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[ad_1] As Zillow tries to swiftly disentangle itself from iBuying, a one-time competitor may borrow over $600 million more to radically increase its instant home-buying purchases. Offerpad, a Chandler, Arizona-based iBuyer, snared $500 million in a revolving credit facility from an unnamed lender, according to a Dec. 20 Securities and Exchange Commission filing. A revolving credit facility gives borrowers the choice to take out the full, announced amount and Offerpad has already committed to borrow at least $300 million of that, per the filing. In addition, Offerpad took out $112.5 million in a mezzanine secured credit facility and it has already committed to spend $67.5 million of that amount, according to the filing. Offerpad is not permitted to say who the lender is “per the terms of the agreement,” said a company spokesperson. Offerpad now has $1.7 billion of revolving borrowing capacity, per the filing, with $1.3 billion committed. This is significant borrowing given that Offerpad’s total third-quarter revenue was $540 million, and net income was reported at a $15.3 million loss. Still, the company asserted the loans are not a risk but a “positive outcome that positions us well for the coming year.” “The new facilities are revolving, and we borrow only what we use to add inventory, where we continue to apply our disciplined approach to underwriting homes,” a spokesperson said. “In fact, these credit facilities expand our borrowing capacity, lower our overall borrowing costs, and further expand and diversify our lender relationships.” Offerpad is a six-year-old company founded by its current CEO Brian Bair, a longtime real estate investor. The business started buying homes in a few southern markets such as Orlando, Florida, and Birmingham, Alabama, and recently moved into Midwest markets including Indianapolis. In September, Offerpad went public through a special purpose acquisition company. Its stock initially shot up to $20 per share, but the price has tumbled to less than $7 a share, translating into a $1.65 billion market value. Though many companies, including Redfin, have dipped their toes into iBuying, whereby consumers sell their homes for cash and pay about a 5% convenience fee, Offerpad and Opendoor are the only U.S. publicly traded companies that generate the majority of their revenue from iBuying.   In public statements, both companies said they would stick with iBuying amid Zillow junking the program due to what that company deemed an unreliable price forecasting model. Bair has maintained that Offerpad possesses the operational logistics to accurately value homes as well as provide renovation services that prompt a house to resell for a profit. The company plans to expand into additional markets in 2022. The post Offerpad lands $600M more in credit to power iBuying appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The concept behind cash back credit cards is easy to understand. You get a small percentage back on purchases you make with the card, and the reward comes in the form of cash back, meaning money. The beauty of this system is that cash back rewards are flexible and you can spend them on anything you want. Find your next credit card.What kind of credit card are you looking for? Get matched with the best cards for you in under 2 minutes at ratehub.ca. Let’s get started. I want to earn rewardsI want to pay low interest You will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return. No two cash back credit cards are identical, so you need to consider the annual fee, earn rate, how much your charge to your card and any additional benefits before you apply. To help you pick the right card we’ve put together a list of what the top options have to offer based on different categories. The best cash back credit cards in Canada 2022 Card Rewards Annual fee Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite* 4% on groceries 4% on recurring bills 2% on gas and transit 1% on everything else $120 American Express SimplyCash (get more details)* 1.25% on everything $0 Tangerine Money-Back (get more details)* 2% in up to 3 categories of your choice (including groceries, gas & more) 0.5% on everything else $0 Rogers World Elite (get more details) 3% on purchases in U.S. currency (0.5% after FX fees) 1.5% on everything else $0 Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite (get more details)* 4% on groceries & recurring bills 2% on gas & daily transit 1% on everything else $120 CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite (get more details) 4% on groceries & gas 2% on dining, daily transit, and recurring bills 1% on everything else $120 Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back (get more details) 4% on groceries & gas 2% on drugstores & recurring bills 1% on everything else $99 TD Cash Back Visa Infinite (get more details)* 3% on groceries, gas & recurring bills 1% on everything else $120 BMO CashBack Mastercard (get more details)* 3% on groceries‡ 1% on recurring bills‡ 0.5% on everything else $0 American Express SimplyCash Preferred (get more details)* 2% on all purchases $99 ‡$500 monthly spending cap Best overall cash back credit card Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite* There are a lot of outstanding cash back cards on this list but competitive earn rates, insurance coverage and access to the Visa Infinite program put the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite at the top of our list. Groceries have got to be the most-used spend category for most Canadians and with this card you’ll earn a handsome 4% back (and on recurring payments). Gas and transit, including Uber, will net you 2% back, and everything else has an earn rate of 1%—all with no cash back limit. Valuable extras include comprehensive travel insurance and new mobile device coverage. New members get the $120 annual fee waived for the first year. Annual fee: $120 Welcome bonus: Annual fee waiver for primary and supplementary cards for the first year Earn rate: 4% on groceries and recurring