DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Could a dumb phone that's also a vape help break my iPhone addiction? I tried the Swype vape phone that's going viral.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I first learned of the Swype vape on social media, where a few doctored images of its screen had gone viral. AdvertisementNow, an obvious disclaimer: Business Insider does not endorse vaping or starting to vape simply because it seems like it would be funny to have a vape phone. (Samatha Cole of 404 Media also tried out the Swype vape; we didn't plan this. The touchscreen does display notifications when you swipe up — I could see messages from Signal, news push alerts, X notifications, and texts. This app seems designed not for the Swype vape but for some sort of wearable fitness tracker.

Persons: I'm, Vape, vaping, Pina Colada, Samatha Cole, Katie Notopoulos, it's, Samantha Cole, I've, Insider's Jordan Hart, Tim Cook Organizations: Service, Business, Media, Bluetooth, Aircraft, Google, Shenzhen Communication Technology, Apple Watch Locations: Shenzhen, China

Average 30-year mortgage rates are now down to 6.77%, the lowest they've been in over four months, according to Freddie Mac. "Mortgage rates are headed in the right direction and the economy remains resilient, two positive incremental signs for the housing market." See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.05%, a 12-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

Lucy Haverfield, 71, Florida With her retirement savings drained, she's living on $2,400 a month in Social Security. “Not even remotely like that.”Primary source of income: Widowed and with her retirement savings drained, Haverfield lives on $2,400 a month in Social Security benefits, totaling $28,800 a year. Living situation: Haverfield owns her home in Alva, a small community about 20 miles inland from Fort Myers, with mortgage payments of $1,500 a month. “That’s my economy.”Before she retired about a decade ago to care for her ailing husband, Haverfield taught at a community college and worked in a variety of senior-level telecommunication roles in South Florida. Sometimes Haverfield skips paying one of her bills to cover food and gas, only to pay a late fee the next month, she said.

Persons: Lucy Haverfield, hasn’t, ”, Haverfield, “, Lucy, I’m, haven’t, she’d, “ It’s Organizations: NBC, Social Security, AARP Locations: Florida, Alva , Florida, Alva, Fort Myers, South Florida, Fla

Mortgage rates are down this week, with 30-year mortgage rates averaging around 6.30%, according to Zillow data. This should remove some of the upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to trend down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which may happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Fed, Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

☆ Some renters may be ‘mortgage-ready’ and not know it. Here's how to tell
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In 2022, 39% of the 134 million families residing in the U.S. did not own the home they lived in, according to Census data. But on the other hand, households might be unaware they can afford a mortgage, said Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow. "If rental prices are coming up, maybe it's a good time to consider [buying instead]," she said. "The first step is trying to understand whether or not it's worth getting all the paperwork together," she said. Understanding the status of your credit and your debt-to-income ratio is a good place to start.

Persons: Zillow, Orphe Divounguy, Melissa Cohn, Cohn Organizations: American, Survey, U.S . Census, Zillow, Finance, William, Mortgage Locations: U.S

☆ Small Landlords Are Using New Tech Tools to Raise Tenants Rents
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

The past few years have solidified single-family rental homes as genuine moneymaking enterprises, not just ho-hum nest eggs. Related storiesWhen everyone was scrambling for their piece of the suburbs during the pandemic, mom-and-pop landlords pounced, using these newfound tools to collect more cash. The company, which estimates only one-fourth of single-family-rental landlords use professional management services, now manages more than 28,000 rentals on behalf of small landlords. As the Wall Street ethos trickles down to small rental owners, it'll be harder and harder to tell them apart. But the gap is narrowing as small rental owners capitalize on the innovations that the institutional class has already embraced.

