacturing, Ross Stores, Intuit, Deere, PMI, PMI Manufacturing, PMI Services Locations: China, U.S, NAHB, . Kansas, Michigan

Mortgage rates were forecast to go down in 2025. Expectations of higher inflation and more government debt under Trump have helped mortgage rates rise in recent weeks. Why mortgage rates rose ahead of the election — and are still high nowMortgage rates went down a lot in September, with 30-year rates dropping near 6%, according to Freddie Mac. How Trump's policies could lead to higher mortgage ratesZhao says that right now it's "nearly impossible" to predict where mortgage rates will go in 2025. More supply would help moderate home price growth, improving affordability even if mortgage rates remain high.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Trump's, —, Freddie Mac, they're, Chen Zhao, Melissa Cohn, Trump, Zhao, Kamala Harris, Cohn Organizations: Trump, Service, Bond, William, Mortgage, Analytics

☆ Older voters prioritized personal economic issues, helped Republicans win on Election Day, new AARP poll finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

the answer for many older voters ages 50 and over was "no," according to a new post-election poll released by the AARP. Almost half — 47% — of voters ages 50 and over said they are "worse off now," the research found, while more than half — 55% — of swing voters in that age cohort said the same. Among voters 50 to 64, Trump won by seven points. With voters ages 65 and over, Vice President Kamala Harris won by two points. Interviews were conducted with 2,348 "likely voters" in targeted congressional districts following Election Day between Nov. 6 and 10.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Kamala Harris, Fabrizio Ward, Bob Ward, Ward Organizations: AARP, Finance, Research, Republican Locations: Bethlehem , Pennsylvania

☆ Why Home Depot made an $18.25 billion bet on the pro business
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In both of the past two quarters, Home Depot's revenue would have fallen year over year if SRS' sales were excluded. Melissa Repko | CNBCA jolt to the businessFor Home Depot, the expansion into the pro business comes at a challenging time. With housing turnover near its lowest in decades, the pro business has also felt pressure. Grom said Home Depot's growing pro business is what helps to attract investors and set it apart from its main competitor, Lowe's . The SRS deal and the focus on pro does not mean Home Depot is abandoning efforts to jolt the rest of its business.

Persons: Melissa Repko, Ted Decker, Decker, Dan Tinker, Joe Feldman, Chuck Grom, Gordon Haskett, Group's Feldman, it's, Grom, Tinker Organizations: Texas Pool Supply, CNBC, Depot, Home Depot, Telsey Advisory, Home, Federal Reserve, Lowe's Locations: Texas, CNBC PLANO , Texas, Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, U.S

After Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s dramatic performance with Latino voters, a coalition of Democratic-leaning Latino groups is grappling with the shift and trying to reconcile it with the policies they say many Hispanics support. Along with UnidosUS, Latino-focused advocacy groups such as Voto Latino, Somos Votantes, Hispanic Federation and La Brega y Fuerza Fund sponsored a poll of Latino voters. The coalition rejected national exit poll findings showing that Trump won the majority of Latino men — 55% — to Harris’ 43%. Edison Research, which conducts national exit polling for NBC News and other news organizations, surveyed 2,750 Latino voters nationally. Thirty-seven percent of male participants in exit polling identified as white, while 6% identified as Latino in the Latino groups’ poll.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, —, Clarissa Martinez de Castro, Kamala Harris, ” Martinez de Castro, ”, Somos, Donald Trump, Anna Moneymaker, Martinez de Castro, Trump, Harris, Matt Barreto, “, Rob Farbman, Latinas, Joe Biden, Starr County, Gary Segura, ” Segura, Barreto, Carlos Odio, Vanessa Cardenas, ” Cardenas Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Democratic Party, Latino, UnidosUS, Republicans, Hispanic Federation, Brega, Fund, American Civil Liberties Union, Advancing Justice, Climate Power, Nations Development Institute, Trump, Harris ’, BSP Research, African American Research, Harvard University, American, NBC, Edison Research, NBC News, Edison, Biden, Dade, Equis Research, America’s Locations: Doral, Fla, Miami, Florida, South Texas, Rio Grande, Starr, U.S

