Monthly Archives: September 2010

NEW YORK, NY - September 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York City Comptroller John C. Liu today announced that talks have officially begun between his office and five of the City’s largest banks on steps the banks can take to reform the loan modification process, improve customer service and help save more New Yorkers from foreclosure.

Tampa, FL - September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The uptick in the number of hurricanes is a harsh reminder of the importance of having a business continuity plan, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

New York, NY - September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Senator Charles E. Schumer, Congressman Jose E. Serrano, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Rafael E. Cestero and New York City Housing Development Corporation President Marc Jahr today announced a plan to improve conditions at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the South Bronx

Las Vegas, NV - September 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Home Rescue Fair will offer free help to Las Vegas residents facing foreclosure on Saturday Sept. 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Palace Station Hotel Casino, Grand Ballroom, 2411 West Sahara Ave.

Los Angeles, CA - September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Eugene Page of Charles Dunn Company’s Los Angeles office has negotiated the sale of the historic Rosslyn Hotel for $12.1 million

September 2, 2010 – For the third consecutive year, Jacky Teplitzky, a managing director at Prudential Douglas Elliman and one of New York City’s most successful real estate experts, will discuss “Is Now the Time to Buy, Sell or Invest?” at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y on Tuesday, October 5th. The 90-minute seminar will address attendee questions as to the state of the city’s housing market, which has been the most complex – with few clear indicators of what to expect next – in years.

September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Doug Ayers, President and CEO of Chicagoland real estate brokerage Koenig & Strey Real Living, announced that Marion Hanold has been named the Manager of Luxury and Development Properties.“I am very thrilled to have Marion in this pivotal role at Koenig & Strey,” said Doug Ayers, President and CEO of Koenig & Strey. “Luxury and development marketing are key segments of our business, and Marion has the vision and experience to build our Properties of Distinction brand and leverage our affiliation with Christies Great Estates. Her knowledge and experience with luxury buyers and sellers will be a tremendous asset as we transform these programs to fit our new brand strategy.”

Leesburg, VA - September 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Loudoun County Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, also known as Section 8 Rental Assistance, is opening its waiting list to new applicants.

Washington, DC - September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) president & CEO John Taylor today urged the Obama Administration to ignore calls by some housing experts to “do nothing” on housing recovery. Instead, Taylor said the Administration should mandate loan principal reductions by mortgage lenders to prevent more foreclosures from throwing people out of their homes and flooding the market with vacant houses

Washington D.C. - September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a partial guarantee for a $98.5 million loan to the 49.5 megawatt Blue Mountain geothermal project in Humboldt County in northwestern Nevada. The loan guarantee is being issued to John Hancock Financial Services to support a loan to a subsidiary of the Nevada Geothermal Power Company

Destin, FL - September 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The most trusted housing market forecasts have been released with an update of the Housing Predictor Best 25 Housing Markets in the U.S. It isn’t news that housing markets are declining in value, but there are areas scattered throughout the country in more than a handful of states forecast to appreciate.

ORLANDO, FL - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida Realtors® has named Connie Johnson, a member of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors®, as its 2010 Humanitarian of the Year. The award was presented during the state association’s recent 94th annual Convention & Trade Expo at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla

Meriden, CT - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama). September 22, 2010 - 7:00 to 9:00 pm Comfort Inn. 900 East Main St. Meriden, CT. FREE for WREIA Members | $30 for non-members

QUINCY - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Pat Quinn today announced the awarding of contracts for a $2.4 million construction project at the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy, the latest work to begin under the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program

Phoenix, AZ - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Phoenix property owners will soon receive this year's property tax assessments in the mail and the average Phoenix homeowner will pay a lower tax bill to the city. Phoenix's property tax rate is $1.82 per $100 of assessed value. This rate has not changed in 14 years.

EMERYVILLE, CA - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The number of price-reduced homes on the market increased 3.26 percent in August compared to July, according to the latest data from national brokerage ZipRealty (www.ziprealty.com; NASDAQ: ZIPR). ZipRealty’s monthly review of MLS-listed properties in 26 major markets found that 47 percent of “for sale” homes had at least one price reduction and the average seller actually slashed their list price twice to attract buyers.

USGBC Approves GBCI Continuing Education Hours for ASLA Attendees. Washington, DC - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- When the 2010 ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) Annual Meeting & Expo comes to Washington, DC September 10 -13, 2010, attendees of the event will have an unprecedented opportunity to earn GBCI Continuing Education (CE) hours for the LEED AP and LEED Green Associate credentials. For the first time ever, conference-goers can gain credits toward their LEED Professional Credential maintenance requirements for 72 educational sessions at ASLA. USGBC members will also be able to register for the 2010 ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo at discount membership rates.

