census-bureau-new-home-sales-soar-past-previous-highs

New Construction Home Sales Rocket To Brand New Best

Newly-built homes continue to sell quickly.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, July New Home Sales leaped to a near-9-year high with home supply firmly in Bull Market territory.

A favorable mortgage environment is pushing new home sales ahead.

Current mortgage rates have remained lower-than-expected, and mortgage lenders have made it simpler for first-time home buyers to get mortgage-approved for a home loan.

Fannie Mae recently added the 3% down HomeReady™ mortgage program to the full complement of low- and no-down payment loans available to today’s buyers; and purchase mortgage applications are getting approved at the highest rate since the start of the decade.

It’s an excellent time to be shopping for a home. The best deals you find in housing may be the deals you find today.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 23rd, 2016)

New Home Sales Hit 654,000 Sales, Annualized

Each month, in conjunction with the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) releases its New Home Sales report.

A “new home” is a home which has not been previously occupied; one which can be considered new construction.

For July 2016, HUD reports 654,000 new homes sold on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, marking a 12 percent increase from the month prior, and a 31% increase from one year ago.

New homes haven’t sold at this pace since November 2007.

Builders are feeling good about their prospects.

Earlier this month, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) released its Housing Market Index (HMI), a monthly homebuilder confidence survey.

The most recent Housing Market Index shows homebuilder confidence near its highest point in a decade, with home builders projecting new home sales for 2016 to be near multi-year bests.

Demand for new homes has been strong, too, as evidenced by the high number of buyers requesting tours of model units.

If you’re hoping to buy new construction, there aren’t many homes to left to purchase. At the end of July, there were just 233,000 new homes for sale nationwide, a supply of 4.3 months.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 23rd, 2016)

Home Supply Tight As Buyers Rush In

New home sales have started the year strong, with buyers snapping up homes at every available price point — faster than builders can build them, even.

At the current pace of sales, the complete stock of new homes for sale would be sold in 4.3 months. This means that all newly-built homes for sale would be “sold out” by the first months of 2017.

Home sales show no sign of slowing down. In July, analysts expected “only” 580,000 new homes to sell, on an annualized basis. The actual count surpassed that number by nearly 75,000. Buyers are getting serious about owning.

But builders could have the upper hand.

It’s a seller’s market for housing. Home supply of less than six months typically favors sellers over buyers in home negotiations.

Today’s new home buyers, therefore, have little leverage over builders and may be unlikely to receive purchase incentives in 2016, including free upgrades and/or price breaks.

New Home Supply has been south of six months through 56 of the last 57 months. It’s no surprise, then, that home prices have moved markedly higher during that time.

Nationwide, home values are up nearly 35% since 2012.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 23rd, 2016)

Buy A New Home, Inexpensively

Home prices are rising but, thankfully, mortgage rates remain cheap.

According to Freddie Mac’s weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the average conventional 30-year mortgage rate is currently 3.43% for prime borrowers; with rates for VA loans, FHA loans and USDA loans even lower.

Low rates help to make homes affordable. Low- and no-down payment mortgages make them easier to purchase.

FHA mortgages, for example, allow a downpayment of just 3.5 percent and require a credit score of 580 or better to get qualified.

Then, there is the HomeReady™ mortgage, which is a 3-percent downpayment program available via Fannie Mae. HomeReady™ is valid for loan sizes up to $417,000 and can be used by multi-generation households with non-documented rental income; and by home buyers in lower-income census tracts.

For buyers with military experience, the VA mortgage can be an attractive option.

VA loans allow for 100% financing and never require mortgage insurance. VA mortgage rates also tend to be the lowest of all commonly-available mortgage rates, based on data from loan software company Ellie Mae.

The USDA Section 502 loan is another no-downpayment mortgage option.

Commonly called the “Rural Housing Loan”, USDA loans provide 100% financing to qualified borrowers in low-density neighborhoods. This can include rural and suburban neighborhoods.

What Are Today’s Mortgage Rates?

Sales of new construction homes are strong and demand for homes remains high. Thankfully, today’s mortgage rates are low. Buyers have purchasing power even as builders hold leverage in negotiation.

