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

NORWALK, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Seller’s Extravaganza of the eight remaining condominium units at Lockwood Terrace in Norwalk will be held Saturday, May 21st from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the site at 130 Main Street, William Raveis Real Estates’ New Homes Division announced.

MILFORD, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total Mortgage Services, LLC, a leading mortgage lender, announced today the hiring of Victoria Bextel as the Company’s head of national operations for both its retail and wholesale channels. Ms. Bextel brings to this newly-created senior management position over 22 years of operations, underwriting and management experience within the mortgage industry. In her role as Executive Vice President of Operations, Ms. Bextel will be responsible for managing all operations for Total Mortgage’s retail and wholesale channels, from the time the loan application is received until the time the loan is sold to investors. Ms. Bextel will be based in Milford, Connecticut and report directly to John Walsh, President of Total Mortgage.

Greenbelt, MD - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bozzuto Group today announced that it has earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for two residential developments in its portfolio. The Fitzgerald, a mixed-use community in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon district, has received LEED Silver Certification and Riverwalk at Millennium, an apartment community in suburban Philadelphia, has received LEED Certification.

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.

West Hartford, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) CT REIA Business Entrepreneur Workshop June 13, 2011 - 6:30 to 9:00 PM Sheraton Four Points. 275 Research Parkway. Meriden, CT Admission for the general public is $49. Special price for CT REIA - Only $24

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.

Washington, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Gary Peters and Representative John Campbell (R-CA) have introduced a bipartisan plan to reform the mortgage market - putting an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts while preserving access to affordable mortgages for middle class families.

BOISE, ID - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- All of Idaho will soon benefit from a proactive fair housing awareness campaign, thanks to a partnership among Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA), Department of Commerce and the City of Boise. IHFA supported initial efforts by Boise’s Fair Housing Task Force to develop the campaign, and has adapted those materials for statewide distribution.

Washington, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The commercial real estate market continues a slow pace toward recovery with occupancy rates rising in the office and industrial properties in most major cities across the U.S. supported by rising employment and restocking of wholesale inventory, according to National Association of Realtors® Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. At the “Economics Issues and Commercial Business Trends Forum,” Yun identified bright spots and challenges within the commercial sector.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) released the following statement on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Preliminary BudgetRequest, which proposes slashing critical investments that benefit New Mexico families to fund massive tax cuts for billionaires like Elon Musk

Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) issued a statement on the administration’s plan for Fiscal Year 2026, calling it a dangerous, extremist blueprint ripped straight from Donald Trump’s playbook — a plan to Make America Unsafe Again.

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