Would you buy a mortgage from Kevin Costner?

This isn’t quite a rhetorical question. The Academy Award-winning actor and director is the lead investor in a new venture in the mortgage space called Lender Price. The Pasadena, California-based firm doesn’t make loans, but supplies key technology that figures out how much you’ll be charged for a mortgage.

And Costner joins a surprisingly long line of celebrities involved in the mortgage business. The list includes the current president of the United States, who migrated over to the home loan field after making his fortune in real estate. But there are many actors and sports figures who have made the jump after they achieved celebrity.

Are celebs just figureheads, or do they really know something about housing finance?

Costner talks a pretty good game. He made an appearance at last year’s Mortgage Bankers Association’s annual conference, and says Lender Price has a “vision and strategy for mortgage lending transformation through a technologically superior digital POS and PPE platform that offers unprecedented business analytics.”

While that statement sounds as though it was written by the company’s marketing director, the jargon was pretty much absent during a one-on-one conversation.

“The mortgage industry is eager to embrace the promise of digital disruption, and Lender Price is strategically positioned to fulfill on that promise,” said Costner during an interview. “For an investor like me, who wants to be in on the early stages of a business poised to transform an industry that is critical to the U.S. economy and touches the lives and financial aspirations of millions of citizens, Lender Price is ideally positioned.”

President Donald Trump’s real estate background is famous. What is less commonly known is that he launched a mortgage brokerage company -- Trump Mortgage (what else?) -- just before the mortgage market imploded.

According to an analysis in the Washington Post, his venture folded after just 18 months in business. Among other things, its spring 2006 launch was a case of bad timing. The market tanked in the fall of 2008. And what was even more untimely was that his product line included subprime mortgages.

Trump didn’t really have any hands-on impact on the business, but it was a failure nonetheless.

Mortgages, of course, are a pretty logical hop for a real estate mogul like the president. Most often, you can’t sell a house without financing.

Other celeb housing connections often make sense as well -- after a closer look. For example, Academy Award-nominated actor Edward Norton has shown an active interest in affordable housing. That’s not surprising when you factor in that his grandfather was James Rouse, a towering figure in the field of affordable housing. Rouse was the creator of Columbia, Maryland -- arguably the country’s most successful planned community -- and the founder of the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.

Enterprise has been responsible for creating half a million affordable units since its inception. Norton actually worked in the company’s New York office for two years, and has been a director of the firm since 1998. He is now a lifetime trustee.

Some celebrities actually start their own housing businesses. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach is one. He launched The Staubach Company, a commercial real estate firm, in 1977. Now he is executive chairman of another real estate firm, JLL Americas, a company that took in $3.6 billion in revenue in 2011.

Trade publication National Real Estate Investor recently went looking for celebrities investing in commercial real estate, and it found a baker’s dozen of them. They include former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, former tennis great Andre Agassi, and actors Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Some mortgage firms hire celebs as spokespeople. Sports figures are especially popular in this role; stars like Reggie Jackson, Jim Palmer and Ozzie Smith can be seen at mortgage meetings around the country. One of the most popular endorsers was racecar driver Danica Patrick, who represented subprime lender Argent Mortgage years ago. At one industry meeting, some 800 mortgage execs stood in line to have their pictures taken with the racing star, who smiled for every photo.

As a side note, your intrepid columnist was once given the opportunity to race against Patrick in a video game. We sat side by side in mockup racecars with accelerator pedals and game screens in front of us. She beat the pants off of me, but softened the blow with the gift of a signed copy of her autobiography and a personally autographed hat.

And of course, besides athletes, any number of actors have served as spokespeople for mortgage companies. Actors of a certain age, in particular, have helped market reverse mortgages to seniors. Robert Wagner, Henry Winkler, Fred Thompson and Tom Selleck have all hyped these loans, which allow people to remain in their homes until they pass on or move out without having to make monthly payments.

-- Freelance writer Mark Fogarty contributed to this report.

Natural disasters rarely come with a warning. With the exception of hurricanes, most disasters sneak up on you. But there is plenty you can do to protect yourself and your family should a flood, fire, tornado or tropical storm head your way.

