Yearly Archives: 2015

The Sierra Club released polling today showing significant support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan among registered voters in key states. The new polls come on the eve of votes expected next week in the US Senate on Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions intended to derail the policy and its historic public health protections against carbon pollution

A key mortgage lending reform – which would be rolled back by a bill coming up for a vote in the House of Representatives next week – commands the support of an overwhelming majority of voters, according to a poll conducted this summer by Lake Research on behalf of Americans for Financial Reform and the Center for Responsible Lending

Following the housing market’s best year since the recession, existing-home sales are expected to increase in 2016 at a moderate pace; although affordability pressures from inventory shortages and rising mortgage rates could slow the potential for even stronger sales momentum, according to an economic forecast forum here at the 2015 REALTORS® Conference & Expo.

While commercial real estate has been steadily recovering in recent years, industry experts expressed concern that prices may have reached a peak during the Commercial Economic Issues and Trends Forum at the 2015

Throughout 2015, the National Association of Realtors® has enhanced and expanded upon its more than a decade old Realtor® Safety program, developing new materials, creating additional resources and providing members with everything they need to feel empowered and confident in their personal safety.

The Federal Aviation Administration continues its work to integrate unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones, into the National Airspace System, and Realtors® stand ready to take advantage of their many benefits.

Delivering meaningful information to consumers quickly and in a conversational way will help Realtors® position themselves as credible real estate experts and ultimately lead to more business, according to a digital technology and lead generation forum here at

 Realtors® shared strategies for assessing and conveying the value green features bring to homes during the Real Property Valuation Forum today at the 2015 

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) today published new guidelines under its condominium approval process intended to increase affordable housing options for first-time and low- to moderate-income homebuyers.  Effective immediately, FHA’s temporary guidance will streamline the agency’s condominium recertification process and expand the eligibility of acceptable ‘owner-occupied’ units to include second homes that are not investor-owned.

“According to third quarter statistics for Palm Beach County homes, median days on market dropped to an astonishing 36 days, a 33.3 percent decline year-over-year. Buyers had to make fast, educated decisions in order to secure their dream homes due to our declining inventory levels. Purchasing a property, especially in our current market conditions, can be a complicated and stressful process. If you are looking to buy or sell, let a local REALTOR® offer you the guidance you need to feel confident in your decision.

Florida’s housing market reported more closed sales, higher median prices, a tighter inventory and fewer days on the market during the third quarter of 2015, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Closed sales of single-family homes statewide totaled 74,141 in 3Q 2015, up 14.7 percent over the 3Q 2014 figure.

Representing a Durham property owner barred from developing his land, Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider a controversial precedent that denies landowners unobstructed access to federal court to defend their constitutional rights.

Michael David Scott, 51, of Mansfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 135 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of over $11,374,201and to forfeit $7,413,712. In June 2015, Scott pleaded guilty to counts of 32 counts of wire fraud, 14 counts of bank fraud, and 22 counts of money laundering.

Mayor Kasim Reed announced today that the City of Atlanta and its partners are close to reaching the goal of housing all homeless veterans in the city by the end of 2015. At an event hosted by United Way of Greater Atlanta, Mayor Reed joined President and CEO Milton Little, Jack Hardin, Chair of the Regional Commission on Homelessness, Leslie Wiggins, Director of the VA Medical Center of Atlanta, and a formerly-homeless veteran who shared his story of struggle and hope.

Top federal and state environmental officials today announced 22 grants totaling more than $1.3 million to local government and community groups in New York and Connecticut to improve the health and ecosystem of Long Island Sound.

U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after the Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and upheld the agreements codified by the Congressman’s legislation, H.R. 4924 , the Bill Williams Water Rights Settlement Act, Public Law No: 113-223, paving the way for the settlement of certain claims within the Bill Williams River Watershed among the Hualapai Tribe, the United States, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Freeport-McMoRan

Photovoltaics added value to homes in six markets, according to a new report titled “Appraising into the Sun: Six-State Solar Home Paired-Sales Analysis,” led by a researcher from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and a home appraisal expert. Researchers engaged a team of seven appraisers from across the six states to determine the value that solar photovoltaic (PV) systems added to single-family homes using the industry-standard paired-sales valuation technique, which compares recent sales of comparable homes to estimate the premium buyers would pay for PV.

Congratulations! You’ve found the perfect apartment. It’s exactly the right size. It has all of the amenities you want. It’s in the neighborhood you love. It’s even well within your budget. You, dear reader, have found the holy grail of apartments. And, in another stroke of luck, you managed to snag it and put down a deposit before anybody else could grab it. Now what?

Governor Charlie Baker today announced a new mortgage program designed to make it easier for Massachusetts veterans to purchase their first home. MassHousing’s Operation Welcome Home loan is available to active duty members of the Armed Forces, members of the Reserves and Massachusetts National Guard, honorably discharged veterans and Gold Star Family members.

To honor Veterans Day, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined the Brighton Marine Health Center Board of Directors to announce that Brighton Marine established a $200,000 endowment to support the Mayor's Homes for the Brave initiative, with the goal of bringing a functional end to veterans homelessness in Boston.