bill payments, 2% on gas and transit, and 1% on everything else Additional benefits: Comprehensive car rental and travel coverage including travel accident, trip cancellation and interruption, travel emergency medical, delayed and lost baggage, flight delay, and car rental collision/loss damage insurance; new mobile device insurance; up to 25% off on car rentals at Avis and Budget; Visa Infinite Concierge, Hotel Collection, and Dining and Wine Country program Get more details about the Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Best no-fee cash back cards For flat rate: SimplyCash from American Express* Not to be confused with its big brother, the SimplyCash Preferred the SimplyCash from American Express trades a slightly lower earn rate for no annual fee. The regular earn rate of 1.25% gets you an above-average return on otherwise general purchases, like clothes, electronics and online purchases—spends that would likely net you between 0.5% and 1% back with another card. While it’s true that American Express can be used less widely than Visa or Mastercard, it is accepted at more places than you might think. If you’re worried about accessibility, consider carrying a second credit card as a backup.  Annual Fee: $0 Welcome Bonus: Get a welcome bonus of 4% cash back in the first 6 months (up to $200 cash back) Earn rate: Get 1.25% cash back on all purchases regardless of purchase category Additional benefits: $100,000 in travel accident coverage; referral bonus; free authorized users; access to virtual events and special offers with American Express Experiences Get more details about the SimplyCash Card* For bonus categories: Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card* If you want a cash back card with no fees that is easy to understand, then the Tangerine Money-Back Card is a good choice for you. All cardholders get to choose two categories where they earn 2% cash back. If you opt to have your cash back deposited directly into your Tangerine Savings Account, then you get to choose a third category that earns you 2% cash back. All other purchases earn you 0.5% cash back. Since this is a basic no-fee, cash back card the other benefits are thin. However, you do get purchase assurance, which protects your purchase from loss, theft or damage within 90 days and an extended warranty that doubles your manufacturer’s warranty up to an additional year. If you meet the annual income requirement of $60,000, you’ll automatically be considered for the Tangerine World Mastercard, which comes with additional perks such as mobile device and rental car insurance. Welcome bonus: Earn 15% cash back (up to $150) when you spend $1,000 on everyday purchases within the first 2 months of having the card. Must apply before January 31, 2022. Earn rate: 2% cash back on up to 3 categories; 0.5% on all other categories Income requirement: $12,000 Get more details about the Tangerine Money-Back Card* For high earners:

[ad_1] If you haven’t realized this yet, I’m kind of a goal setting freak. Some people do New Year’s resolutions.  That’s great, but I think you need to revisit your goals on a more consistent basis.  For me, that’s every 90 days. Other people don’t bother to set goals. They choose – unconsciously at least – to rely on luck. Let’s establish up front that goals are something more substantial than dreams or wishes. They can start as dreams or wishes, but they have an action plan behind them that spells out how to convert a desire into something real. That’s especially important when it comes to financial goals. Since they require regular investments of money and effort over a long period of time, you need to have a workable plan to bring them to reality. Start by setting some financial goals. If you’ve never thought much about this, here are 10 good financial goals that everyone should make a priority in 2022. 1. Have a Well-Stocked Emergency Fund We normally think of having an emergency fund as being a short-term financial goal. And from a mechanical standpoint, that’s true. However, an emergency fund has important long-term benefits, which is why it’s one of the good financial goals that you should plan to achieve. Here are just some of the benefits that a well-stocked emergency fund can provide you with throughout your life: It can take away a lot of the money worries that you have since you know that you will always have a reserve should you get into a tight spot As is expected of an emergency fund, it will be there to cushion the blow in the event of a sudden emergency, such as a job loss or a large medical expense It’s an important money management tool – if you can save money for an emergency fund, then you can save money for any financial goal that you have It provides you with an intermediate funding source – a kind of halfway point between your paycheck and your investment accounts – that you can use so that you don’t have to disturb your long-term investments Just having an emergency fund will make the wide swings in the stock market more emotionally tolerable, knowing that your survival isn’t at stake when the market falls When you consider all that comes from having a strong emergency fund, it should move it up the priority ladder a few rungs. Here are some the top savings account options for your emergency fund. #ap39028-ww{padding-top:20px;position:relative;text-align:center;font-size:12px;font-family:Lato,Arial,sans-serif}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-indicator{text-align:right}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-indicator-wrapper{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap39028-ww-text{display:block}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap39028-ww-label{display:none}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-text{margin:auto 3px auto auto}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-label{margin-left:4px;margin-right:3px}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-icon{margin:auto;padding:1px;display:inline-block;width:15px;height:15px;min-width:15px;min-height:15px;cursor:pointer}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-icon img{vertical-align:middle;width:15px;height:15px;min-width:15px;min-height:15px}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-text-bottom{margin:5px}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-text{display:none}#ap39028-ww #ap39028-ww-icon img{text-indent:-9999px;color:transparent} Ads by Money. 