Archives

Orlando, FL - January 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the current state of the national economy, consumers are looking for ways to reduce costs wherever they can – operation of their homes is certainly no exception. In direct response to their customers' needs, and their own desire to "do the right thing," many home builders and remodelers have taken strides to incorporate features that make homes more energy efficient, comfortable, cost-effective to operate and maintain, and generally more friendly to the natural environment. Tuesday night, at a dinner celebration just prior to the start of the 2011 International Builders' Show, an elite group of these conscientious residential professionals received EnergyValue Housing Awards (EVHA) for new and existing homes

DENVER, CO - January 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Kentwood City Properties, one of three strategically-located offices that comprise Kentwood Real Estate, has recorded its highest historic residential real estate sales volume since the office was formed in 1999. The office and its leading real estate professionals posted total sales volume of nearly $340 million for 2010, approximately $35 million more that its previous high sales volume.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Bankers Association sent a letter today to the heads of the eight regulatory agencies involved in writing new rules on risk retention for mortgage loans as required by the Dodd/Frank Act. ABA supports a broad safe harbor, known as the Qualified Residential Mortgage or QRM, which would not be subject to risk retention requirements.ABA said imposing too broad a risk retention requirement is likely to cause lenders to leave the marketplace, reduce the amount of credit available to eligible borrowers, and harm the fragile economic recovery.

Washington, DC - January 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named the recipients of its 2010 LEED for Homes Awards, recognizing projects, developers and home builders who have demonstrated leadership in the residential building marketplace. The awards were presented during the Residential Summit on Thursday, Nov. 18, during the 2010 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo held in Chicago, Ill. The 2010 award categories recognize innovative multi and single family projects, production builders, affordable housing projects and developers, an overall commitment to LEED for Homes, and Project of the Year.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- This morning, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) released a report indicating increases in foreclosures and families experiencing homelessness, including those living doubled up due to economic hardship.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 7, 2011. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 2.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 47.5 percent compared with the previous week, which included the New Year’s holiday

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today filed suit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

Washington, DC - January 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Society is seeking entries for Volunteering Works, a program that matches Realtors® who would like to expand their community service outreach with a mentor who is already a successful volunteer leader.

Washington, DC - January 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- NeighborWorks America, a Congressionally chartered nonprofit and one of the nation’s largest community development corporations, announced today that Leila Finucane Edmonds has joined the corporation as director of National Initiatives

January 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Effective January 1, 2011, the Bridgton District Court will retain all of the foreclosure cases filed in Bridgton that are referred to the Foreclosure Diversion Program for mediation. Bridgton District Court will hold informational sessions and mediations. Previously, Bridgton foreclosure cases on the diversion track were permanently transferred to the Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland.

Washington, D.C. - January 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Winter’s chill pervades much of the nation, and escalating gas prices are putting their own chill down the spines of U.S. consumers. But until the spring thaw arrives, simple energy-efficiency steps at home and on the road – potentially supplemented by federal income tax credits for specific energy-efficiency home improvements – can take the sting out of high energy bills, says the Alliance to Save Energy

Washington, D.C. - January 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is conducting a pilot project in collaboration with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) to help reverse mortgage borrowers who are struggling to pay property taxes and homeowners insurance

Washington, DC - January 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Today, the national talk radio show produced by the National Association of Realtors®, celebrates its 100th show this weekend. Now the fastest growing real estate show in the country, Real Estate Today can be heard on more than 120 stations across the U.S, including in every top-10 market.

McLean, VA - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey®(PMMS®). The survey results showed lower mortgage rates for both long- and short-term rates

WASHINGTON, DC - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today a joint partnership between the two agencies to help nearly 1,000 non-elderly Americans with disabilities leave nursing homes or other healthcare facilities to live independently. This is the first time two federal agencies are offering a combination of rental assistance, health care and other supportive services targeted to this population.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 created new declining cities, and posed further difficulties for cities already in decline. Some cities may not re-attain home price peaks for many years, and could see some neighborhoods cease to be viable economically, according to a study released today from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)

VIENNA, VA - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today released its third quarter 2010 mortgage fraud report, Mortgage Loan Fraud SAR Filings. The report shows that suspicious activity reports (SARs) characterized by filers as indicating possible mortgage loan fraud (MLF) increased 2 percent to 16,693 in the third quarter of 2010 up from 16,339 MLF SARs in the 2009 third quarter.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Housing professionals from across the country and abroad will convene at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 12-15, for the 2011 International Builders’ Show (IBS), the housing industry’s largest annual trade show and exhibition. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) event, held in one of the largest convention centers in the country, will feature the most cutting-edge designs, technologies, and products for all segments of the industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the weeks ending December 24, 2010 and December 31, 2010. For the week ending December 24, 2010, the Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 3.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from the prior week. For the week ending December 31, 2010, this index increased 2.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Marin County, California today announced an agreement to promote access and overcome barriers to affordable housing for minorities and persons with disabilities throughout the County. A recent HUD review disclosed that Marin County had failed to meet its Fair Housing obligations in its use and expenditure of HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds.