Monthly Archives: January 2010

SPRINGFIELD, IL - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Illinois housing markets show signs of stabilizing as low interest rates and the tax credit stimulus helped to reduce inventories through the end of 2009 while more markets reported median price increases in December. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report, statewide total home sales (which include single-family and condominiums) in December 2009 were up 20.1 percent, totaling 8,197 homes sold compared to December 2008 sales of 6,823 homes, marking the fourth consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases statewide. The median price in December 2009 was $152,000 down 1.9 percent from $155,000 in December 2008. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less

CHICAGO, IL - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the City of Chicago a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant in the amount of $98,008,384 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These grants are competitively awarded to local governments and non-profit housing developers to spur economic development and create jobs in hard-hit communities

January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) today released the following statement praising the Obama Administration for opening a new transitional housing facility in Cocoa, Florida for homeless female veterans. Hare has introduced the Help Our Homeless Veterans Act, legislation that would mandate the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to dedicate funding for a National Media Outreach Campaign on homelessness with a specific focus on women.

Washington, DC - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) announces $4,847,522 for home heating assistance to aid Iowa families and seniors who are struggling in the current economic crisis. Congressman Loebsack is an avid supporter of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and urged President Obama to quickly release these funds.

Atlanta, GA - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- On January 22, 2010, an Order to Cease and Desist issued by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) to Contract Asset Management, LLC d/b/a Exclusive Properties located at 2550 Heritage Court, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30339 became final.This Order to Cease and Desist was issued by the Department after it obtained evidence that Contract Asset Management, LLC d/b/a Exclusive Properties engaged in residential mortgage brokering/lending activities without a license or under an applicable exemption in violation of O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1002.

ORLANDO, FL - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida’s existing home sales rose in December, marking 16 months that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors

SACRAMENTO, CA - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- California homebuilders put up the lowest number of homes for a single year in 2009, beating the previous low that was set in 2008, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

Providence, RI - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As Rhode Island and the rest of the nation continue to battle a troubled economy, the federal government is recognizing the important role that Rhode Island Housing and other Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) throughout the nation are playing in the nation’s recovery efforts.

LOS ANGELES, CA - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- calREDD™ today announced a succession of successful launches at the Chico Association of REALTORS®, the Oroville Association of REALTORS®, and the Paradise Association of REALTORS®. Members of those associations now can view properties for sale, place listings, prepare CMAs, and access agents for referrals via calREDD™, the statewide Multiple Listing Service (MLS). calREDD™ has been up and running to users’ acclaim since Jan. 11 at the Lake County Association of REALTORS® and since Aug. 17 at the Madera Association of REALTORS® and the Merced Association of REALTORS

Trenton, NJ - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 – Urban Word, LLC and its development partners, Trenton Makes, Inc. and WSP Associates, LLC will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on January 27th at Noon to mark the renovation of the Sterling Building at 811 South Broad Street. The project is a mixed-use redevelopment project attempting to achieve LEED Certification.

Congressman Rangel Hails Funding for Energy-Efficiency Renovations on 135th Street Multi-Family Housing Project. Washington, DC - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Charles Rangel was pleased to learn recently that the Obama Administration’s first stimulus award for funding “green” apartment renovations will serve Northern Manhattan. The award– a $3.6 million federal housing loan to New-York [...]

Melville, NY - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Susan D. Cunningham, CPA, has been named Partner in the Tax Advisory Services and Real Estate Services groups at Marcum LLP. She is responsible for providing a wide-scope of tax services including planning, consulting, structuring, research and compliance to large and small business owners.

South Portland, ME - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- If you are searching for a luxury rental apartment in one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities Portland, there’s no other way around it. Exploring right Portland Apartment is the intelligent choice to save your time and money. Your rental Apartment should be such prompting your beautiful new place to call it as a ‘home’

Tempe, AZ - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fidelity National Title, one of Arizona's largest title insurance and escrow service companies, in partnership with Cromford Report, a subscription-based online statistical resource on the Metropolitan Phoenix residential resale market, today confirmed that the top of the Arizona real estate market was in June of 2006, with the bottom hitting in April of 2009. Maximum inventory of homes on the market was in late April of 2008

West Hartford, CT - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Connecticut Real Estate Investors Association, or CT REIA, is announcing a 3-day new investor workshop program. This program will begin on Thursday, February 4th, 2010. Additional dates for the program are February 11th and 18th. These meetings will take place at the Comfort Inn in Meriden, CT, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Tuition for this 3-day program is $140 for CT REIA Members, and $180 for non-members.

AUSTIN, TX - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a $225,000 award to the Temple Housing Authority to assist eligible residents with the purchase of their first home, providing greater stability to area low income families and a shot in the arm to the local economy.

AUSTIN, TX - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Houston-area residents concerned with the housing challenges confronting elderly individuals and persons with disabilities have a unique opportunity to help shape public policy at an upcoming meeting held by the state.

AUSTIN, TX - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has announced a funding award to help finance the redevelopment of an existing affordable rental property in East Austin that will allow the apartment complex to continue to provide low income tenants with decent, affordable housing while providing a shot in the arm to the local economy.

Vancouver, WA - January 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Doug Lasher, Clark County Treasurer, announced that a Property Tax Foreclosure Auction will be conducted on Friday, February 5, 2010, at 9 a.m. on the 6th Floor Hearing Room, Clark County Public Service Center Building, 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, Washington. Lasher stated, “As of January 25, there are 12 parcels subject for sale this year; however, this could change daily.”

Edison, N.J. - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New Jersey Association of REALTORS® Housing Opportunity Foundation, Inc. (NJARHOF) is partnering with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and select lenders and nonprofit housing organizations to increase homeownership opportunities for working families throughout New Jersey through NAR's Employer-Assisted Housing (EAH) class.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — Duke Energy is adding solar power to its commercial renewable energy portfolio through the acquisition of a large-scale solar photovoltaic project under development in San Antonio, Texas.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Representative John Boccieri (D-Alliance) today announced the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) awarded more than $126,000 to the Alliance for Children and Families (ACF) through the federal Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance program.

DAYTON, OH - January 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Four participants in an extensive mortgage fraud scheme that affected 210 residential properties including 205 in Montgomery County were sentenced today in federal court by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.

OLYMPIA, WA - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) is pleased to announce a new resource for Washington consumers seeking licensing information on mortgage lenders.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) is supporting bi-partisan legislation ensuring that certain nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity are protected from troubling mortgage restrictions that could impact the way affordable housing is provided to needy families

LANSING, MI - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) announced today that 2008 data compiled under the Federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act are available from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). The data covers mortgage lending transactions throughout the nation at 8,388 financial institutions covered by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). Covered institutions include, but are not limited to, banks, savings associations, credit unions, and independent mortgage companies

Albany, NY - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fueled by a recovery in the second half of the year, statewide sales of existing single-family homes in New York State rebounded from a double-digit deficit in the first half of the year to finish only 3.2-percent behind the 2008 total.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today hailed the release of over $490 million in emergency home heating assistance from the federal government under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), including more than $16.8 million for Massachusetts. Last week, Markey, the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation and a leading advocate of the LIHEAP program, helped organize a letter signed by 113 House members, calling upon President Obama to immediately release these critical funds

Washington, DC - January 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, (MD-07) will host a Foreclosure Prevention Workshop on Saturday, February 6, 2010, at Woodlawn Senior High School in Gwynn Oak, MD

WASHINGTON, DC - January 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $26.3 million to 98 fair housing organizations and other non-profit agencies in 37 states and the District of Columbia to assist people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.