Yearly Archives: 2014

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit with a vision of a safe and healthy home for every person, is pleased to announce that the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) and the National Center for Healthy Housing and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Healthy Housing Solutions, Inc. (NCHH/Solutions), will be Platinum Supporters of the 2014 National Healthy Homes Conference in Nashville May 28-30.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- BuilderBooks, the book publishing arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently released a new publication, Sales & Marketing Checklists for Profit-Driven Home Builders. The new release is aimed at helping builders increase their visibility and reach new customers as they enter the marketplace. Sales & Marketing Checklists teaches home builders strategies to bolster their marketing efforts, and new ways to increase sales.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Following a modest two-month recovery in the level of demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) again turned negative last month. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the March ABI score was 48.8, down sharply from a mark of 50.7 in February. This score reflects a decrease in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 57.9, up from the reading of 56.8 the previous month.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of new single-family houses in March 2014 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 384,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 14.5 percent (±12.9%)* below the revised February rate of 459,000 and is 13.3 percent (±9.9%)* below the March 2013 estimate of 443,000.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) --The Justice Department announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana approved its settlement with the city of New Orleans regarding a housing discrimination lawsuit late yesterday

Des Plaines, Illinois, - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s (NARI) first-quarter 2014 Remodeling Business Pulse (RBP) data of current and future remodeling business conditions show current condition ratings fell significantly in March

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the four winners of its second annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a design challenge created to engage college and university students in reinventing our water infrastructure and developing innovative green infrastructure systems to reduce stormwater pollution and build resilience to climate change.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Existing-home sales were essentially flat in March, while the growth in home prices moderated, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Sales gains in the Northeast and Midwest were offset by declines in the West and South

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- REach©, an accelerator program developed by the National Association of Realtor®’s strategic investment arm, Second Century Ventures (SCV), to introduce innovative technology companies to the real estate marketplace, today announced the selection of eight companies to its 2014 class

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- As much of the United States recovers from one of harshest winters in recent history, it is important to inspect your home for damage and plan for home maintenance, repair and remodeling projects. Winter weather can be particularly damaging to a home and the tips from NAHB Remodelers can return your home to top condition after the severe winter

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) --Construction firms added jobs in 38 states over the past 12 months, although job gains leveled off between February and March, according to an analysis today by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials said the ongoing year-over-year pickup points to the urgency of revitalizing and initiating programs to encourage workers and graduating students to get construction careers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and ecological design projects that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored at the AIA 2014 National Convention and Design Exposition in Chicago.

Washington, D.C. - April 22, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the Iowa Utilities Board / Office of the Consumer Advocate Office Building, design by BNIM, as the recipient of the Top Ten Plus. The Top Ten Plus, now its second year, recognizes one past AIA COTE Top Ten Project Award recipient which has quantifiable metrics that demonstrate the true impact the sustainable design has achieved. The Iowa Utilities Board / Office of the Consumer Advocate Office Building was selected in 2012 as a recipient of the AIA/COTE Top Ten Project Award program.

WASHINGTON - April 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lowe’s Home Centers, one of the nation’s largest home improvement retailers, has agreed to implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide compliance program at its over 1,700 stores nationwide to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform work minimize lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the federal Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The company will also pay a $500,000 civil penalty, which is the largest ever for violations of the RRP Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that an elementary school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has won the annual Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from more than 3,000 buildings across the country spent the past year competing to obtain the greatest reduction in energy use. Claiborne Elementary School won by cutting its energy use nearly in half.

Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bipartisan Policy Center and New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service will host U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan for a conversation about the state of the U.S. housing market and housing finance reform next Tuesday, April 22 in New York City.

ATLANTA - April 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- South Greene High School and DeBusk Elementary School in Greeneville, Tenn. were both recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as top finishers in the annual Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. The schools were recognized for reducing their energy use by over 29 percent. Teams from more than 3,000 buildings across the country spent the past year competing to obtain the greatest reduction in energy use.

LANGDON, N.D. - April 17, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it is moving forward with repealing certain flood insurance rate increases as required under the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014, cosponsored by Congressman Kevin Cramer. A bulletin from FEMA directing flood insurance providers to stop charging full-risk rates for all types of Pre-Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) properties covered by Section 3 of the 2014 legislation, including primary residences and businesses. Cramer released the following statement on the announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 17, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- On April 14, 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) announced the availability of up to $6 million to fund 24 or more Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grants. Approximately 2,000 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.

La Jolla, CA. - April 17, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home prices in the Bay Area continued to increase at a brisk pace last month, the result of a strong local economy and a tight supply of homes on the market. The number of homes sold was the lowest for any March since 2008, a real estate information service reported.