Monthly Archives: July 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the Burton-Stark amendment to H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011, which requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency t...

ORLANDO, FL - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The latest gadgets, motivational advice from top trainers and a chance to network with other real estate professionals: That’s what the Florida Realtors® 2011 Convention & Trade Expo has to offer – opportunities to learn new best practices, discover innovative marketing approaches and boost business.Realtors® from across Florida are expected to attend the state association’s 95th annual convention on Aug. 24-28, 2011, at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando. The event features more than 54 educational sessions on topics as varied as handling short sales, social media trends, personal branding and home pricing strategies.

Boston, MA - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Funders Together to End Homelessness, the national affinity group of philanthropies engaged in solving homelessness, today announced personnel changes to its board of directors, including changes in leadership and the election of two new board members.

Washington, DC - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association applauds the announcement today by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan that Carol Galante has been designated by President Barack Obama as the Acting FHA Commissioner and Assistant Secretary of Housing.

Torrance, CA - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ontario office of Lee & Associates, one of the nation’s largest commercial brokerage firms, announces the $3.1 million lease of a 172,560-square foot industrial facility in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a vote of 18-14, the Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises subcommittee of the House Finance Committee voted yesterday to eliminate the National Housing Trust Fund.

Clearwater, FL - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Tampa Bay area health care network, BayCare Health System expanded their occupancy at Colonial Center Bayside II by 13,556 square feet, for a total lease of 60,749 square feet.

New York, NY - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City Chapter of CoreNet Global, the leading professional association for corporate real estate and workplace executives serving multinational companies in the Fortune and Global 1000, will hold a panel discussion on July 28 entitled: World Trade Center: 10 Years Later, Progress and Momentum in Lower Manhattan.

Pomona, CA - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- C.W. Driver, a premier builder serving the Western U.S. since 1919, is the construction manager at-risk for a new, $40 million Student Recreation Center at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, in the Southern California town. Funded through student body fees, the LPA Inc.-designed, 120,000-SF facility will be built by C.W. Driver to LEED Gold standards and is slated to break ground in July 2012.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Monday, July 11, 2011, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) sent the attached letter to federal regulators outlining MBA's views and recommendations from the commercial and multifamily mortgage finance perspective in response to the proposed risk retention rule under Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

West Hartford, CT - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) Women Real Estate Investors Association Meeting July 26, 2011 - 6:00 to 9:00 PM Violi's Restaurant. 688 Westfield Road. Meriden, CT $25 for WREIA and CT REIA Members | $30 for non-members (Price includes dinner)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications decreased 5.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 8, 2011. This week's results include an adjustment to account for the Fourth of July holiday.The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 5.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 24.0 percent compared with the previous week.

River Edge, NJ - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- National mortgage lender, Real Estate Mortgage Network, Inc. (REMN), is bringing their retail FHA 203(k) program in-house and introducing a new initiative to better manage the experience for homeowners, home buyers, real estate agents and contractors. The recently launched REMN 203(k) Concierge Service will now support the entire 203(k) loan process with a dedicated team of REMN account managers who will be involved every step of the way, from the loan’s origination through payments made to contractors.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced an agreement with Prospect Mortgage, LLC (Prospect) to settle allegations the California-based mortgage lender created sham affiliated business arrangements for the purpose of paying improper kickbacks or referral fees in violation of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) guidelines and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). Prospect agreed to dissolve these sham joint ventures and pay $3.1 million to resolve the complaint

MONROE, NJ - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Buyers at Lennar’s Greenbriar Stonebridge have something in common: once they tour the active adult community in Monroe Township, they can’t wait to start enjoying the resort-like lifestyle it offers.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded more than $1.9 billion to public housing authorities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The funds will allow these agencies to make major large-scale improvements to their public housing units. View a full list of public housing authorities receiving funding.

FRANKFORT, KY - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The State Property and Buildings Commission (SPBC) will hold a meeting on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11 a.m. in Room 182 of the Capitol Annex, Frankfort, Ky.

July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Paul LePage issued a statement Monday regarding a recent opinion from Attorney General William Schneider. The opinion involves the purported sale of real estate to a State employee and a subsequent lease ...

Boston, MA - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced a $30 million improvement project for the Heritage Apartments in East Boston and Lower Mills in Dorchester, both serving the disabled and elderly communities. The funding will provide energy efficient capital improvements and increased supportive services at both developments.

LANSING, MI - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Rick Snyder today appointed Matt Davis and James Lance to the Michigan Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons. The board licenses and regulates the practice of real estate brokers and salespersons in Michigan.

TINLEY PARK, IL - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- July 11, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced $6.6 million in federal funding to increase affordable housing, stabilize communities and make infrastructure improvements in six south suburban Cook County communities. Awarded through the “IKE” Disaster Recovery Program, the funding will be used to purchase and rehab or demolish vacant or abandoned homes and to upgrade water-sewer lines and roads in the vicinity of the targeted housing projects.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) is investigating a technical error related to inconsistent data reporting affecting sales volume and media price reports for the city of Chicago. This error has resulted in inaccurate median price and sales volume reports for single-family homes and condominiums, in the city, possibly dating back to 2008 when IAR first began reporting city data at the request of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®.

BOISE, ID - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A statewide count of homeless persons in Idaho conducted by Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) and regional housing coalitions, indicates there are 2,199 homeless in the state, over a six percen...

WASHINGTON, DC HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its May 2011 mortgage industry data, which estimates declines in foreclosure sales for the second straight month.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mark Lucescu, President of Lucescu Realty, a market leading investment real estate services firm, announced today that the firm has recently opened a new regional office in Phoenix, AZ to better serve its clients. Lucescu Realty’s new Phoenix office is located at 2415 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ.

La Jolla, CA - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Southern California home sales last month shot up more than usual from May to the highest level for any month since June 2010, when the market got its last big boost from homebuyer tax credits. Sales of lower-cost homes, driven by investors and first-time buyers, and even high-end sales continued to outshine traditional move-up activity in middle price ranges, a real estate information service reported.

Torrance, CA - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lee & Associates, one of the largest national commercial real estate providers with regional expertise, has closed a $4.2 million sales transaction for a 31,774-square-foot industrial building located at 1290 N. Miller Street in Anaheim, Calif.

MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J. - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Luxury options and extras offered to homebuyers at The Pointe at Turnbury are becoming more popular every day. Buyers see them as an opportunity to truly customize their new homes. Taking note of this, Millennium Homes, the developer of The Pointe at Turnbury, has decided to offer a $5,000 incentive on the purchase of a home at the active-adult community that can be applied toward the upgrades of the buyer’s choice.

July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The former home of legendary film star Katharine Hepburn has been put on the property market for a staggering US$28 million. The estate was owned by the Hepburn family from 1913 until it was sold in 2004 following Katharine’s death in 2003 at the age of 96. Current owners Frank and Barbara Sciame bought the property for US$6 million. So they stand to make a tidy profit if the asking price is met.

BISMARCK, N.D. - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- North Dakota residents whose mobile homes have been flooded will need to provide proof that their mobile home insurance has no flood coverage before they can receive disaster housing assistance fr...