Persons: Daniel doesn't, Daniel, hasn't, he's, Bryan Smith, —, Zers, John Burns, Rick Palacios Jr, Palacios, Jordan Kavana, Rich Ford, you've, Ford, Devin Redmond, doesn't, Philip Garboden, It's, Garboden, Roofstock Organizations: Atlanta, Corporate, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, John Burns Research, Consulting, Ark Homes, Rent, Vesta Ventures, University of Chicago Locations: Zillow, Atlanta, Raleigh, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Grand Rapids , Michigan

☆ The US housing is turning more buyer-friendly as sellers step up price cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly a quarter of homes on the market saw price cuts in June, Zillow says. For this time of the year, that's the highest rate since 2018. High costs and rising inventory are leading to easing competition, the real estate firm said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe US housing market looks to be regaining some balance, with price cuts helping buyers find their footing, Zillow said.

Persons: Zillow, —, Sellers Organizations: Service, Business

Mortgage rates are the lowest they've been since March in response to cooler-than-expected inflation data. This could help mortgage rates fall even further than currently expected, potentially boosting affordability for homebuyers later this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This is a significant slowdown compared when it peaked at 9.1% in 2022, which means mortgage rates should start trending down soon. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

As long as inflation continues to slow, mortgage rates should ease throughout the remainder of 2024, improving affordability for hopeful homebuyers. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Go Down (-0.41%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.66%, 41 basis points lower than last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Decrease (-0.39%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.45%, 39 basis points down from last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal, of Labor Statistics, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ A Colorado couple with a net worth of $800,000 shares how the FIRE movement is helping them reach their goal of retiring in their 40s
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

So when the couple learned about the FIRE movement in their mid-20s, it was music to their ears. They then tried to apply some of that information to their financial strategies. Over the past several years, the couple has grown their combined net worth to more than $800,000, according to documents viewed by BI. To make more money, Arsenault said they've "aggressively pushed for additional income." When their strategies generate extra money, the couple invests as much as possible in their 401(k) plans and low-cost index funds.

Persons: —, Chrissy Arsenault, Ryan, didn't, Arsenault, who've, hasn't, Chrissy Arsenault Arsenault, they've, They've, They're, We've Organizations: Service, FIRE, Business, Facebook, BI Locations: Colorado, Costco, Indiana, Monument , Colorado, Fishers , Indiana

Mortgage rates dropped last week and remain low today. This should remove a lot of upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to trend down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 6.17% last week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: May's, Chevron

☆ Insider Today: New status symbols
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Business Insider's docuseries, "Quiet on Set," just won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information. AdvertisementAt least that's what Denver meteorologist Chris Bianchi told Business Insider's senior science reporter Morgan McFall-Johnsen. Markus Thoenen/Getty ImagesTen better getawaysIt's the busiest time in the travel season, and international travel is especially hot. AdvertisementMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief of life, in New York.

Persons: —, Dan Schneider's, it's, SEAN GLADWELL, Chris Bianchi, Morgan McFall, Johnsen, Bianchi, Morgan, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Markus Thoenen, Bianca Bagnarelli, Tyler Le, Abanti Chowdhury, Rashida Jones, Nicholas Cage's, Rebecca Zisser, Nordstrom cardholders, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Television, Nickelodeon, Business, Denver, Getty, Apple, Max, Nordstrom, Amazon Locations: New, United States, Ticino, Switzerland, Italy, AirPods, Whitestrips, New York, New York City

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.89% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.17%, an eight-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates started ticking up from historic lows in the second half of 2021 and increased over three percentage points in 2022. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: homebuyers, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

☆ With high prices and mortgage rates, aspiring and current homeowners feel ‘stuck'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A double whammyFor aspiring homebuyers such as Burress, the combination of high mortgage rates and rising list prices has left them feeling boxed out. The 30-year mortgage rate, a popular option for home financing in the U.S., has bounced around 7% for the past several months. Given this, co-author Jonah Coste said current owners touting these low mortgage rates are undoubtedly better off than those looking to buy a first home today. After welcoming three kids, they're holding off on a fourth until mortgage rates or home prices come down enough to upsize. To be clear, mortgage rates tend to follow the path of Fed-set interest levels, but they aren't the same thing.

