Archives

May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has been tracking wasteful spending at public housing authorities including those in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico. He made the following comment on an audit released today, s...

WASHINGTON, DC - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- All across America, there are homes that can actually harm those who live in them. From lead-based paint that can poison children, to cancer-causing radon, to cockroach and bedbug infestations. Next month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is hosting a National Healthy Homes Conference in Denver that will explore the latest research and interventions from dozens of public health, housing, and environmental experts from more than 200 organizations.

May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Loudoun County Treasurer H. Roger Zurn Jr. reminds taxpayers that the deadline for payment of the first half real property tax is Monday, June 6, 2011. Payments postmarked after June 6, 2011, will incur a 10% late payment penalty. The penalty date will not be extended for bills where assessment questions have been filed with the Board of Equalization. Additional interest at the rate of 10% per annum will be assessed

DURHAM, N.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Business owners interested in making signage or building improvements in targeted areas inside the city limits should take note of three grant opportunities now available through the City of Durham.

BOISE, ID - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --There is still hope for hundreds of homeowners who are struggling to avoid foreclosure. Idaho Housing and Finance Association is still accepting applications for the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the $13 million home saving program on April 1st. Since the announcement, IHFA has sent out more than 700 applications, and only 287 have been returned for review

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- America’s infrastructure investments – levels of which have long trailed behind those of Asia and Europe – will be further stifled this year by pressures to cut federal spending and reduce the deficit, compelling cities to be evermore creative and resourceful in securing partnerships to start or continue infrastructure projects, according to Infrastructure 2011: A Strategic Priority.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- WHAT: Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) 1st Quarter 2011 National Delinquency Survey (NDS) Media Conference Call.Conducted quarterly since 1972, MBA's National Delinquency Survey covers more than 40 million loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties, representing more than 80 percent of all first-lien residential mortgage loans outstanding in the United States.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michael D. Berman, CMB, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, issued the following statement in reaction to the introduction of bipartisan legislation by Representatives John Campbell (R-CA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) that would reform the secondary mortgage market.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Wednesday the House Committee on Appropriations released its draft 302b allocations, the amounts each of the 12 appropriations subcommittees will have available to spend on their respective FY12 funding bills. The allocation for the subcommittee that funds HUD, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) subcommittee, is budgeted $7.7 billion below the FY11 final appropriation, a 14% cut.

Kansas City, KS - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Officials from Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas and the Kansas Preservation Alliance celebrated the grand opening of Lowell School Apartments, a new affordable housing development serving the elderly and adults with disabilities. The historic rehab converted a vacant elementary school into 26 energy-efficient, loft-style apartments. Rents for the one, two and three bedroom units range from $450 to $650

BIRMINGHAM, AL - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- For many Alabamians recovering from the recent tornadoes, completing a disaster loan application may be overwhelming, but it is an essential step in recovery.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Community Bank Mortgage LLC, a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, has renewed its agreement with SunTrust Mortgage Inc. as one of four preferred secondary market investors. With this partnership, Community Bank Mortgage LLC owner banks can sell loans on a servicing-released basis to SunTrust Mortgage and access their full line of products, including jumbo loans

COLUMBIA, S.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- South Carolina REALTORS® (SCR) today released its April 2011 Market Reports. The final month of year-over-year comparison to last year's tax incentive market is upon us. It bears repeating that April 2010 enjoyed uniquely strong activity due to the approaching credit deadline. New Listings in the state of South Carolina decreased 23.3 percent to 9/154. Pending Sales were down 37.9 percent to 4,008. Inventory levels shrank 7.0 percent to 57,680 units - a positive trend that should preserve market balance.

New York, NY - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Citi Foundation and NeighborWorks America today announced the launch of a collaboration to expand and strengthen financial capability programs for thousands of low- and moderate-income Americans. These programs help consumers establish positive behaviors to achieve immediate and long-term financial goals through financial education and access to appropriate financial products. As many as 65,000 people may benefit from the new $5 million, two-year demonstration project.

Washington, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today NeighborWorks America announced that it was named one of the nation’s largest residential home builders, according to Builder Magazine’s 2010 Builder 100 list. NeighborWorks America was ranked No. 46 in its second year on the Builder 100, with 503 closings of for-sale housing completed by its network of local NeighborWorks organizations. In addition to the overall ranking for productivity in 2010, NeighborWorks America was also named the No. 5 builder of affordable housing. NeighborWorks America debuted on the Builder 100 for 2009 at No. 82 for for-sale closings.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While the past few years have been challenging for many, owning a home continues to be a goal for Americans of every background, according to John D. Trasviña, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged at the low level of 16 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The index has now remained at this level for six out of the past seven months.“Builder confidence has hardly budged over the past six months as persistent concerns regarding competition from distressed property sales, lack of production credit, inaccurate appraisals, and proposals to reduce government support of housing have continued to cloud the outlook,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev.

Washington, D.C. - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a Monticello, N.Y.-based investment adviser with fraudulently offering and selling securities in two upstate New York real estate funds he managed.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the changing real estate landscape and the increased use of broker price opinions (BPOs) by market participants, the National Association of Realtors® has launched a new certification, BPO Resource, recognizing Realtors® who have completed NAR’s new BPO education program. The new certification course was offered here during the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

Washington, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Realtors® has awarded four state and local Realtor® associations with $15,000 through its Diversity Initiative Grants Program. Award recipients were announced at the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C., this week.