Get today’s live mortgage rates now. Your social security number is not required to get started, and all quotes come with access to your live mortgage credit scores.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 23rd, 2016)

The information contained on The Mortgage Reports website is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for products offered by Full Beaker. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the policy or position of Full Beaker, its officers, parent, or affiliates.

Try the Mortgage Calculator

census-bureau-new-home-sales-soar-past-previous-highs

what-to-know-about-buying-a-short-sale

What Is A Short Sale?

A “short sale” is a home that sells for less than the amount owed on the property. Lenders allow short sales to avoid foreclosure proceedings, which can be more expensive.

Short sale homes, however, are not necessarily priced below market value, and not all short sales are bargains.

Plus, these transactions can take months to complete. You may miss out on other homes while waiting for the bank to accept your offer.

Still, the right home can provide instant equity and solid value to the new buyer.

Weigh the advantages with the drawbacks, and make sure your discount is steep enough to justify the extra work that comes with a short sale home purchase.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 21st, 2016)

Your Due Diligence Before Buying

Before submitting an offer on a short sale property, it’s smart to get a BPO, or Broker Price Opinion, to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Base your offer on the property value, not the mortgage owed — that’s irrelevant to you.

While not always offered at discount, short sale homes are usually priced below market value. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the average discount for a short sale property is 11 percent.

Without a discount, few buyers would be willing to take on the extra effort associated with a short sale purchase.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 21st, 2016)

Are Short Sales Difficult To Complete?

Short sales are different from ordinary transactions. The existing loan holder — the current lender on the property — must approve the sale price and terms.

Before they do, though, there needs to be a legitimate offer on the table.

So the existing owner can list the house for sale, and get an offer, without having any idea what the bank will accept. Only after the owner receives the offer does it submit that offer to the lender.

The lender could flat-out say no. That’s disappointing for the seller, but even more so for the buyer.

The maxim among real estate professionals is that short sales are anything but short. That’s due to the above reasons, plus the fact that lenders may sit on offers, refusing to decide until there are several to consider.

This adds a lot of time and uncertainty for potential buyers. Short sales typically take three to six months to complete, and the failure rate is about 75 percent.

Good deal? Maybe. Streamlined process? No way.

Beware Of Unexpected Costs

In the typical sale, sellers often contribute toward the buyer’s mortgage closing costs.

This entices the buyer to purchase the home, instead of someone else’s.

But short sale buyers don’t often get the same seller concessions that traditional buyers do. Banks are not interested in helping the buyer, and may even add fees to recoup more of their losses.

The “short sale administration fee” or “short sale processing fee” are common extra costs the existing lender likes to tack on. They typically equal one percent of the sale price.

Buyers may also be asked to pay delinquent taxes or HOA dues when they buy a short sale home.

Ask for an estimated closing disclosure from escrow. This is the document that details all the fees associated with the transaction. Go through it line-by-line.

Ensure the deal is still “good” after additional fees.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 21st, 2016)

Look For “Approved” Short Sales

As mentioned earlier, just because you see a short sale listed doesn’t mean the lender will accept the advertised sale price.

An “approved short sale” listing, though, is different. This means the lender has indicated it will consider short sale offers, and has set an acceptable price.

If you submit an offer at that price, the bank will accept it and you can close faster — at least in theory.

Approved short sale listings come about when a potential buyer submits an offer for consideration but backs out after the bank approves it. At that point, all parties know the bank will most likely accept a similar offer.

Still, don’t be afraid to offer a lower price for consideration.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 21st, 2016)

How To Get Mortgage-Approved To Buy A Short Sale

You don’t have to do anything special to finance a short sale property.

As far as your lender is concerned, it’s no different than a regular home purchase.

Make sure you are pre-approved for a home loan. The mortgage-holding bank will likely reject any offer not accompanied by a pre-approval letter.

Also, ensure the property meets the lender’s requirements. The property must meet minimum standards for your chosen loan program. Ask the seller’s agent to disclose any property deficiencies, such as a leaky roof, peeling paint, or missing exterior stairs or handrails.

