Wall Street Journal, Aug. 22, 2020–Andrew Ackerman (subscription)Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are taking advantage of the mortgage-refinancing boom to shore up their capital as they seek to …
Category: Top National News
The Office Will Never Be the Same. That’s Probably a Good Thing
New York Times, Aug. 20, 2020–Claire Cain MillerThis is exactly the revolution that many workers — and those who study them — have been envisioning for years: giving people control …
To Narrow Racial and Economic Disparities, Atlanta Fed Chief Raphael Bostic is Rethinking What the Fed’s Mandate Means
Washington Post, Aug. 21, 2020–Rachel SiegelUnder the central bank’s “dual mandate,” Fed leaders are tasked with maintaining stable prices and maximizing the number of Americans with jobs. Increasingly, progressive economists …
Signs of Recovery? U.S. Business Activity and Home Sales Surge
Reuters, Aug. 21, 2020–Dan BurnsIn signs an economic recovery may be picking up speed, U.S. home sales rose at a record rate for a second straight month in July, and …
America’s College Towns Are Facing an Economic Reckoning
Bloomberg, Aug. 21, 2020–Kara HarrisCommunities that rely on student spending and higher education jobs are struggling with fiscal woes and Covid-19 fears as the school year begins.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-21/what-the-pandemic-is-doing-to-college-towns?srnd=premium
It’s Unanimous: Every Banking Association Hates FHFA’s New Refi Fee
Mortgage Professional America, Aug. 21, 2020–Ryan SmithHousing industry groups have been nearly unanimous in condemning the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s recently announced decision to add a 50-basis-point fee to most …
Mortgage Refinancing is About to Get More Expensive
Philadelphia Inquirer, Aug. 21, 2020–Michaelle BondBorrowers with loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie MAc who haven’t locked in their rates can expect an average of $1,000 to $1,500 to …
22 Million Renters and Owners of Manufactured Homes Are Mostly Left Out of Pandemic Assistance
Urban Institute, Aug. 21, 2020–Jung Hyun Choi, Laurie GoodmanThe researchers explain that the lower incomes and service-focused jobs of the 22 million people who live in manufactured homes make them …
How to Win a Bidding War
UExpress, Aug. 21, 2020–Lew SichelmanWith mortgage rates falling below 3% for the first time in five decades, would-be homebuyers are chomping at the bit to get out there and find …
More than Three Dozen Fed Alumni Urge Senate to Reject Judy Shelton
The Hill, Aug. 20, 2020–Sylvan LaneIn an open letter published Thursday, 38 former officials of the Fed and its reserve banks asked senators to reject Shelton’s nomination to serve as …