Washington, DC - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has sent a final rule to the Federal Register establishing new housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) for 2010-2011. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) required FHFA to establish housing goals for the Enterprises for targeted segments of the mortgage market.

Juneau, AK - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Continuing toward his goal of ending Alaska's epidemic of sexual assault and domestic violence within a decade, Governor Sean Parnell announced that three rural communities will receive funding to construct housing units for Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs)

ORLANDO, FL - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Oakland Park, a traditional neighborhood development between the historic towns of Oakland and Winter Garden in Central Florida, has won the 23rd Residential Environmental Award from Florida Realtors®. The award, popularly known as the ENVY, was presented at the state association’s recent 94th annual Convention and Trade Expo at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla

Mankato, MI - September 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki joined Congressman Tim Walz today in Mankato to tour facilities dedicated to rural veterans’ health care and homelessness prevention. The Secretary and Congressman heard from veterans about the need to build upon existing VA services and further expand health care in rural areas. The tour began at the VA’s Mankato Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), which currently does not provide primary health care services to area veterans. The VA is in the midst of the contracting process to expand the CBOC to include these much-needed services. The tour concluded with a stop at the Radichel Townhomes in Mankato. The townhomes are long-term supportive housing for disabled homeless veterans constructed and managed by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MAC-V)

Silver Spring, MD – September 2, 2010) – Montgomery Housing Partnership Inc. (MHP), a private nonprofit housing developer, will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony September 8 to mark the reopening of its newly remodeled apartment development, Gilbert Highlands. Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett will cut the ribbon at the $5.27 million green renovation and officially welcome 21 families to their new homes.

Upper Marlboro, MD - September 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The NAHB Research Center is honored to have ten of the industry's preeminent experts on residential energy efficiency judge the sixteenth annual EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) program. Each year since its inception the EVHA has honored home builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into the design, construction, and marketing of new homes. Over the past decade and a half, builders from 41 states and the District of Columbia have won 245 gold and silver awards. This year, to recognize the incredible energy improvements that are being made by builders and remodelers in the remodeling and renovation markets, the EVHA has added an Existing Homes categor

BOISE, ID - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Wells Fargo recently contributed $10,000 to the Finally Home!® Homebuyer Education Program administered by the Idaho Partners for Homebuyer Education, Inc. (IPHBE, Inc.). The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation contributed $7,500 and the Wells Fargo Idaho Foundation contributed $2,500. In total, Wells Fargo has contributed more than $100,000 to the program since it began in 1999

EAST RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, CA - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The sustainable building efforts of Benchmark Contractors working in collaboration with developer and architect Abode Communities, have resulted in Casa Dominguez, the first-ever LEED for Homes Platinum certified multifamily development in Los Angeles County and the second within the State of California

Tampa, FL - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) urges residents and businesses along the U.S. coastline from North Carolina to Maine to take steps now to minimize potential wind and water damage from Hurricane Earl.

TAVARES, FL - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, Lake County is conducting a pilot program by selecting one home and one small commercial building to receive free energy efficiency retrofits (up to a $3,000 value) to show how small investments in energy efficiency reduce energy costs.

EUGENE, OR - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Louisiana properties just got easier to search for online, thanks to IDX, Inc. and Adam Campo, who have joined forces to bring thousands of Baton Rouge MLS (BRMLS) listings to area home seekers. The IDX solution now enabled on his site extracts raw listing data directly from BRMLS and seamlessly integrates it onto the search page Campo supports, giving home seekers a comprehensive database of homes to look at. With the tools potential buyers can now utilize on the website of Campo, finding a home in Baton Rogue has never been quicker, simpler or more effective.

EUGENE, OR - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is pleased to announce Joseph Mercado, of Gig Harbor, Washington and Properties NW, has adopted a dynamic IDX solution to improve the accessibility and functionality of his real estate search page. As a member of the Northwest MLS (NWMLS), Mercado has long had the ability to scan thousands of listings to show his clients. Now, IDX Broker software gives home seekers the same opportunity to search through the NWMLS listings, from the convenience of his website. Never before has it been simpler or more effective to find the perfect home online, than it is with Mercado and his IDX synced real estate resource.

McLean, VA - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), and for yet another week, fixed-rate mortgages reached record lows, as did the 5-year adjustable rate in this survey. (The 30-year fixed-rate survey began in 1971, the 15-year began in 1991, and the 5-year adjustable in 2005.)