Popular loan programs are as follows, and each comes with its own property standards.

• FHA loans


• VA mortgages


• Conventional home loans


• USDA loans

Each loan program, in general, requires similar standards: the property must be a livable and safe structure for the new owner.

Keep your pre-approval updated. Short sales take time, so you may have to renew your loan approval with new documentation every 30 to 60 days. Hold onto all pay stubs and bank statements during the process.

Wait to order an appraisal until you receive final short sale approval. Appraisals expire after 90 to 120 days. At a price tag of $500 each, you don’t want to order more than one.

A longer closing time frame could affect your interest rate locking strategy, too. You can lock your interest rate for three-to-six months, but that usually costs upwards of one point (one percent of the loan amount) upfront.

It’s cheaper to lock for a shorter term when you are close to your closing date. But your rate is subject to up-and-down mortgage rate movements.

Short sales, if you don’t mind the challenges and are ready for the extra time and costs, can be a good way to add instant equity to your home. It’s hard to make a bad investment when you do your due diligence and combine a lower home price with today’s bargain interest rates.

What Are Today’s Mortgage Rates?

Interest rates are near all-time lows, and it’s a fantastic time to become mortgage-approved for your first — or tenth — home.

Get a rate quote now. No social security number is required to start, and all quotes come with a home buying eligibility check.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 21st, 2016)

The information contained on The Mortgage Reports website is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for products offered by Full Beaker. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the policy or position of Full Beaker, its officers, parent, or affiliates.

Try the Mortgage Calculator

what-to-know-about-buying-a-short-sale

why-billionaire-mark-zuckerberg-has-a-mortgage

The Mega-Rich Have Mortgages, Too

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is worth $53 billion, according to Forbes.

He did not pay cash for his home.

Zuckerberg and other mega-rich Americans don’t need mortgages to buy homes — so why do they have them?

Home loans come with advantages that can benefit rich people, poor people, and the rest in between.

These are the proven advantages of carrying a mortgage, even if you don’t need one.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 20th, 2016)

Cheap Money

Economists say that every investment or purchase you make comes with an opportunity cost.

Using your savings to buy a house — or making a large downpayment — means you can’t also use it to invest in stocks, buy boats or take trips. Wealthy people tend not to keep a lot of money in their checking accounts, earning virtually nothing.

They didn’t get rich by passing up opportunities to make their money work for them.

If long-term investing in the stock market nets an average of over 11 percent per year (and it does, according to MarketWatch) why would you take money out of it to buy a house.

Current mortgage rates are under four percent. You could pocket the difference.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 20th, 2016)

Opportunities For Normal People

That’s where mortgages come in. By borrowing instead of paying cash, you can have your house and maintain control over your money as well.

For those who are not ultra-wealthy, the mortgage advantage remains. The typical homeowner may not have the same investment opportunities as Bill Gates (net worth: $78 billion). But opportunity cost applies to anyone with debt, too.

As of this writing, the average credit card interest rate in the U.S. is over 15 percent. So why would you use your cash to buy a home or pre-pay your mortgage balance if you’ve got credit card or other expensive debt? Use your cheap mortgage to buy your house and pay off debt with your cash.

The same logic applies when determining how much to put down on your home purchase.

It might make more sense to go with an 80/10/10 mortgage, putting ten percent downpayment and opening a line of credit for another ten percent, instead of coming up with 20% in cash.

In fact, this is a classic example of when making the “full” 20% downpayment is not in your best interests.

Assume a $100,000 home price, and $10,000 in credit card debt.

You could open a second mortgage at the following terms to buy the home at the following terms.

• 20-year payoff period


• 5% interest


• $66 per month


• $6,000 in interest paid

If you opt to make a 20% downpayment, here’s what you would pay for the credit card debt.

• 28-year payoff period


• 15% interest


• $225 per month


• $12,000 in interest paid

You don’t have to make millions to save big with a mortgage.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 20th, 2016)

Regular Income Earners Get Access To More Benefits

If you make a modest income, you have more opportunities to save money with a mortgage.