The key is preparedness. You probably won’t be able to prevent damage to your home or place of business. But if you are ready, you could recover far more quickly.

Here are a few tips. This list isn’t exhaustive, but follow these steps and you’ll be way ahead of the game:

-- Inventory. For insurance purposes, you will have to show what you lost. So take a fearless inventory. A list of every item in the house would be best, of course, with the date of purchase and the cost. But since that is all but impossible, use your smartphone or camera to photograph each room. Add a running commentary describing the major items.

-- Accounts. Make a list of all your bank, credit card, insurance and stock accounts, including account number, address, phone number and, if possible, the name of someone with whom you have interacted. Make sure you include the name of the company to which you send your house payments, the phone and account numbers and a contact person.

You will need this after the disaster passes to start rebuilding. Have it laminated so it can survive a flood if you have to escape through rising waters.

-- Documents. Maintain a duplicate set of key documents, including bank statements, tax returns, identifications and insurance policies, and keep them in a safe place. Store them in a waterproof container, away from the original set. To be extra safe, scan them into an electronic format such as a flash drive, or burn them onto a DVD or CD.

-- Devices. Keep a plastic bag of backup chargers, cables and headsets so you can grab it and run. Your phone or tablet may be the only way you will be able to communicate, so you’ll need to keep it charged.

-- Drugs. The older you are, the more medicines you likely take. So keep a stash, again in a sealable plastic bag, that you can grab at a moment’s notice. If not the actual meds, then at least keep a list of them, where they are being filled, doctor’s name, dosage and so on. Also keep a copy of your medical history, along with extra eyeglasses and hearing aid batteries.

-- Mortgage. If the event is designated a major disaster area by the president or your governor, there is plenty your loan servicer -- the company to which you send your payments -- can do to relieve your short-term burden. But you have to be proactive and call. They will try to contact you, but if you have been displaced, they won’t know where you are.

If your loan is secured by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, your servicer can, on a case-by-case basis, extend forbearance and repayment plans for up to 12 months without prior approval. The same goes for people who reside outside the declared disaster area but work within it. Your servicers also can waive late fees and other penalties, and can suspend evictions and foreclosures for up to 90 days if you were already behind on your payments.

None of this will be reported to credit repositories, so your credit score won’t take a hit.

-- Other loans. After Harvey, federal and state banking regulators told bankers to work with borrowers in the disaster areas to adjust or alter loan terms. “Efforts to work with borrowers in communities under stress can be consistent with safe-and-sound banking practices,” said a memo from the Federal Reserve.

At the same time, the IRS amended its rules by allowing 401(k) plans and other employer-sponsored retirement plans to make loans and hardship distributions to Harvey victims without incurring any penalties. Similar relief was granted during previous disasters, including the Louisiana floods and Hurricane Matthew.

And in the wake of disasters, individual banks sometimes defer payments on consumer and business loans, waive ATM fees and offer discounted rates on home equity loans, lines of credit, renovation loans and construction loans. In the wake of Harvey, some banks and credit unions offered to help people get back on their feet and minimize their own potential losses by allowing borrowers to skip payments and extending the length of their loans.

One said it was open to restructuring entire loans. Another was deferring payments and adding them to the back end of the mortgage.

-- Scams. The unfortunate part of the human condition is that some people will always try to take advantage of others’ misfortune. According to the Federal Trade Commission, not long after Harvey cleared out of Texas, consumers started receiving fraudulent robocalls telling them their flood premiums were past due. Buyer beware of scam artists.

If you get such a call or letter, confirm that the company is legitimate. Telltale signs that it isn’t include grammatical mistakes, typos and names of affiliated business groups that you do not recognize or that cannot be identified.

Never be pressured to “act now,” and never give out your bank account or routing number until you have verified the outfit. And remember, mortgage help is free, so be particularly leery of anyone demanding payment or promising guaranteed results.

Buyers of new homes will soon be seeing larger model home kitchens with darker, bolder colors, especially when it comes to their appliances.

