Monthly Archives: August 2010

BOSTON, MA - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Patrick-Murray Administration's Division of Banks today announced the issuance of 43 temporary cease-and-desist orders against licensed mortgage loan originators in Massachusetts for failing to meet requirements for licensure under state law. The mortgage loan originators did not meet the standards set in a 2009 law, an Act Adopting the Federal Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, also known as the SAFE Act.A significant provision of the 2007 foreclosure prevention legislation filed and signed by Governor Deval Patrick was the extension of licensing requirements to individual mortgage loan originators employed by licensed non-bank mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers. This law was updated in 2009 by Chapter 44 to ensure compliance with the federal SAFE Act which was largely patterned after the existing Massachusetts law

BOSTON, MA - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today that her office has obtained a consent judgment and filed two lawsuits against multiple real estate companies and their agents for allegedly violating state anti-discrimination, lead paint, and consumer protection laws by posting advertisements mentioning the lead status of rental properties and thereafter refusing to rent to families with young children.Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to refuse to rent or steer families away from rental properties because they have young children whose presence triggers an owner’s duty to eliminate lead hazards that pose serious health risks. The judgment and lawsuits are the result of a partnership with the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston (“Fair Housing Center”) and part of an ongoing statewide investigation into reports of widespread discriminatory Internet advertising on Craigslist.org.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging a Chicago couple, their real estate agent, and a real estate broker with refusing to sell a home listed for $1.799 million to a black couple because of their race, in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The charge alleges that owners Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia and real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe stalled negotiations and took the property off the market after receiving a $1.7 million offer from radio personality and comedian George Willborn and his wife, businesswoman Peytyn Willborn.

Transactions include more than 100,000 square feet in new leases and renewals. Washington, D.C. - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Leasing activity in Duke Realty Corporation’s (Duke Realty) Washington, D.C. office continued to be strong in the second quarter, with the group reporting more than 100,000 square feet in new leases and renewals.

Washington, DC - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Habitat for Humanity Lake County, and Bank of America, have teamed up on this year’s Greenbuild Legacy Project. Two affordable green homes will be built in Lake County, Ill. funded by a $125,000 donation from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. The construction of which will coincide with USGBC’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Chicago, November 16-19, 2010. Each year, the Greenbuild Legacy Project Committee selects a project to give to its host city as a symbol of our gratitude for hosting Greenbuild and to share with that region the benefits of green building

EUGENE, OR - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Washington DC real estate agent Jack Shoptaw has adopted the dynamic IDX Broker software. Shoptaw has continuously demonstrated his passion for delivering home seekers with the right property, and now his professional website reflects the same thing. The easy-to-use IDX solution pulls raw listings data directly from the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) database and displays it seamlessly on his website

August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Villaraigosa today launched a massive canvassing operation to reach over 2,000 families of students enrolled in Markham Middle School and other Partnership Schools. The Mayor welcomed students and their parents to the Partnership community and spoke with them about supporting student achievement by becoming more involved in local neighborhood schools

Tampa, FL - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As new and existing home sales remain sluggish, one way sellers can increase appeal of their homes is by adding disaster-resistant retrofits, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Eligible Montgomery County residents are encouraged to apply for the Maryland Homeowner’s Property Tax Credit program, which limits the amount of property taxes a homeowner must pay based on income. An additional County supplement and a senior tax credit will automatically apply to eligible County residents. For a senior tax credit, residents must be age 70 or older. No additional application is required for either the County supplement or the senior tax credit. The deadline for the state application submission is September 1, 2010.In order to be eligible, a homeowner must have

WASHINGTON, DC - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal jury in Detroit today returned a $115,000 verdict against an Ypsilanti, Mich., man for sexually harassing female tenants in his capacity as a property manager, the Justice Department announced today. The jury also found the property owner and his company liable for the illegal harassment.

Atlanta, GA - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Eight members of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition testified before the bank regulatory agencies regarding ways to improve the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to leverage hundreds of billions of dollars more in private investments for job creation and sustainable homeownership. The NCRC members and national partners testifying include: the Center for Responsible Lending, the Housing Assistance Council, National Council of La Raza, Operation Hope, Inc., the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, the Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina, Community Development Corporation of Marlboro County, and Housing Education and Economic Development (HEED) of Mississippi (Exec. Director, Charles Harris pictured right). This is the second of four regulatory hearings that NCRC and its members will be attending and testifying at throughout the summer;

WASHINGTON, DC - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury today released the second edition of the Administration's Housing Scorecard (www.hud.gov/scorecard) showing that, thanks in part to interest rates continuing at all-time lows, home affordability in the U.S. remains near the most attractive levels in 10 years. In addition, for the first time, the report now tracks the impact of HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), which has spurred local investment and is beginning to make affordably-priced homes available to consumers. The Housing Scorecard is the Administration's comprehensive report on the nation's housing market.

Denver, CO - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Global franchise real estate leader, RE/MAX, LLC, is hosting its annual Broker Owner Conference in Denver, CO, this week, August 8-10, with nearly a thousand attendees from 12 different countries. Featured presentations will be made by the industry’s top analysts.

