Monthly Archives: May 2011

New York, NY - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State Senate today passed 18 bills that covered a variety of topics including the strengthening of penalties and prohibitions for dangerous driving, as well as helping certain property owners receive the STAR tax exemption benefits for which they are eligible.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) Tuesday announced southern West Virginia has been awarded more than $1.1 million for homeless housing and support initiatives.

May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis, a 50-year-old Fridley man was sentenced for defrauding eight mortgage lenders of $1.9 million. United States District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Taleb Mohamed Wazwaz to 24 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud through the use of interstate wires. Wazwaz was charged via an information on April 19, 2010, and pleaded guilty on May 4, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae today announced the opening of the Philadelphia Mortgage Help Center to provide free education and counseling services to struggling Philadelphia area homeowners. The Philadelphia, the latest of nine Mortgage Help Centers to open across the country, is part of Fannie Mae's nationwide initiative to educate families about the options and tools available to help them stay in their homes.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) today announced its top multifamily loan originators for 2010. Through Fannie Mae's Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS TM) program, these top ten lender partners produced the highest multifamily loan volumes by contributing at least $870 million each.

Sioux City, IA - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan awarded more than $216 million to nearly 700 new homeless programs across the country. This amount represents $26 million more than last yea...

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home improvement store shoppers are more satisfied with store facilities, merchandise and pricing in 2011, compared with 2010, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study^SM released today.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its March 2011 loan modification data, which shows that an estimated 210,000 homeowners received permanent, proprietary loan modifications from mortgage servicers for the first quarter of 2011. This estimate does not include loan modifications through Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), and industry totals will be updated once official government reports are published.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications increased 4.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 29, 2011.

EUGENE, OR - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bay Area, California property listings are now synced automatically to the website built by Carol Garcia and affiliated with the IDX, Inc. revolutionary IDX Broker software. As a member of the Bay Area Real Estate Information Systems (BAREIS), Garcia has long had access to thousands of detailed San Francisco area property listings. Now, her clients can experience the same level of unprecedented access, being able to view real estate listings that were once classified only for agents and broker to view, right on the convenient IDX enabled website Garcia hosts. The Vallejo, California based real estate business Garcia manages is also now completely mobile, thanks to the IDX Broker application for iPhone.

Las Vegas, NV - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Myers Team officially announced the addition of Lois Lee Greer to their team of Nevada Short Sale Experts. Ms. Greer was named a "Nevada Short Sale Specialist" by Francoise Myers, owner of The Myers Team.

Riverside, CA - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- At a time when businesses are seeking a location with a competitive advantage, a number of companies have found the best choice is Riverside, California. The activity has created a dramatic turnaround in the City’s industrial market. Businesses have discovered that the cost savings realized through the City’s municipally-owned utility, a highly-skilled local labor force, and pro-business attitude can make a real difference in their bottom line. Newdevelopment and expansion activity driven by high-tech plastics recycling, food manufacturing, and plastic injection molding, among others has taken down close to 1 million square feet of space in the City and created more than 800 new jobs for the region.

May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) - A: Costs for construction of both vary across the United States. The cost for constructing a safe room which can double as a master closet, bathroom, or utility room, inside a new home or small business can range from approximately $4,500 to $8,500. This budget would provide an 8-foot by 8-foot safe room. A 14-foot by 14-foot safe room could cost $15,000 to $25,000.

IRVINE, CA - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) - ORION Property Partners, Inc., has announced the completion of the restructure, modification, and extension of Surterre Properties, Inc.’s 19,592-square-foot lease at 1400 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach, Calif. Surterre Properties is a full-service residential real estate solution encompassing more than 250 top-ranked real estate professionals. The firm sells more residential real estate from its Newport Beach headquarters than any other single office in Orange County.

