RealEstateRama

NORFOLK, VA - July 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The changing real estate landscape has consumers rethinking the way they approach the home search process. To accommodate consumers, ForRent.com, anchor website for For Rent Media SolutionsTM, a division of Dominion Enterprises, has announced the launch of its exclusive partnership with newly redesigned Homes.com. Through this partnership, consumers searching for a place to live have more options to review during their online search process.

Expansion plans in place to originate loans in 35 states by the end of 2010. MILFORD, CT - July 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total Mortgage Services, LLC, a leading mortgage lender and broker, announced today that it has formally launched its wholesale residential mortgage lending platform, TMS Funding, in 17 states across the United States. TMS Funding, which will compliment Total Mortgage’s successful retail lending platform, will offer mortgage brokers greater choice, service, efficiency and some of the lowest mortgage rates available

CHICAGO, IL - July 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- General Growth Properties, Inc. (NYSE: GGP), one of the country’s premier shopping mall owners and developers, and Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL), the world’s leading integrated financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate, have established a long-term strategic alliance through which Jones Lang LaSalle acquired the management and leasing responsibilities for the properties in GGP’s third-party management division. The portfolio of 18 regional shopping malls and community centers in 11 states adds more than 11 million square feet to Jones Lang LaSalle’s retail portfolio of 84 million square feet in the Americas and 265 million square feet worldwide. In addition, through the strategic alliance, the two firms will work together to pursue opportunities for Jones Lang LaSalle to provide additional third-party services to new and existing clients.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Property managers tightly controlled operating expenses throughout 2009, according to the 2010 Experience Exchange Report (EER), released by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International in collaboration with Kingsley Associates. Analysis of operating income and expense data from “same buildings”—those who submitted data in both 2009 and 2010, whose total rentable area did not change by more than 10 percent and whose occupancy did not change by more than 15 percent—reveals that total operating expenses for U.S. private sector buildings declined by a little more than one percent. The decrease in total operating expenses illustrates what commercial real estate managers have noted all year: there is considerable pressure to reduce operating expenses and maintain strong net operating income. Rental income for all U.S. private sector buildings increased marginally, up one percent in 2009. For U.S. private sector downtown buildings, rental income increased 2.5 percent in 2009.

New York, NY - July 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC), the NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and BRP Development announced an innovative $45 million real estate transaction to develop much-needed affordable housing and retail space in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. To be built under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan (NHMP), the new mixed-use, mixed-income project, called “The Bradford,” will include 105 apartments for low- and middle-income families.

Washington, D.C. - July 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Door and Hardware Institute (DHI) announced that is has joined the ConsensusDOCS coalition, which creates standard contract documents for use by all participants in the construction industry

Washington, D.C. - July 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced 43 cutting-edge research projects that aim to dramatically improve how the U.S. uses and produces energy. Funded with $92 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today's selections focus on accelerating innovation in green technology while increasing America's competitiveness in grid scale energy storage, power electronics and building efficiency

NORFOLK, VA - July 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- ForRent.com, a leading resource for apartment searches nationwide and a division of Dominion Enterprises, has announced the launch of its free iPad application. The application, which mimics a realistic apartment search experience for prospective renters, is available for download in the iTunes store today.

LOS GATOS, CA - July 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sereno Group Real Estate has been ranked as the top work place in the greater Bay Area by the Bay Area News Group in their prestigious TOP WORKPLACES 2010 list, an annual profile of the top 60 places to work in the Bay Area’s five counties.“We are extremely honored to be included on the list of top workplaces, let alone to be ranked as the number one company,” said Chris Trapani, President and CEO of Sereno Group, “We were all so pleased and humbled when we received the news. It is a tremendous testament to everyone who works at the Sereno Group and contributes to our ongoing journey. It’s even more gratifying to note that this nomination was initiated and driven by our sales force and support staff and was not the result of a corporate initiative.”

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - July 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home prices in Lake Tahoe are beginning to level off and the high-end market is looking lively, according to a mid-year analysis by Chase International.The average home price was up two percent ($899,515) while the median dropped only one percent ($530,681). The slight changes mark the first time the Lake Tahoe real estate market hasn’t experienced a significant drop in home prices since the end of 2007. The report compares sales and figures from January 1 through June 30, 2009 to the first two quarters of 2010.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - July 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Reno-Sparks saw a 16 percent increase in homes sold in the first half of 2010 and experienced an eight percent decrease in average and median prices, according to Chase International’s mid-year report. Carson Valley experienced a 21 percent increase in homes sold.“A lot of first-time home-buyers took advantage of the federal tax credit,” said Sue Lowe, corporate vice president of Chase International. “There’s been a lot of movement in the last six months and while prices are still down, inventory is going down, so we’re hoping to see things flatten out soon.”

