WASHINGTON, DC - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six grants have been awarded in the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) semi-annual funding of its Community Action Grants program. Through the program, the ULI Foundation Fund raises money to be distributed as grants to district councils or ULI members on behalf of nonprofit organizations for entrepreneurial programs that aim to improve urban growth in their communities.

New York, NY - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will join New York real estate industry executives and union leaders on Monday to recognize New York City's first class of green building superintendents to graduate from the 32BJ-Thomas Shortman Green Supers training program. Green Supers is an ambitious labor-management green buildings program, launched just over a year ago with Mayor Bloomberg, to train superintendents and resident managers in the latest state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties increased to a seasonally adjusted rate of 8.32 percent of all loans outstanding as of the end of the first quarter of 2011, an increase of seven basis points from the fourth quarter of 2010, and a decrease of 174 basis points from one year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey. The non-seasonally adjusted delinquency rate decreased 117 basis points to 7.79 percent this quarter from 8.96 percent last quarter.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- David H. Stevens, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) issued the statement below in response to the public release of new prototype mortgage disclosure forms required under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA).

Phoenix, AZ - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The admonition, “Go west, young man!” was taken to heart by William Shirley Fulton from his Waterbury, Connecticut home and lucrative manufacturing business. 1600 acres sprawling amidst the desolate beauty of Texas Canyon in Cochise County, Arizona was Fulton’s find, becoming home and investment. The Amerind Foundation became the passion of Fulton’s life as he established it in 1937. Fulton’s life and accomplishments are more than his personal and family legacy; they function as a primer on how to survive and thrive in today’s economic domestic climate. The Amerind Foundation in its structure, organization, scope of work and active research and programs well illustrates the vitality of contemporary non-profit practice in America.

Washington, DC - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Existing-home sales slipped in April, although the market has managed six gains in the past nine months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, eased 0.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million in April from a downwardly revised 5.09 million in March, and are 12.9 percent below a 5.80 million pace in April 2010; sales surged in April and May of 2010 in response to the home buyer tax credit.

New York, NY - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a transaction completed today, 280 Park Avenue equity partners Broadway Partners and Investcorp have executed a recapitalization agreement with mezzanine debt holders SL Green Realty Corp (NYSE: SLG) and Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO). The transaction merges the parties' respective equity and debt positions to form a new ownership structure for the Class A office property and includes funding for an approximate $150 million repositioning and re-tenanting program

ROCKVILLE, MD - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT) and Zipcar, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIP) today announced a new program to provide patrons in Washington, D.C. and the metropolitan area access to the world’s leading car-sharing network from the Trust’s shopping centers. The cost-effective and convenient transportation amenity is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to members of the community, ages 21 and older

OWENSBORO, KY - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Steve Beshear today presented funding for energy efficiency updates and state homeland security grants in Daviess County. A $58,800 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) ...

WASHINGTON, DC - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced the Know Before You Owe project, an effort to combine two federally required mortgage disclosures into a single, simpler form that makes the costs and risks of the loan clear and allows consumers to comparison shop for the best offer

Washington, DC - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. continues to remain a top destination for foreign buyers as international purchases surged by $16 billion this year, one of the highest increases in recent years.

Phoenix, AZ - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In step with national economic growth, the outlook for the Phoenix industrial market continues to improve. Nationwide blue-collar sectors expanded by 1% over the past two quarters, the greatest six-month gain since mid-2006. Moreover, both manufacturing production and new factory orders increased for more than 21 consecutive months through March.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Another bank-owned building, another auction: a common story in the Las Vegas area. So what makes this auction different? It is conducted entirely online, as have many hundreds of other successful auctions on the Freedom Realty Exchange®, the global online real estate auction marketplace.

