Your Future Home hosts Baker Machado and Jill Wagner discuss all the recent headlines in the real estate sector...everything from an uptick in the housing market to the top states predicted to have the biggest housing boom this year.
Long-term mortgage rates climbed this week to their highest level in nearly four years. The jump signals that the prospect of higher inflation is steadily increasing the cost of borrowing to buy a home. However, this isn't stopping builders from being optimistic. According to the National Association of Home Builders housing market index, builder confidence was unchanged in the past month.
Plus, according to a Fitch Ratings forecast, U.S. housing prices are expected to rise 4.6% this year. Among the states that are predicted to be top performers in 2018: Nevada, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Colorado.
Tech apprenticeship platform Multiverse became a unicorn with a $1.7 billion valuation, after raising $220 million in a Series D round. As companies across the country face challenges in hiring and retaining tech talent, Multiverse says it's trying to offer a solution with a new way to train and hire workers that can serve as an alternative to college and corporate training. Sophie Ruddock, VP and GM North America of Multiverse, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Cheddar's Kristen Scholer caught up with all-time NBA great Shaquille O'Neal in his hometown of Newark, NJ, working with Icy Hot to repair rundown basketball courts around the country. The Hall of Famer also spoke about the current NBA finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors and had a lot of praise for the Warrior's guard Stephen Curry. "He's the greatest shooter of all time. I had a conversation with Stephen A. [Smith], where does he rank? He's a special player. He has his own category," Shaq said.