February 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A home is a vital component for many families and single individuals alike. A home consists of many different components and regions, all of which must be put together immaculately and in perfect order to make your home as comfortable as it can be. Hire-a-contractor-now.com is a website which is capable of advising and selling products with which one can complete home repairs and improvements.

Upper Marlboro, MD - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Murphy’s Run, a 42-site residential development in Cecil County, Md., is the 2,000th project nationwide to be certified by the NAHB Research Center to the exacting resource conservation requirements of the National Green Building Standard. It is the 12th green development certified by the Research Center in its National Green Building Certification Program. In total, this milestone certification now represents more than 3,200 individual residential units and developments for the national program

BISMARCK, ND - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Industrial Commission of North Dakota and the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) honored former bond counsel Maurice “Maury” E. Cook at the 20th Annual Statewide Housing Conference. Cook was recognized for his visionary leadership in the creation of the Housing Finance Agency and for his dedicated service to the state of North Dakota.

BEDFORD, N.H. - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority recently named its “Top 10” loan originators for 2010. These individuals originated more than 146 loans and generated over $23 million in first-time...

February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homeowners in the Seattle-Tacoma, Wash., metro area paid a median of $1,576 in monthly housing costs in 2009, compared with $1,019 for renters, according to data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Renters, however, typically paid a higher percentage of their household income on housing costs than did owners (30 percent compared with 23 percent). These figures come from the 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS), which provides extensive data on the quality and characteristics of the housing supply in selected metropolitan areas around the nation. Data for these areas are published on a rotating basis. In addition to Seattle, data were released today for the New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Northern New Jersey, and Detroit metro areas.

February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) awarded $36.6 million in Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants in the second round of its 2010 funding competition. The grants approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors in AHP Round B were awarded to 60 projects that address the affordable housing needs of communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and Washington, and will produce or preserve 3,213 housing units that are affordable to lower-income individuals and families. The total amount of AHP funds awarded in 2010 is $69.1 million.

AUSTIN, TX - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HomeAway® , Inc. – the world’s leading network of online vacation rentals – today announced the launch of its HomeAway Vacation Rental Search Application for Android. The app, developed by Mobiata, creators of the popular travel applications FlightTrack and TripDeck, enables travelers to search, filter and share the more than 230,000 global vacation rental listings available on HomeAway.com. Android users can now download the application for free from the Android Market.

NORFOLK, VA - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- For Rent Media Solutions™, a leading resource for searching apartments nationwide and a division of Dominion Enterprises, announced today that ForRent.com, the company’s anchor web site, has entered into an exclusive partnership with Oodle, whose Marketplace on Facebook and Oodle.com has more than 14 million monthly unique users. Under this partnership, ForRent.com customers will enhance its presence within the Marketplace by having its listings integrated with its Facebook Page and social graph of fans. This enhanced exposure on Facebook and in Marketplace will drive new leads and referrals to ForRent.com customers.

Des Plaines, IL - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nearly three in four (72 percent) U.S. homeowners agree the home inspection they had when they purchased their current primary residence helped them avoid potential problems with their home, according to a survey released today by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).? Also, almost two in three (64 percent) noted, in the long run, they saved a lot of money as result of their home inspection. As the housing market begins to recover, ASHI encourages homeowners and buyers to hire a certified home inspector and to get a home inspection to help further protect their investment

Chicago, IL - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chicago Agent magazine recently surveyed its readers and found that many agents think the real estate industry is getting more competitive, but conflicting statistics prove otherwise.

Destin, FL - February 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Apparently the majority of American consumers believe in miracles when it comes to the housing market. A new survey shows that a majority of respondents feel that Congress and the White House should stop trying to repair the damaged housing market so it can heal itself

BELFAST, ME - February 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Belfast Water District in partnership with the Maine Department of Environmental Projection (Maine DEP) and the Maine Drinking Water Program recently completed the first phase of an Oil Tank ...

