Washington, DC - November 23, 2010 - (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 4.49 percent based on loans closed in October. This is a decrease of 0.06 percent from the previous month.

Washington, DC - November 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Existing-home sales retreated in October on the heels of two strong monthly gains, according to the National Association of REALTORS

WASHINGTON, DC - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today more than 15,000 walkers joined together on the National Mall to participate in Fannie Mae's 23rd Annual Help the Homeless Walkathon, raising awareness and funds to prevent and end homelessness.

SAN ANTONIO, TX - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and Jefferson Bank are pleased to announce they have awarded a $176,445 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant to St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home to assist with the construction costs of a 32-bed emergency center for adolescents between the age of 12 and 18 years old.

McLean, VA - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB) said today its maximum conforming loan limits for the first nine months of 2011 will be unchanged from those in effect during 2010 as the result of new calculations from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

McLean, VA - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC:FMCC) today announced that generally beginning December 1, 2010, the company will issue Jumbo/Super Conforming Pools under the three following prefixes

WASHINGTON, DC - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today unveiled a new website that consolidates a wide variety of economic and housing market data at the regional, state, metropolitan area and county levels. Using data from the Census Bureau, Labor Department, State and Local governments, housing industry sources, as well as HUD’s own field economists, the new website employs interactive maps that allow visitors to access a variety of reports – from a region-wide look at employment and housing activity to individual county-level figures on population trends, rental activity and vacancy rates.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homeowners will be protected by a new Federal Trade Commission rule that bans providers of mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification services from collecting fees until homeowners have a written offer from their lender or servicer that they decide is acceptable

WASHINGTON D.C.- November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than 6,000 environmental and economic development officials, finance and insurance providers, risk managers, planners, attorneys, civil engineers and students are expected to attend the U.S. EPA co-sponsored National Brownfields Conference, April 3-5, 2011, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury today released the November edition of the Obama Administration’s Housing Scorecard (www.hud.gov/scorecard). The latest housing figures show continued signs of stabilization in house prices and high home affordability due in part to record low mortgage interest rates. The housing scorecard is a comprehensive report on the nation’s housing market.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- At a Middle Class Task Force event today, co-hosted by the Department of Justice’s Access to Justice Initiative, Vice President Biden announced a series of steps designed to help middle class and low-income families secure their legal rights. These actions include strengthening foreclosure mediation programs, helping veterans secure the legal help they need, and making it easier for workers to find a qualified attorney when they believe their rights have been violated.

Washington, DC- November 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Identity theft is becoming one of the fastest growing crimes in America, and the National Association of Realtors® is committed to helping members keep their identities safe. Toward that end, the IdentitySecure Program for Realtors® is now available through NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program in partnership with Affinion Benefits Group, LLC.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp Jr., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to possession of controlled substances and conversion of government property, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Lamkin of the FBI’s Atlanta office and Director Vernon Keenan of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- At a Middle Class Task Force event today, co-hosted by the Department of Justice’s Access to Justice Initiative, Vice President Biden announced a series of steps designed to help middle class and low-income families secure their legal rights. These actions include strengthening foreclosure mediation programs, helping veterans secure the legal help they need, and making it easier for workers to find a qualified attorney when they believe their rights have been violated.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Exemplary achievements in the development of workforce housing are being celebrated tonight by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing. Four developments --33Comm in Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Capitol Quarter: Phase 1 in Washington, D.C.; Fire Clay Lofts in Denver; and Miller’s Court in Baltimore have been selected as the winners of the ULI Terwilliger Center’s Jack Kemp Workforce Housing Models of Excellence Awards.

Washington, D.C. - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Following the first positive reading since January 2008, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dropped nearly two points in October. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the October ABI score was 48.7, down from a reading of 50.4 the previous month. This score reflects a decrease in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 61.7, down slightly from a nearly three-year high mark of 62.3 in September

NORFOLK, VA - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Erica Campbell, former senior manager of new media marketing for For Rent Media Solutions, a leading resource for searching apartments nationwide and a division of Dominion Enterprises, has been promoted to director of marketing. As director of marketing, Campbell will oversee business to consumer marketing initiatives for For Rent Media Solutions and its sister site

HELENA, AR - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Helena National Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) are pleased to announce that they have awarded a $4,000 Partnership Grant Program (PGP) award to Main Street Helena. Representatives from the banks joined Main Street Helena officials for a check presentation Tuesday in historic downtown Helena

Houston, TX - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Principal Management Group of Houston, an Associa company, is proud to announce that Mike Crahan, Hilary Chala, Judy Hedden, Cindy Nghiem, Rachel Richmond and Ana Maria Varela have all completed the Community Associations Institute (CAI) M-100, the beginning course of the community management education track.

Washington, DC - November 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced that, under terms set forth in a recently-enacted Congressional continuing resolution (Public Law Number 111-242), the maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages originated in the first nine months of 2011 will remain unchanged from existing loan limits for 2010 originations. Those limits are generally $417,000 but can be as much as $729,750 in certain high cost areas in the contiguous United States. The maximum loan limits for counties across the United States can be found here (130 pages)

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) officially opened the newly renovated South Beach Addiction Treatment Center (ATC) on Staten Island today.

Imagine sitting in your cosy lounge, sipping tea while the rain patters softly outside. All seems right with the world—until you spot a faint watermark snaking across your ceiling. That seemingly innocent stain might be the first whisper of a hidden issue that could cost thousands in repairs.

Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) made the following statement regarding the data from the Point-in-Time Count released by the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness: “I’m encouraged by the decrease in the number of families and veterans who are unsheltered.

If you’d told me ten years ago that Auckland would become one of the busiest home renovation markets in the Southern Hemisphere, I might’ve raised an eyebrow. Fast forward to 2025, and I’m sitting in back-to-back meetings with homeowners looking to reimagine the spaces they’ve lived in for decades.

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