Homeowners with incomes less than $250,000 could be eligible for the mortgage interest deduction.

This benefit allows many homeowners to reduce their taxable income by the amount paid in interest each year. Check with your tax advisor before filing, as this is not meant to be tax advice, but that could make your “real” mortgage payment even more affordable.

The typical homeowner can learn something else from wealthy mortgage borrowers: the benefits of an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). Mr. Zuckerberg refinanced his mortgage a few years ago, trading in a 1.75 percent adjustable rate mortgage for a 1.0 percent ARM.

ARMs allow you to pay a lower interest rate, and when the sums involved are huge, that lower rate translates into big savings.

For example, a $2 million 3-year ARM at 2.375 percent saves the buyer $1,000 per month over a 30-year-fixed loan at 3.30 percent. During the first three years of the loan, that’s nearly forty thousand dollars.

So should you jump into an ARM? Some home buyers should seriously consider it.

But, the difference between a regular earner and the ultra-wealthy is this: if rates rise, they can pull money from another investment and retire an expensive home loan.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 20th, 2016)

What To Learn From Mark Zuckerberg

You don’t have to be rich to make smart mortgage decisions. Here’s what every borrower should consider when they finance a home.

Compare your costs

Measure the cost of mortgage financing against other uses for your money.

Don’t carry expensive debt or pull out of an excellent investment opportunity to make a big downpayment, or to pay off a home. Use low mortgage rates to free up money.

Consider tax benefits

Mortgage interest is typically the biggest deduction homeowners take each year. According to online calculators, a homeowner with a $250,000 mortgage at four percent interest can save $45,000 in taxes over the life of the loan. Check with your tax advisor before filing, but carrying a mortgage could lead to big tax savings.

Prepare your exit

Have an exit strategy if you go for a riskier loan. For example, a 5-year ARM might make perfect sense if you plan to sell or refinance in five or six years.

Remove emotion from the equation

Emotion has no place in borrowing decisions. They are just numbers — evaluate them or have an accountant help you, and then choose your loan.

The rich consider mortgages just another part of their investment portfolio — a way to make or keep more money. If you want a bigger balance in your own bank account, take a cue from these savvy investors.

What Are Today’s Mortgage Rates?

Rates are low, making it a good time to take on a mortgage, even if you don’t absolutely need one.

Get a quote and see how low your interest rate can be. A social security number is not required to get started, and all quotes come with access to your live credit scores.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 20th, 2016)

The information contained on The Mortgage Reports website is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for products offered by Full Beaker. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the policy or position of Full Beaker, its officers, parent, or affiliates.

Try the Mortgage Calculator

why-billionaire-mark-zuckerberg-has-a-mortgage

Sell These Stocks Near Resistance

Trading isn’t just about finding the perfect entry, it is also about having an exit plan. Resistance levels are prices from where the stock price has been pushed down in the past. Resistance levels are often used as exit points because of this tendency. Resistance levels are also used by short sellers to enter into positions, expecting the price to drop. While there are no assurances that the price won’t move above resistance, there also are no assurances it will. Since the price has shown a tendency to reverse at resistance, selling at resistance (especially in an overall downtrend) is usually the prudent choice. These three stocks are trading at, or near, resistance.

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) has rallied off its June low of $114.64 into descending trendline resistance in the $132 to $135 region. This descending trendline extends back to December, when the stock made a swing high at $194.73. Look to sell between $135.50 and $132, as this is an area which could send the price lower again. The overall trend in the stock is down since December, and a trend channel in place since April gives an idea of where the price could go next. The price has been bouncing off the top and bottom of the channel, so the next target is the bottom of the channel at $110 to $109. A strong rally above $135.50 breaks the descending trend channel and indicates that the price could be heading higher. That isn’t necessarily a signal to buy though. A buy signal only occurs if a strong rally develops, followed by a pullback that stays above the June low of $114.64. The stock closed at $135.60 on August 16, so a drop below $135 is a signal to get out.

