RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, DC - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- PrimeLending, a national mortgage lender with 168 offices in 32 states at the end of 2009, has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against African-American borrowers between 2006 and 2009.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE NOW, the private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its October 2010 survey data today which estimates the industry completed more than 1.54 million permanent loan modifications for at-risk homeowners from January through October 2010.

LAKE CHARLES, LA - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and First Federal Bank of Louisiana are pleased to announce they have awarded Habitat for Humanity of Calcasieu Area (HFH of Calcasieu) in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a $70,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The grant will assist seven very low-income homeowners in Calcasieu and Beauregard parishes with down payment and closing cost assistance.

NEW YORK, NY - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered nearly $339,000 in back wages for 27 workers employed as electrical mechanics by Sant-Tec Electric Inc., a company incorporated in both New York and New Jersey.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than 400 participants from across the country are expected to take part in a two-day national forum on ending homelessness among Veterans by strengthening preventative measures and collaboration among government and private-sector organizations.

SHERMAN, TX - December 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives of American Bank of Texas and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) presented a $14,000 Partnership Grant Program (PGP) award to Four Rivers Outreach on Friday, December 3, 2010. The grant will assist with operational costs associated with the Four Rivers Outreach men’s transitional living center. The staff and Board of Directors of Four Rivers Outreach were accompanied by Bill Magers, Mayor of the City of Sherman, and Robin McCoy, regional coordinator for State Senator Craig Estes.

Des Plaines, IL - December 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homes react to weather changes, too, and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry has tips that can help homeowners protect their homes this winter and prevent minor trouble spots from becoming major repairs

MONROE, LA - December 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ouachita Independent Bank (OIB), Community Trust Bank, Progressive Bank, Richland State Bank, Cross Keys Bank, BancorpSouth Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) are pleased to announce they have awarded $24,000 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP) awards to Family Promise of Ouachita (Family Promise). The checks were presented during a media event at OIB on Wednesday, December

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- I am extremely pleased that the United States Senate has joined the House in passing legislation to name the Operations Building at Social Security headquarters in Baltimore as the “Robert M. Ball Federal Building.” Bob Ball was the longest-serving Commissioner of Social Security, and his dedication to the agency and its programs lasted until his death in 2008

VIENNA, VA - December 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today proposed a requirement that non-bank residential mortgage lenders and originators, like other types of financial institutions, establish anti-money laundering (AML) programs and comply with suspicious activity report (SAR) regulations

Los Angeles, CA - December 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Los Angeles County NeighborWorks® Center for Foreclosure Solutions (CFS) coalition has been helping families facing foreclosure since the beginning of the mortgage crisis. As families head into the holidays, the significance of having a home is more important than other times in the year. As foreclosure activity and joblessness remain historically high, helping families to stay in their home or prepare to purchase a home is critical this holiday season

WASHINGTON, DC - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Beazer Homes USA Inc., a national residential homebuilder, has agreed today to pay a $925,000 civil penalty to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites in 21 states, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced.

PELLA, IA - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Sun., Dec. 5, episode of ABC television network's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (EMHE) will include energy-efficient Pella windows and doors windows donated by Pella Corporation. The episode will air at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on ABC-TV

AUSTIN, TX - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Spending time with a cranky uncle or an overbearing mother-in-law during the holidays has long been a source of discomfort for hosts and guests alike, but a new survey from HomeAway®, Inc. – the world’s leading online vacation rental marketplace – finds some relatives can overstay their welcome in less than a day.

MILFORD, CT - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Hartford National Title, Inc., a leading provider of title insurance and real estate closing services, announced today the launch of OneSourceQuote, its new Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and HUD-1 title calculator. This free online application is the byproduct of many months’ worth of developmental efforts and testing by programmers, staff, and beta clients.

Washington, DC - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) recently issued a bulletin* to inform licensed residential mortgage lenders and mortgage borrowers of the enactment of a new emergency law requiring mortgage lenders to go through six months of mediation with a homeowner before proceeding with a foreclosure.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - November 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC today announced that Pacific Sotheby's International Realty in San Diego is the newest member of its luxury real estate network. The firm, owned by Brian Arrington, serves San Diego County

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Richard M. Daley today appointed Andrew J. Mooney as interim head of the City’s new Department of Housing and Economic Development, which will be formed through the consolidation of the City’s Department of Community Development and the Department of Zoning and Land Use Planning as of January 1, 2011.

Pittsburgh, PA - November 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rent Jungle (www.rentjungle.com) unveiled an industry-first web site, allowing apartment and rental-house hunters to search the contents of listings from thousands of other web sites – using spidering and indexing technologies similar to that of a search engine, but dedicated exclusively to the rental housing industry.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With Thanksgiving approaching, and millions of homeless and poor Americans struggling with hunger and the cold, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty today announced it has received a $75,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. This support comes at a critical time, as the Law Center works to help implement the first-ever Federal Plan to End Homelessness.