Monthly Archives: May 2011

Kansas City, KS - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Officials from Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas and the Kansas Preservation Alliance celebrated the grand opening of Lowell School Apartments, a new affordable housing development serving the elderly and adults with disabilities. The historic rehab converted a vacant elementary school into 26 energy-efficient, loft-style apartments. Rents for the one, two and three bedroom units range from $450 to $650

NORWALK, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Seller’s Extravaganza of the eight remaining condominium units at Lockwood Terrace in Norwalk will be held Saturday, May 21st from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the site at 130 Main Street, William Raveis Real Estates’ New Homes Division announced.

MILFORD, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total Mortgage Services, LLC, a leading mortgage lender, announced today the hiring of Victoria Bextel as the Company’s head of national operations for both its retail and wholesale channels. Ms. Bextel brings to this newly-created senior management position over 22 years of operations, underwriting and management experience within the mortgage industry. In her role as Executive Vice President of Operations, Ms. Bextel will be responsible for managing all operations for Total Mortgage’s retail and wholesale channels, from the time the loan application is received until the time the loan is sold to investors. Ms. Bextel will be based in Milford, Connecticut and report directly to John Walsh, President of Total Mortgage.

Greenbelt, MD - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bozzuto Group today announced that it has earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for two residential developments in its portfolio. The Fitzgerald, a mixed-use community in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon district, has received LEED Silver Certification and Riverwalk at Millennium, an apartment community in suburban Philadelphia, has received LEED Certification.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Community Bank Mortgage LLC, a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, has renewed its agreement with SunTrust Mortgage Inc. as one of four preferred secondary market investors. With this partnership, Community Bank Mortgage LLC owner banks can sell loans on a servicing-released basis to SunTrust Mortgage and access their full line of products, including jumbo loans

WEST ORANGE, N.J. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two months after introducing “The Maisonette”, an exclusive residence at the luxury community of Vizcaya that combines the best aspects of brownstone and penthouse living, the homes have been met with rave reviews by homebuyers looking for the right mix of elegance, convenience and amenities.

INLAND EMPIRE, CA - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Aaron Hodgdon, president of Hodgdon Group Realty, has been named a CoStar Group’s (NASDAQ: CSGP) Power Broker for 2010 in the retail leasing category. This is Hodgdon's second consecutive year as a Power Broker in the retail leasing category. His firm, Hodgdon Group Realty, also made the 2010 Power Broker list for Top Leasing Firms

COLUMBIA, S.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- South Carolina REALTORS® (SCR) today released its April 2011 Market Reports. The final month of year-over-year comparison to last year's tax incentive market is upon us. It bears repeating that April 2010 enjoyed uniquely strong activity due to the approaching credit deadline. New Listings in the state of South Carolina decreased 23.3 percent to 9/154. Pending Sales were down 37.9 percent to 4,008. Inventory levels shrank 7.0 percent to 57,680 units - a positive trend that should preserve market balance.

New York, NY - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Citi Foundation and NeighborWorks America today announced the launch of a collaboration to expand and strengthen financial capability programs for thousands of low- and moderate-income Americans. These programs help consumers establish positive behaviors to achieve immediate and long-term financial goals through financial education and access to appropriate financial products. As many as 65,000 people may benefit from the new $5 million, two-year demonstration project.

Destin , FL - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new Housing Predictor survey reveals that Americans are almost amazingly as divided as Congress on how to handle the growing foreclosure crisis. And a large portion of them say that the U.S. government should just let homeowners in default on mortgages get foreclosed.

Washington, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today NeighborWorks America announced that it was named one of the nation’s largest residential home builders, according to Builder Magazine’s 2010 Builder 100 list. NeighborWorks America was ranked No. 46 in its second year on the Builder 100, with 503 closings of for-sale housing completed by its network of local NeighborWorks organizations. In addition to the overall ranking for productivity in 2010, NeighborWorks America was also named the No. 5 builder of affordable housing. NeighborWorks America debuted on the Builder 100 for 2009 at No. 82 for for-sale closings.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While the past few years have been challenging for many, owning a home continues to be a goal for Americans of every background, according to John D. Trasviña, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

West Hartford, CT - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) CT REIA Business Entrepreneur Workshop June 13, 2011 - 6:30 to 9:00 PM Sheraton Four Points. 275 Research Parkway. Meriden, CT Admission for the general public is $49. Special price for CT REIA - Only $24

Torrance, CA - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Over the years, Los Angeles notables such as Gene Autry, Mayor Tom Bradley, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Pete Carroll, Councilwoman Jan Perry and Frank Gehry, have been honored by the Los Angeles Headquarters Association (LAHQ) for shaping the city’s economic success and quality of life.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged at the low level of 16 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The index has now remained at this level for six out of the past seven months.“Builder confidence has hardly budged over the past six months as persistent concerns regarding competition from distressed property sales, lack of production credit, inaccurate appraisals, and proposals to reduce government support of housing have continued to cloud the outlook,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev.

