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Mortgage applications decreased 7.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 7, 2017. This week's results include an adjustment for the Fourth of July holiday.

The Teamsters Union denounced the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee’s attack on highway safety and infrastructure investment during its mark-up of the 2018 funding proposal. While eliminating important funding for infrastructure improvement, the subcommittee compromised the very highway safety programs the bill funds by inserting provisions that would increase driver fatigue, if enacted

The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) will host a special webinar to address the newest ground motion requirements of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)/Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) standard, ASCE 7-16: Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. Sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the free webinar, “New Site-Specific Ground Motion Requirements of ASCE 7-16,” is scheduled for Friday, July 28, 2017, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET (11:00 am to 12:00 pm PT).

Coalition to Save Local Businesses Executive Director Michael Layman released the below statement on today’s House Education and the Workforce full committee hearing exploring the impact of the NLRB’s expanded joint employer standard

The Alliance to Save Energy on Wednesday called on lawmakers to reject a proposed House Energy and Water Appropriations bill that would cut federal energy efficiency programs by nearly 50 percent. The bill is slated for a vote in the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning

According to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2017 National Housing Pulse Survey, concerns over housing affordability show clear demographic divides especially among unmarried and non-white Americans. More than five out of 10 unmarried and non-white Americans view the lack of available affordable housing as a big problem, compared to only 40 percent of married and white Americans.

REach®, the growth technology accelerator operated by the National Association of Realtors®’ strategic investment arm, Second Century Ventures, was recently named among the top 30 accelerators in the U.S. by the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project, or SARP.

The Appraisal Institute, the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers, today announced it has – for the first time – bestowed its residential review designation to a previously non-Designated member.

The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) and the Delaware State Bar Association are partnering once again to present the Delaware “Views from the Bankruptcy Bench” program on Sept. 13. Featuring the perspectives of judges of the Delaware bankruptcy bench and leading bankruptcy practitioners, the program will take place at the historic Hotel du Pont in downtown Wilmington.

Thousands of volunteers are joining Habitat for Humanity’s 34th Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Canada to build 150 homes in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary.

The U.S. Department of Energy, led by Secretary Rick Perry, is soon due to release a report on the electricity grid and the role of “baseload power.” Ahead of the report’s release, the Center for American Progress has released a new column outlining what governors need to know about Perry’s grid study and the potential impact on states’ electricity systems and markets, utility commissions, public health and clean air, and jobs.

AARP released new television and radio ads urging five US Senators to oppose the health care bill. The new ads come as the Senate reconvenes following an Independence Day work period that further cemented the public’s desire to scrap a bill that would mean higher costs and less coverage.

ABI’s popular 25th Annual Southwest Bankruptcy Conference will be held Sept. 7-9 at the iconic Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, Calif. An outstanding faculty of leading judges, noted academics and prominent industry professionals will present sessions on a variety of topics for both consumer and business practitioners.

David H. Stevens, President & CEO Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), released the following statement regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized updates to its "Know Before You Owe" mortgage disclosure rule

Construction employment increased by 16,000 jobs in June to the highest level since October 2008, signaling a new burst of hiring after three months of pause, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials urged federal, state and local lawmakers to enact measures to make it easier for school officials, local associations and construction firms to set up construction training programs.

A new consumer spending analysis from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) highlights another reason why home building helps drive a healthy economy: In their first year of ownership, new home buyers spend about $10,601 on appliances, furnishings and home improvement projects – 2.6 times as much as other home owners in a typical year

Sixty-two percent of sellers' agents say that staging a home decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market, according to the National Association of Realtors® 2017 Profile of Home Staging,

Mercy Housing Northwest (MHNW), a non-profit affordable housing provider, announces the grand opening of its newest property, Mercy Othello Plaza, on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 11:00 AM. Special guests presiding over the ribbon cutting ceremony include Dep. Mayor Hyeok Kim, County Executive Dow Constantine, Wayne Lau of Rainier Valley Community Development Fund and Mona Lee of Othello Park Alliance. Together with Mercy Housing board and staff, they are joined by new residents of Mercy Othello Plaza, partners/funders and members of the Othello neighborhood.

Me Featuring eight bankruptcy judges and many nationally recognized insolvency professionals, the 2017 Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar will take place on August 23-24 at The Westin Cincinnati. Attendees have the opportunity to earn up to 13.5 hours of CLE (including 2 hours of ethics) while hearing the latest information from experts on a variety of key industry issues. Providing both a consumer and business track for program sessions, the Seminar also features a special reduced registration rate for consumer practitioners.

Mortgage applications increased 1.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 30, 2017.