EUGENE, OR - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) - IDX, Inc. has upgraded the professional website of real estate agent Dawn Rupersburg, by integrating an IDX solution onto her search page. Rupersburg can now display thousands of Ocala Marion MLS listings effortlessly on her website, making it a great resource for potential Ocala, Florida area home seekers. By utilizing one of the many IDX enabled search features Rupersburg now boasts online, potential buyers can quickly and easily find the home of their dreams. Plus, the IDX Broker application for iPhone makes searching for the perfect property mobile, further simplifying the search process for all involved parties.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is recognizing 14 State and local governments with its coveted "Door Knocker Award" for their outstanding work in producing affordable housing. From creating a stable living environment for those with disabilities to providing rental assistance to homeless veterans, each community represents a model for developing innovative housing solutions to meet their specific needs. Read a summary for each Door Knocker Award winner.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Mississippi and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding last week.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Shelby, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am honored that President Obama has nominated me for this position, and I am deeply grateful to Secretary Geithner for his confidence in me.

Washington, DC - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched its first-ever Multifamily Midrise Design Competition. Based on USGBC’s LEED for Homes Multifamily Midrise green rating system, the competition offers professionals and students a unique opportunity to present their solutions for sustainable design for multifamily buildings of four to six stories.

LAGUNA HILLS, CA - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Muller Company, a full service real estate company specializing in management, investment and development of commercial real estate in the western United States, announced today that the leasing team at the Taj Mahal Medical Center located in Laguna Hills, Calif. has signed its first medical lease since the start of construction and the official rebranding of the project in March, 2011

Lewis Center, OH - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Property Management, an Associa company, is pleased to announce that Stephanie Soroky and Clint Grigley have earned their Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) designation.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) announced today he returned more than $1 million in Unclaimed Property to just eight account owners. Five individuals and three businesses each have received more than $100,000 since mid-February. The recipients are not being identified for privacy reasons.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), along with Reps. Tim Walz (MN-1) and Gary Peters (MI-9), introduced legislation to eliminate taxpayer subsidies for yachts. The Ending Taxpayer Subsidies for Yachts Act will amend a tax provision that allows boat owners to write off their mortgage interest payments if they classify their boats as second homes.

WALTHAM, MA - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that the number of single-family homes and condominiums put under agreement in April went up for the third straight time compared to the month before. On an annual basis, both single-family and condominium pending sales were down from the same time last year, which was the final month for people to put a home under agreement to take advantage of the home buyer tax credit in 2010

LOS ANGELES, CA - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) today launched a brand-new consumer advertising campaign highlighting the value REALTORS® bring to the real estate transaction. Through a bold, new approach and theme -- “California REALTORS®. Champions of Home.” -- the campaign also will raise awareness of the REALTOR® brand and reinforce the professionalism of REALTORS® who belong to C.A.R.

EUGENE, OR - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. has upgraded the professional website of real estate agent Dawn Rupersburg, by integrating an IDX solution onto her search page. Rupersburg can now display thousands of Ocala Marion MLS listings effortlessly on her website, making it a great resource for potential Ocala, Florida area home seekers. By utilizing one of the many IDX enabled search features Rupersburg now boasts online, potential buyers can quickly and easily find the home of their dreams. Plus, the IDX Broker application for iPhone makes searching for the perfect property mobile, further simplifying the search process for all involved parties.

Los Angeles, CA - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Colliers International, the second largest global real estate services organization, has completed the sale of a 3,080-square-feet medical office building located at 8158 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, Calif. The transaction is valued at $1.7 million.

Somerset, NJ - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Colliers International, the second largest global real estate services organization, has completed the sale of a 20,164-square-feet multi-tenant retail property located at 464 Elizabeth Ave. Somerset, NJ 08873 to a private regional developer. The transaction is valued at $8.965 million.

MELVILLE, NY - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jones Lang LaSalle announced the Long Island office market demonstrated signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2011. The market’s improving fundamentals were led by Nassau County, which posted a considerable drop in vacancy rates and a slight increase in average asking rental rates in all property types. Suffolk County’s office market remained steady, with Class A properties recording a drop in vacancy rates and a minor increase in rents.

ALISO VIEJO, CA - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- CT Realty Investors and WLCM have entered into a joint venture to acquire apartment communities in select coastal submarkets throughout Southern California. The CT joint venture just acquired three communities in Costa Mesa for approximately $10 million which include 55 units located within a mile of each other.