Persons: Brandon Bell, Rachel Burress, Burress, who've, that's, That's, Jonah Coste, there's, They're, Coste, they're, Luke Nunley, Nunley, We'd, Jeffrey Roach, LPL, Roach, hasn't, It's, Daryl Fairweather, Lindsey Nicholson Organizations: Getty, Atlanta Federal Reserve, Atlanta Fed, Federal Housing Finance Agency, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve, Corcoran Realty, UCG Locations: Austin , Texas, Fort Worth , Texas, Aledo, U.S, Atlanta, Kentucky, Forest Hills, Queens , New York

☆ See the $10M New Orleans mansion with a grisly past that lured a potential new buyer in less than a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

History, however, is why some say they wouldn't dream of living in one particular house in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter. Later that day, the Zillow listing said the property, wnown as the LaLaurie Mansion, was already "pending sale," which broker Patrick Knudsen confirmed to Business Insider. Regions Bank scooped up the mansion for $2.3 million at auction before selling it to Whalen a year later. AdvertisementThe property has a dark history of torture and slaveryAs the Journal reported, the home was built to replace the original LaLaurie Mansion, which burned down in 1834. AdvertisementThe original LaLaurie Mansion was ransacked and destroyed when people found out the owner was torturing people inside.

Persons: —, Michael Whalen, Patrick Knudsen, Whalen, Nicolas Cage, Cage, Delphine LaLaurie Organizations: Service, Street, Business, Blum, Regions Bank, British, Post, New, University of New Locations: New Orleans, Houston, University of New Orleans

Average 30-year mortgage rates fell to 6.89%, down six basis points from the week before, according to Freddie Mac. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down. This would remove a significant amount of upward pressure off of mortgage rates, allowing them to finally trend down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: Freddie Mac Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: May's, Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates have been hovering in the upper 6% range so far this month, according to Zillow data. That would likely mean we'd need to wait longer for mortgage rates to drop. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Lower mortgage rates will bring more buyers onto the market, putting upward pressure on prices.

Persons: Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ Real estate investors share 3 strategies they've used to increase the value of their properties by up to 60%
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Real estate investing, if done prudently, can earn income in a variety of ways. There's no guarantee your real estate will appreciate, but there are strategies you can use to improve your chances. Focus on the kitchen and bathroomsDana Bull, a Massachusetts-based real estate investor, agent, and consultant, bought her first property for $200,000 in 2012. Massachusetts-based real estate investor Dana Bull. Unless you're truly an expert in design, it's often worth it to pay a professional, she said: "I'm a real estate agent.

Persons: Dana Bull, They'll, Afzal, Monroe, it's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Massachusetts, Monroe , New York, New York City, Manhattan

Mortgage rates have been holding steady so far this week, but they could fluctuate on Thursday when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases June's Consumer Price Index data. If this index shows that inflation slowed last month, rates could ease. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down. This should remove some of the upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to trend down more substantially. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: they're, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Investors, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Pricing is really weird lately
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, we're looking at why pricing is so weird these days . More recently, Walmart introduced digital price tags, which some people said could be used for variable pricing. The constantly changing costs have consumers feeling a sense of price fatigue, Emily writes. Emily writes that most economists agree that government-mandated price-fixing isn't the way to go about it. So, as Emily writes, you can't fault anyone for feeling a certain sense of doom and gloom about the economy.

Persons: —, Alyssa Powell, Emily Stewart, Emily, Michael Raines, Rebecca Zisser, Michael Arone, Steve Granitz, Elon Musk, Tyler Le, Larry Page, Biden, Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak's, Jerome Powell, Jordan Parker Erb, Lisa Ryan, Hallam Bullock, Annie Smith, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Soviet Union, Business, Walmart, JPMorgan, Wall, Group, State, Navy, Spotify, Labour Party, Samsung Locations: Montana, Soviet, America, USA, Diego, Idaho, New York, London

☆ Zillow Gone Wild Is Making Weird Houses Popular and Easier to Sell
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Michelle Mastro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

While most people follow Zillow Gone Wild to gawk at the weird and bizarre features of other people's homes, some are looking to buy. And with Zillow Gone Wild and a host of other real-estate influencer accounts, a wild home is now easy to find. At the end of April, Leyendecker had a listing in Plymouth, Minnesota, posted on Zillow Gone Wild. Her guests are always amused to discover the home was listed on Zillow Gone Wild. "My husband was a little bit more reserved and nervous about sharing that the house was from Zillow Gone Wild.

