Monthly Archives: June 2010

McLean, VA - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) announced today that it will not issue a Reference Notes® security on June 24, 2010. The company’s 2010 Reference Notes calendar designates dates that it may use to announce the issuance of Reference Notes securities.

Washington, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A bill to extend the authority for the National Flood Insurance Program, strongly supported by the National Association of Realtors®, was passed by the House today. The bill would extend the program to September 30, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded two grants totaling $399,875 to Iowa organizations through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program

Washington, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — Today, Congressman Leonard Boswell announced the Department of Labor has awarded Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa a $199,875 job training grant as part of its Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today announced that two Tucson organizations will receive a total of $445,000 to provide job training for homeless veterans

Washington, D.C. - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today applauded the White House decision to approve $1.5 billion to help five states, including Arizona, create and promote home foreclosure prevention plans. Arizona will receive $125.1 million through the initiative.

Marietta, GA - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Realtor Lawrence Forester recently made the switch to Prudential Georgia Realty. He is based out of Prudential Georgia Realty’s Northwest office, located on 2414 Dallas Highway in Marietta.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Metro Commercial, the region’s largest full-service retail real estate firm, announced today that it has leased a former 9,343-square-foot freestanding building to Family Dollar at 1700 Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. The property, formerly a Strauss Auto store is in the heart of South Philadelphia and near the booming neighborhood of Bella Vista.

Houston, TX - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ross Dress for Less has renewed its lease of 33,600 square feet at The Village of West Oaks, which is located at 2400 South Highway 6 in southwest Houston. In addition, Souper Salad has also renewed a lease of 4,500 square feet at the same location. Matt Keener, Alex Makris and Jazz Hamilton of CB Richard Ellis represented the landlord, in both transactions

June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- CT REIA and Al Aiello presents: Free Webinar - LLC’s Have Great Money-Saving Benefits, but most are Worthless?

EUGENE, OR - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of the owner of Chapa Realty, Steven Chapa to the growing team of dedicated real estate professionals choosing to update their websites with the innovative IDX Broker software. Now, Chapa can display the extensive Mid American Regional Info Systems (MARIS) listings directly on his website, giving his clients the most comprehensive listings database to search through. Now more than ever before, home seekers in Saint Peters, Missouri can access the listings they want to see, from the convenience of his website

EUGENE, OR - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The constantly expanding team of real estate professionals partnering with IDX, Inc. has increased yet again with the addition of Florida Realtor Scott Berry of Sand Castle Realty Group, Inc. As a member of the Naples MLS and Fort Meyers MLS, Berry has the ability to scan thousands of property listings daily. Now, potential clients have the unique ability to search through these listings on their own, in an effort to save both real estate professionals, like Berry, and potential home buyers time. Finding a home in Naples, Florida is now easier than ever thanks to his IDX Broker synced website

LOS ANGELES, CA - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home sales increased 1.2 percent in May in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home rose 23.2 percent, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today

Washington, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, today urged the House to pass key provisions that mirror legislation Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, introduced to bolster Rural Housing Service loan programs on the brink of insolvency.

ORLANDO, FL - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 18 percent in May, marking 21 months that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors

Tampa, FL - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today announced the availability of new guidelines to protect property from the effects of hurricanes. These guidelines have been updated based on information obtained from IBHS field research in the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008.

Department of Labor funds going to Chicago, Peoria and Woodstock. WASHINGTON, D.C - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Roland W. Burris today announced that grant funding from the Department of Labor's Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) is going to Illinois to fight homelessness among veterans by providing job training programs.

LANSING, MI - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Departments of Treasury and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have approved the Granholm Administration's plan to distribute $154.5 million in federal funds beginning July 12 that should help more than 17,000 Michigan households avoid foreclosure, including 11,000 homeowners who are currently drawing unemployment benefits and are struggling to make monthly mortgage payments.

Jackson, MS - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC) has extended the reservation period for its Home Buyer Advantage (HBA) grant program. The previous deadline for homebuyers to reserve funds was July 15, but the reservation period has been extended to September 13, 2010. The extended reservation period will allow MHC to disburse an additional $4 million in funds that were injected into the HBA program. Available HBA funds currently stand at $5.5 million, enough to fund an additional 180 reservations based on the average grant amount

WASHINGTON, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Millions of homeowners across the country are seeking loan modifications and HOPE LoanPort™, the groundbreaking new web-based housing counselor tool that streamlines submission of completed loan modification applications, is now at the forefront of making that dream a reality. Several organizations nationwide, including Neighborhood Housing Services

Washington, D.C. - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- After three straight months of improving conditions, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) fell nearly three points. 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 May ABI rating was 45.8, down substantially from a reading of 48.4 the previous month. This score reflects a continued decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings), and comes on the heels of the highest score since January 2008 when revenue at architecture firms headed into recession. The new projects inquiry index was 55.5.

Washington, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) has released a plan that would put the United States on the path to ending homelessness among veterans and chronically homeless individuals by 2015 and among children, youth, and families by 2020.

Fairfax, VA - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- NAMB – The Association of Mortgage Professionals recognizes National Homeownership Month as an important time for the American economy and American consumer as the housing industry continues its recovery

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 18, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 5.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 6.0 percent compared with the previous week.The Refinance Index decreased 7.3 percent from the previous week and the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 1.2 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 2.3 percent compared with the previous week and was 36.8 percent lower than the same week one year ago

McLean, VA - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) announces credit enhancements of more than $31 million in bonds issued by two housing finance agencies (HFAs) using the Obama Administration's New Issue Bond Program (NIBP) that support the development or renovation of affordable multifamily properties. Working with Freddie Mac, Prudential Mortgage Capital Company originated the only multifamily mortgages to date under NIBP for a property in Newnan, Georgia, and three properties in Washington, D.C., thus keeping 332 apartments affordable to low-income tenants.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) formally welcomes Judith Webb, APR (Accreditation in Public Relations) as the newly appointed Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. With more than 30 years of experience with corporations, non-profits, and high-profile agencies, Webb has spent the past seven years as the senior strategic communications consultant for USGBC, while simultaneously providing strategic communications counsel to other corporate and nonprofit clients through her firm jwebbPR.

Detroit, MI - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chase and NeighborWorks America, the nation’s leading trainer of nonprofit community development professionals, will offer 40 nonprofit representatives free training in financial education during a three-day workshop through June 23 at Chase Tower in downtown Detroit

Chicago, IL - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- REALTOR® Magazine and the Good Neighbor Society have announced the winning applicants of the second Volunteering Works, an annual program that matches Realtors® who work on small-scale charitable efforts with mentors and awards them grant money.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined dramatically in May following the expiration of a popular home buyer tax credit program in the previous month, according to newly released figures by the U.S. Commerce Department. The data show that sales fell 32.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000 units, the lowest number on record since the government started keeping track in 1963

WASHINGTON, DC - June 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, and Nevada can begin to use $1.5 billion in "Hardest Hit Fund" foreclosure-prevention funding under plans approved today by the Obama Administration. This aid will support innovative local initiatives to assist struggling homeowners in those states, as part of the first round of funding available under this new program