Yearly Archives: 2016

At its Spring Business Meeting last week in Austin, Texas, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) elected its new officers for 2016-2017. Immediate past president Judy Mozen, CR, GCP, of Handcrafted Homes, Inc., Roswell, Ga., was elevated to Chairman of the Board and H. Dale Contant, MCR, CRPM, UDCP, of Atlanta Design & Build, Marietta, Ga., was named president for the coming year. Tom Miller, CR, CKBR, of Tom Miller Remodeling, Inc., Portland, Ore., takes office as president-elect

Independent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks made an average profit of $1,189 on each loan they originated in 2015, up from $747 per loan in 2014, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported today in its Annual Mortgage Bankers Performance Report

The Association of Mortgage Professionals has expressed concerns regarding H.R. 2121, The Transitional Licensing Act of 2015, which is currently being considered by the House of Representatives

The Federal Trade Commission will hold a workshop in Washington, DC, on June 21, 2016, to examine competition and consumer protection issues raised by consumers’ growing use of rooftop solar panels to generate their own electric power.

Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) highlighted advanced manufacturing work in the state of Washington, demonstrating how the nation can lead worldwide in advanced manufacturing

Washington, DC - (RealEstateRama) -- More than one-fifth (21 percent) of Americans plan to use their expected tax refund to pay down or pay...

GRID Alternatives, America’s largest nonprofit solar installer, today announced an expansion of its multifamily solar program to include free technical assistance nationally for affordable housing owners, developers, and operators. The program also offers turnkey solar PV design/installation for multifamily affordable housing in several states

Despite a growing economy, when asked to choose their most important financial goal, more people cite paying day-to-day bills than other choices, including saving for retirement, according to a national survey. Twenty-six percent of people cited paying bills as their top financial priority, compared to 21 percent who placed saving for retirement as their number one financial goal.

Water testing results released today show disappointing progress towards reducing the lead levels in Flint’s water. Dr. Marc Edwards of Virginia Tech confirmed that all homes in Flint, Michigan should be considered at risk and recommended that all residents should use bottled or filtered water for cooking or drinking “until further notice.”

The Justice Department, along with federal and state partners, announced today a $5.06 billion settlement with Goldman Sachs related to Goldman’s conduct in the packaging, securitization, marketing, sale and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) between 2005 and 2007. The resolution announced today requires Goldman to pay $2.385 billion in a civil penalty under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) and also requires the bank to provide $1.8 billion in other relief, including relief to underwater homeowners, distressed borrowers and affected communities, in the form of loan forgiveness and financing for affordable housing.

A team representing Harvard University has taken top honors in the 2016 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Hines Student Competition with its winning master plan proposal to transform a Midtown Atlanta site into a thriving, sustainable, mixed-use, walkable, and transit-accessible neighborhood. The Harvard team ousted another team from Harvard University, one from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and one from the University of Miami.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro today named Donna Batch to serve as HUD’s Northwest Regional Administrator for a four-state region that includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.  Batch currently serves as HUD’s Acting Regional Administrator in that region.

United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that documents the dramatic growth of nonbank mortgage servicers and details the need for stronger regulatory oversight of the industry. GAO produced the report in response to a request from Cummings and Warren

In an effort to recognize foundations that work to improve neighborhoods and the lives of the people who live in them, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Council on Foundations announced the 2016 winners of the HUD Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships.

CCIM chapters honored for excellence at organization's Midyear Business Meetings. Washington, D.C. - (RealEstateRama) -- CCIM Institute recognized nine local CCIM chapters for excellence at...

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International will be offering attendees of the upcoming 2016 Medical Office Buildings + Healthcare Real Estate Conference insight into the rapidly changing healthcare real estate sector through a wide range of education sessions, networking opportunities and keynote presentations. The conference will take place May 2-5 at the Hilton Orlando in Orlando, Florida, and attendees will have the opportunity to tour the nearby Lake Nona Medical City, a 650-acre health and life sciences park known for its premier medical care, research and education.

The newest 149 CCIM designees were honored by the CCIM Institute and their local chapter members during a pinning ceremony and cocktail reception on April 5 during the CCIM Institute Midyear Governance Meetings at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago. The new CCIMs hail from 38 diverse states, District of Columbia, and several provinces in Canada, and have varying degrees of experience in commercial real estate. In the U.S., the CCIM comprehensive exams take place only twice per year.

Following is a statement by Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), on Governor Baker’s signing of compromise legislation to lift the cap on net metering in Massachusetts and on his decision to issue an emergency regulation extending the Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)

USGBC and Informa Exhibitions U.S., Construction and Real Estate have released the 2015 Greenbuild Sustainability Report, highlighting valuable metrics and key benchmarks regarding the impact on energy use and waste management at the 2015 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held last fall at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected ten recipients for the 2016 Housing Awards. The AIA’s Housing Awards program, now in its 16th year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life.