July 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans Inc., today announced a growing business in his family of companies, In-House Realty LLC, will move from its suburban Livonia office to Detroit. In-House Realty will occupy space in the Compuware Building beginning this August, along with Quicken Loans, the nation’s largest online retail mortgage lender, and Fathead Inc., the leading brand in sports and entertainment graphic wall products, both of whom previously announced their move to downtown Detroit.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - July 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Claimants of insurance companies that provide highly satisfying property claims experiences are considerably more likely to renew with their insurer and recommend their insurer to others, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Home Claims Satisfaction Study^SM released today

Atlanta, GA - July 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Southern Living magazine has been highlighting unique off-the-beaten path southern towns for decades. For more than 20 years, Southern Living has built its Idea Houses on the lake, on the beach and in town to cover the many interests of its more than 16 million readers.

Washington, D.C. - July 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Services Roundtable supports the passage of H.R. 5623 the “Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010”. The legislation will extend the deadline for closing a home sale in order to be eligible for the first-time homebuyer tax credit, until October 1, 2010. The new extension becomes effective and applies to residencies purchased after June 30, 2010. The bill will enable consumers who have signed a contract to purchase a home to complete the transaction and utilize the credit

July 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association is proud to announce the first class of members who have met all the qualifications and have received their Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional designations

WASHINGTON, DC - July 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Eligible taxpayers who contracted to buy a home, qualifying for the first-time homebuyer credit, before the end of April now have until Sept. 30, 2010 to close the deal, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Raleigh, NC - July 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Building designers, facility managers and construction professionals will want to be in attendance at the RCI 2010 Symposium on Building Envelope Technology, November 8-9, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency on the Riverwalk at Paseo Del Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE LoanPort™, the groundbreaking new web-based housing counselor tool that streamlines the submission of completed loan modification applications, announced today that 62 additional housing counseling offices are now live on its system and able to submit loan modification applications directly to participating mortgage servicers

July 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Despite four years of declining U.S. housing starts, the structural insulated panel (SIP) industry has avoided the full force of the economic recession, according to a recent survey conducted by the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA). Results indicate that the industry experienced a modest 12 percent decrease in residential production volume in 2009, compared to a 28 percent drop in U.S. single family housing starts over the same time period

Washington, DC - June 30, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) introduced legislation today to reinstate federal unemployment insurance benefits and extend the purchase closing date for new homebuyers to qualify for tax credits.

Brooklyn, NY - June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- It was announced today that more than 50 percent of the 340 residences at 184 Kent have been leased. The new luxury rental building, which is located on Williamsburg’s waterfront between North Third and North Fourth streets along the East River, began leasing in February. Since then, there’s been strong demand for the property’s spacious lofts, which come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations.

June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- To all 2010 Housing Tax Credit Contribution (“HTCC”) program applicants: The Governor signed Senate Bill 501 "An Act Concerning the Real Estate Conveyance Tax, the Conveyance of Certain Parcels of State Land, Adjustments to Certain Programs Implemented through the Department of Social Services, a Report on Tax Credits, Juvenile Justice, Absentee Voting by Members of Military, Revisions to Various Task Forces, Commissions and Councils, and Amendments and Minor and Technical Changes to Certain Special and Public Acts of the 2010 Regular Session.”

WASHINGTON, DC - June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service has awarded $4 million in Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program grants designed to aid veterans "at risk" of homelessness. The 16 grants will serve more than 1,400 formerly incarcerated veterans in 13 states.

Washington, DC - June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Commissioner Gennet Purcell, Esq., of the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) today announced the indictment of Renaldo D. Gillis and Afolasade Orekoya for their leadership in an extensive mortgage fraud “flipping” scheme in the District of Columbia after a joint investigation with federal law enforcement

Washington, DC - June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Americans have faced the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Millions have lost their jobs, businesses have failed, housing prices have dropped, and savings were wiped out.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With mortgage interest rates at their lowest levels since World War II, a plentiful housing stock and prices still low, buying a home may now be easier for many Americans than it has been in years.“Buying a home is the single largest investment that most people will make in their lifetime,” said ABA Executive Vice President Robert Davis. “So it’s important to take an honest look at your budget first to see what you can afford.”

WASHINGTON, DC - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced the first nine loan pool originators authorized by the agency to assemble and sell pools of 504 program first mortgage loans, a major step to jump-starting a secondary market that should make fixed asset financing more widely available for small businesses.

NEW YORK, NY - June 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new study of New York low-income housing released today proves affordable housing development fuels economic gains in distressed neighborhoods. The study, commissioned by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) shows affordable housing development is a proven economic stimulus that can expand neighborhood spending power, raise surrounding property values and help low-income families stabilize their economic outlook. Enterprise and LISC released this report based on data analysis done by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University and independent consultants.

WASHINGTON, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- During a keynote address to The Atlantic's inaugural Future of the City Forum in Washington, D.C., U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced that HUD is launching a $100 million Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program, the first of its kind designed to create stronger, more sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy.