Monthly Archives: January 2011

McLean, VA - January 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) recently funded its first mortgage using the new mezzanine finance arrangement. Freddie Mac purchased a $47 million first mortgage from M&T Capital Realty Corp. for a property in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. The borrower, Metropolitan Apartments at Camp Springs L.L.C., secured a mezzanine loan for $6.75 million from Berkshire Properties

Washington, DC - January 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Today, the national talk radio show produced by the National Association of Realtors®, celebrates its 100th show this weekend. Now the fastest growing real estate show in the country, Real Estate Today can be heard on more than 120 stations across the U.S, including in every top-10 market.

January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Loudoun County received a $2 million grant to purchase foreclosed properties in designated areas of Sugarland Run and Sterling Park. The county renovated the properties to sell to owner occupants who meet the NSP guidelines and are at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Seven properties have already been sold and only one property remains available for sale.

January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Every home in Minnesota should be tested every 2-5 years for radon gas, say state health officials. Testing a home is so important that, as a way to prevent exposure to radon, which can cause lung cancer, health officials are offering a limited number of low-cost test kits to Minnesota homeowners.

BOSTON, MA - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Boston real estate management company, its agent and property owner have been sued for violating state anti-discrimination law, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office announced. The Attorney General’s Office filed a housing discrimination complaint on January 3, 2011, against Mediate Management Company (“Mediate”), its agent Deborah Kooring, and Fenway Buttrick, LLC, in Suffolk Superior Court alleging that the defendants refused to renew the lease of a family because they reside with a young child whose presence required the defendants to comply with state lead paint laws.

KETCHUM, ID - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Vitus Development, together with the Ketchum Community Development Corporation (KCDC), announces the completion of Northwood Place, a 32-unit development providing affordable housing in Ketchum. All units at Northwood Place -12 one-bedroom, 14 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom units - are rent and income restricted for households with incomes equal to or less than 60% of area median income. Additional sustainable features incorporated into the five separate garden style, wood-frame buildings will help ensure resident’s energy costs remain manageable.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While it may be impossible to prevent natural hazards, such as floods, droughts and wind storms, there are actions communities and their citizens can take to reduce or eliminate loss of life and property. Throughout January, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) will focus on hazard mitigation as part of its 2011 Preparedness Campaign

Washington, D.C. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today congratulated Pima County on receiving a new $158,601 grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Rental Assistance to Non-Elderly Persons With Disabilities program. The funds will help qualifying families access affordable housing through public housing agencies

January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Business and business property owners are invited to a forum to help define their vision for a geographic region defined as the Shea Character Area plan. The forum will be from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19, at the Boys and Girls Club, 10515 E. Lakeview Drive.

PORTLAND, OR - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Pulte Homes is opening its first community in the Portland market, offering homebuyers a prime location, distinctive homes and great value. The public is invited to tour the new model homes at the grand opening of Summer Creek by Pulte Homes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 15 and Sunday, January 16.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International today announced the 29 buildings that make up the latest class of buildings to earn the BOMA 360 Performance Program designation. The BOMA 360 Performance Program is a groundbreaking program designed to recognize commercial properties that demonstrate best practices in building operations and management

McLean, VA - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey®(PMMS®). The survey results showed lower mortgage rates for both long- and short-term rates

WASHINGTON, DC - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today a joint partnership between the two agencies to help nearly 1,000 non-elderly Americans with disabilities leave nursing homes or other healthcare facilities to live independently. This is the first time two federal agencies are offering a combination of rental assistance, health care and other supportive services targeted to this population.