President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Trump, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. "I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)," he wrote. "For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health." Donald Trump Jr. also shared the news on X. Azar replaced the first Trump-appointed health secretary, Tom Price, who resigned over his use of private jets for government business, costing U.S. taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Persons: Donald Trump, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Kennedy, Trump “, ”, —, Ben Carson, Trump's, Bobby Jindal, Sen, Bill Cassidy, “, Richard Besser, “ I’m, ” Besser, Alex Azar, Azar, Tom Price Organizations: Department of Health, Human Services, United, Health, Public Health, Trump, HHS, for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, Centers, Medicare, Services, Children’s Health Defense, Louisiana Gov, state's Department of Health, Hospitals, Education, Labor, Pensions, “ RFK, FDA, NBC News, U.S, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ Georgia's Fulton County Jail violates rights of detainees with violence and filth, feds say
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The department on Thursday announced its findings from a civil rights investigation that had opened in July 2023 into conditions of Fulton County Jail in Georgia. Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment Thursday. Fulton County Jail: Home to stabbings, assaults, pests and a lack of careThe lengthy report presented a staggering portrait of violence and death at the Fulton County Jail. The report found that Fulton County Jail failed to protect detainees from the risk of harm from violence and sexual violence. Further, Fulton County Jail deputies and detention officers use force against incarcerated people without adequate justification, including deploying Tasers without reasonable cause, the document said.

Persons: Lashawn Thompson, It’s, Lashawn Thompson Thompson, WXIA, Thompson, Thompson’s, Thursday's, General Merrick Garland, ”, Kristen Clarke Organizations: Sheriff’s, NBC, Georgia Tech, Office, Justice Department’s Civil Rights, Justice, U.S, Justice Department Locations: Georgia’s Fulton County, Fulton County Jail, Georgia, Fulton, Fulton County, Atlanta

☆ Latino mobile home park residents denounce conditions, allege discrimination
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Albinson Linares | Albinson Linares Is A Reporter For Noticias Telemundo Based In Mexico City. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +13 min

The sewage is exposed to the air and causes a lot of nausea and headaches,” said Veronica Isabel Dahlberg, executive director of HOLA Ohio, a nonprofit group assisting Latino state residents, which has advised mobile home park residents who sued. It is very expensive,” said Yvonne Maldonado, a co-director of Manufactured Housing Action, a nonprofit group that focuses on such communities. “We have recently seen private equity enter the manufactured housing market," PESP housing research coordinator Madeline Bankson said. During hurricanes, the National Weather Service has said, 72% of deaths occur in homes, and of those, 54% occur in mobile homes. She also urged mobile home park residents to organize their communities and if there are complaints, to do it as a group, which is more effective.

Persons: Mariano Jacobo Piñón, ”, Vicente Hernández, Ricardo Rodríguez, Veronica Isabel Dahlberg, Mariano Jacobo Piñón's, ” Rodríguez, Melissa Solomon, Jones, Patrick J, Condon, Yvonne Maldonado, Maldonado, Ana Eugenia Báez, Báez, Andrea Chiriboga, Flor, Ascentia, Marko Vukovich, ” Vukovich, Esther Sullivan, Eva Marie Uzcategui, Madeline Bankson, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, John Fetterman, ” Shaheen, Banks, Juan Pablo Garnham, Garnham Organizations: Fairgrounds United, Perry Mobile Home, Noticias Telemundo, Jones Estates Fairgrounds, Jones Estates Perry LLC, Jones Estates, Department of Housing, Urban, Survey, Residents, People Center, Foxridge, Colorado Mobile, Private, University of Colorado, Home Parks, The Washington, Getty, Prosperity, Federal Housing Administration, “, Telemundo, Princeton, National Weather Service Locations: Lake County , Ohio, Mexico, Ohio, Hernández, Lake County, Mobile, U.S, New York, Colorado, Foxridge, Arapahoe County , Colorado, Denver, Sarasota , Fla, Sens

