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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, DC - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jaquan Bragg and Tavon Barber, both 16 and both from Washington, D.C., have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a recent burglary in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

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.

Washington, DC - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency today reported that the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders, used as an index in some ARM contracts, was 4.79 percent based on loans closed in February. This is an increase of 0.08 percent from the previous month

Washington, DC - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As Realtors®’ businesses grow, so do their needs for quality office supply products. Now OfficeMax and the National Association of Realtors® are proud to offer discounts to NAR members on office supplies and services through the REALTOR Benefits® Program.

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...

VIENNA, VA - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in its new report, Mortgage Loan Fraud SAR Filings In Fourth Quarter and Calendar Year 2010, today released full year data showing the number of suspicious activity reports involving mortgage loan fraud (MLF SARs) increased 4 percent in 2010 to 70,472 compared with 67,507 MLF SARs filed in 2009. The report also shows that the growth rate of MLF SARs began to slow over the last two to three years. Looking at just the 2010 fourth quarter, filers submitted 18,759 MLF SARs, a 1 percent decrease from the 18,884 filings over the same period in 2009.

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...

Washington, DC - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --Pending home sales increased in February but with notable regional variations, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

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.

March 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage Cadence, LLC, a leading provider of Enterprise Lending Solutions (ELS), Default Servicing Technology and Document Services for the financial services industry, today announced its Cloud-based, Symphony Loan Origination System (LOS), an affordable, on-demand origination solution for lenders of any size. The product fills a current gap within the marketplace by making available enterprise-level power in a pre-configured solution that locks down compliant processes and any lender can implement and put into production in just a few weeks

Portland, OR - March 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- After several stops throughout the country this month, the Home Ownership Matters Bus Tour will stop in Portland on Saturday, March 26, outside the Portland Better Living Home Garden & Lifestyle Show. Hosted by the National Association of REALTORS®, the bus tour will give consumers the chance to speak with NAR leaders and local officials about how shifting priorities and public policies in Washington could affect home ownership in Portland

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

Washington, D.C - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Economic pressures and the overall decline in home values resulted in the more modest design of kitchens and bathrooms in recent years. That trend appears to be changing towards homeowner preference for larger, and in some cases additional, kitchens and bathrooms. Households continue to desire products and features that promote energy efficiency and adaptability in the use of space for seniors and those with accessibility concerns.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates marked a slight increase, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate rising to 4.96 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.41 discount and origination points.