Monthly Archives: February 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Friday, February 4, 2011, the Mortgage Bankers Association, (MBA) submitted the attached comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in response to FinCEN’s proposal to expand its anti-money laundering programs to help reduce mortgage fraud against lenders through a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) reporting requirement (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 1506-AB02).

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jamie Woodwell, Vice President of Commercial/Multifamily Research for the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), testified today before the Congressional Oversight Panel at a hearing titled, " Commercial Real Estate's Impact on Bank Stability."

February 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Finding Ways to Encourage Private Sector Energy Upgrades Will Do More to Cut Emissions and Create New Jobs than any “Cap & Trade” Scheme, Top Construction Official Notes

WASHINGTON, DC – The apartment industry continues its broad-based recovery, according to the National Multi Housing Council's (NMHC) latest Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions.

Washington, DC - February 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Realtors® applauds the Federal Housing Finance Agency for moving ahead with a proposed rule to restrict government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks from investing in mortgages encumbered by private transfer fee covenants

February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Chris Beutler today said cities are willing to do their part to help the State solve its budget crisis. But he called on the State Legislature to reconsider proposals that could force cities to raise pro...

Washington, DC - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The recession contributed to an increase in overall homelessness from 2008 to 2009, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and family households experienced the largest percentage increase.

Cranston, RI - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With forecasters predicting another significant winter weather event for Saturday, RI Emergency Management officials are warning that roof collapse incidents may increase

BIRMINGHAM, AL - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal grand jury today indicted a Brookwood man on wire fraud and false statement charges related to a more than $1 million mortgage fraud scheme in the Birmingham area, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance.

Mt. Laurel, NJ - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MAMCO Property Management, an Associa company, with the help of Associa Cares, recently donated funds to six local families who lost their homes in a fire.

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today applauded a key element of President Obama’s plan to “win the future” by making America’s commercial buildings more energy- and resource-efficient over the next decade. The President’s plan, entitled Better Buildings Initiative, catalyzes private-sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and universities, hospitals and other commercial and municipal buildings.

Washington, DC - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HUD’s biannual report to Congress on the housing needs of low income Americans shows that a record number of very low income households have severe housing problems, particularly housing costs that far exceed what they can afford to pay. The National Low Income Housing Coalition calls on Congress and the Administration to heed the findings of the Worst Case Housing Needs 2009 report and spare federal housing aid programs from the budget cuts that many are threatening

McLean, VA – Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) which shows mixed results in both long- and short-term rates this week

McLean, VA - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) announced today that it had approximately $15 billion in volume for its multifamily whole loan and bond guarantee business (multifamily mortgage settlements), compared to almost $17 billion in 2009. This volume includes Freddie Mac’s targeted affordable housing products, which finance apartments that receive some form of government subsidy.

EUGENE, OR - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real estate broker Marybeth Kramer has adopted the premier IDX Broker software on her website, giving her the ability to supply her clients with a unique and comprehensive online property search. Kram...

WASHINGTON, DC - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) released the following statement concerning the Better Buildings Initiative announced by President Obama today. The statement was issued by NMHC/NAA's Vice President of Energy and Environment, Eileen Lee.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Building Systems Councils (BSC) of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) honored David Endy for a lifetime of service and achievement in advancing the systems-built industry and contributing to the efforts of the BSC.Endy, president of Stratford Homes LP based in Stratford, Wis., received the S.A. Walters Systems-Built Achievement Award at an awards ceremony and luncheon held during the BSC's annual SHOWCASE event held in New Orleans Nov. 7-10. The S.A. Walters Systems-Built Achievement award is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to the industrialized housing industry in the United States.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its final 2010 loan modification data, which shows that an estimated 1.76 million homeowners received permanent, affordable loan modifications from mortgage servicers in 2010.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 28, 2011. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 11.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 13.2 percent compared with the previous week. The previous week did not include a holiday adjustment for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

NEW YORK, NY - February 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chase announced today plans to add 25 new Chase Homeownership Centers in 19 states this year, expanding its program to provide borrowers in the hardest-hit communities with the knowledge and resources they need to explore all the ways they can stay their homes. This investment will bring the total number of Chase Homeownership Centers to 76 nationwide