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For smart and effective savings, a High-Yield Savings Account is a viable option. Open an account today by clicking on your state below. HawaiiAlaskaFloridaSouth CarolinaGeorgiaAlabamaNorth CarolinaTennesseeRIRhode IslandCTConnecticutMAMassachusettsMaineNHNew HampshireVTVermontNew YorkNJNew JerseyDEDelawareMDMarylandWest VirginiaOhioMichiganArizonaNevadaUtahColoradoNew MexicoSouth DakotaIowaIndianaIllinoisMinnesotaWisconsinMissouriLouisianaVirginiaDCWashington DCIdahoCaliforniaNorth DakotaWashingtonOregonMontanaWyomingNebraskaKansasOklahomaPennsylvaniaKentuckyMississippiArkansasTexas Open an Account Today 2. Get Out of Debt – Completely The great thing about this goal is that anyone can do it, regardless of income or wealth level. And if you want to get the most out of your finances, it’s virtually a requirement that you get out of debt. For the moment, let’s ignore the good-debt-versus-bad-debt debate. At some point in your life, all debt is bad debt and needs to be paid off. That includes the mortgage on your home. Although the purpose of that debt may be noble at the beginning, it’s no less a drag on your income than any other debt as time goes on. There are more reasons to get out of debt than I can list here, but here are just a few of them: Getting out of debt means that you’ll have full control over your income – and that’s an incredible feeling It will leave you with more money for savings and investing – and even more for spending It will remove the asterisk from your finances – I make $X,000 per month, but $X00 has to go to pay my debts It will make it easier to quit a job you don’t like It will free your mind of the worry and stress that come with debt Before starting my career, I fell into the debt trap.  I had accumulated over $20,000 of student loan and credit card debt and I wasn’t slowing down anytime soon. Get out of student loan debt Thankfully, my girlfriend (now wife) helped me to see debt for what is really is – EVIL. After we were married, it became both of our goals to become debt free and never carry a credit card balance. I’m proud to say that after over 10 years of marriage, that’s a goal that we’ve stuck to. Take that, Debt! You can set all of the good financial goals that you want, but it will be difficult to achieve any of if you are carrying a significant amount of debt for the rest of your life. If you have high interest credit card debt or several different credit card bills to pay every month, it can make a lot of sense to take advantage of a 0% APR balance transfer offer as well. Consolidate your personal debt The Chase Slate® card, for example, gives you a 0% APR for a full 15 months, and all without a balance transfer fee of any kind. With this offer, you could transfer several high interest debts

[ad_1] This is a great deal on Adidas Men’s Joggers! Proozy has these Adidas Men’s Fleece Joggers for just $20 per pair shipped when you buy three pairs and use the promo code MSM13-60-FS at checkout! These are regularly $50 and this is a great deal on this brand. Choose from four colors. Valid through January 9, 2022. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] French central banker sees inflation peaking, limited COVID impact [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda today launched a scathing attack against the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao and accused him of autocratic behaviour over the arrest of state BJP chief and Lok Sabha MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Nadda said that he is visiting the state to show solidarity with the Telangana BJP’s fight for the people and employees of the state. He also alleged that the administration was bent upon stopping him from visiting the state and holding a press meet. “Kaleshwaram has become an ATM for KCR. The original project was of Rs 36,000 crore. Now the project has become worth Rs 1,20,000 crore. The water has only reached his farmhouse, and nowhere else. The Palamuru Rangareddy is also ready and has been inaugurated, but not a drop of water has reached the people,” said Nadda. The BJP president termed the KCR government as the most undemocratic. “Under the leadership of KCR, the government of Telangana is the most undemocratic government. Whatever has happened in the last two days is the murder of democracy and is autocratic and dictatorship-like in nature. The BJP will continue is fighting and will continue to fight till we defeat this undemocratic govt in the state,” he said. Reacting to the arrest of BS Kumar and the use of police force against the BJP workers, Nadda said that KCR has lost his sense of proportion. “Sanjay Ji had decided to do a peaceful protest. He organized an overnight protest jagran at his office. On the pretext of COVID, police broke into his office by destroying steel doors. They inflicted tear gas & water cannons, manhandled Sanjay Ji & lathicharged the BJP workers. This is an autocratic behaviour of KCR and has lost his mental balance…He has lost his sense of proportion, the way he’s behaving. Dharnas have been stopped – by govt orders – and the HC had to intervene. This is the sad state of affairs of Telangana as a state,” said Nadda. Nadda alleged that the way KCR has arrested Sanjay Bandi, it shows ‘Vinash kaale, viprit buddhi’ (Adversity kills intelligence). The BJP chief said that the party will take the due legal course and use all democratic methods to fight this battle. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Novak Djokovic to defend Australian Open tennis title after exemption from COVID-19 vaccination  ESPN Djokovic Granted Covid-19 Vaccine Exemption to Play in Australian Open  The New York Times Novak Djokovic gets medical exemption from coronavirus vaccination  The Washington Post Tennis stars back protocols and medicos ruling on vaccine exemptions  The Age Novak Djokovic secures medical exemption to play in Australian Open  The Guardian [ad_2]