ING Greop N.V. (ING) is in a downtrend since it peaked at $17.44 back in June of 2015. Starting in March 2016, the stock price has been rejected by a descending trendline currently intersecting at $12.25. The stock closed at $11.77 on August 16, in the vicinity of that resistance region. Given the long-term downtrend and this resistance level, it may be time to sell ING. If the stock does sell off at resistance again the downside price target is the $9 region, just below the June low of $9.26. If the price rallies above the June 23 swing high of $12.56, that would break the resistance/trendline and open up the possibility of further upside. For a buying opportunity to develop, ideally the price should run above $13.25. If that occurs the trend has likely shifted, and pullbacks that stall out above the June low become buying opportunities within the new (likely) uptrend.

First Data Corporation (FDC) is moving into a series of resistance levels by closing at $13.29 on August 16. The resistance area is between $14.25 and $13.41, established by a number of swing highs going back to March. Since March the price has also made three lower swing lows in a row, indicating that selling pressure is still present. That selling pressure will be on trader’s minds unless the price can climb above $14.25. Below $14.25 remains a sell zone, with the expectation that the price will continue to make lower lows, putting a price target at $9.50. That target is below the June swing low of $9.90, but above the February low of $8.37. If the price does break above the top of the resistance area at $14.25, the trend has likely shifted to the upside. The next pullback (to the downside) in that case presents a buying opportunity, potentially along a rising trendline connecting the February and June lows.

The Bottom Line

Resistance levels are areas the price has struggled to move above in the past. While a stock can rally above resistance at any time, it is often a good place to sell—especially within a longer-term downtrend—as the stock has shown a tendency to decline off these levels. Short sellers also can watch resistance levels for opportunities to enter a trade in anticipation of the price decline.

Disclosure: The author doesn’t have positions in any of the stocks mentioned.

Sell These Stocks Near Resistance

7 Features Home Buyers Want Most

iStockphoto

Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 80%

Cost to install: $1,000 – $10,000

Eat-in kitchens are a must-have for many buyers, especially families with children. It’s a space where they often congregate in the morning for breakfast before the kids head off to school and parents to work, or in the evening for dinner so everyone can share highlights from their day.

Removing a wall to create space for a small table and chairs in your kitchen is relatively inexpensive, but that price can quickly escalate if there’s additional repair work that needs to be done, says Neil Parsons, owner of Design Build Pros, a Red Bank, N.J., project design firm. First, determine whether the wall is load-bearing. Non-load-bearing walls are used merely to separate rooms, while load-bearing walls help hold up the weight of the house. Improperly removing the latter could cause rooms on upper levels of the home to cave in. Getting rid of a non-load-bearing wall can cost as little as $1,000; removing a load-bearing wall can run as much as $10,000.

Another concern is the possibility of mechanicals in the wall, such as plumbing, duct work and electrical wiring, that may need to be removed, Parsons notes.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways to Remote-Control Your Home

• 1


• 2


• 3


• 4


• 5


• 6


• 7


• 8


• 9

Eat-In Kitchen

7 Features Home Buyers Want Most

Report: More Than 75% Of Mortgage Applications Now Closing - The Mortgage Reports (blog)

Huge Numbers Of Home Loans Getting Approved

Recent mortgage rates are lowest they’ve been in history, and home values continue to climb nationwide.

It’s no wonder that demand for home loans is rising.

And, although refinance loans are popular — homeowners are lowering their mortgage rates and sometimes taking cash out for home improvement — purchase loans continue to be housing’s big story.

Rising rents are putting pressure on today’s renters. And, as that’s been happening, lenders have made it easier for buyers to get home-loan approved.

For the first time in recorded history, nearly 76% of home buyers’ purchase loan applications are getting approved, according to Ellie Mae. That’s a super-high percentage of approved loans.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 19th, 2016)

Low Mortgage Rates Spur Purchase, Refinance Activity

According to mortgage origination software firm Ellie Mae, which handles approximately 3.7 million mortgage applications per year, refinance mortgage loans accounted for 37% of all loans closed in July 2016.

Refinance volume is much higher than it was in January, too, and there are two main catalysts.

The first catalyst for rising refinance activity has been rising home values.

Home values were up more than five percent last year, and are now higher by more than 30% from the market bottom, set in 2012.

