Monthly Archives: November 2007

November 8, 2007 -- Chairman Schumer, Vice Chairman Maloney, Representative Saxton, and other members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here this morning to present an update on the economic situation and outlook.

How do you fix a troubled housing market? Forbes.com asked that question of a broad range of housing experts, including CEOs of real estate firms, real estate practitioners, economists from lending institutions, and research directors at analytics firms. Here are five of their best suggestions.

WASHINGTON, November 7, 2007 -- The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Tuesday said it supports legislation intended to eliminate predatory mortgage lending practices, but advised that some provisions are "more appropriately tailored" for the mortgage brokerage industry than for depository institutions.

WASHINGTON - November 7, 2007 - The Supportive Housing Investment Partnership, a collaboration between Enterprise Community Partners and the Corporation for Supportive Housing, recently released a comprehensive update on how states are using innovative policies to produce permanent affordable housing with support services to address homelessness.

Are you having trouble making your home mortgage payments? Are you facing foreclosure on your home? Get all the facts before you pay someone to help you work out your mortgage problems.

WASHINGTON - For the first time ever, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is reporting a nearly 12 percent decrease in the number of chronically homeless persons living on the nation's streets. HUD's analysis found that more than 20,000 persons moved from the streets into transitional and permanent supportive housing between 2005 and 2006

Interest in remodeling remains high, but home owners are more conservative about costs in light of declining home prices, a survey of 5,000 U.S. home owners by Remodelestimates.com found.

The Federal Trade Commission today released staff comments to the federal banking agencies – the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the National Credit Union Administration – in response to their request for comments on proposed illustrations of consumer information for subprime mortgage lending. In their comments, FTC staff support the agencies’ efforts to develop mortgage disclosures to help subprime borrowers make better informed decisions.

WASHINGTON, November 6, 2007 – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement of introduction for H.R. 4079, the “Safe and Healthy Emergency Housing Act of 2007”

Washington, D.C., November 1, 2007 -- The Federal Trade Commission today released staff comments to the federal banking agencies – the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the National Credit Union Administration – in response to their request for comments on proposed illustrations of consumer information for subprime mortgage lending.

WASHINGTON, Nov 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A proposed tax increase on a partnership's long-term investment return that was approved yesterday by the House Ways and Means Committee poses a severe economic threat to economic growth, jobs and the tax base, according to a group of twelve national real estate organizations.

After the Short Sale: Taxing What Isn't There Too often, real estate practitioners are unaware of the tax liabilities arising from the cancellation of debt and fail to advise their clients accordingly.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- As Congress debates how to solve the mortgage credit crunch, a new survey by Freedom Works indicates a majority of Americans don't want Uncle Sam to foot the bill

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 17, 2007 -- The president of the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) says homeowners on the cusp of foreclosure due to subprime loans need to evaluate their options now, and not wait for a foreclosure notice before taking action

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 31, 2007 — The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending October 26, 2007. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, was 681.7, an increase of 3.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from 656.5 one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 3.6 percent compared with the previous week and was up 19.5 percent compared with the same week one year earlier.

Washington, D.C., Oct 31, 2007 -- “The financial tremors caused by the on-going subprime crisis have badly cracked and damaged one of the bedrocks of the American dream – the ability to own a home. When I met with Fed Chairman Bernanke in August, he assured me that the Fed would use all of the tools at its disposal to deal with the current crisis in our housing and financial markets.

The average home buyer will not be put off a potential property if it has a poor energy rating, according to Legal & General. However, they would be likely to act on the energy saving proposals made in an energy performance certificate (EPC). Three months on from the launch of Home Information Packs (HIPS), the Government has said that most homes are receiving an ‘E’ rating on an A-G scale, but this could rise to a ‘C’ relatively easily.

WASHINGTON - Americans in seven states will soon find themselves living in upgraded apartments equipped to meet their physical needs thanks to more than $22.2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi today joined Onondaga County Executive Nicholas J. Pirro and representatives from the office of Congressman Jim Walsh to make the announcement at Bernardine Apartments in Syracuse, New York.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Genesis Foundation Inc. (Genesis) and Home Downpayment Gift Foundation, Inc. (HDGF), both 501(c)3 charitable entities dedicated to helping low and moderate income families create and maintain homeownership, announced today that it has prevailed in its temporary injunction in the Unites State District Court.