Archives

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Shelby, and Members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to provide an update on the Treasury Department’s implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Las Vegas, NV - May 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Statistics released today by the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® (GLVAR) show an increased number of local homes sold in April compared to one year ago.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Realtors® strive to preserve and expand housing opportunities in communities across the country, and the National Association of Realtors® supported many of these efforts through the Ira Gribin Workforce Housing Grants. NAR issued a final report, “Tackling Workforce Housing State by State,” on the grant program results today at the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the 55+ housing market was markedly more upbeat in the first quarter of 2011 for apartment production and demand than for sales of single-family or condominium homes, according to a new survey released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).The NAHB’s expected demand index for 55+ multifamily rental units rose 10 points, to 44, from a year earlier, while the 55+ Housing Market Indices for single-family units and condos declined 2 and 3 points, down to 17 and 8, respectively.

Leesburg, VA - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Loudoun County has been awarded its first LEED-certified Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC) for a county government capital project. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally-recognized green building certification system

BEDFORD, N.H. - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- At its recent meeting, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority’s Board of Directors approved the commitment of nearly $3 million in federal tax credits that will be used to support construction of 21...

Seattle, WA - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The City of Seattle sent letters to more than 800 large commercial property owners and managers today informing them about a new citywide program designed to help owners and managers assess and improve building energy efficiency and spur the market for building energy retrofits.

BOSTON, MA - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing has awarded $150,000 in financing to help create or preserve affordable sober housing in Sandwich and Tewksbury.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae's latest national housing survey finds that Americans expressed more cautious optimism during the first quarter of 2011 than in the fourth quarter of 2010, but they continue to lack confidence in the overall strength of the housing market and economic recovery. The First-Quarter 2011 Fannie Mae National Housing Survey polled homeowners and renters between January 2011 and March 2011. Findings were compared to similar surveys conducted throughout 2010 and December 2003.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Tennessee and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following severe storms, tornadoes, and straight-line winds last month.

Washington, D.C. - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland signed into law the state’s adoption of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) enabling the adoption of the IGCC by all local governments across the state. This law is a result of legislative debate – and Maryland is the first state in the nation to make such a collective commitment to the importance of well-built buildings in addressing some of today’s biggest challenges

Washington, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The pendulum on mortgage credit has swung too far in the other direction after the recent housing downturn and is putting an unnecessary burden on creditworthy consumers, impeding the economic and housing market recoveries. That’s what a panel of industry experts told several thousand Realtors® gathered at a special symposium, Ensuring Mortgage Availability for Creditworthy Homebuyers, during the Realtors® 2011 Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C., here through May 14.

Washington, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Reforms to America’s housing finance market must ensure a reliable source of affordable mortgage lending for creditworthy consumers. That’s according to Realtors® and other industry insiders who examined the federal government’s future role in the secondary mortgage market at the “Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac: Obama Options and Beyond” session during the National Association of Realtors® 2011 Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo, here through May 14.

Washington, D.C. - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- NeighborWorks organizations around the country working to increase the energy efficiency of the more than 5,000 rental homes that they build and rehab annually, as well as their mixed-use projects, now have access to a new suite of flexible and affordable loan products from NeighborWorks Capital.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to new data released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), stark contrasts exist in housing affordability between major races and ethnic groups across the United States. The NAHB’s quarterly index, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), which measures housing affordability in metropolitan areas nationwide, was broken down for the first time in its history to analyze the differences in income and housing affordability in 2010 across five different races/ethnic groups.The report examined median incomes and housing affordability for Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians/Alaska Natives. The HOI for all races/ethnic groups combined was 72.8 in 2010, meaning that 72.8 percent of all homes sold in the U.S. last year were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,400.

Miami, FL - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federated Companies, a leading national real estate investment and development firm, is pleased to announce that it has completed the sales of its' remaining retail asset located at 115 Washington Street in Attleboro, Massachusetts. Built in 2007, this free-standing retail building is 15,950 square feet and is fully occupied by Goodwill Industries. It was sold to a private seller for $2.625 million.

AUSTIN, TX - May 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a $190,2651 award to a Houston-based nonprofit housing finance agency assisting eligible residents in eight southeast Texas counties and 11 cities purchasing a home of their own, providing greater stability to area low income families and a shot in the arm to the local economy.TDHCA made the award through its HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program to the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETHFC), which the organization will use to provide nine households with down payment and closing cost assistance and helping them achieve the American Dream of homeownership.

May 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) WHO: Lt. Governor Greg Bell, Gordon D. Walker, Director, Utah Division of Housing and Community Development, Matt Minkivitch, Executive Director, The Road Home

May 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- How are neighborhoods responding to an influx of low-income and homeless housing? On Friday, May 6, 7 p.m., Cable 21, City Inside/Out with C.R. Douglas examines what is happening as services and housing for the poor spread out from downtown. We discuss the issues with representatives of a business association, property owners and housing and human-services providers.

Phoenix, Ariz. (May 9, 2011) – On June 16, Valley Partnership, an advocacy for responsible real estate development, brings together Valley real estate professionals for a case study look at the Arizona market. Jim Belfiore, Belfiore Real Estate Consulting will provide an informative data overview to kick off the event.