SACRAMENTO, CA - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Overall housing affordability in California continued to increase in the first quarter of 2011, but half of the state’s 28 metropolitan areas included in the report showed decreases, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 25, 2011) — Mortgage applications increased 1.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 20, 2011.

May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Paul LePage on Monday helped kick off a campaign to raise funds for a new $2.7 million Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today in federal court in St. Paul, a jury convicted a 44-year-old Burnsville man of conspiring with others to bilk mortgage lenders out of more than $43 million. Following a six-day trial, the jury found Troy David Chaika guilty on seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Chaika was indicted on April 12, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michael D. Berman, CMB, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity at a hearing entitled "Legislative Proposals to Determine the Future Role of FHA, RHS and GNMA in the Single-and Multi-Family Mortgage Markets."

EUGENE, OR - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. announces today that Jeff Klein, of Jeff Klein Realty in Oakhurst, New Jersey, has adopted IDX Broker software for his professional website. Klein now hosts five unique search functions and thousands of area listings conveniently on his website, offering potential buyers a thorough and comprehensive database of property listings. Monmouth Ocean MLS (MOMLS) homes can now be effortlessly displayed online, making the New Jersey property search all the more simple. By utilizing the IDX enabled website Klein hosts, home seekers can experience a dynamic and innovative search function and a fruitful property search, without ever leaving the website of Klein.

EUGENE, OR - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX Broker software has been enabled on yet another real estate website. This time IDX, Inc. and Texas real estate agent Peerly Butbul have joined forces to create an innovative property search page. As a member of the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems (NTREIS), Butbul has long had access to thousands of detailed home listings. Now, her clients can experience the same levels of accessibility and freedom to search the database, a privilege once reserved only for Dallas-Fort Worth agents and brokers. The convenience and time-saving capabilities of the website of Butbul have forever revolutionized the real estate website she hosts.

Washington, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Administration plays a critical role in the nation’s housing financing system, providing safe, affordable mortgage financing to consumers in all markets during all economic conditions, the National Association of Realtors® said in testimony today

WASHINGTON, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded 10 public housing authorities nearly $34 million in grants today that will be used as seed money to create early childhood education and adult training facilities for public housing residents.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home builders who have embraced social media strategies for marketing their business, have seen extraordinary results. According to the second edition of Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It's Easier Than You Think, builders have seen results ranging from a 25-300 percent increase in website traffic, to increased customer referrals through using social media. This popular resource recently released by BuilderBooks, the publishing arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) teaches builders and residential construction professionals how to use social media tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, to increase their visibility and improve their sales results.

Washington, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Vermont received national recognition for award-winning affordable housing programs on May 3 when the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development announced the Doorknocker Awards at the 20th anniversary of the HOME Program. The HOME Program is a block grant to states and cities used to fund housing affordable to lower-income Americans. The Green Mountain State took home two awards and an honorable mention in the competition, with only 14 awards presented nationally.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- At a time when qualified home buyers are experiencing difficulty in obtaining mortgages because of overly restrictive underwriting requirements, the federal government needs to ensure that a reliable and adequate flow of housing credit is available through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)."If we look to the dramatic increase of FHA's market share over the past few years, we can see how essential the program is for our nation's economic recovery," NAHB First Vice Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla., told the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity.

CALABASAS, CA - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Porky Products, Inc. one of the largest independent meat and seafood distributors in the country, has signed a seven year lease for approximately 6,000 square feet of office space at 5230 Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas, CA, according to Robert D. Erickson, a Principal with Lee & Associates-LA North/Ventura, Inc., who represented the tenant in the transaction.“

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --A 15-unit multifamily asset here was sold for $2,450,000, among the highest prices paid on a per square foot and on a gross rent multiplier basis in the North Hollywood submarket since 2007, according to Jeff McGuire, Senior Vice President, Special Assets and a Principal of Lee & Associates-LA North/Ventura, Inc, who represented the buyer and the seller in the transaction.

HOBOKEN, N.J. - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- One of Hoboken’s newest luxury rental communities, 800 Madison Street, traded this week. Commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.’s Metropolitan Area Capital Markets Group orchestrated the property’s sale from Tarragon Corp. to CB Richard Ellis Investors.