Persons: Matt Kugizaki, Nick Levenhagen, Joshua, Nick, Kugizaki, Patrick Hasson, Levenhagen, Levenhagen aren't, Samir Mezrahi, Mezrahi, Kate Wagner, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Dodger Andre Ethier, Nick Leyendecker, Leyendecker, Hasson, Millennials, Ashley Spencer, it's, Spencer, home's, I've, Michelle Mastro, she's Organizations: House, HGTV, Los, Los Angeles Dodger, Homeowners Locations: Joshua Tree , California, Zillow, Gilbert , Arizona, San Luis Obispo , California, Colorado Springs , Colorado, Plymouth , Minnesota, Austin, Minneapolis

☆ Mississippi and West Virginia have some of the poorest Americans — and the highest home ownership rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

When comparing personal wealth data with homeownership, a curious pattern emerges: Many states with high homeownership rates have lower income levels and vice versa. According to Federal Reserve data, West Virginia’s average personal income of $52,585 per capita is the second-lowest in the US. However, despite its relatively low personal income levels, it has the highest homeownership rate of all 50 states, at 77%, according to US census data. Mississippi—the only state with a lower average personal income than West Virginia—has the third-highest homeownership rate in the country. Even West Virginia, which counts three out of every four housing units in the state as owner-occupied, isn’t insulated, Sansalone said.

Persons: Vera Sansalone, Sansalone, “, ”, ” Sansalone, West Virginia —, Mike Simonsen, Loren Elliott, Simonsen, They’re, ” Simonsen, Laurie Goodman, ” Goodman, Eric Adams, ” Adams, Stephanie Moulton, ” Moulton, “ We’ve Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, West Virginia, Research, Housing, Center, Urban Institute, Republicans, New York City, Harvard University’s, for Housing Studies, Ohio State University Locations: West Virginia, Mannington, Boston, Mississippi, West, ” New York , California, Massachusetts, San Francisco , California, New York City, San Francisco, Manhattan, RentCafe, Washington DC, New York, Dallas

As long as inflation continues to slow, mortgage rates should ease throughout the remainder of 2024, improving affordability for hopeful homebuyers. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. Mortgage Rates for Buying a Home30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Decrease Slightly (-0.09%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.62%, down nine basis points from where it was this time last week, according to Zillow data. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Essentially Flat (+0.01%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.99%, just one basis point higher than last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Increase Slightly (+0.16%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.86%, 16 basis points up from last week.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

In June, 30-year mortgage rates averaged around 6.58%, an 18-basis-point drop from the month before, according to Zillow data. This index is a key measure of inflation, and if it decelerated last month, mortgage rates could inch down in response. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to ease. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 6.25% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: Fannie Mae's, homebuyers, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Gen Z's Never-Ending Safety Net: Living With Mom and Dad
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Despite a strong job market, many Gen Zers are still relying on the bank of Mom and Dad to make ends meet. The young adult has their entire life ahead of them. Some parents might be more willing to provide financial support because they want to feel like a good parent. The young adult has their entire life ahead of them," Bailey said. When India Anderson turned 20 and decided to move in with her boyfriend, her mother cut off most financial support.

Persons: David Nuñez, freeloader —, Zers, Nuñez, frazzled, Nuñez's, Gen Zers, Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson, They're, Zillow, haven't, Kirkpatrick Johnson, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Jo Clark, Clark, I'm, Teresa Bailey, There's, Ali Lupo, Lupo, —, doesn't, Bailey, JP Krahel, Cody, Erika Archie, Cody Archie, Archie, Erika, there's, They've, India Anderson, Anderson, She's, Uber Organizations: Netflix, Pew Research Center, Pew, Washington State University, Clark University, Waddell & Associates, Urban Institute, Loyola University Maryland Locations: Tampa , Florida, America, Surrey, England, New York, Texas, Orlando

Search resuls for: "Zillow"

25 mentions found