Monthly Archives: December 2009

WASHINGTON, DC - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Obama Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is renewing grant funding needed to keep 19 local homeless assistance programs operating throughout North Dakota

Bay Shore, NY - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Wednesday, Rep. Steve Israel (D – Huntington) joined the directors of two homeless veterans organizations on Long Island – Frank Amalfitano, President of the United Veterans Beacon House and Gregory Curran, Northport VAMC’s Homeless Veterans Coordinator – to announce the largest federal investment to date to help homeless veterans.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Obama Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is renewing grant funding needed to keep 19 local homeless assistance programs throughout ...

Harrisburg, PA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the commonwealth is investing $5 million in federal recovery money in eight innovative alternative energy projects that use biological materials such as sewage, animal and food processing waste to generate enough energy to power more than 80,000 homes.

Trenton, NJ - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The League of Municipalities welcomes the news that Governor Corzine has balanced the budget, without resorting to cuts in crucial municipal property tax relief funding.

DURHAM, NC - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- A homeless family of seven will wake up in their own apartment this Christmas Eve, thanks to the efforts and generosity of a public-private partnership with the City of Durham.

MONTPELIER, Vt. - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Vermont’s aging housing stock is inadequate, causing low-income households to spend more of their money on housing than they can afford, according to a report released today.

RALEIGH, NC - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Zenta Mortgage Services will expand its Charlotte presence significantly, creating 1,002 jobs over the next five years and investing $2.19 million.

Morgan Hill, CA - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- After much speculation by the general populace (and the real estate industry) and much consternation by Congress, the much-anticipated extension of the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit has been passed.

Phoenix, AZ - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Long-term mortgage rates fell to a new low in December, according to the Phoenix Business Journal, with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging 4.71 percent, the lowest rate since at least 1971, when Freddie Mac started keeping track. While this is excellent news, it is important for investors to remember that much like credit cards, an interest rate is heavily dependent on the borrower's credit history. According to Ron Kuhn, Senior Mortgage Planner at AmeriFirst Financial, investors often mistakenly believe that all interest rates are equal from borrower to borrower; however, it is much more involved that just a current rate quote. Most are locking in rates that fall between 4.875% and 5.125% due to factors such as loan size, property type, Loan to Value (LTV) and credit scores

Boise, ID - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Twelve Idaho homeowners who paid a Meridian man, Paul Clarence Aughtry, IV, for mortgage loan modifications will receive refunds totaling $12,400 as a result of settlement agreements with Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and the Idaho Department of Finance. As a result of the actions, Aughtry is prohibited from engaging in loan modification activities in Idaho.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced he has filed a lawsuit against three businesses operating in Miami-Dade County, their principles and affiliated attorneys on allegations of deceptive and unfair trade practices regarding their involvement in a foreclosure rescue scam affecting homeowners nationwide. The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating Kirkland Young LLC, in July after receiving numerous consumer complaints against the company. During the course of the investigation it was discovered that Attorney Aid LLC and ABK Consultants were affiliated with Kirkland Young LLC.

LAKEWOOD, CO - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Bill Ritter and state lawmakers today announced a major step forward in tackling Colorado’s high foreclosure rate, unveiling legislation that will speed up the sale of abandoned homes and protect neighborhoods from vandalism and declining property values.

LOS ANGELES, CA - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home sales increased 4.7 percent in November in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home rose 5.8 percent, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today

December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Residents of the city of Phoenix Sunnyslope Manor Senior Housing Community will be served a special holiday meal by The Terraces of Phoenix, a senior living community, at noon Thursday, Dec. 24, at 205 E. Ruth Ave. The Terraces Foundation Committee staff and members will provide a traditional holiday meal including turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, and cheesecake as well as holiday music offered by Terraces resident Howard Lawrence, who will play an assortment of tunes on his portable keyboard. He has been volunteering as a keyboardist for almost 30 years.

