Archives

WASHINGTON, DC - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today released a new online publication, "Trauma-Informed Care for Women Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: A Guide for Service Providers." Available on the website of the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau at http://www.dol.gov/wb/, the guide explains the unique experiences and needs of women veterans, and provides organizational self-assessment tools to aid service providers, such as social workers and community service organizations, that assist this population

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 450,177 refund checks worth almost $108 million to homeowners who were allegedly overcharged by Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. As part of the FTC’s efforts to protect financially distressed homeowners, the FTC reached a settlement with Countrywide last year over allegations that the company collected excessive fees from borrowers who were struggling to keep their homes.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new Federal Trade Commission Rule will strengthen consumer protections by banning deceptive claims about consumer mortgages in advertising or other types of commercial communications. The Rule is designed to create a level playing field for legitimate businesses to compete in the marketplace.

Washington, DC - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Existing-home sales eased in June as contract cancellations spiked unexpectedly, although prices were up slightly, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

New York , NY - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today appointed Victor A. Gonzalez as the first public housing resident to be named a member of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Board. In April 2011, the City announced it would add a new seat on the Board, creating a new Resident Board Member position. More than 600 residents from all five boroughs applied. Gonzalez’s appointment is effective July 20, 2011, when he will join NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea, Vice Chair Emily Youssouf and Board Member Margarita López at his first board meeting. NYCHA board members form the Authority’s governing body and are responsible for voting on contracts, resolutions, policies, motions, rules and regulations and administrative matters.

Washington, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mike Turner, Co-Chair of the Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus, has introduced legislation to encourage homeowners to preserve homes of historical significance across the coun...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Green Affordable Housing Coalition kicks off its first forum Wednesday, July 20, convening experts in housing preservation, finance, and green retrofits for a discussion on how to address challenges and barriers to finding the financial support needed to “green” existing affordable housing. Key issues to be discussed include what green retrofit financing sources are available now, what financing sources are still needed, and what roadblocks could interfere with much-needed green retrofits of multifamily affordable housing.

OLYMPIA, WA - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Washington State Foreclosure Fairness Act Mediation Program begins Friday, July 22. The program, a result of bipartisan legislation (SSHB1362, Chapter 58, Laws of 2011 (PDF)*) during the 2011 sessio...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has temporarily halted a telemarketing operation that targeted consumers trying to sell their timeshare properties. The defendants allegedly charged consumers thousands of dollars, falsely claiming they had buyers lined up for sales that supposedly would be reviewed and approved by the FTC. As part of its continuing crackdown on con artists who prey upon financially distressed consumers, the FTC seeks to permanently end the defendants’ deceptive practices and make them refund consumers’ money.

LOS ANGELES, CA - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) applauds Gov. Jerry Brown on signing SB 458 (Corbett) into law. SB 458 extends the protections of SB 931 (2010), to ensure that any lender that agrees to a short sale must accept the agreed upon short sale payment as payment in full of the outstanding balance of all loans.

HARTLAND, WI - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --Visionary Apps LLC (www.visionaryapps.com), creators of innovative smart-phone and tablet tools that aim to improve people’s lives, today announced that its popular Complete ForeclosuresSM application (app) for the iPhone and iPad is now exclusively powered by data from RealtyTrac® (http://www.realtytrac.com/), the leading online marketplace of foreclosure properties. One of the many new features is the RealtyTrac® Single Property Details Purchase feature which will allow Complete Foreclosures to offer full details on EVERY listing, whereas before some of the property listings only had partial details.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As President Obama and Congress continue their negotiations on a package to increase the debt ceiling, the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) are urging lawmakers to reject proposals to change the tax treatment of carried interest,[1] which would have a devastating effect on affordable housing.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following severe storms, flooding, mudslides, and landslides in May and June.

Columbia, MO - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mitigation experts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be in Kennett to offer free rebuilding information and answer questions about how to strengthen property against future st...

Washington, DC - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Stability in the housing market will lead to a quicker and greater economic recovery, according to the National Association of Realtors®. In a letter to Shaun Donovan, secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Timothy Geithner, secretary of the Treasury; and Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, NAR offered its recommendations for helping stabilize and revitalize the housing industry and economy.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nationwide housing starts rose 14.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 629,000 units in June, according to figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department today. This was the best pace of housing production since the beginning of the year, and was attributable to significant gains registered in both the single-family and multifamily segments as well as every region of the country."Today's numbers are an encouraging sign that builders are responding to improving consumer interest in new homes and apartments by gradually replenishing their extremely thin inventories in places where demand is evident," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. "That said, the lack of access to construction credit remains an impediment to starting new projects and getting building crews back to work in markets that are improving."

COLUMBIA, MO - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Missourians who suffered damage or loss from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding and received a disaster loan application from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are urged to complete and return the application by the July 29, 2011 deadline.

Reston, VA - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Another ruling from the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division declined to reconsider a non-judicial foreclosure initiated by Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS), as mortgagee, underscoring former borrowers’ lack of standing under Michigan law to challenge a foreclosure after the statutory redemption period has expired, further limiting the applicability of the Michigan Court of Appeals’ decision in Residential Funding v. Saurman/Bank of New York Trust v. Messner (“Saurman”).

AUSTIN, TX - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a series of major funding awards designed to help homeless Texans secure permanent housing and strive toward self-sufficiency, bringing greater stability to individuals and the communities in which they live.TDHCA awarded a total of $4.9 million in federal funds to 44 nonprofit organizations renovating or converting buildings for use as emergency shelters, as well as to help provide an array of essential services to homeless individuals.

Olympia, WA - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Washington State Foreclosure Fairness Act Mediation Program begins Friday, July 22. The program, a result of bipartisan legislation (SSHB1362, Chapter 58, Laws of 2011) during the 2011 session, make...