News

WASHINGTON, DC - May 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new rule from the Federal Trade Commission that aims to protect home owners from mortgage relief scams may impact real estate professionals who represent clients involved in short sale transactions. Several hundred Realtors® learned more about the new rule and its impact on their business at the “Risk Management and License Law Forum” during the Realtors® 2011 Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C. today.

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...

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, D.C. - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications increased 8.2 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 6, 2011.

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, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Realtors® is modifying its popular Green Designation program to focus on residential real estate practice. “NAR research has consistently shown that there is a considerable and growing market for green buildings, and many of today’s consumers want homes and communities that are more resource efficient and sensitive to the larger environment,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “NAR’s Green Designation helps Realtors® meet that consumer demand for green building practices. These revisions will help Realtors® continue to bring value to buyers and sellers who value eco-friendly and energy-efficient homes.”

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, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Now is the time for Realtors® to come to the aid of their industry, on behalf of the nation’s 75 million home owners, aspiring home owners, real estate investors, and the nation’s economy. That was the message delivered today during “59 and ½ Minutes: A Member-Director Forum” during the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo here.

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.

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.

Seattle, WA - May 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- One year has passed since the City Council adopted legislation to allow backyard cottages in all single family zones. Join Councilmembers, architects, and backyard cottage owners as they discuss and review how many cottages have been built, what they look like, their scale, and where they're appearing.

CLEVELAND, OH - May 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced his office has filed a lawsuit against The Modification Group LLC (TMG), a Cleveland business that offered to help homeowners avoid foreclosure in exchange for $1,995 or more. The lawsuit alleges multiple violations of Ohio consumer law, including failure to deliver.“We have received dozens of complaints against The Modification Group,” Attorney General DeWine said

ANNAPOLIS, MD - May 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown today joined members of the Administration, community leaders and local elected officials at the home of Prince George’s County resident Fanny Melvin to encourage homeowners at risk of losing their homes to take advantage of foreclosure prevention programs in Maryland, including the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (EMA), the MDHOPE Network and available counseling services throughout the state.