RealEstateRama

Silicon Valley, CA - April 15, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Intero Foundation (www.interofoundation.org), a non-profit organization, founded by Intero Real Estate Services founders in 2002 to benefit children in need, announced that it has donated over $170,000 to 22 charities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in 2010 as part of its mission to positively impact the growth and well being of children in our communities. The Intero Foundation is funded, promoted and governed by Intero agents – each of whom are vested in the health of the communities in which they work and live. An executive committee, led by Intero President and CEO Gino Blefari, provides strategic guidance. All members of the Intero community – executives, staff and agents – donate their time to further the Foundation?s mission.

PELLA, IA - April 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Sun., April 17, episode of ABC television network’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (EMHE) will include energy-efficient Pella windows and doors donated by Pella Windows & Doors. The episode will air at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on ABC-TV.

Incline Village, NV - April 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With a firm footing in both the Lake Tahoe and the Reno real estate markets, Chase International realtor Sandi Solomonson was the perfect choice to discuss current housing trends on a regionally televised talk show. As a guest on Lawyers, Guns and Money, Solomonson’s television debut will be aired on Reno’s KRNV on April 24, 4:30 p.m., channel 4 and Tuesday, April 26, 10:30 p.m., channel 3.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced his appointment of 10 outstanding professionals to posts in the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHDC) and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Board of Trustees.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) issued the following statement regarding agreements reached between federal regulators and mortgage servicers addressing improper and fraudulent mortgage servicing practices.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing is collecting entries for a competition to recognize leadership and creativity in the provision of housing for America’s working families.

HOUSTON, TX - April 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Del Webb Sweetgrass, a community for active adults over the age of 55, welcomed 3,000 visitors during its grand opening weekend event. That number of prospective homebuyers in one day is typically seen over the course of several months in other communities in the Greater Houston area. The result of the high traffic and visitors since its grand opening has resulted in more than half of the new home sites being sold out in the neighborhood’s first phase.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency today announced formal enforcement actions against eight national bank mortgage servicers and two third-party servicer providers for unsafe and unsound practices related to residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing.

Franklin, TN - April 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the first apartments of the new 428-unit luxury community at the intersection of Carothers Pkwy. and E. McEwen Dr. expected to be complete this summer, MAA and Crescent Resources have named the community The Venue at Cool Springs.

New York, NY - April 13, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE: SLG) today announced the refinancing of 3 Columbus Circle and repayment of the $250 million acquisition bridge loan that was originated in January 2011 by SL Green and Deutsche Bank. The new five-year $260 million mortgage loan, provided by The Bank of China, has an earn-out option that increases the loan up to $300 million upon achievement of certain performance thresholds

Scotsman Guide Releases Top Originators 2010 Rankings Brookfield, WI - April 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) — Inlanta Mortgage congratulates its Pewaukee Branch Manager, Jim Snyder, for his ranking as a Scotsman Guide 2010 Top Originator. Jim was ranked #106 in Loans Closed and #161 in Total Volume.

April 121, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A report released today by NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy finds that the housing crisis has taken a toll on New York City’s multi-family rental properties. The report, the State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods 2010, also examines commuting patterns within the city, highlights new data on subsidized rental housing, and shows housing and demographic trends in each of the city’s 59 community districts.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 121, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- National consumer, civil rights, and labor groups ask bank regulators to withdraw the proposed consent orders issued to the nation’s mortgage servicers and to work with the state Attorneys General and United States Department of Justice to obtain a joint settlement that addresses illegal servicing practices in a meaningful manner.

CHICAGO, IL - April 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Luxury Portfolio International™, the luxury face of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, is proud to welcome six new brokerage members and four new developments to its’ luxury brand during the first quarter of 2011. The positive signs indicated by the program growth show a commitment to high end space as well as Luxury Portfolio’s success in helping its members market their listings through innovative technology and tools not offered by other luxury real estate networks.

DETROIT, MI - April 8, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc., announced the completion of the purchase of Chase Tower, a 505,000 square foot, 14-story high rise office building occupying a full city block at the foot of Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit’s central business district

LAKE TAHOE, NV - April 8, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homes around Lake Tahoe experienced a 29 percent jump in average price, according to a quarterly report released by Chase International real estate. The figures compare sales and home prices from first quarter 2011 to first quarter 2010.The average price of a home in Lake Tahoe rose to $937,501 and the median is $564,500 (an 11 percent drop). Sales volume is up 23 percent and units sold is up six percent.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its February 2011 loan modification data, which shows that an estimated 87,000 homeowners received permanent, affordable loan modifications from mortgage servicers for the month.