Owens, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and City Council member Aaron Banks were indicted last month on conspiracy and bribery charges. Barbara Gauntt / Clarion Ledger / USA Today via ImagnA City Council member, Angelique Lee, resigned in August and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. “People are tired; they just want some good stuff done,” said Vernon Hartley, a City Council member for one of the city’s poorest wards. Aaron Banks is the second Jackson City Council member to be charged in the federal bribery case. Angelique Lee, a former City Council member, resigned and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.

Persons: JACKSON, —, Virgi Lindsay, ” Lindsay, Jody Owens, Lauren Witte, “, ”, Owens, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Aaron Banks, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Barbara Gauntt, Angelique Lee, Sherik Marve Smith, Smith, Jackson, Vernon Hartley, ” Owens, Banks, Lumumba, They’re, Lee, Rogelio V . Solis, The United States ”, Hartley, Lindsay, Ashby Foote, Hannah Mattix, Foote, ” Foote, ” Hartley Organizations: Miss, Council, Clarion Ledger, FBI, Southern District of, City Council, City, “, Department of Housing, Urban Development, U.S, Southern, Southern District of Mississippi Owens, Jackson City Council, ”, Attorney’s Office, The United, NBC News, Republican, Capital Club, USA, Solutions Locations: Jackson, Hinds, Hinds County, Southern District, Southern District of Mississippi, Imagn, Nashville, Florida, Owens, Africa, The United States, generalities, City

☆ 'Big Short' investor Michael Burry boosts Alibaba, Baidu, and JD.com bets as he doubles down on China
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The "Big Short" investor raised his stakes in Alibaba, Baidu, and JD.com but also hedged the wagers. Burry didn't add any new names to his stock portfolio but exited a couple in the period. AdvertisementMichael Burry doubled down on three of China's biggest technology companies last quarter, boosting his stakes while carefully hedging his bets. The investor of "The Big Short" fame bolstered his Alibaba position by 29% to 200,000 shares worth around $21 million at the end of September, a quarterly portfolio filing revealed on Thursday. The Scion Asset Management boss doubled his JD.com stake to 500,000 shares worth $20 million at quarter end, and purchased put options on the same number of shares.

Persons: Michael Burry, —, bearish, Trump, aren't, He's, Burry Organizations: Baidu, Service, Scion Asset Management, Molina Healthcare, Shift4, Hudson Pacific Properties, American Coastal Insurance, GameStop, Nasdaq, Apple, Nvidia Locations: Alibaba, BioAlta, TheRealReal

☆ Homebuilders fear Trump's mass deportations would inflate costs and make it even harder to hire
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Homebuilders and economists have said a deeper labor shortage could cause housing costs to spike. The issue is the construction labor force, whose 500,000-worker shortage is already making conditions more challenging. Related Video Musk visits border, calls for Trump-style wallForeign-born workers make up about a quarter of the construction workforce. They argue that the surge in home costs is largely a result of the nationwide housing shortage, and immigrants are a key part of building housing. AdvertisementDuring the pandemic, many older, experienced workers retired, and the pipeline of younger US-born workers isn't sufficient, homebuilders say.

Persons: Homebuilding execs, Donald Trump's, —, Eric Finnigan, John Burns, Ben Metcalf, Jim Tobin, JD Vance, Trump, Vance, Barack Obama, Obama, Joe Biden, Tom Homan, Chad Blocker, Homebuilders, Dennis Webb Organizations: Service, Trump, University of California, National Association of Home Builders, Immigration, Biden Locations: Berkeley, Los Angeles, Phoenix

☆ What's the most you should pay for housing? Here's a breakdown by salary, from $30,000 a year to $120,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Housing costs are the biggest expense most people face, so knowing how much you can afford to spend can be key to staying on top of your budget. As a rule of thumb, financial planners commonly recommend spending no more than 30% of your gross income on housing, whether that's mortgage or rent costs. This advice is often based on guidelines set in the 1980s by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which defined spending beyond 30% as "housing cost burdened." That means if you earn the U.S. median income of around $80,000, you should aim to keep your housing costs to $2,000 a month. Considering that Americans are routinely spending more than 30% of their income on housing, the guideline can feel more like an ideal than a realistic rule of thumb.