Washington, D.C. - February 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Three construction industry associations announced that they have joined the ConsensusDOCS Coalition, which creates standard contract documents for use by all participants in the construction industry.

Santa Fe, NM - February 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Stan Jones Santa Fe Real Estate/ Sotheby’s International Realty in Santa Fe, NM today announced the launch of a free mobile application and mobile web search that works on standard cell phones, smart phones, and iPads across all mobile carriers, allowing consumers to view all homes for sale in Santa Fe.

EUGENE, OR - February 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Santa Fe, New Mexico home seekers can now experience the innovative online real estate search made possible by IDX, Inc. on the website of Broker Tom Trujillo. The IDX solution Trujillo now employs h...

WASHINGTON, DC - February 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S.Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate today announced an additional five-month extension of disaster housing assistance to more than 5,168 families in Texas and Louisiana who were displaced by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. The extension of rental assistance through the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) gives these families until September 30th to transition to permanent housing solutions. his extension will give 3,425 families in Texas and 1,743 families in Louisiana who continue to participate in DHAP-Ike another five months to transition from the program. Since November, 2008, the DHAP program provided temporary rental assistance to families and was scheduled to end on March 31, 2011

February 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Utah Housing Corporation announced the closing of a $74 million bond sale completing the commitment of bond purchases to the US Department of Treasury under a special program under the 2008 Housing and Economic r...

KNOXVILLE, TN - February 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment against Jerry Kerley, 57, of Kodak, Tenn., and Jeffrey Whaley, 46, of Sevierville, Tenn.. The superseding indictment, which was returned this morning, charges Kerley and Whaley with conspiring to defraud Citizens Bank, located in New Tazewell, Tenn., and SunTrust Mortgage, Inc., located in Richmond, Va., through a mortgage fraud scheme. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy involved a "straw borrower" mortgage fraud scheme in which straw borrowers were induced to obtain mortgage loans in their names based on promises that they would not have to make a down payment or mortgage payments for the property, would receive cash at closing, and would share in the profit following a resale of the property.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - February 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Tom Hoch -- a pioneer in revenue-based design and turn-key, design-build interior design solutions -- has been selected as design consultant for Carlton Landing, a 1600-acre resort community o...

Washington, D.C. - February 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The latest figures from the Mortgage Bankers Association show that reported mortgage delinquency rates moved down slightly in fourth quarter 2010, but more than five million homeowners remain at risk of losing their home to foreclosure.

Moving can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life, but choosing the right company can make the process much smoother. Whether you’re relocating across town or the country, the importance of finding a reliable mover cannot be overstated.

You’re about to list your home for sale. Is your home ready for what’s coming? If you haven’t crossed these six items off your to-do list yet, the answer is a resounding “no.” Here’s what you need to do, roughly in order, to make sure your place is in the best possible shape to show to buyers. 

Exposure to air pollution leads to approximately 7 million premature deaths annually and deprives millions of healthy years of life. The heightened battle against climate change and environmental degradation has once again taken centre stage, with an urgent appeal from the World Health Organization (WHO) for countries to slash air pollution limits to save millions of lives.

For this week’s “Tuesday’s Tips,” the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is sharing tips to help New Yorkers identify and avoid rental scams. Rental scams are executed in a variety of different ways, but the goal is the same: bilk potential tenants out of as much money as possible or steal their personal information.

Asphalt production is a critical aspect of our built environment. It's the material we use to pave roads, construct driveways, lay airport runways, and create pathways in public parks. Manufacturing asphalt involves heating and combining aggregates, like sand or gravel, with binders, such as bitumen, to create a versatile and durable construction material.

The latest trends in bathroom remodeling showcase a deliberate blend of beauty and practicality. Homeowners are seeking spaces that cater to essential functions and provide a comfort level that befits the modern lifestyle. Spaces are designed to be zones of relaxation - a place to unwind after a long day or to energize and prepare for the day ahead

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