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Real estate agents have white-knuckled their way through more than two years of suffocatingly high mortgage rates that have stymied sales, choked off inventory and pushed home prices to new all-time highs. So what was the reaction from agents when the Federal Reserve surprised everyone by cutting rates by 50 basis points rather than the 25 that was taken as a given? Meh. In conversations with...

Heartland Bank, the leading reverse mortgage lender in Australia and New Zealand, will rebrand its dedicated reverse mortgage division from “Heartland Finance” to “Heartland Bank” following a recent acquisition and a repositioning of its offerings. “We are excited to deliver the Heartland Bank brand to our reverse mortgage customers,” said Medina Cicak, the bank’s newly appointed chief...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly common tool for consumers and businesses, primarily in reference to chatbots that can dynamically mimic human conversation and gather information. It could also have applications for aging in place, according to the leader of a senior care company. Jeff Salter, founder and CEO of Caring Senior Service, which provides in-home care services, will...

Like the traditional forward space, the reverse mortgage industry has been operating in an elevated interest rate environment for some time. While news of the Federal Reserve lowering its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points (bps) to a range of 4.75% to 5% will have wider economic ramifications in the government’s ongoing efforts to fight inflation, there are expected benefits to the reverse...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced this week that they have secured a $15 million conciliation agreement with New Jersey-based OceanFirst Bank to settle allegations of discriminatory redlining in certain neighborhoods with majority Black, Hispanic and Asian populations. “Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid...

If Alanna Gold, Selling Sunset‘s newcomer agent, and her ultra-modern desert house left you yearning to see more of Pioneertown — the 1880s-themed town in San Bernardino County originally developed as a shooting location for Westerns — we have a spectacular find for you. A nearly 13-acre desert oasis with a private compound (and its own boulder-topped mountain) recently came to market, and it’s...

We’ve rounded up all the best fall smells, including pumpkin spice, vanilla woods, and fall harvest. Better Homes & Gardens / Tyler Roeland There are so many autumn scents to fall in love with: apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, warm chai scents, and even those with notes of vanilla bean or honey. But not every fall smell has to be reminiscent of the season’s scrupulous baked goods. There are...

The time to fill your pantry with all things pumpkin and apple is finally here. ' title='trader joe's teeny tiny apple pies on pink plates and in package'> Trader Joe's There are plenty of reasons to be excited for fall, but the near-limitless excitement of new treats at Trader Joe's is certainly near the top. The grocer's fall lineup is one of the most anticipated parts of the season thanks to...

Make a good first impression with these expert-recommended shades. Courtesy of Valspar An entryway paint color sets the tone for the rest of your home. It plays a key role in making a big first impression on guests and embraces you after a long and tiring day. But with thousands of paint color shades available, how do you choose the right one to make your entryway warm and inviting, yet stylish...

Learn what's really in the jar in your spice cabinet. Carson Downing Avid baker or not, there’s a good chance you’ve got a jar of cinnamon in your spice cabinet. It’s an essential ingredient for some of the coziest treats of fall, but it is also used in a variety of dishes throughout the world. And while a generic jar labeled “ground cinnamon” is the most readily available in larger...