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[ad_1] FinancialExpress.com caught up with Nilesh Jain, VP South-east Asia and India, and Vijendra Katiyar, country manager, India and SAARC of Trend Micro and asked them how the pandemic has affected its plans for India.  By Nikita Jain Cybersecurity solutions firm Trend Micro  Cybersecurity solutions firm Trend Micro has been investing in setting up its Cloud One service in India, addressing the needs of an increasing number of companies looking to adopt secure cloud solutions, especially in the light of the governments call for increased data localisation. Here are excerpts from the interview.  Nikita Jain:  Congratulations. First of all, we are living in COVID times. And so I would like to start by something that we’ve, all adjusted our lives around for the past almost two years. What role did this pandemic play in making companies realize the importance of cloud-based solutions? Nilesh Jain:  I think for most of the enterprises, one thing was that they had certain plans in place. When it comes to adoption of cloud, the pandemic played a role of a catalyst. Right. So what was supposed to happen for them in 2-3 years, got shortened to just about a year or maybe months. What eventually happened is a 100 percent of the workforce working from home. So companies have to give access to the application for businesses to run for that to happen and make things easier. The best way was to adopt the cloud. Even some of the enterprises, which were hesitant that will cloud be safe or maybe it’s not required right now, they realize the importance that it makes business sense. Vijendra Katiyar: Whether it is for digital transformation, whether it is to support my daily operations so on and so forth. That is what happened in the last two years, specifically. Of course, a lot of industries are regulated. Especially banking and financial verticals, they have started moving to cloud. So a lot of you must be aware that a lot of banks openly came out and said that they are on cloud, which was unheard of before.  They move with the non-production applications. Now they’re talking about some of the core business applications, also moving to the cloud. So that is what has changed. People have started accepting, people started adopting, and are using multiple different services on cloud right now. How they want to secure it is very important. That’s where they start looking at somebody like Trend Micro as a partner. How can we help them secure their cloud services? That’s where Trend Micro has been a leader for almost a decade securing them and helping them move to cloud, making sure that their applications, and their workloads are secured. Nikita Jain: You just spoke about, adapting to change, but with change also comes challenges. What were some of the challenges that you saw in the business? Nilesh Jain: The first challenge was how to enable the workforce to work from home. I had all the infrastructure possible for my employees to work from the office. Right. But the moment the pandemic hit, nobody was ready for this hundred percent workforce working from home. So we started by providing them basic assets, to start working, which is laptops, that were not there for all the employees. So how to provide them overnight? Nobody was prepared. So they started moving to using their personal devices, with personal access to the applications and how they can adhere to different company policies. How can we ensure that data is accessed securely? What can be the medium, how do you ensure optimum uptime? So all these were different challenges, which, enterprises were dealing with. And now they have, I think in the last one and a half years, they’ve learned a lot. Now we talk about hybrid workforces here to stay. Nikita:  What are some of the new threats that you see emerging, especially, on the cloud-based, solutions? Nilesh Jain: If you address that from a security threat point of view, there are two kinds of threats. I would say number one is natural attacks, which are very cloud application native. So there are attacks that are created for platforms that are built for cloud only. And since this adaption of this technology has been so fast that most of the enterprises don’t even have a skill set or time to know how it works and what kind of security measure they should take. What are the vulnerabilities therein? Those are the threats, which are not visible to most people. The second threat, I would call it the human threat or manpower threat. Vijendra: Most of the organizations didn’t have manpower or skilled person who knows how security works there. If you ask me there are two basic threats we have seen in the cloud. Is it more secure in the physical or  virtualized environment? The only thing that makes it more vulnerable compared to physical is because for physical and virtual, it took 15-20 years for people to study it. And they kept on adapting here. The time of EPON is very small. Within one and two years, suddenly the company did not see where things had moved to cloud. On the native applications front, they’re still trying to learn what cloud-native applications are. So those are the two threats that I generally see. Nikita: From an investment point of view, how much have you invested and in what areas in your cloud business? Especially in India. Nilesh: There are two areas where we have invested; one is in people. Since we saw that this makes sense for us because we have been leaders in data security and with cloud, one with multiple different services. We are working with leading cloud service providers, from August, 2012. It made sense for us to invest in India to ensure that, one, we are taking care of data mobility. So any customer, any enterprise, any government body can adopt security from cloud, which