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Florida-based community bank sells its Houston branches to MidFirst Bank, but growing mortgage subsidiary Amerant Mortgage has a presence in most states. Whether it’s refining your business model, mastering new technologies, or discovering strategies to capitalize on the next market surge, Inman Connect New York will prepare you to take bold steps forward. The Next Chapter is about to begin. Be part of it. Join us and thousands of real estate leaders Jan. 22-24, 2025. Six former Amerant Bank locations in Houston will open their doors Tuesday as branches of MidFirst Bank in a deal that allows Coral Gables, Florida-based…

Liberty Media announced Wednesday it’s spinning off most assets besides Formula One auto racing into a separate publicly traded company, called Liberty Live, and that CEO Greg Maffei is stepping down at year-end.Chairman John Malone will become interim CEO of Liberty Media. Liberty Media’s investor day is set to take place on Thursday in Manhattan.After the split, Liberty Media will hold Formula One, which Liberty acquired in 2016 and later spun out as a tracking stock, and MotoGP, upon the closing of that transaction. Liberty Live will hold roughly 69.9 million shares of Live Nation Entertainment, sports experiences provider Quint…

Ukraine wants to use defenders’ profane defiance on merchandise; court says political slogan does not qualify.A European Union court has ruled that Ukraine cannot trademark a profane phrase directed by border guard troops at a Russian warship in the early days of Moscow’s invasion. The European Union’s General Court said on Wednesday that the phrase: “Russian warship, go f*** yourself” cannot be trademarked on European territory because it is a political slogan. A response to threats issued by the ship, the words have become a sign of defiance and unity for Ukrainians during the war, and have featured on a…

John Krasinski has joined elite company. Or, to be more accurate perhaps, let us rephrase: John Krasinski has joined scalding hot and handsome company. Indeed, the actor has been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2024. John Krasinski attends Paramount’s “A Quiet Place: Day One” New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on June 26, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images) How did the actor feel about learning about the honor? “Just immediate blackout, actually. Zero thoughts,” Krasinski told this publication for this week’s cover story. “Other than maybe I’m being punked. That’s not how…

The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2025 Tech100 Award are open now through December 16, 2024. Click here to nominate a tech organization. For the past 13 years, HousingWire’s Tech100 Award program has provided HousingWire readers with a definitive list of the tech solutions companies that are streamlining processes, enhancing customer experience and improving the overall homebuying experience for all involved. Last year’s list of honorees included 200 companies — 100 real estate and 100 mortgage — that left a transformational impact on the industry. HousingWire reached…

Amazon is phasing out Freevee and integrating its content into Prime Video.Freevee struggled with identity and financial losses while competing with Prime Video for resources.Some Amazon insiders think entertainment layoffs could be coming. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go. download the app By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the email. Amazon is phasing out its free-to-watch streaming service Freevee as insiders speculate about…

ReutersElon Musk (L) will team up with Vivek Ramaswamy (R) on the projectUS President-elect Donald Trump has picked Elon Musk for a role in government cost-cutting, as part of his drive to “dismantle” bureaucracy when he returns to the White House next year.Tech billionaire Musk, who has called for huge spending cuts, has been picked alongside biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge). The acronym is a nod to Musk’s favourite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin. Trump said the pair would act in an advisory capacity, and that the Doge would not be an official government department.On…

Neil Patrick Harris Fox Neil Patrick Harris has gushed over the talents of Darren Criss, labeling him “part robot.” During an interview with Us Weekly at the pre-opening night of Maybe Happy Ending on Monday, November 11, in New York City, Harris, 51, praised Criss, 37, and compared him to a robot — just like Criss’ character in the musical production, which officially raised its curtains the following night. “He’s always talented. It’s impossible to see an off night. So I think it’s great. He’s part robot himself, so this will be interesting to see,” Harris told Us on the…

Residential homes in Discovery Bay, California, US, on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. Mortgage rates in the US increased to the highest level since July. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesMortgage rates continued to climb last week as investors considered the future of the economy under a Trump presidency. The mortgage market basically took a breather.Total application volume was essentially flat, rising just 0.5% last week, compared with the previous one, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. While tiny, the increase marked the first rise in overall demand in seven weeks.The average contract interest rate for 30-year…

Trump must appoint about 4,000 officials, including the heads of the 15 executive departments that make up the cabinet.United States President-elect Donald Trump has started selecting his cabinet and other senior administration officials after his election victory on November 5. Trump must appoint about 4,000 officials, including the heads of the executive departments that make up his cabinet. The US cabinet consists of 15 federal agencies, each led by an appointed secretary. Along with the vice president, these officials advise the president and implement policies. These appointments require Senate confirmation, and typically, these votes occur shortly after the president’s inauguration,…