EUGENE, OR - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Robert English and IDX, Inc. have teamed up to simplify the real estate website English hosts, with the dynamic IDX Broker software. By creating an easy-to-use search page, English can give his clients and other Arlington, Texas home seekers the thorough online property search experience they deserve. Syncing North Texas Real Estate Info Systems (NTREIS) listings with the search results page English supports, means thousands of detailed NTREIS listings are instantly available to potential buyers. The once complicated and stressful online home search is now simple and effective, thanks to the IDX enabled website of English

WASHINGTON, DC - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) today launched WaysHome, a free, interactive multi-media tool designed to educate homeowners about their options to avoid foreclosure, empower them to make informed decisions and motivate them to take action and seek help in 2011. As part of Fannie Mae's "Know Your Options" initiative to help struggling homeowners, the WaysHome video uses innovative technology to allow homeowners to put themselves in real-life situations, make informed choices and immediately see the outcomes of those actions

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 created new declining cities, and posed further difficulties for cities already in decline. Some cities may not re-attain home price peaks for many years, and could see some neighborhoods cease to be viable economically, according to a study released today from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MBA's CREF Convention & Expo is the nation's largest annual commercial real estate finance/multifamily housing industry event. Members of the media are encouraged to attend general sessions and panel discussions to gather the most up-to-date information on commercial real estate trends and business practices as well as the industry's economic outlook for 2011

Las Vegas, NV - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Effective January 31, 2011, The Federal Trade Commission has banned loan modification companies from charging up-front fees for negotiating modifications of residential mortgage loans. According to Eric Witksoki, Chief of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, and the state consumer advocate, “Money spent on mortgage modification consultants is a bad bet for consumers.” Additionally, Witkoski commented that spending money on loan modification is “worse than some of the odds at the casino tables.”

VIENNA, VA - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today released its third quarter 2010 mortgage fraud report, Mortgage Loan Fraud SAR Filings. The report shows that suspicious activity reports (SARs) characterized by filers as indicating possible mortgage loan fraud (MLF) increased 2 percent to 16,693 in the third quarter of 2010 up from 16,339 MLF SARs in the 2009 third quarter.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates continue to yo-yo up and down, with the average rate on the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling back to 4.94 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.42 discount and origination points

West Hartford, CT - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) January 12, 2011 - 6:00 to 9:00 pm Comfort Inn. 900 East Main St. Meriden, CT FREE for AOA and CTREIA Members | $59 for non-members

New York, NY - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Savanna and Monday Properties announced today the closing of a $58 million loan for 386 Park Avenue South. The new partners of the 20-story, Art Deco office building additionally announced that Chase Bank has signed an 11-year lease renewal of its 12,000-square-foot retail space.

Chicago, IL - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chicago Agent magazine released the highly anticipated fourth edition of Real Data, the premiere residential reference guide in the real estate industry.

New York, N.Y. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Halstead Property Development Marketing today released data reflecting that 88 Morningside, a premier new development located on the corner of Morningside Avenue and 122nd Street, was this year’s fastest selling development in Harlem

ELGIN, IL - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- RE/MAX Villager in Glenview, Ill., has announced the arrival of seven agents formerly affiliated with RE/MAX North in Northbrook. The additional agents will strengthen the position of the Glenview office in the North Shore real estate market

Torrance, CA - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lani Kaneshiro, regional manager of Keystone Pacific Property Management’s Irvine office, has been elected to the 2011 Board of Directors of the Community Association Institute (CAI). Her three-year term began on Jan. 1, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Housing professionals from across the country and abroad will convene at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 12-15, for the 2011 International Builders’ Show (IBS), the housing industry’s largest annual trade show and exhibition. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) event, held in one of the largest convention centers in the country, will feature the most cutting-edge designs, technologies, and products for all segments of the industry

Tampa, FL - January 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Recent record snowfalls and ice storms in many regions of the country are a reminder to business owners to be sure they are prepared for severe winter weather that is likely to continue throughout January and February, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

West Hartford, CT - January 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Connecticut Real Estate Investors Association, or CT REIA, in association with the Apartment Owners Association Of Connecticut, or AOACT, is announcing the January 2011 quarterly meeting of the AOACT. This event will take place on Wednesday, January 12, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, at the Comfort Inn on 900 East Main Street in Meriden, CT. This event is free for AOACT and CT REIA members, and $59 for non-members

West Hartford, CT - January 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Be sure to keep an eye out on your email. We will send you a link to the call very soon