Yearly Archives: 2014

Tampa, Fla. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Tornado season in the U.S. traditionally starts in April and, true to form, several tornadoes have been confirmed in Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas since the beginning of the month. Unlike previous years, however, a strong tornado has yet to strike anywhere – including Oklahoma, which is unusual. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) wants to remind residents not to be complacent and take steps now to protect their property and families before the next tornado strikes.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, during Fair Housing Month, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers' Committee) issued a comprehensive national report, "Foreclosure Rescue, Inc.", which examines the foreclosure rescue fraud epidemic, scam trends and efforts to combat these fraudulent activities. The Lawyers' Committee and its coalition partners in the Loan Modification Scam Prevention Network (LMSPN) have been tracking the foreclosure rescue fraud crisis since March 2010. As of early 2014, the national Loan Modification Scam Database, managed by the Lawyers' Committee, has compiled over 40,000 complaints with total reported losses of over $90 million to homeowners.

ASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) --Three years have passed since the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. This update provides the latest data on the number of people experiencing homelessness, an overview of the progress USICH and its partner agencies have made toward the goals set forth in Opening Doors, and information on USICH and member agencies’ activities and accomplishments in the third year of implementation since the release of Opening Doors in June 2010.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau today announced the following new residential construction statistics for March 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Led by a 6 percent rise in single-family starts, nationwide housing production rose 2.8 percent above an upwardly revised February rate of 920,000 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 946,000 units in March, according to newly released figures from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose one point to 47 in April from a downwardly revised March reading of 46 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- In support of the Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the Department of Energy issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation today for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the U.S. that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gases. When finalized, the solicitation is expected to make as much as $4 billion in loan guarantees available to help commercialize technologies that may be unable to obtain full commercial financing. This draft solicitation represents another step in the Department’s commitment to help overcome the financial barriers to the deployment of innovative, clean energy technologies.

La Jolla, CA - April 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Southern California home sales quickened last month compared with February, as they normally do, but remained far below average and at the lowest level for a March in six years. The median sale price rose to a more-than-six-year high, driven up by demand that continues to exceed supply in many areas, as well as a shift toward a greater share of sales in middle and high-end markets, a real estate information service reported.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 15, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today an agreement with the city of Dubuque, Iowa, settling allegations that the City discriminated against African Americans in the administration of its Housing Choice Voucher Program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 15, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) --Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose one point to 47 in April from a downwardly revised March reading of 46 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.

Washington, D.C. - April 15, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- As the construction industry rebounds amid tepid economic growth, many Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) members are greeted with a significant tax increase this week. The contractors who emerged from the recession already paid the highest effective tax rate of any sector, and now they face even higher taxes thanks to rising marginal rates, reinstated limits on deductions, and new surtaxes on wages and income stemming from the health care law.

HARTFORD, CT - April 15, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Department of Housing (DOH) Commissioner Evonne M. Klein, and Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) President and Executive Director Eric Chatman today announced inve...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 15, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announces a grant competition that will award an estimated 24 or more Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program grants totaling approximately $6 million to provide an estimated 2,000 veterans with occupational, classroom and on-the-job training, as well as job search and placement assistance, to help them succeed in the civilian labor market

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 14, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Sioux City Human Rights Commission’s annual Landlord and Property Manager Workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the third floor conference room of the Long Lines Family Recreation Center, 401 Gordon Drive.

Houston - April 14, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gerald D. Hines, one of world's most influential developers, will address the National Association of Real Estate Editors’ 48th Annual Real Estate Journalism Conference in Houston.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 14, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has reached an agreement with the state of Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), settling HUD's findings that the state agency failed to sufficiently ensure that persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) have meaningful access to HUD-funded programs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 14, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- In accordance with the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, HUD published a Notice in the April 11, 2014, Federal Register identifying Federal buildings and other real property HUD has reviewed for suitability for use to assist the homeless. The properties were reviewed using information provided to HUD by Federal landholding agencies or by GSA regarding their inventories of excess or surplus property. The list includes buildings and properties in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 10, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Natural yard care is a win-win opportunity,especially for homeowners. They get a less expensive, lower maintenance and safer yard. They also get the satisfaction of knowing that their yard is less harmful to aquatic life and provides needed habitat for native wildlife such as birds and butterflies. Two 2-hour evening workshops at the Tacoma Nature Center will help homeowners put natural yard care into practice.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 10, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received 163,700 consumer complaints in 2013, almost double the amount it received in 2012, and mortgages were the most groused about item, accounting for 37 percent of all complaints, according to the 2013 Consumer Response Annual Report released March 31