Daily News 10/23/14
October 23, 2014
Thursday – October 23
Americans who are underwater on their home mortgages received some good news today. RealtyTrac reported that the amount of seriously underwater properties fell to the lowest level in two years. There are now 8.1 million residential properties seriously underwater in the third quarter of 2014, down from 9.1 million in the second quarter and down from 10.7 in the third quarter of 2013.
RealtyTrac estimates that there is $1.4 trillion in negative equity across the U.S. After hitting 14-year lows in the previous week, Americans filing for first time jobless claims rose in the latest week. However the 283,000 in claims, which were up 17,000 last week, are still at historically low levels, signaling that the sector continues to improve. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims have remained below the 300,000 level for six straight weeks, the first time it has happened since early 2006.
Are you taking enough vacation time? It is estimated that American workers are leaving an estimated $52.4 billion on the table by not taking all of their paid vacation time. Remember the old proverb, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” American workers are now taking the least amount of vacation time in 40 years. Workers have been forfeiting 4.9 out of 21 days paid vacation in comparison to the years from 1976 to 2000 when workers used 20.9 vacation days per year.
