Yearly Archives: 2017

The Boulder Group, a net leased investment brokerage firm, has completed the sale of a single tenant net lease Cricket Wireless property located at 1705 Alma Avenue in Perryville, Missouri for $610,000.

If consumers are unhappy with the appraisal of a home they’re buying or selling, they have options available to them, the president of the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers said today.

Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI) has announced its 2017 class of LEED Fellows, an annual recognition of outstanding LEED professionals. This year’s 23 LEED Fellows exemplify a diverse array of achievements and contributions to the green building community and LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the world’s most widely used green building rating system.

NACWA held a private meeting with senior White House officials on October 12 to discuss the contours of the Administration’s planned infrastructure package, including opportunities for public clean water utilities.  This followed a broader water sector meeting, hosted by the White House on October 10, in which a number of NACWA utility members participated.

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose four points to a level of 68 in October on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This was the highest reading since May.

Habitat for Humanity is commencing the long-term phase of its Habitat Hammers Backhurricane recovery initiative, pledging to help more than 6,000 families across regions impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released the latest update to its floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2017 For Office Buildings: Standard Methods of Measurement (ANSI/BOMA Z65.1—2017). This updated publication is designed to reflect changes within the commercial real estate industry since the release of the prior edition of the standard in 2010.

On Oct. 13, NeighborWorks America presented six individuals with its annual Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership. The award recognizes outstanding contributions by community leaders. The recognition occurred during the NeighborWorks Community Leadership Institute, which strengthens the skills of residents and provides seed grants to help them execute action plans when they return home.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) at Brandeis University’s Heller School released today a report, “Misdirected Investments: How the Mortgage Interest Deduction Drives Inequality and the Racial Wealth Gap.” The report shows that while African Americans and Hispanics each account for 13% of the nation’s households, they receive only 6% and 7% of the tax benefits from the mortgage interest deduction (MID). White households receive nearly 78% of the deduction’s benefits.

Michael D. Bellaman, president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), has been appointed by U.S. Department of Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta  to the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, created by President Trump’s June 15 Executive Order 13801.

The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources heard testimony on a discussion draft of the “Opportunities for the Nation and States to Harness Onshore Resources Act” or “ONSHORE Act.” The bill allows states with established regulatory programs to seek primacy for the implementation of federal permitting responsibilities for oil and gas development on federal lands

Adaptive reuse, plentiful amenities and sustainable and green building practices were some of the trademarks found in this year’s finalists for the 2017 Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards, which honor superior achievement in apartment and condominium development, design, marketing and management and are sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

The Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans held a legislative hearing on H.R. 3144 (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA) and H.R. 3916 (Rep. Ken Calvert, R-CA), the “Federally Integrated Species Health Act” or “FISH Act,” bills to improve the recovery of Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed fish while providing certainty for water and power users.

Randy Noel, first vice chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from LaPlace, La., attended today’s White House signing ceremony and issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order on health care

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), ranking member of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, yesterday at a subcommittee hearing on building a 21st century infrastructure asked key stakeholders about increasing incentives for state and local governments, such as the District of Columbia, that move ahead on infrastructure projects without always waiting for full federal transportation and infrastructure funding.

The Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announce the formation of the “Joint Ginnie Mae – VA Refinance Loan Task Force.”

Ginnie Mae issued an All Participants Memorandum (APM) – APM 17-04 to Single-Family Issuers providing updates and further guidance on the availability of optional, special assistance for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma or Maria including associated eligibility requirements and the application process.

Twenty-five NeighborWorks organizations around the country have received more than $18 million as part of grants from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) program. Combined with grants from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp. (dba NeighborWorks America), local governments, foundations and the private sector, the funds will allow these small- and medium-sized nonprofit businesses to continue to provide affordable loan products and services to low- and moderate-income borrowers.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Applications Survey (BAS) data for September 2017 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases decreased 7.5 percent compared to September 2016. Compared to August 2017, applications decreased by 20 percent relative to the previous month. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.