RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 9, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two consumer advocacy groups today outlined how state lawmakers can bolster safeguards to prevent unnecessary foreclosures. The recommendations by the Center for Responsible Lending and Consumers Union would close gaps left by new federal mortgage servicing rules and by last year’s settlement among 49 state attorneys general, federal officials and the five biggest mortgage servicers.

Washington, D.C. - April 9, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Once raised on “Bonanza,” and “Gunsmoke,” today Baby Boomers in record numbers are building dream homes made from logs. Boomers are drawn to these rustic residences because they offer a sense of sanctuary and a connection to nature that no stick frame home can duplicate

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) announced a $125,000 grant from Capital One Financial Corporation to support work to identify new scalable opportunities to help disadvantaged entrepreneurs achieve upward economic mobility. The grant will facilitate a partnership between CFED and several microenterprise organizations, including Accion Texas, Inc., the California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO), the Enterprise Development Group (EDG) in the Washington, DC metro area, and others.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Moody’s Investors Service, a leading provider of credit ratings, research and risk analysis, has reaffirmed Morris County’s Aaa bond rating, the first rating review since the introduction of th...

AUSTIN, TX - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The market for vacation home sales in 2012 showed continued signs of strength, with a 10% increase in sales from the prior year and a 24% increase in the median sales price, the first rise in three years, according to the 2013 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR)

NEW YORK, NY - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has executed an agreement to renew its lease for 595,000 square feet at 425 Lexington in Midtown Manhattan. Encompassing 26 floors of the 31-story building, the lease will be reset to expire in 2033. The lease extension will become effective subject to typical lender consent or upon completion of the sale and payment of the mortgage, which is due in August 2013.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Employees of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) were recently recognized by industry peers for their work in grid integration, industry advancement and electrochemistry. NREL was also named an Outstanding Large Company by IEEE.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In spite of declines in incomes and affordable housing, federal investments in smart strategies have led to significant declines in chronic and veteran homelessness. However, worsening economic and housing indicators threaten progress. And recent budget cuts could mean less investment in solutions that have led to declines in homelessness, like permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and homeless assistance funding for communities.

Hamilton, NJ - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New Jersey Builders Association (NJBA), the voice of New Jersey’s building industry, announced today that Timothy J. Touhey, CEO, resigned effective April 12. He has accepted a position as Senior Vice President with Investors Bank beginning on May 6

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- There will be many opinions as to whether buying a new home vs buying a resale home is best.

BOSTON - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Weston real estate developer and entrepreneur who was apprehended in Cyprus nearly eight months after he was indicted on federal criminal charges was convicted yesterday of wire fraud in connection with hi...

Reston, Virginia - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. today announced that a three-judge panel of the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court ruling that rejected a borrower complaint seeking to stop the non-judicial foreclosure of his property

WASHINGTON, DC - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- This month Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) marks the 25th anniversary of its Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS®) program, a unique risk-sharing model that provides financing to the multifamily housing market. Fannie Mae relies primarily on the DUS network of 24 financial institutions and independent mortgage lenders to execute its multifamily business. In 2012, 98 percent of the multifamily debt Fannie Mae acquired was delivered through the DUS platform. Since the program was formally announced to participating lenders on April 4, 1988, Fannie Mae and its lender partners have provided more than $270 billion in liquidity to the mortgage market under the DUS program to finance more than 5.8 million units of multifamily housing

ALEXANDRIA, VA - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal grand jury has charged Robert Mikail, 40, and Ging-Hwang “Felicia” Tsoa, 58, both of Ashburn, Virginia, with conspiracy and bank fraud charges related to their alleged roles in a $20 million mortgage fraud scheme involving more than 35 homes.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a kickoff celebration of "Fair Housing Month," the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) this week honored some of the plaintiffs in the historic settlement of a 17-year-old Baltimore housing desegregation case, an agreement that empowered public housing tenants from high poverty neighborhoods to relocate to "opportunity" neighborhoods in the city or suburbs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) --The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced four enforcement actions to end what the Bureau believes to be improper kickbacks paid by mortgage insurers to mortgage lenders in exchange for business. The CFPB filed complaints and proposed consent orders against four national mortgage insurance companies in order to stop these practices, which have been prevalent for more than 10 years. The proposed orders require the four mortgage insurers to pay more than $15 million in penalties to the CFPB.

Fairfax, VA WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement blasting a push by the Obama Administration and the Federal Reserve to once again loosen mortgage lending standards to increase the pool of eligible homebuyers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- After decades of equating homeownership with the American Dream, post-housing crisis realism about the risks and rewards of owning a home have led to greater support for rental housing and a more balanced approach in national housing policy, according to a new survey of housing attitudes released toda

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- LISC is announcing its first grants in Peoria this week, providing “early action” funding for improvement projects focused on the East Bluff and the South Side neighborhoods. Totaling $125,000, these grants are the start of what is expected to be millions of dollars in investment in Peoria's neighborhoods. “These small grants can have a significant impact, especially when we’re looking at a comprehensive effort to lift a targeted area," said Brandon Holmes, executive director of Peoria LISC. “These are the kinds of local projects that connect to each in order to improve safety, help raise property values, and create opportunities for residents that might not otherwise exist.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On April 3, 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) announced the availability of up to $5 million to fund 16 or more Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grants. Approximately 2,600 veterans will receive job training and related services to help them succeed in civilian careers. HVRP is the only federal program that focuses exclusively on the employment of veterans who are homeless.