According to a study by Houzz, a leading platform for home renovation and design, the “great room” feel of the kitchen will soon be even greater. The study covered some 2,700 homeowners who are either planning a kitchen makeover, recently completed one, or are in the middle of one.

But those are remodels. This brings up a legitimate question: What does a remodeled kitchen have to do with a brand-new one? The answer: Builders pay attention to survey findings like these so they can stay up-to-date on kitchen trends and remain ahead of the curve.

One trend? Black stainless steel. According to trade publication Builder, black stainless is the hot new color, with more and more range and refrigerator manufacturers adding the finish to their lines. KitchenAid was the first to introduce the finish more than a year ago, and now Electrolux, Kenmore, LG and others are following.

Black stainless steel is said to be so versatile that it goes with almost any other finish, design style and color. Whether you opt for a modern farmhouse look, a contemporary commercial feel or something more traditional, the finish works.

“Black stainless steel appliances have a modern, neutral tone,” Miranda Valentino of Electrolux told the magazine. “This means they mix and match well with both bright, vibrant colors and dark, muted accents, and can easily blend into existing design styles.”

LG spokeswoman Taryn Brucia told Builder that the finish “elevates the traditional stainless steel look with a satin-smooth, warm and sophisticated finish for both a modern and timeless aesthetic that pairs beautifully with any kitchen style. Its sleek finish elevates the versatility and sophistication of kitchen appliances.”

Houzz found that millennials, in particular, gravitate toward black stainless steel, with 9 percent of respondents age 25-34 choosing the finish. That’s three percentage points higher than the 55-and-older group. And more and more builders are looking to break into that younger demographic.

Another trend new buyers are likely to see is more pantry space -- sometime much more. Elizabeth Hagie of the Maryland-based Builders Design calls them “Super Pantries,” and they can be customized to fit any buyer’s lifestyle and budget.

Much like the trend of larger showers a decade or so ago, reports Hagie, this trend is popular with builders because it permits them to showcase additional cabinet or shelving options. And buyers seem to be gravitating toward upgrading the pantry in order to keep a clean, welcoming look in the entire kitchen.

In some cases, the traditional pantry is simply larger, allowing the owner to store extra snacks and perhaps a beverage fridge. But in others, it can occupy an entire room, often hidden behind a kitchen wall, that permits the owner to hide the giant countertop mixer, coffeemaker and other small appliances.

Says Hagie: “As the kitchen continues to be the entertainment hub of the home, this customizable space is a trend that will only grow in the years to come.”

Looking into the future, the Consumer Technology Association estimates that by 2022, a typical new home could contain a startling 500 smart devices. The CTA’s chief economist, Shawn DuBravac, thinks the adoption of broadband and Wi-Fi technology is akin to the adoption of electricity and indoor plumbing years ago.

Companies are cooking up some wild devices, and the kitchen is the hotspot. At a Berlin trade show recently, Grundig unveiled a marble “hob.” Using projection technology, an ordinary induction hob is transformed into an intuitive work surface, allowing users to completely control appliances from a single surface point.

Samsung’s family hub refrigerator is a sophisticated multitasker. Its Wi-Fi-enabled touchscreen lets you manage and purchase groceries, pin photos on an HD screen on the exterior door, and post, share and update calendars. Three interior cameras snap photos every time the door is opened and closed so users can remotely see inside.

High-tech isn’t limited to large appliances, either. Take the Egg Minder, which wirelessly connects to your phone to tell you how many eggs you have on hand and when they start to go bad. Or the GeniCan, a trash can add-on with a sensor that reads the bar codes of items when you throw them away, then adds them to a grocery list.

Meanwhile, Paris-based designer Arik Levy has partnered with Spanish surface manufacturer Compac to create a marblelike kitchen that is stain- and scratch-resistant. Called Mineral Gravity, the conceptual kitchen is made from a synthetic material that resembles marble, but is much more durable.

“Everything’s better than natural stone,” Levy told Dezeen, a London-based design magazine. “This is unbreakable and unscratchable and nonporous. Marble will break and it will scratch. If you spill a glass of wine on marble, you can say goodbye to your table.”