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32 MOVERS & SHAKERS KEEP UP WITH WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHO WENT WHERE Got something to share with us? Send it to Editor@DSNews.com. Study: Fewer Marriages Result in Slow Housing Recovery e steep decline in the number of marriages in the U.S. among the population aged 25 to 29 has been a key factor in the slow recovery of the housing market, according to a report from John Burns Real Estate Consulting (JBREC). According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the 2013 American Community Survey, the percentage of men in the U.S. who are married has declined by 48 percent since 1970, while the percentage of married women has fallen by 43 percent for that same period. Since life stage changes such as marriage drive the hous- ing market, the fact that more and more people are remaining single until later in life is keeping many of these people from buying homes, making the declining number of married persons in the U.S. "one of the biggest game changers in the housing indus- try," according to JBREC. e JBREC report found that not only are singles more likely to rent instead of owning, but they are more likely to live in areas close to entertainment and employment. Also according to the study, the number of cohabitating couples in the U.S. has steadily increased in the last few decades, and the rate of homeownership among cohabitating couples is far lower than that of married couples. e desire to own a home is often ignited by marriage, accord- ing to JBREC. Also, the addition of children to the family greatly increases the need to own a home due to the need for a yard, more space, and social needs—and delaying marriage often coincides with delaying the addition of chil- dren, thus in many cases further postponing homeownership. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 Shapiro & Ingle Adds Bankruptcy Litigation Department North Carolina-based real estate law firm Shapiro & Ingle has announced the formation of a Bankruptcy Litigation Department at their firm with Kimberly A. Sheek heading the new department. Sheek was named one of North Carolina's Super Lawyers – Rising Stars by her peers in 2013. She was also a contributing author of the North Carolina Bankruptcy Practice Manual The Wolf Firm Adds Five Attorneys The Wolf Firm, an Irvine, California-based financial services law firm, announced recently the addition of several new attorneys. Mark Domeyer, with more than 20 years of experience representing secured creditors in bankruptcy, joins the Wolf Firm's Bankruptcy Department as senior attorney. His experience includes serving as chief deputy clerk for the bankruptcy court of the District of Columbia, representing the examiner in the Eastern Airlines bankruptcy case and the trustee in the Delaware & Hudson Railway bankruptcy case, and representing many secured creditors, debtors-in-possession, trustees and official committees in reorganization cases. Domeyer has spoken at many national industry events and has also served as an assistant court administrator and as a temporary judge. Bob Jackson, who is joining the Wolf Firm as national eviction advisory counsel and senior attorney, has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California and a BA in mathematics from St. Mary's College. At USC, he was recognized as a member of the prestigious Order of the Coif. A bona fide expert in the mortgage banking and mortgage default legal fields, Jackson has more than 40 years of experience as an attorney. Scott Jackson focuses his practice is on national evictions, regulatory compliance, and real estate litigation matters. He joins the Wolf Firm as EVP and Chair of its new National Eviction Management Practice. Prior to joining the Wolf Firm, Jackson served as president and managing attorney of Jackson & Associates, one of the largest REO and mortgage default firms in the country, until its acquisition in 2014 by the Wolf Firm. Parnaz Parto, who joins the Wolf Firm as an associate in the Eviction Department, earned her Juris Doctor degree from Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. While in college, Parto received several prestigious awards, including the CALI Excellence for the Future Award, which she received for obtaining the highest grade in Legal Research and Writing. Sonia Plesset, who joins the Wolf Firm as a senior litigation attorney, has represented many financial institutions, mortgage companies, loan servicers, foreclosure trustees, and title companies during her 20 years of experience as an attorney. She has worked in many aspects of creditor representation, including lender liability, wrongful foreclosure defense, loan purchase disputes, receiverships, evictions, judicial foreclosures, FDCPA/FCRA and related claims, and general real estate litigation. GDP GROWTH SLOWS DOWN BUT STILL BEATS PREDICTIONS FOR Q3 e nation's economy continued to grow at a brisk clip in the third quarter, slowing down from the prior period but still beating forecasts. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States increased at an annualized rate of 3.5 percent last quarter, according to an advance estimate from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Economists surveyed by Econoday anticipated a growth rate of 3 percent. e third quarter's economic advance compares to an annualized 4.6 percent growth rate in the second quarter and a contraction of 2.1 percent in the first quarter. According to BEA, the increase in real GDP last quarter largely stemmed from contributions from consumer spending, exports, nonresidential fixed investment, and government spending at all levels. Except for federal government spending—which picked up significantly—growth decelerated across all of those categories, resulting in the lower overall rate of expansion compared to Q2. e GDP report comes a day after the Federal Reserve announced plans to close down its stimulative bond-buying program, signaling increased confidence in the economy's progression. Whatever progress the Fed thinks the country has made, consumers might not be feeling as confident. According to the report, consumer spending increased 1.8 percent in the third quarter, dropping from a pace of 2.5 percent in Q2. Meanwhile, personal income rose $152.9 billion, down from $223 billion as wage and salary growth slowed.

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