Organizations: U.S . Department of Housing, Urban Locations: U.S

☆ Georgia’s Fulton County Jail subjects inmates to ‘inhumane, violent’ conditions that threaten their safety, DOJ finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Ashley R. Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The Fulton County Jail in Atlanta unconstitutionally subjects inmates to “inhumane, violent and hazardous conditions” that threaten their safety, a US Justice Department official said Thursday, announcing the results of a 16-month investigation. “We cannot turn a blind eye to the inhumane, violent and hazardous conditions that people are subjected to inside the Fulton County Jail,” Clarke said. The deaths of Thompson and other inmates in the mental health unitThe 105-page report lays out examples of the problems it alleges, including the treatment of inmates with mental health challenges. Meanwhile, around 75% of the people who have died at the jail since 2021 had a mental health diagnosis or history of mental illness, Buchanan said. “The Fulton County Jail had as many stabbings in a single month as the Miami-Dade County Jail had all year, and that’s a facility with one-and-a-half times more people,” Clarke said.

Persons: ” Kristen Clarke, Lashawn Thompson, “, ” Clarke, Thompson, Kristen Clarke, WANF, ” Ryan Buchanan, ” Buchanan, Michael Harper, ” Harper, Thompson’s, –, Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, Buchanan, ”, CNN’s Ryan Young, Nick Valencia, Hannah Rabinowitz, Dakin Andone Organizations: CNN, Jail, US Justice Department, Justice, US, Justice Department, Sheriff’s, Northern, Northern District of, Thompson’s, Fulton County Sheriff, Miami, Department team’s Locations: Fulton, Atlanta, Northern District, Northern District of Georgia, Fulton County, Dade, Union City

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk have big ambitions for making the federal government leaner and more efficient by reviewing its budget and operations from top to bottom. Details about how the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, will operate – and how Musk and his co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy will avoid conflicts of interest – remain scarce. Musk also took aim at the Department of Education, a frequent target of Trump and Republicans, criticizing the agency for allegedly indoctrinating kids with left-wing propaganda and other failings. Slashing that much from the federal budget – which totaled roughly $6.8 trillion in fiscal 2024 – would require cutting every program by roughly one-third, said Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress. “Trump’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ will not be an actual department.

Persons: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump, ” Musk, Ramaswamy, Musk, ”, “, ” Ramaswamy, Stephen Moore, Elon, Vivek, Moore, Larry Summers, Clinton, Glenn Hubbard, George W, Bush, Bobby Kogan, ” Kogan, Brian Riedl, Riedl, GOP Sen, Rob Portman, Sharon Parrott, Ronald Reagan, Reagan, William Hoagland, Peter G, Peterson, –, Jon Greenbaum, ’ that’s, Harry Sandick Organizations: CNN, Elon, Department of Government, Trump, Republican, White House, SpaceX, Department of Education, of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, Education Department, Labor Department, FBI, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Heritage Foundation, US, of Economic, American, Security, Social Security, Manhattan Institute, GOP, ‘ Department, Government, White, White House & Congress, Congressional Republicans, Children’s Health Insurance, Affordable, Budget, Republicans, Grace, Center, Elon Musk, Federal Advisory Committee, Democratic Locations: Rob Portman of Ohio

Mortgage rates continued to climb last week as investors considered the future of the economy under a Trump presidency. The mortgage market basically took a breather. “Mortgage rates continued to increase last week, driven by higher Treasury yields as financial markets digested the likely impacts of a Trump presidency,” said Joel Kan, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s deputy chief economist. Last year at that time, mortgage rates were 75 basis points higher. “FHA mortgage rates bucked the overall trend and were lower over the week, which likely helped some borrowers,” Kan said.

