Monthly Archives: May 2010

Washington, D.C - May 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- NeighborWorks America today announced that it received $1 million from The Rockefeller Foundation in support of infrastructure development and upgraded technical support for nonprofit housing counseling organizations. The grant will help to strengthen and supplement nonprofit housing counseling capacity and increase their efficiency and ability to help homeowners avoid foreclosure

McLean, VA - May 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) today issued the company's Monthly Volume Summary for April 2010. The summary, available on the company's Web site at www.FreddieMac.com/investors/volsum, provides information on Freddie Mac's mortgage-related portfolios, securities issuance, risk management and delinquencies, including data on seriously delinquent mortgage loans in related mortgage Participation Certificate (PC) pools.

McLean, VA - May 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) today announced the appointment of Mike McRoberts as vice president of Multifamily Production and Sales. In this position, McRoberts is responsible for the origination and purchase of conventional multifamily loans nationwide, the Program Plus® Seller/Servicer network and the four multifamily regional sales offices.

RALEIGH, NC - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homeowners struggling with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression shouldn't have to worry about scams designed to rob them of hard earned equity in their home or put them in costly contracts that promise but do not deliver homeownership.

Washington, DC - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- When the Senate passed the Wall Street Reform Act last week, it included a provision that offers a remedy to the 5.5 million homeowners facing foreclosure.

Leesburg, VA - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Loudoun County Treasurer H. Roger Zurn Jr. reminds taxpayers that the deadline for payment of the first half real property tax is Monday, June 7, 2010.

New York, NY - May 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney joined with elected officials, community leaders, and affordable housing advocates at a news conference outside Stuyvesant Town to announce her introduction of legislation in Congress, H.R. 5361, that will sharply curtail the ability of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to invest in future transactions that reduce the availability of affordable housing both in New York and nationwide.

Atlanta, GA - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Prudential Georgia Realtyis pleased to welcome Atlanta real estate professional Nadine Chamseddine to itsnew office in Buckhead. The office is locatedat 3221 Peachtree Road, just south of the Peachtree and Piedmont Roadintersection

Albany, NY - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York state housing market continued to improve as April 2010 sales jumped nearly 20 percent compared to April 2009, according to preliminary single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of REALTORS. The statewide median sales price also rose by more than 8 percent compared to April 2009.

Developers Announce $8,000 Cash “Credit” for Contracts Signed Prior to July 31 New York, NY - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Since the federal tax credit expired at the end of April, the real estate industry nationwide has seen a slight lull in activity. The developers of Beacon Towers, a new cooperative residential development in Harlem, announced today that they will offer their own “tax credit” to buyers, in addition to affordable prices.

EUGENE, OR - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is excited to announce today's addition of Jennifer Beck, of Coldwell Banker Residential, to the consistently expanding group of real estate agents and brokers who are updating their business' online presence with IDX Broker software. The customizable Internet Data Exchange (IDX) technology takes raw listing data from the Wasatch Front Regional MLS (WFRMLS) and displays it directly on Beck's own website, giving her the unique ability to combine her own listings with those in surrounding areas. This process allows potential home buyers searching for a new property to examine the real estate market as a whole, rather than see only the houses their Realtor has listed

West Chicago, IL - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- City of West Chicago Building Official and Assistant Community Development Director John Fincham has been recently appointed by Governor Pat Quinn to the Elevator Safety Review Board as a public member representing municipalities between 25,000 and 50,000 residents.

ATLANTA, GA - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Georgia’s mortgage loan originators now have additional time to comply with the federal S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 certification regulations thanks to the efforts of Sen. Donzella James (D-College Park). James, and loan originators from her district, met with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance this week to propose an extension for certification requirements from April 31, 2010 to July 31, 2010. James worked diligently to extend the deadline after learning that many of her constituents were unaware of the new federal requirements.