ORLANDO, FL - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida’s existing home sales rose in November, marking 15 months that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.Existing home sales rose 61 percent last month with a total of 14,026 homes sold statewide compared to 8,694 homes sold in November 2008, according to Florida Realtors. Statewide sales of existing condos increased 111 percent last month compared to November 2008’s sales figure.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that it is charging a Marshall County, Alabama, trailer owner and rental manager with discriminating against a white family by disconnecting water service and forcing them to leave because the manager objected to interracial dating. According to the complaint, Phillip Maze, rental agent for his mother Opal Maze, told a HUD investigator, “I do not have any blacks on my property and I am aware that we have a biracial president, but no federal law will make me rent to anyone I do not want to.”

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- With only three days until Christmas, State Treasurer Clint Zweifel is letting Missourians know there are still about 3.5 million gifts worth more than $600 million waiting for those last minute shoppers.

30-Year Industry Veteran Brings Extensive Real Estate Assessment Expertise to Top Appraisal Post. Truckee, CA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Clear Capital, a premium provider of data and solutions for real estate asset valuation, investment and risk assessment, today announced the appointment of Mike Ousley as the company's Executive Vice President, Appraisal Group, reporting to Duane Andrews, Clear Capital CEO, and Kevin Marshall, Clear Capital President.

Albany, NY - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Statewide sales of existing single-family homes in New York State jumped 34 percent in November 2009, compared to November 2008, according to preliminary existing single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of REALTORS.

Homes put under agreement in November up for the sixth straight month. WALTHAM, MA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up a record 63.1 percent compared to November 2008, as buyers expected the first-time homebuyer tax credit to expire at the end of the month (instead it was extended to April 2010). Condominium sales also hit record levels going up 76.2 percent compared to the year before. Median prices were up 0.7 percent compared to last year, while condominium median prices were essentially flat going down only 0.4 percent. November pending sales (homes put under agreement) were up 15 percent from the same time last year. Pending sales have now gone up for six straight months

December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- On December 21, 2009, the Supreme Court adopted amendments to the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, by adding Rule 93. Effective January 1, 2010, M.R. Civ. P. 93 will govern the operation of the Foreclosure Diversion Program.

December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Metro Kansas City single-family construction permits rose 8 percent in November to their highest level since November 2008, according to statistics compiled by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (HBA). The organization tracked a seasonally adjusted total of 214 single-family homes permitted in November, up from a revised total of 199 units started in October

SPRINGFIELD, IL - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Pent-up buyer demand plus low interest rates and the homebuyer tax credit incentive yielded a second month of double-digit gains for Illinois home sales in November, in stark contrast to home sales one year ago in November 2008. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report, statewide total home sales (which include single-family and condominiums) in November 2009 reached 10,361 homes sold, up 64.0 percent from November 2008 sales of 6,317, marking the third consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases in Illinois. The statewide median price in November 2009 was $155,000 down 4.3 percent from $162,000 in November 2008. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less

Program has benefited more than 3,100 first-time home buyers in California. LOS ANGELES, CA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) today announced it is extending its Mortgage Protection Program (MPP) for first-time home buyers through Dec. 31, 2010. To date, C.A.R. has approved benefits for 3,122 first-time home buyers at no cost to the consumer.

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- GreenPath Debt Solutions, a nonprofit consumer credit counseling service with seven offices in the greater New York City area, recently released mortgage delinquency data regarding its clients in New York State and New York City

BISMARCK, ND - December 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bank of North Dakota (BND) and the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) are jointly offering a $10 million Rural Mortgage Loan Program, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

New York, NY - December 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor David A. Paterson today announced that New York State has approved the sale of $665.2 million in housing bonds to the federal government that will lower the cost of borrowing for first-time homebuyers and developers of affordable multifamily rental apartments.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging a Las Vegas real estate broker and two homeowners with violating the Fair Housing Act by denying a mother of seven the opportunity to rent a four-bedroom home because they thought she had too many children.

Central Islip, NY - December 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Thursday, Rep. Steve Israel announced $200,000 in new federal funding for the Central Islip Neighborhood Stabilization Project, a program that prevents foreclosures with aggressive community outreach and rehabilitates vacant homes to sell to first-time home buyers.