Persons: Trump, ”, Joel Kan, Kan, ” Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, “, Trump, Federal Housing Administration, U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans, Mortgage News

☆ 49-year-old lived on $3 a day when he first moved to the U.S.—now he's a billionaire tech CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly three decades ago, Tomas Gorny came to the U.S. as a Polish immigrant living on $3 a day, after rent and transportation costs. Today, the 49-year-old Gorny is the founder of multiple tech businesses, including a cloud-based business communications company called Nextiva that was most recently valued at $2.7 billion. Gorny, the company's CEO, has a net worth exceeding $1 billion, according to a Nextiva spokesperson. After rent and transportation costs, he had only a few dollars per day for food and other necessities, he says. Two years later, his $3 per day turned into a net worth above $1 million, he says.

Persons: Tomas Gorny, Gorny, — Organizations: CNBC, Internet Communications Locations: Germany, Los Angeles

☆ Inflation hit a bump in October after slowing for six straight months
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Housing-related inflation accounted for half of the monthly rise, and energy prices were flat after dragging down the overall index for four of the past six months. The Consumer Price Index measures price changes across commonly purchased goods and services. Still, October’s increase was to be expected, due to unfavorable comparisons from a year ago and stubborn housing-related inflation. Consensus estimates were for a 0.2% monthly increase and a 2.6% annual increase in the overall CPI, according to FactSet. A potential ‘inflation shock’ in the wingsAlthough the broader US economy survived the sharpest inflation run-up seen in a generation, Americans’ finances — and their sentiment — were far from unscathed.

Persons: “, ” Stephen Juneau, Donald Trump, Larry Summers, Kate Bolduan, Trump’s, Lindsay Rosner, Jerome Powell Organizations: CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics ., Bank of America, BLS, —, Trump, Biden, CNN News Central, Federal Reserve, Goldman Sachs Asset Management Locations: Ukraine

☆ Morgan Stanley fund manager picks 3 stocks to buy following Trump's win
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Aaron Dunn, portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley's U.S. Value Fund , noted the "great deal of volatility" in markets following the election result, as markets reprice "what had been a 50/50 election." Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Tuesday, Dunn, who's also co-head of value equity at Morgan Stanley, identified three stocks he is betting on following the election result. It's a diversified play in this, [that] you're getting it for just above the market multiple, with a solid runway of growth," Dunn added. According to FactSet data, of 30 analysts covering the stock, 26 give it a buy or overweight rating. He added that the company should increase its long-term growth rate guidance, given the growth in AI data centers.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Aaron Dunn, Dunn, who's, Morgan Stanley, you've, —, Trump, They're Organizations: Morgan, Value, Biden Administration, Trump, U.S ., MAA, NextEra Energy Locations: Morgan Stanley's, U.S

☆ Investors are pumping money into the Trump trade. Here's how it did last time
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Wall Street has been pumping money into the Trump trade, but investors should be wary before committing capital based on campaign promises, if history is any indication. From Election Day 2016 through year-end, the asset class outperformed the S & P 500 by 8% on a relative basis. In fact, from Election Day 2016 through Election Day 2020, smallcaps tumbled more than 22%. Expand the timeline to one year out from Election Day, and the ETF underperformed the broader index by 11%. Energy Energy stocks are expected to get a huge boost from Trump, who made energy a focus of his presidential campaign , and promised to "drill, baby, drill."