LOS ANGELES, CA - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- National real estate law firm Pircher, Nichols & Meeks has hired Melissa Bakewell as a lateral litigation associate within its Los Angeles office. In her new position, she will focus on all aspects of real estate and general commercial litigation.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lee & Associates Central Coast has secured the main anchor tenant for the Prefumo Creek Commons shopping center in San Luis Obispo

LEMOYNE, PA - August 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — Job loss and unexpected medical bills are among the top factors contributing to home foreclosures in Pennsylvania, according to a survey commissioned by the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® (PAR).

New York, NY - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- West 147th Associates LLC and Halstead Property Development Marketing today announced that TCO was received last week, construction is now complete and move-ins are slated for later this month, a former school converted into a luxury condominium development in Harlem.

New York, NY - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Most disasters, by their very nature, are unforeseen and can happen anytime, anywhere, at a moment’s notice, from wind, water, vandalism, fire to terrorism. Reaction time is critical and can mean the difference between preventing further destruction or easily reclaiming damaged property and possessions after disaster strikes. It is important that property owners and business owners know what to do when disaster strikes. Here is a list that every property owner and business owner should have:

Washington, D.C. - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Tohono O’odham KiKi Association (TOKA) received a $5.7 million Indian Housing Block Grant Aug. 4 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money will be eligible for a number of uses, including housing development, family and individual housing services, crime prevention and safety, and model activities that provide creative approaches to solving affordable housing problems.

August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Long Beach Housing Development Company (LBHDC), together with Councilmember Dee Andrews, 6th District, The Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services (LANHS), and Los Angeles County NeighborWorks Center for Foreclosure Solutions invite the public to the "Help & Hope" Foreclosure Prevention Assistance and Homebuyer Education Fair at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. The free event has the dual purpose to “help” families prevent foreclosure and provide “hope” to families who dream of purchasing a home now that home prices are lower than in previous years. Congresswoman Laura Richardson is expected to attend.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that a Pinellas County woman pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $8 million in a real estate fraud scheme. Cheryl Wehlau, owner of Gulf Coast Title Offices, entered her plea yesterday in a case prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.

EUGENE, OR - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Doug Stephens has teamed up with IDX, Inc. to create an easy-to-use and effective real estate search page. The real estate website of Stephens now boasts the revolutionary IDX Broker software, syncing his listings with the Lawrence MLS, to deliver home seekers around Lawrence, Kansas with the most comprehensive property search process available online. The addition of the custom IDX solution only reinforces his dedication to quickly matching potential buyers with homes and serving them in the best ways possible as a real estate broker and agent

EUGENE, OR - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is pleased to welcome Michael Gonzalez, of ERA Evergreen Real Estate Company in Hilton Head, South Carolina, to the growing group of real estate brokers and agents dedicated to making their professional websites easier to use and more effective, with a customized IDX solution. Now, his website offers home seekers numerous resources to speed up and simplify the online home search process. A real estate blog keeps potential buyers up-to-date with market trends and news, in addition to the IDX Broker software, which syncs Hilton Head MLS (HHMLS) listings directly with the website of Gonzalez, to give his clients a comprehensive database of listings to search through

WASHINGTON, DC - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Across the U.S., thousands of children live in foster care or are at risk of being placed with other families simply because their parents cannot afford a home. Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $20 million in funding to local housing authorities to help more than 2,500 families stay together. It’s estimated that the rental vouchers awarded today will reunite nearly 5,000 children with their parents or prevent them from entering foster care in the first place.

WASHINGTON, DC - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- In an effort to help responsible homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their property, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today provided details on the adjustment to its refinance program which was announced earlier this year that will enable lenders to provide additional refinancing options to homeowners who owe more than their home is worth. Starting September 7, 2010, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will offer certain 'underwater' non-FHA borrowers who are current on their existing mortgage and whose lenders agree to write off at least ten percent of the unpaid principal balance of the first mortgage, the opportunity to qualify for a new FHA-insured mortgage.

EMERYVILLE, CA - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The number of price-reduced homes on the market increased 5.3 percent in July as compared to June, according to a monthly review of MLS-listed properties within 26 of the country’s largest housing markets conducted by the national online real estate brokerage ZipRealty (www.ziprealty.com; NASDAQ: ZIPR)

Albuquerque, NM - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Canyon Gate Real Estate Services, an Associa company, is excited to announce that Director of Business Development and Community Manager Evelyn Saavedra recently received her Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation through Community Associations Institute (CAI).

BOSTON, MA - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office concluded its case against former Brockton attorney Alec G. Sohmer and five other defendants over their roles in a 2006 foreclosure rescue scheme.The judgments entered today by Judge Thomas Connolly against Sohmer in the amount of $620,000 and against the four remaining defendants collectively in the amount of $364,000, together with the judgment obtained last May in the amount of $41,204, resolve allegations that Sohmer, with the assistance of the other defendants, orchestrated an unlawful foreclosure rescue scheme against 26 homeowners

WASHINGTON, DC - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The apartment market’s rebound continues to gain momentum, according to NMHC's latest Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions.

EUGENE, OR - August 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Philip Lancaster of Rock Point Real Estate has teamed up with IDX, Inc. to update his professional website with a customized IDX solution, pulling Chattanooga MLS (CHTMLS) listing data from the system and displaying it directly on his website. The IDX Broker software now employed on his site, gives potential buyers more information about properties than ever before available online. Now, home seekers in Chattanooga, Tennessee have a simple online solution to search for a home.