Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev., issued the following statement regarding the proposed debt ceiling agreement announced by President Obama and congressional leaders:

DENTON, TX- August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fire protection for your house and safety for your family can be increased if you follow some key guidelines before dry weather and high winds bring the threat of wildfires to your area.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Spitzer Enterprises along with managing agent, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., a global commercial real estate brokerage and management firm, aligned with CQI Associates, LLC, a Columbia, Maryland-based energy and environmental management consulting firm, to earn LEED Gold, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for 2001 K Street, NW in Washington, DC. The management team and tenants celebrated with a special certification presentation by the USGBC on Thursday, July 21.

Improvements in blue-collar industries account for a significant share of Phoenix economic growth in 2011, despite choppy early year hiring. Total metro employment grew by 0.9%, or 14,900 positions. Manual-trade payrolls, in contrast, expanded by a healthy-1.1% year to date with the addition of 3,800 workers. The Valley’s manufacturing sector notched the most hires, adding 2,500 employees and offsetting the combined loss of 700 construction and transportation and utilities personnel through the second quarter. Moreover, major expansions by companies such as Federal Express, First Solar and Easy Energy Systems Inc. will boost the economy and leasing in the near term. Through the extended outlook, sales tax legislation may push more companies like Amazon to relocate from California to Arizona, further supporting industrial space demand. Although international and domestic concerns could dampen growth in the second half, the economic recovery is expected to gain momentum. Metr owide staffing levels will increase by a projected 39,000 positions, or 2.3%, in 2011, while blue-collar industries will add 12,500 workers, a 3.7% increase. National payrolls will rise by 1.65 million positions, or 1.3%

IRVINE, CA - August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce the construction of a new 332-bed student housing community at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie. Under construc...

MILFORD, CT - August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total Mortgage Services, LLC, a leading mortgage lender, announced today it is expanding its product lineup by offering the Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program insured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Rural Development program. A USDA home loan is guaranteed by The Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program and is offered through the Rural Housing Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides low and moderate?income rural residents to access to more affordable housing finance options

Washington, DC - August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) opened the second public comment period for the proposed 2012 update to its LEED green building rating system. The comment period, which will close on September 14, 2011, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and on-going development of the LEED program.

Destin, FL - August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A shake up has developed in the best real estate markets forecast for the year by Housing Predictor as cities that appeared to be developing stronger markets decline, and others move into full-fledged housing recoveries. Many cities in the U.S. are sustaining the blow of a generation in terms of home prices, but there are markets that are strengthening.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Administration’s Mortgagee Review Board (MRB) today announced hundreds of administrative actions against FHA-approved lenders who failed to meet its requirements. MRB sanctions against lenders include reprimands, probations, suspensions, withdrawals of approval, and civil money penalties. Read the full text of MRB’s Federal Register Notice

Washington, DC - July 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Figures released today demonstrate the Federal Home Loan Banks continue to support housing, jobs and economic growth by channeling capital from global markets to consumers and communities, according to the trade group representing the 12 regional cooperatives.

NEW YORK, NY - July 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has named Tina Brooks, undersecretary for housing and community development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as its new executive vice president for programs.

BOISE, ID - July 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Do you need help with your mortgage payments? Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP) funds are available through the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) to assist qualified unemployed or ...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the availability of $95 million to support sustainable local initiatives through the FY 2011 Regional Planning and Community Challenge Planning Grant Programs from HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. Awarded competitively, both programs work to expand housing choices, improve connections between employment centers and homes, and reduce barriers to achieving affordable, economically vital, and sustainable communities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nearly 25 million homeowners across the country would face more expensive mortgages if a proposal by federal regulators goes unchanged. A proposal released by six federal agencies to implement credit risk retention provisions included in the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act would require homeowners to have at least 25 percent equity in their homes in order to qualify for a lower-rate "Qualified Residential Mortgage" (QRM) for refinancing. An analysis of the CoreLogic data shows 24.8 million U.S. homeowners – more than half of all U.S. homeowners with a mortgage - have less than 25 percent equity in their homes.Homeowners looking to refinance but fail to qualify for a QRM will be subject to additional costs associated with lenders' risk retention requirements included in the Dodd-Frank bill. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, consumers in a non-QRM loan could pay between 0.80 and 1.85 percentage points more in interest rate, simply because they could not meet the down payment or equity requirements.

BOSTON, MA - July 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, along with Congressmen Jim McGovern and Michael Capuano, today announced that two organizations that help homeless veterans in Massachusetts will receive two million dollars from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve housing and expand support services for those with very low incomes.

TAVARES, FL - July 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Beginning Monday, Aug. 1, the Lake County Department of Growth Management, Building Services Division, located on the fifth floor of the Lake County Administration Building at 315 W. Main St. in Tavares, will change the days that building inspections are performed to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

DENVER, CO - July 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Results from the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Home Buyer/Seller StudySM, recognize RE/MAX for providing the highest overall consumer satisfaction for both home buyers and home sellers. In last year’s study, two different companies ranked the highest in each category, but this year home buyers and sellers both rated RE/MAX the highest.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The remodeling market slipped under pressure from a sluggish economy according to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI), which dipped during the second quarter to 43.9 from the first quarter result of 46.5. An RMI below 50 indicates that more remodelers report market activity is lower compared to the prior quarter than report it is higher.The overall RMI combines ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators of future activity, like calls for bids. Current market conditions for the second quarter of 2011 fell to 44.8 from 46.1 in the first quarter. Future market indications dropped to 43.0 from 46.8 in the previous quarter.

Los Angeles, CA - July 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA) has been awarded the architectural contract for the College of the Desert’s new Palm Springs West Valley Campus, which sets new benchmarks for integrating sustainable design and high-performance building technologies into the academic curriculum. HGA is directing master planning, programming, design and sustainability of the multi-phase campus.

BOSTON, MA - July 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Boston area is bucking a national trend of falling home prices, meaning many metro residents cannot afford to live in the communities they serve. Solving this issue tops the agenda at a regional forum on Thursday, July 28, in Boston. The Bring Workers Home forum, sponsored by the National Housing Conference (NHC) and National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) brings together national, state, and local leaders to explore the issues and identify effective housing strategies.