RealEstateRama

Washington, D.C. - June 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The House Judiciary Committee today approved legislation by voice vote that prohibits state and local governments that receive federal economic development funds from using eminent domain to transfer private property from one private owner to another for the purpose of economic development, the Private Property Rights Protection Act (H.R. 1944). This legislation is in response to the 2005 Supreme Court decision in the case of Kelo v. City of New London, which gives local governments broad authority to seize private property under the guise of economic development just to generate tax revenue. The Private Property Rights Protection Act passed the House of Representatives in the 109th and 112th Congresses

Washington, DC - June 12, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing titled ““Beyond GSEs: Examples of Successful Housing Finance Models without Explicit Government Guarantees.”

WALTHAM, MA - June 12, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that more homes were put under agreement in the month of May than in any month since January 2004 when MAR began tracking this data. Cond...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 12, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Approximately 9,000 homeless veterans living on the streets and in the nation’s shelter system will soon find a permanent place to call home. U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric K. Shinseki announced that HUD will provide $60 million to local public housing agencies across the country to offer permanent supportive housing to homeless veterans, many of whom are living with chronic disabling conditions

La Jolla, CA - June 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Southern California home sales held at a seven-year high last month thanks to a stronger economy, pent-up demand, low mortgage rates and the widening perception that a home is a good investment. Prices continued to regain lost territory as buyers competed for a thin supply of homes for sale and poured a record amount of cash into the housing market, a real estate information service reported

Washington, DC - June 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is proud to announce a Capacity Building Initiative training series designed to support Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that are also Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), and MDIs working toward becoming certified as CDFIs. Deloitte Financial Advisory Services will provide the Preserving and Expanding CDFI Minority Depository Institutions training series with the support of relevant industry subject matter experts

CHICAGO, IL - June 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Appraisal Institute, the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers, today advised homeowners to use discretion when deciding which home improvement projects to take on, saying that not all renovations positively impact property values.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today announced that former National Chairman James (Jim) W. Elmer, founder and president of James W. Elmer Construction Co., Spokane, Wash., received a Life Membership award. He was presented this honor June 18 at ABC’s National Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C.

PITTSBURGH - June 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) is pleased to announce that Board member Patrick A. Bond of Charleston, W.Va., is the first West Virginian to become a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Fellow, the highest level of credentialing for corporate directors and corporate governance professionals.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) led a letter, signed by members from the Ohio delegation, to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding the definition of "rural" counties as ...

WASHINGTON, DC - June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Americans’ confidence in their ability to buy and sell a home climbed sharply in May, likely due to reports of strong home price gains, according to results from Fannie Mae’s May 2013 National Housing Survey. The share of respondents who say now is a good time to sell a home reached a record high of 40 percent, compared to 30 percent in April and 16 percent one year ago. At the same time, the share of those who say it is a good time to buy a home moved up 5 percentage points from April to a survey high of 76 percent. Americans’ average 12-month home price change expectation also reached a survey high in May, climbing to 3.9 percent from 2.7 percent in April.

WASHINGTON - June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nearly 2.7 million checks have been cashed or deposited for about $2.4 billion as a result of the Independent Foreclosure Review (IFR) Payment Agreement through June 6, 2013.

ATLANTA - June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) today announced the winners of its 63rd Annual Journalism Awards, recognizing excellence in reporting, writing and editing stories about residential and commercial real estate

Atlanta - June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) has named the winners of the Sixth Annual Robert Bruss Real Estate Book Awards. The awards recognize excellence in books published in 2012 on the broad field of real estate

NYC Tenants and grassroots organizations from around the city will gather at a rally in support of stronger regulations for rent law enforcement, in order to prevent illegal overcharges, harassment and eviction. Immediately following the rally, tenants will testify at a hearing to review the state housing agency's proposed amendments the rules regarding rent regulation enforcement

CHICAGO, IL - June 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers announced its support today for federal legislation that would improve the mortgage underwriting process by ensuring appraisers are provided relevant property information relating to green and energy-efficient features

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A coalition that includes the U.S. federal government and over 200 major commercial building sector partners has issued a simple challenge to U.S. manufacturers: if you can build wireless sub-meters that cost less than $100 apiece and enable us to identify opportunities to save money by saving energy, we will buy them. A group of at least 18 manufacturers has already agreed to take up the challenge, pledging to produce devices that will meet the specifications outlined by the U.S. Department of Energy and its private sector partners that have signed letters of intent to purchase the wireless sub-meters.

Washington, D.C. - June 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Institute of Constructors (AIC) has become the 39th member of ConsensusDocs, a unique coalition that produces best practice contracts for the design and construction industry

ST. LOUIS - June 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- First quarter 2013 house prices were higher across most of the seven states that comprise the Federal Reserve's Eighth District compared with this time last year, according to the St. Louis Fed’s latest Housing Market Conditions

Tampa, FL - June 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Less than one week into the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season the first named storm – Andrea – is bringing tropical weather conditions to the Tampa Bay area on a track toward the eastern United States. With the “A” storm under our belt, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is reminding Tampa Bay residents to take action to prepare their homes or businesses for what is expected to be an active storm season.