Small Business Week Day 3

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National Small Business Week continues today as the Small Business Administration (SBA) travels to Atlanta, where Deputy Administrator Doug Kramer and small business experts address the current and future small business field, and New York, as Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet and Mike Muse connect with and describe the opportunities for millennial entrepreneurs.

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HISPANIC HOMEOWNERSHIP CONTINUES UPWARD TRAJECTORY

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The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and the Hispanic Wealth Project recently released the2015 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report revealing that while the national homeownership rate dwindles, Hispanic homeownership continues its rise.

The report reveals that homeownership among Hispanics outpaces that of all other demographics, achieving a net gain of 245,000 owner households in 2015, 69 percent of total U.S. homeownership growth. As the study articulates, “For the first time in 10 years the Hispanic homeownership rate spiked upward while overall homeownership rates in the country continued a downward trend.”

There was tremendous growth in Hispanic homeownership between the fourth quarters of 2014 (44.5 percent) and 2015 (46.7 percent), marking a net increase of 531,000 owner households. The report clarifies that Hispanic homeownership hadn’t risen by these levels since 2005, gains that were erased by subprime mortgages and the housing crisis. Now, supported by a decrease in poverty and an increase in purchasing power, along with a growing population, Hispanics are situated to impact the housing economy.
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REDUCED MORTGAGE BALANCES

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For the first time since the housing bubble, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) may soon begin reducing mortgage balances for homeowners. According to an article from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has approved a plan for the Enterprises to reduce the mortgage balances of strained borrowers.

This development comes after years of affirmation by GSE heads that debt reduction was out of the question. Confirming that the plan will be released within the next 30 days, FHFA director Melvin L. Watt also said that any mortgage reduction decisions would have to benefit both bereft borrowers and the Enterprises.
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SLEEP DEPRIVATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON YOU

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A recent survey reveals that over half of American workers feel they are significantly affected by a lack of sleep, a phenomenon that may only worsen with daylight savings time taking effect this past weekend. The study was conducted online on behalf of CareerBuilder by Harris Poll and surveyed over 3,200 employees ages 18 and older during November and December of 2015.
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