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump's, elect's, Russell, Biden, Wells, Austin Pickle, —, smallcaps, that's, Fred Imbert Organizations: Bank, Regional Banking, Wells, Investment Institute, Trump, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Dow Jones, . Energy Energy, Energy Locations: Wells Fargo, that's year's

☆ Homebuilder deal activity is surging, fueled by major Japanese buyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Exceptionally strong housing demand in the U.S. has large homebuilders in the driver's seat and smaller builders ripe for takeover. Whelan says she alone has four more set to close by year end, and there could be more from others. The surge is the result of still-growing housing demand that reignited at the start of the pandemic thanks to record low mortgage rates and sudden new migration. But mortgage rates also caused a historic housing shortage. That dynamic, sometimes called the mortgage rate lock-in effect, has exacerbated the housing shortage.

Persons: Margaret Whelan, Whelan Locations: U.S

☆ Forget LA and BK: The rural places where young Americans are moving
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Younger Americans are moving to rural areas, reshaping demographics and economies. Census data shows a shift from cities to rural areas for people ages 25 to 44 since 2020. Instead, they're heading to rural areas. AdvertisementLombard said there's been a surge of young people moving to South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee, oftentimes for work. Even with many companies pushing for mandatory return-to-office policies, younger Americans continued moving to rural communities in 2023 at an accelerated pace.

Persons: —, Z, Hamilton Lombard, Lombard, there's, it's Organizations: Service, University of Virginia, Colorado Rockies, Brooklyn —, Power, nsheidlower Locations: Rural, Los Angeles, Kings County, Brooklyn, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Flint , Michigan, Oak, Huntsville, Atlanta, Georgia

☆ I moved to Panama from the US. I live on a remote island for $1,000 a month and have never been happier.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Lisa Kauffman was over Florida's hurricanes and the faster pace of life in the US. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lisa Kauffman, a 55-year-old teacher with a background in biology and special education. In 2023, I purchased a one-way ticket to Panama, planning to live on the private island I had previously visited in 2022. I live off the grid, and my day-to-day expenses are lowThe island I live on is remote. Courtesy of Lisa KauffmanI live on about $1,000 a month.

Persons: Lisa Kauffman, Kauffman, —, I've, I'd, Ian, I'm, Minnie Organizations: Service, Kauffman Locations: Panamanian, Panama, Caribbean, Bocas del Toro, Panama City, Florida, Fort Myers, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Thailand, New York

☆ The House just voted 'yes' on a bill that would increase Social Security checks for some pensioners
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A bipartisan bill to change Social Security benefit rules for pensioners passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, with 327 lawmakers voting to support the measure. The proposal — called the Social Security Fairness Act — would repeal rules that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive pension benefits from state or local governments. It would eliminate the windfall elimination provision, or WEP, that reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who worked in jobs where they did not pay Social Security payroll taxes and now receive pension or disability benefits from those employers. About 3% of all Social Security beneficiaries — about 2.1 million people — were affected by the WEP as of December 2023, according to the Congressional Research Service. As of December, about 1% of all Social Security beneficiaries — or 745,679 individuals — were affected by the GPO, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Persons: Abigail Spanberger, Garret Graves, Graves, They're, they're Organizations: Social Security, Senate, U.S, Social, Congressional Research Service, Finance, GPO Locations: Washington , DC

☆ You need to make $108,000 to afford a home in America
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

That’s nearly double the household income of $56,800 needed to afford a new home in 2019. Just 36% of US households earned enough to afford a new home, compared to 59% in Q3 2019. A shortage of homes in the US, combined with increased demand, helped create intense competition, leading to skyrocketing home prices in cities across America. A major contributor to the home affordability crisis: rising mortgage rates. Mortgage rates, which are the interest rates a lender charges on a home loan, ballooned in 2022 and 2023 as the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to combat inflation.

Persons: That’s, Louis, ” Barbara Denham Organizations: CNN, Oxford Economics, Midwest, Oxford, Federal Reserve Locations: America, San Jose , California, California, San Francisco , Los Angeles, San Diego, Cleveland , Louisville, Detroit, St, Florida , Arizona, South Carolina

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