McLean, VA - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which found that the both fixed- and shorter-term mortgage rates rose this week. This was the third week in a row where fixed-rate mortgage rates were up

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chairman Conyers, Ranking Member Smith, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today regarding issues surrounding mortgage servicing. This testimony will cover two key areas: first, the steps we are taking to ensure that servicers participating in the Making Home Affordable (MHA) program are adhering to program guidelines in light of the recent foreclosure issues, and second, the accomplishments of MHA to date and its impact on mortgage servicing.

Washington, DC - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Pending home sales jumped in October, showing a positive uptrend since bottoming in June, according to the National Association of REALTORS

WASHINGTON, DC - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that homelessness for 750,000 Americans was prevented or ended, thanks to HUD’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP), funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program provided $1.5 billion to local communities to keep families in their homes or help them find other affordable housing after a sudden financial crisis, which might have otherwise led to homelessness.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that $25 million in grants is available to help rural and tribal communities struggling to address distressed housing conditions and concentrated poverty. In a speech to the Housing Assistance Council in Washington, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said HUD’s new

Seattle, WA - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Chicago billionaire paid $31.5 million for a home in Aspen, the most paid for a residential property in the luxury resort community this year. The buyer's broker, Steven Shane of SDS Real Estate, declined to disclose the name of his client. The seven-bedroom, nine-bath 12,432 square foot home sits on 44 acres at 2435 W. Buttermilk Road.

Washington, DC - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Delinquency rates for different commercial/multifamily mortgage investor groups were mixed in the third quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Commercial/Multifamily Delinquency Report. The delinquency rate for loans held in CMBS is the highest since the series began in 1997. Delinquency rates for other groups remain below levels seen in the early 1990's, some by large margins.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- ” The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending November 26, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 16.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. This week's results include an adjustment to account for the Thanksgiving holiday. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 34.2 percent compared with the previous week

McLean, VA - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today announced it has ordered all evictions involving foreclosed occupied single family and 2-4 unit properties that had Freddie Mac mortgages to be suspended from December 20, 2010 to January 3, 2011.

McLean, VA - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) announced today that it priced its new 0.625% $4 billion two-year USD Reference Notes® security due on December 28, 2012. The issue, CUSIP number 3137EACQ0, was priced at 99.866 to yield 0.69%, or 17 basis points more than two-year U.S. Treasury Notes. The issue will settle on Thursday, December 2, 2010.

TOPEKA, KS - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Kansas Point-in-Time Count Partnership is seeking volunteers for the 2011 count of persons experiencing homelessness in Kansas. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards grants to communities and local organizations that participate in homeless assistance planning programs, or what's referred to as a Continuum of Care (CoC) network. HUD requires Point-in-Time counts every two years for all networks wishing to maintain and use federal funding. In Kansas, five CoC networks will conduct the statewide coordinated count on Wednesday, January 26, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bob Jones, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., issued the following statement in response to the final plan unveiled today by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Washington, DC - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The three co-creators of Foreclosure-Response.org – Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Urban Institute, and the Center for Housing Policy – have compiled and released new data on seriously delinquent mortgages for all 366 U.S. metro areas. “Seriously delinquent” mortgages are those that are delinquent 90 days or more or are in the foreclosure process. Homeowners experiencing serious delinquency are at substantial risk of losing their homes.

Washington, DC - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The following is a statement by National Association of Realtors® President Ron Phipps. “As the leading advocate for housing and home ownership issues, NAR firmly believes that the mortgage interest deduction (MID) is vital to the stability of the American housing market and economy.

Destin, FL - December 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Housing Predictor, the online real estate research firm is rolling out its annual housing market forecasts for 2011. More than 230 local market forecasts are being issued for the year. All forecasts are annually updated for the New Year and are available to all online visitors for free as part of the company’s efforts to provide real estate forecasts, news and analysis on the housing market in the public interest.

EUGENE, OR - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Triangle MLS (TMLS) listings are now easier to search for than ever before, thanks to the unique partnership between real estate agent Robert Pearse and IDX, Inc. The IDX solution now employed on the website Pearse manages, automatically syncs TMLS listing data with his search page, to give home seekers a comprehensive and thorough online database of home listings. This revolutionary technology gives Pearse and his real estate website a leg-up over his competition, by making it the quickest and simplest place to search for properties online

TOPEKA, KS - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Kansas has reached a major milestone under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) - completing weatherization work for more than 50 percent of the homes the state planned to weatherize. As of November 24th, weatherization providers completed more than 3,000 homes with Recovery Act funding.

MILFORD, CT - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Hartford National Title, Inc., a leading provider of title insurance and real estate closing services, announced today the launch of OneSourceQuote, its new Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and HUD-1 title calculator. This free online application is the byproduct of many months’ worth of developmental efforts and testing by programmers, staff, and beta clients.

McLean, VA - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) announced today that it auctioned a $1 billion reopening of its 0.875% three-year USD Reference Notes® security that matures on October 28, 2013. The stop yield for the issue, CUSIP 3137EACL1, was 0.869%, priced at 100.016468, or approximately 16.3 basis points more than three-year U.S. Treasury Notes. The bid-to-cover ratio was 2.915 to 1.

McLean, VA - November 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC:FMCC) announced today the results of its third quarter Conventional Mortgage Home Price Index (CMHPI).

Modern homeowners are discovering that the most stunning landscapes aren't always the most complex ones. Sustainable landscaping with native plants offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, environmental responsibility, and practical benefits that make it an ideal choice for today's eco-conscious families.

A new follow-up study conducted by economists from MetroSight – sponsored by the National Apartment Association (NAA) and the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) – shows that some housing regulations increase the cost of rent, particularly for lower-income renters and those renting from small multifamily properties.

U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) led 12 Democratic senators in reintroducing the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, legislation that aims to support middle-class Americans purchasing their first home. The bill would establish a refundable tax credit worth up to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price – up to a maximum of $15,000 – for first-time homebuyers.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) today issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to solicit interest from partners with development projects on private land, exploring the expansion of public development opportunities that could serve low-income New Yorkers.

Community members interested in an opportunity to give back can now volunteer as a driver for meal delivery service to homebound seniors throughout New Hanover County. Weekdays, the Senior Resource Center’s Nutrition Program serves more than 700 seniors daily as part of its Home Delivered Meals Program.

The Equal Rights Center (ERC), the premier fair housing organization representing the greater Washington, D.C. region, today filed a lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court against JAG Management Company (JAG) and Jefferson Apartment Group, the companies behind several luxury residential properties across the District.

Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) joined the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia yesterday to spotlight $750,000 in federal funding he secured for the organization to develop a new permanent satellite office serving North Philadelphia.

Safety is the foundation of successful residential treatment centers and therapeutic schools. For adolescents and young adults facing emotional, behavioral, or psychological issues, healing depends on feeling safe physically and emotionally. When students trust their safety is met, they are more likely to engage in therapy, build relationships, and develop coping skills.

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