With unemployment surging due to the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans are struggling to pay their mortgage. Jay Farner, CEO of Quicken Loans, told Cheddar Friday that the company is focused on educating customers about their available options.
"There's been a lot of news out in the media, you're hearing from the federal government, you're hearing from governors, you're hearing from mayors, and so, trying to educate our clients on the options that they have as they think about their mortgage payments has been important to us," Farner said.
Interest rates recently hit at all-time lows, driving a record number of homeowners to refinance their mortgages. Farner noted the company recently had its best month in company history -- even with nearly its entire workforce working from home.
"When you look at the uncertainty in the marketplace that is usually helpful to interest rates and bringing them down. So, what we're telling people is now is the time to take advantage," he said.
In addition to client outreach, Farner noted Quicken Loans' efforts to support communities by donating money to charitable organizations and purchasing face masks and gloves for healthcare workers on the frontlines.
"That's probably the number one thing you can do. Making sure you're taking care of your team members and community that you serve. If you can do that then you've got all the right capabilities to take care of your clients," Farner said.
In his second day of testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated that the board is considering more interest rate hikes.
The government will require heavy trucks and buses to include automatic emergency braking equipment within five years, the federal traffic safety agency said Thursday, estimating it will prevent nearly 20,000 crashes save at least 155 lives a year.
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said it has sent warning letters to dozens of retailers selling fruit- and candy-flavored disposable e-cigarettes, including the current best-selling brand, Elf Bar.
Whether your credit card has declined or if you had difficulty splitting a bill at an outing, those awkward financial moments can get the best of us. Bobbi Robell, founder of Financial Wellness Strategies and author of "Launching Financial Grownups," joined Cheddar News to provide tips on how to handle those tense situations.
With inflation in the United States still excessive, most Federal Reserve officials expect to raise interest rates further this year, Chair Jerome Powell told a House committee Wednesday.
For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer “lab-grown” meat to the nation's restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves.