CHICAGO, IL - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that initiates a study of the energy performance of state-owned buildings. This process sets the stage for the state to adopt more comprehensive energy efficiency benchmarks for existing state buildings.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Illinois housing market saw positive indicators nearly across the board in April with upward momentum in home prices and sales jumping 34.4 percent on the heels of the homebuyer tax credit deadline. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report, statewide total home sales (which include single-family and condominiums) in April 2010 were up 34.4 percent, totaling 10,323 homes sold compared to April 2009 sales of 7,683 homes. The median price in April 2010 was $157,450, up 5.0 percent from $150,000 in April 2009. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less.

Tampa, FL - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today announced the release of its new Open for Business® Online Trainer and Advanced Track sessions, a Web-based continuity planning tool for small businesses available exclusively to IBHS members.

ORLANDO, FL - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 27 percent in April, which means that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison for 20 months, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Another positive sign: Last month’s statewide existing-home median price of $140,100 was 1 percent higher than the statewide median price in April 2009.Existing home sales rose 27 percent last month with a total of 16,781 homes sold statewide compared to 13,244 homes sold in April 2009, according to Florida Realtors. Statewide existing home sales last month increased nearly 3 percent over statewide sales activity in March. Meanwhile, April’s statewide existing-home median price was 2.3 percent higher than March’s statewide existing-home median price of $137,000. It marks the second month in a row that the statewide existing-home median price has increased over the previous month’s median.

SACRAMENTO, CA - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- After three straight months of gains, total housing starts in California dipped slightly in April, but year-to-date totals were still above 2009, the California Building Industry Association announced today

Washington, DC - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives from more than a dozen mortgage servicers plus several local HUD-approved housing counselors were on hand last week in Anaheim and San Bernardino, California to assist struggling homeowners with their mortgages

McLean, VA - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac Chief Executive Officer Charles E. Haldeman, Jr. made the following statement in response to the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) announcement of the Uniform Mortgage Data Program

May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) is pleased to announce the 2010 CHFA-DECD Consolidated Application version 2.3 is now available for the HTCC Program

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- United Properties announces that it has signed a lease with Avtex at Northland Center, formerly Northland Executive Office Center, in Bloomington, Minn. The technology company Avtex will move into its 15,000-sq.-ft. space in fall 2010 from its current location at SouthTech Plaza in Bloomington. With the new lease and other lease extensions, the latest transaction adds a new tenant to the United Properties-owned 465,000-sq.-ft. office complex and brings the occupancy to 87 percent.

Washington, DC - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced a major new initiative by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (the Enterprises) to improve the consistency and quality of data for appraisals and other loan information. This will enhance the depth of collateral, borrower and loan data submitted to the Enterprises. The Uniform Mortgage Data Program is a long-term, joint effort to create improved and uniform data standards and collection processes. The Enterprises have worked with industry participants to develop the uniform standards.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) --Existing-home sales rose again in April with buyers motivated by the tax credit, improving consumer confidence and favorable affordability conditions, according to the National Association of Realtors

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Even though the home buyer tax credit expired on April 30 and won’t be renewed, there may never be a better time to buy a home than today, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Many outstanding opportunities still exist for home buyers, but they may not be around forever

Austin, TX - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Leading journalists from The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Bloomberg News, Money magazine, National Real Estate Investor and Better Homes & Gardens, to The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, St Louis Post-Dispatch, Orange County Register, and Kansas City Star are registered for NAREE's 44th Annual Real Estate Conference. Set for June 2-5, the conference is thoughtful mix of news conferences, panels, journalism workshops and field trips

WASHINGTON, DC - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A major $3 billion mortgage relief provision authored by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa) is included in the Wall Street and Consumer Protections Act approved Thursday by the Senate.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency today announced that it is revising its Preferred Risk Policy under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to extend eligibility an additional year.

New York, NY - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) in cooperation with the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) announced the installation of the first new storefront improvements through the Fulton Nassau Crossroads Program this week.

NEW YORK, NY - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that a subsidiary of the Hines U.S. Core Office Fund LP (Core Fund) has closed on the sale of 600 Lexington, a 36-story 303,515-square-foot office tower located on the Northwest corner of Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street in New York City, to SL Green Corp.