Homeowners are acquiring record amounts of home equity, thanks to fast-rising values in the housing market. People are starting to tap into that cash, mainly to make their homes even more valuable.
Spending on home renovations topped $152 billion in 2017, and is expected to increase almost 5% this year. According to the National Association of Home Builders, projects included regular updates and repairs, as well as large remodeling requests.
Homeowners are using that cash for education expenses and paying down other debt. Additionally, owners are borrowing against their homes and putting cash into other investments such as as stocks and additional real estate.
A ransomware attack has prompted a health care chain that operates 30 hospitals in six states to divert patients from at least some of its emergency rooms to other hospitals, while putting certain elective procedures on pause, the company announced.
Online fashion retailer Sheen is reportedly said to go public. Multiple media outlets reported that the Chinese-founded company has filed confidentially for an initial public offering in the U.S.
Under Google’s updated inactive account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven’t been used in at least two years could be deleted. Accounts deemed inactive could be erased beginning Friday.