Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A plan unveiled today by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that would require a minimum 20 percent down payment for "qualified residential mortgages" would disrupt the housing market and jeopardize the economic recovery, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev., today issued the following statement on legislative proposals by Congressional leaders to effectively eliminate the role of the GSEs in the U.S. mortgage market:“The National Association of Home Builders strongly supports efforts to modernize the nation’s housing finance system, including reforms to the government sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We can’t go back to the system that existed before the Great Recession, but it is critical that any reforms be well-conceived, orderly and phased in over time.

POCATELLO, ID - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Seventy-five Pocatello area REALTORS® are preparing to shine at a luncheon being held in their honor on Thursday, March 31st. The Saluting Top Area REALTORS® (“STAR”) Awards will be given out during the IdaMortgage Appreciation Luncheon. Hosted by Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA), the event starts at noon at the Juniper Hills Country Club in Pocatello.

March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today made the following statement at a Committee hearing on the consideration of proposals to reform the housing finance system

WASHINGTON, DC - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that, effectively immediately, it is taking control of the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette (HACL), citing num...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michael D. Berman, CMB, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, testified today before the Senate Banking Committee at hearing titled, “Public Proposals for the Housing Finance System.”

DES PLAINES, IL - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Whether you are planning to take advantage of the buyer's market this Spring, are looking to sell or rent or expecting to stay in your current home for years to come, now is a great time to schedule a home inspection. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), April is National Home Inspection Month and the association is reminding consumers about the importance of hiring a certified home inspector.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Housing professionals from across the country will convene at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 1-3, for the 2011 National Green Building Conference and Expo. Exhibitors showcasing the latest and most innovative green and energy efficient products and services will be on display.Here are just some of the many exciting green innovations that building professionals will see at the upcoming show

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The staffs of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (together, the agencies) announced that the agencies this week are considering for approval a notice of proposed rulemaking that addresses section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Destin, FL - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The bottom of the housing market is close to developing in some regions of the U.S., while others will experience a delayed reaction in 2011 to the bottom of their markets, according to the new Housing Predictor forecast.

A new rule unveiled today by the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission would ratchet up mortgage lending restrictions to such an extent that they would disrupt the housing market and undermine an already-fragile recovery.

BEDFORD, N.H. - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority will host its ninth annual Home Buyer Fair on Saturday, April 2, at the Radisson Hotel Manchester - Center of New Hampshire, 700 Elm Street, Manchester, NH, fr...

IRVINE, CA - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Manny Gonzalez, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, CAASH and principal of KTGY Group will be the keynote speaker on the Multifamily Conference CEO Series on MultifamilyBiz.com, "Designed For Success: Today's 50+ Apartment Communities," on April 5, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. EST. This lively, fast-paced 60-minute FREE On-Demand Digital Media Webcast will bring to focus what you need to know about the growing 50+ market. In this in-depth informative discussion, Gonzalez shares his insight about how the aging Baby Boomers are driving urban infill, redevelopment opportunities and are changing the face of 50+ apartment community design.

FRANKFORT, KY - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Steve Beshear, joined by Rep. Mike Denham, of Maysville, and Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) Chief Executive Officer Richard L. McQuady, today signed into law a bill that will help families purchase and live in homes they can afford.

ANCHORAGE, AK - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- What: Kickoff of AHFC's partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library; parents will sign up children to receive a free book monthly until their sixth birthday. Children will receive their fir...

New York, N.Y. - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Turner Construction Company announced that the First Quarter 2011 Turner Building Cost Index has slightly increased over the Fourth Quarter of 2011. The Turner Building Cost Index measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States. The Turner Building Cost Index of 806 reflects a 0.62% increase from the Fourth Quarter 2010 and 0.88% increase from the First Quarter 2010.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reported today that seven New Mexico housing agencies have been awarded a total of $524,949 in grant funding though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development...

WASHINGTON, DC - March 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a commitment to insure a mortgage loan to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. The $66 million loan is made possible through the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) Section 242 Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program.

WASHINGTON, DCv - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development posted a Notice of Funding Availability(NOFA) today for the six entities that were last week named finalists to receive the first Implementation Grant funding through HUD’s new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CN).

Washington, D.C. - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- During the first two months of 2011 the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) is not exhibiting the strength of business conditions that were seen in the final quarter of 2010. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the February ABI score was 50.6, up slightly from a reading of 50.0 the previous month. This score reflects a modest increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 56.4, compared to a mark of 56.5 in January