In many U.S. cities, valuations have eclipsed last decade’s peak.

When home values rise, refinancing becomes easier for homeowners not using underwater loan programs such as the HARP 2 loan. It’s also easier for homeowners with existing FHA loans to cancel FHA MIP.

Cash out refinance loans are also on the rise after several down years.

The second cause of the refinance boomlet is that today’s mortgage rates have given U.S. households incentive to refinance.

When mortgage rates are low, there’s a potential to save big money.

Today, there are potentially more than 8.7 millions households eligible to refinance, with more than 1 million of them in the money for a refinance.

“In the money” is defined as having a mortgage rate more than 150 basis points (1.50%) above today’s rates; plus having sufficient home equity to qualify.

Today’s mortgage rates are in the low-3s and bank are quoting equally-low APRs. Some homeowners are getting rates in the twos.

Refinance loan volume remains strong.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 19th, 2016)

Mortgage Approval Statistics Improving

The most recent Ellie Mae Origination Insight Report provides a good look at today’s typical loan approval, and the makeup of today’s mortgage applicants.

As one example, buyers with FHA loans are making a four percent downpayment, on average; and their credit scores are slightly higher as compared to last year.

Today’s FHA buyers carry an average FICO of 686.

This is interesting because lenders have aggressively lowered their minimum FHA credit score requirements last year, with some lenders now allowing FICO scores as low as 580 FICO in order to get approved.

Plus, the FHA’s Back to Work program gives FHA borrowers access to mortgages just 12 months after a bankruptcy, foreclosure or short sale, which typically makes for a low FICO.

Despite lender willingness to make loans to borrowers with below-average credit scores, the typical FICO score of an approved mortgage borrower is climbing.

Other data from the Ellie Mae report included:

• FICOs averaged 754 on closed conventional purchases


• FHA mortgages accounted for 23% of all loans; VA loans accounted for 9 percent


• The typical mortgage took 46 days to approve

However, the most noteworthy statistic from the Ellie Mae report was the one which showed more mortgage applicants getting approved than during any period this decade.

In July, 75.7% of purchase loan applications got “closed”, which marks a huge increase 2014’s average rate of 63 percent.

This statistic refutes the general belief that “mortgages are tough to get”. The opposite is true.

The Ellie Mae report shows that mortgages are easier to get than they’ve been in years. Lenders are loosening requirements and a variety of new low- and no-downpayment loans have reduced the hurdles to homeownership.

What Are Today’s Mortgage Rates?

With mortgage rates low, demand for mortgage loans is high. And, with lenders approving a growing percentage of loans, the time to apply is today.

Get today’s live mortgage rates now. Your social security number is not required to get started, and all quotes come with access to your live mortgage credit scores.

Click to see today’s rates (Aug 19th, 2016)

The information contained on The Mortgage Reports website is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for products offered by Full Beaker. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the policy or position of Full Beaker, its officers, parent, or affiliates.

Try the Mortgage Calculator

Report: More Than 75% Of Mortgage Applications Now Closing - The Mortgage Reports (blog)

Equifax Global Marketing Live Webcast on August 30

ATLANTA, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ —

Who:	Hosted by Barclays U.S. Business, Information & Professional Services Analyst Manav Patnaik; featuring Equifax Chief Marketing Officer, Trey Loughran, along with Senior Vice President Investor Relations Jeff Dodge.
What:	The webcast will provide an overview of global marketing at Equifax including the long-term drivers for sustainable growth such as NPI, vertical market strategy, Cambrian, and trended data. Following the presentation, there will also be a moderated Q & A session.
When:	Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 10:00 am ET
Where:	https://kvgo.com/equifax/GlobalMarketing. The link is also available on http://investor.equifax.com/.
	For audio only, participants can dial:
	US/Canada:	1-888-240-4148
	UK:	0800 358-6401
	Passcode:	1490196407

About Equifax

Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 5,000 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,200 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060224/CLF037LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/equifax-global-marketing-live-webcast-on-august-30-300314423.html

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Equifax Global Marketing Live Webcast on August 30