May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Celebrity couple Katy Perry and Russell Brand have decided to sell their luxury Los Angeles home after living in the property for just two years. The couple, who married in October last year, have put their 1922 Mediterranean style property on the market for US$3.395 million. The house comes complete with a three car garage, four bedrooms, a swimming pool and views over Los Angeles

WASHINGTON, DC - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of South Dakota and provide support to homeowners and low-income r...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications increased 7.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 13, 2011. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 7.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 7.1 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 13.2 percent from the previous week and is at its highest level since the week ending December 10, 2010. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 3.2 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 3.3 percent compared with the previous week and was 1.7 percent lower than the same week one year ago

Las Vegas, NV - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lori Ballen, Team Leader for The Ballen Group, is diligent about hiring the right talent for her team. With Richard Ballen leading the listing team, Lori is able to focus now on expanding the home buyers and investment divisions. "Our recent move to Keller Williams Realty Las Vegas has allowed us more freedom and motivation to build. An expansion that includes the right agents, and with the proper guidance, will allow us to work with more first time home buyers, investors, military relocations, and so on.”

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mark Lucescu, President of Lucescu Realty, one of the most active real estate investment brokerage firms in the U.S., announced today that the firm has closed, or currently has in escrow, approximately $500 million in retail property transactions and has opened a new office in Las Vegas to better serve its clients. Lucescu Realty most recently represented separate sellers, and procured the buyers, in the sale of Park West Place, a 757,000 sq. ft. power center in Stockton, Calif., which was acquired for $92.5 million; and Gilroy Crossing, a 474,000 sq. ft. power center in Gilroy, Calif., which was acquired for $68.5 million.

AUSTIN, TX - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Keller Williams Realty, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Old Republic Home Protection to offer a variety of services to the company’s associates and their clients.

Raleigh: - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Winston-Salem foreclosure rescue operation that targeted financially distressed homeowners with claims to help them save their homes from foreclosure is barred from collecting any money from consumers for foreclosure assistance or loan modifications, Attorney General Roy Cooper announced.

Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, NYC Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Dina Levy, New York Public Library President and CEO Anthony W. Marx, and local tenants at 355 East 165th Street in the South Bronx, announced $2,000,000 in federal Community Project Funding secured by Rep. Torres to expand broadband connectivity for low-income Bronx residents and help close the digital divide.

Owning a home is one of the biggest financial achievements you can reach. But with that achievement often comes a stack of financial responsibilities — mortgage payments, property taxes, maintenance costs, and sometimes, a growing pile of debt. If you're a homeowner feeling the weight of multiple debts, you're not alone.

Most homeowners assume their property is worth what they paid for it, or whatever number they've seen on a real estate app. But when it's time to sell, refinance, or buy, the actual valuation process can tell a very different story. Understanding how that number gets determined puts you ahead of most people sitting at the closing table.

The National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA™) today condemned the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). This is the latest escalation in a coordinated campaign to dismantle civil rights protections and silence the organizations that stand in the way of hate and discrimination.

Purchasing or selling any home in Sydney can be exciting, and sometimes the legality of it can be a real test. Prices fluctuate rapidly, there is heavy competition, and a single overlooked detail may cost a serious time or money. This is why it is important to grasp conveyancing issues prior to entering into any contract or paying any kind of deposit.

In Brentwood, many first-time buyers close on a home without paperwork that clearly states the roof’s age, last repair date, or warranty status. From the ground, a roof can look fine while shingles lose granules, flashing loosens at chimneys, and gutters start holding debris.

NorthstarMLS today announced a strategic partnership with industry-owned technology alliance Broker Public Portal (BPP) to power a next-generation MLS consumer search platform designed to deliver a more transparent, accurate, and broker-connected home search experience.

Hunting for a home is, quite frankly, an emotional roller coaster. It’s a high-stakes game where the pressure to find "the one" often leads to overlooking things that matter most. Most people feel a bit lost when searching for house to buy, stuck between a beautiful aesthetic and the nagging fear that they’re about to sign away their life savings for a money pit.

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