Washington, D.C. - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a Monticello, N.Y.-based investment adviser with fraudulently offering and selling securities in two upstate New York real estate funds he managed.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY04), who has been working steadily to bring relief to homeowners affected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood insurance program, just won bipartisan passage in committee of two amendments that, if made into law, would save homeowners significant amounts of money and bring better community notification in advance of future changes

WASHINGTON, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the changing real estate landscape and the increased use of broker price opinions (BPOs) by market participants, the National Association of Realtors® has launched a new certification, BPO Resource, recognizing Realtors® who have completed NAR’s new BPO education program. The new certification course was offered here during the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

Washington, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Realtors® has awarded four state and local Realtor® associations with $15,000 through its Diversity Initiative Grants Program. Award recipients were announced at the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C., this week.

Washington, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Gary Peters and Representative John Campbell (R-CA) have introduced a bipartisan plan to reform the mortgage market - putting an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts while preserving access to affordable mortgages for middle class families.

BOISE, ID - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- All of Idaho will soon benefit from a proactive fair housing awareness campaign, thanks to a partnership among Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA), Department of Commerce and the City of Boise. IHFA supported initial efforts by Boise’s Fair Housing Task Force to develop the campaign, and has adapted those materials for statewide distribution.

Washington, DC - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The commercial real estate market continues a slow pace toward recovery with occupancy rates rising in the office and industrial properties in most major cities across the U.S. supported by rising employment and restocking of wholesale inventory, according to National Association of Realtors® Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. At the “Economics Issues and Commercial Business Trends Forum,” Yun identified bright spots and challenges within the commercial sector.

Atlanta, GA - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On May 10, 2011, an Order to Cease and Desist issued by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) to Charles Lee Carter aka Bo Carter (NMLS# 204264) of Bogart, Georgia became final.This Order to Cease and Desist was issued by the Department after it obtained evidence that Charles Lee Carter aka Bo Carter engaged in mortgage loan origination activities without a license or under an applicable exemption in violation of O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1002 despite the Final Order of Denial entered by the Department of his mortgage loan originator license application on July 1, 2010.

DENVER, CO - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Kentwood City Properties, one of three leading real estate offices that comprise Kentwood Real Estate, celebrated its 12th anniversary on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at a unique listing located at 1820 Blake Str...

ANCHORAGE, AK - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) will close the Anchorage Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list, effective June 1, 2011. AHFC will continue to accept applications in person or by mail i...

Marina Del Rey, CA - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Colliers International, the second largest global real estate services organization, has completed the investment sale of a 6,316-square-foot apartment building located at 15 Outrigger Street, Marina Del Rey, Calif. The transaction sold for $4 million.

EUGENE, OR - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today IDX, Inc. and Jeffery Fiedler are pleased to announce the integration of IDX Broker software onto the website of Fiedler, giving potential New Jersey buyers a whole new resource for finding their dream home online. With his own customizable IDX solution, Fiedler has updated the search capabilities of his professional website, making it monumentally easier to manage.

BROOKLYN, NY - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Carroll Gardens’ newest upscale building at 360 Smith Street began private showings on April 23, 2011, allowing those who registered online the opportunity to preview the 47 thoughtfully-appointed residences. Several applications came in on the first day of opening and, within a few weeks, the building is already over 50% rented.

Los Angeles, CA - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Colliers International, the second largest global real estate services organization, has negotiated two industrial leases and an industrial sale totaling $13.75 million in the Mid-Counties Market in Greater Los Angeles. Chris Sheehan, SIOR, senior vice president, and Adam Deierling, vice president, based in Colliers International’s Torrance office represented tenants and user in all three transactions

EUGENE, OR - May 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, IDX, Inc. announces Sean Endecott as the latest real estate professional to join the growing network of agents and brokers who have chosen to update their websites with IDX Broker software. Endecott, a Kansas City, Missouri agent, has adopted a customizable IDX solution for his dynamic search page, automatically syncing it with thousands of Heartland MLS (HMLS) listings. Home seekers can now experience a revolutionary online property search by utilizing the IDX enabled search functions Endecott hosts