New York, NY - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Flatbush Gardens Tenants Association filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court today against David Bistricer, a principal of Renaissance Equity Holdings LLC, which owns and operates Flatbush Gardens, the sprawling 59-building housing complex in Brooklyn. Renaissance and an affiliated LLC are also named as defendants.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of North Dakota and provide support to homeowners and low-income r...

WASHINGTON, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HUD’s failure to keep pace with the volume of multifamily mortgage applications is exacerbating the nation’s shortage of workforce housing, jeopardizing the thousands of jobs created by new apartment construction and reducing the new revenues the program could be generating for the federal government.

Washington, DC - May 25, 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 4.80 percent based on loans closed in April. This is a decrease of 0.04 percent from the previous month.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Idaho and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following flooding, landslides, and mudslides storm during March and April.

Amid Nationwide Housing Shortage, Schumer Says Preserving HUD Partnership - Which Expires July 1 - Is Win-Win-Win For Getting Rid Of Zombie Houses, Revitalizing Neighborhoods & Creating Good-Paying Jobs For Monroe County

Considering a renovation or new build in Auckland? Discover why choosing local builders can make all the difference to your project’s success. From navigating council consents to understanding local conditions, Auckland-based builders like Build Unlimited bring unique advantages that save time, money, and stress.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded initiative will provide loans and technical assistance to four community land trusts seeking to expand their housing portfolios and organizational capacity?

Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) led 27 California Delegation Members in a letter sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging the agency to conduct comprehensive soil testing and establish a remediation program for properties impacted by the devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires in Los Angeles County.

New analysis from CIH shows that reaching EPC Band C in social housing would save the NHS over £85 million per year from 2030. CIH is calling on the government to invest a minimum of £5 billion in retrofitting social housing at the forthcoming Spending Review to help realise these savings

The strategic process of buying 2nd property in Singapore represents the critical inflection point where ordinary income-earners separate themselves from true wealth builders who understand the power of leverage and asset acquisition. I'm going to be BRUTALLY HONEST with you—while most people are obsessing over saving a few percentage points on their mortgage interest rate

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) hosted a wildfire recovery housing roundtable and press conference to address the housing needs of survivors displaced by January’s devastating Eaton Fire. The roundtable brought together local nonprofits, housing advocates, and government officials from every level to discuss obstacles her constituents are facing in finding stable, affordable housing in their own communities.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is alerting consumers about the dangers of television (TV) tip-over hazards. Millions of New Yorkers will watch the Super Bowl this Sunday either on TVs at home or at parties with friends. DCP is taking this TV-focused occasion to remind consumers of critical TV safety tips.

Fast-growing Florida has been a favorite of real estate investors for many years. With so much interest having been focused on the state, though, investors need to take care to seek the best available opportunities.

Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced that the Senator Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building located at 65 Court Street in Buffalo will be sold at auction in 2020. A work group formed earlier this year made up of City, County, and State officials working with professional real estate consultants CBRE, determined that in the current competitive and robust Buffalo real estate market

The Bureau of Land Management today announced that Karen Mouritsen has been named the new California State Director—a key leadership position based in Sacramento. As State Director, Mouritsen will direct a team that manages lands encompassing 15% of the Golden State’s total land mass

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) today announced the opening of the new JLC Recovery and Wellness Center in New York City. JLC is operated by Exponents Inc. and provides free help and support services for people affected by addiction and for their families.

In spite of a robust U.S. economy, a strong employment rate, and steadily increasing 401(k) plan earnings, Black homeownership rates continue to drop. Drawing from the 2019 release of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, asked the Department of the Interior about its commitment to the Yakima River Basin during a hearing on the president’s FY 2017 budget request. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael Connor agreed with Sen. Cantwell that the Yakima River Basin plan “is a model for the rest of the nation in water management.”

“Consumers Energy is thankful to be a part of holiday celebrations across the state as warm Thanksgiving memories are being made, and we are committed to providing many more generations of Michigan families with reliable, affordable energy in all seasons,” said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy’s vice president and chief customer officer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued a final rule that creates exemptions from certain appraisal requirements for a subset of higher-priced mortgage loans. The exemptions are intended to save borrowers time and money while still ensuring that the loans are financially sound

Atlanta, Georgia - November 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) entered into a Consent Order with Equity Loans, LLC, License Number 23300, located at 1150 Hammond Dr., Building E, Suite 650, Atlanta, Georgia 30328, to resolve allegations pertaining to violations of the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act