Boston, MA - April 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A group of major national and local philanthropies today announced the creation of a nonprofit organization to engage, educate, and support funders committed to ending homelessness in America. Funders Together to End Homelessness, started in 2004 as an affinity group of foundation and corporate funders, is now an independent organization of private philanthropies whose mission is to increase funders’ investments in solutions proven to end homelessness. The national organization’s Board of Directors includes representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Fannie Mae, the Melville Charitable Trust, and seven other foundations active in ending homelessness in communities across the country.

IRVINE, CA - April 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Manny Gonzalez, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, CAASH and principal of KTGY Group is a keynote speaker on the Multifamily Conference CEO Series on MultifamilyBiz.com, "Designed For Success: Today's 50+ Apartment Communities," which went live on April 5, 2011. This lively, fast-paced 60-minute FREE On-Demand Digital Media Webcast brings to focus what you need to know about the growing 50+ market. Property management expert Ernest F. Oriente of PowerHour® and multifamily technology innovator Kerry W. Kirby, CEO of 365 Connect and MultifamilyBiz.com are the moderators during this free MultifamilyBiz.com + PowerHour Webcast

Washington, DC - April 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The NAACP will announce the opening of the NAACP Financial Freedom Center, the next phase of an historic agreement with Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) to provide financial education and banking resources to consumers. The Center will be the headquarters of the NAACP Financial Freedom Campaign, an initiative to influence change in the banking industry, prevent unfair mortgage lending practices, protect the community against predatory mortgage lending practices, improve fair credit access, and promote sustainable homeownership, financial education and wealth building strategies in historically disadvantaged communities. The agreement with Wells Fargo and NAACP was initiated last year, and also includes a process for sharing data, assessing Wells Fargo's lending and servicing practices, and shared accountability for progress.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) today launched "Las Opciones de los Casas," a teleseries for the Spanish-speaking community 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. Through a partnership with Univision, the teleseries debuted as a television broadcast in Miami on March 28, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Fannie Mae's South Florida Mortgage Help Center. Las Opciones de Los Casas, part of the Company's "Know Your Options™" initiative to help struggling homeowners, is now available on www.conozcasusopciones.com.

ATLANTA, GA - April 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced today the openings of three new Staybridge Suites hotels, all featuring the new innovative design created by Savannah College of Art and Design's (SCAD) interior design students. Home to one of the top five interior-design programs in the country, the school partnered with IHG to completely refresh the Staybridge Suites standardized room-décor packages.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Positioning a city as progressive and innovative in the post-recession economy is, perhaps more than ever before, requiring public officials to “think and act like entrepreneurs” to maximize the economic development potential of anchor institutions such as higher education and medical facilities, alternative energy-related industries, and biotechnology firms, according to a new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

WASHINGTON, DC - April 1, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled “Public Proposals for the Future of the Housing Finance System.” The hearing was part of the Committee’s ongoing discussion regarding the future of the American housing finance system.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise) today launched the Enterprise Community Impact Note to provide an easy way for individuals and organizations to invest in green affordable housing. The innovative financial product raises money from investors to build or preserve affordable housing and community enhancing projects, while providing financial returns that rival those of traditional CDs.

March 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Office of Finance is announcing the publication of the 2010 Combined Financial Report (CFR) of the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks). This report has been prepared from the audited financial information of the 12 FHLBanks. Each of the 12 FHLBanks has filed its 2010 Form 10-K with the SEC. Current financial reports and other SEC filings for individual FHLBanks can be obtained by searching the EDGAR database.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Small business owners with eligible commercial real estate mortgages maturing after Dec. 31, 2012, will be able to secure more stable, long-term financing through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s temporary 504 refinancing program as a result of a change that will be published in The Federal Register by April 6.

AUSTIN, TX - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While the overall residential real estate market is still down, sales of vacation homes fared better than sales of primary residences and investment properties in 2010. In fact, some consumers found low real estate prices, attractive mortgage rates and the potential for price appreciation compelling enough reasons to buy more than half a million vacation homes last year, according to proprietary research commissioned by HomeAway, Inc. as part of the National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) 2011 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) issued the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 839 to eliminate the failed Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), which is funded by $30 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) money.

VIENNA, VA - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today released its analysis of suspicious activity reports (SARs) that call attention to possible fraud in the commercial real estate financing arena. The analysis, Commercial Real Estate Financing Fraud Suspicious Activity Reports by Depository Institutions, found that reported incidences of suspicious activity in commercial real estate financing as reported by depository institutions filing SARs almost tripled between 2007 and 2010, the period which FinCEN examined.