RealEstateRama

June 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Des Plaines, Illinois, June 8, 2010—According to the latest poll conducted by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) on its Web site, the majority (56%) of homeowners cite functionality as their largest concern when it comes to their home

Avondale, AZ - June 3, 2010 - Military families seeking to buy a home can count on a little tax help. The Homebuyers Tax Credit which provides eligible buyers with a tax credit of $8,000 for first time buyers and $6,500 for repeat home buyers ended on April 30, 2010 for civilians.

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - June 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced today the establishment of a new telephone hotline to provide emergency support and resources to homeless Veterans. He made the announcement as he toured the facility at the VA medical center in Canandaigua.

BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK - June 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today launched a landmark $500 million mortgage finance program that will double the number of Palestinian families who are able to purchase homes by offering long-term mortgages that will enable them to enjoy the benefits of home ownership without excessively burdening their monthly incomes

San Antonio, TX - June 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- USAA Real Estate Company, through a co-investment joint venture, announces the acquisition of Wampanoag Plaza, a 225,610 square foot shopping center in East Providence, Rhode Island. New York-based Emmes Asset Management Company sold the property to the joint venture entity on May 28, 2010 for an undisclosed sum

June 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- On May 28th, USAA Real Estate Company acquired The Mondrian at CityPlace, a transit oriented Class-A mixed-use property located in the Uptown neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, from ZOM Cityplace, L.P. The purchase price of the property was not disclosed.

Marketing Agreement Provides Realogy Brands with Access to Global Channel of Vacation Home. Buyers and Sellers and Broadens Selection of Vacation Home Inventory on HomeAwayRealEstate.com. AUSTIN, TX - June 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- HomeAway® Real Estate, the exclusive real estate arm of HomeAway, Inc. and the only online marketplace dedicated to buying and selling vacation homes with rental potential, today announced a marketing agreement with Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services.

Washington, D.C. - June 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today,Congressman Bill Shuster joined local civic leaders in a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the successful completion of renovations to the Emerald Estates housing development in Gallitzin.

NORFOLK, VA - June 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- ForRent.com, a leading apartment search website and a division of Dominion Enterprises, has announced the launch of its new, exclusive partnership with Chicago.com.

Qualified Homeowners Who Are Severely Underwater May Earn Forgiveness of Some Principal Over Three or Five Years. CALABASAS, CA - June 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bank of America has begun implementation of an earned principal forgiveness approach to modifying certain loans eligible for its National Homeownership Retention Program (NHRP). The plan is being offered to homeowners who owe considerably more on their loan than the current value of their home, when the loan is being considered for modification through the government’s Home Affordable Modification Program

Consumers Need Reliable Information to Make Smart Decisions Washington, D.C. - June 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — June is National Homeownership Month and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and the nation’s nearly 8,000 community banks are offering prospective homebuyers the information they need to help them navigate the home-buying process.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 31, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Quicken Loans, the nation’s largest online retail mortgage lender, and its family of companies received the Detroit Tigers Wives “Rookie of the Year” Award at the Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure on Saturday, May 22. The award is presented annually to the largest team participating in the Race for the first time.

CHARLOTTE, NC - May 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bank of America today released the first-year results of its 10-year, $1.5 trillion community development goal to lend and invest in underserved communities. Initiated in 2009 as the largest community development goal ever established by a U.S. financial institution, Bank of America provided $168.2 billion in community development lending and investments primarily benefitting low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities and minority customers in the first year. This result exceeded annual expectations despite adverse economic conditions, and translates, on average, to nearly $667 million every business day throughout the past year.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International announces eight great reasons why the 2010 BOMA International Conference and The Every Building Show®, June 27-29 in Long Beach, Calif., is the premier conference for commercial real estate professionals looking to succeed in challenging market. This year’s conference is a critical opportunity for property professionals to expand their professional networks, get the latest education and bring home innovative solutions that will prepare their businesses for recovery.“The last eighteen months have been among the most volatile periods in the history of commercial real estate. Property professionals are looking for answers about recovery and seeking strategies for succeeding in this new landscape,” commented BOMA International Chair James A. Peck, RPA, FMA, senior director of asset services, CB Richard Ellis. “We have designed this year’s program to address the needs of property and asset managers, engineers and executives. From networking opportunities to best-in-class speakers to unrivaled education, this conference will provide value on every level.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau today released new home sales data for April 2010. Sales of new single-family houses rose 14.8 percent in April to 504,000 units, well above the expectations of 425,000 units and a 3.4 percent monthly increase. New home sales have risen 47.8 percent above their level in April a year ago

WASHINGTON, DC - May 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service today announced a $750,000 grant competition aimed at supporting Department of Labor grantees that provide employment services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of becoming homeless

EUGENE, OR - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is excited to announce today's addition of Jennifer Beck, of Coldwell Banker Residential, to the consistently expanding group of real estate agents and brokers who are updating their business' online presence with IDX Broker software. The customizable Internet Data Exchange (IDX) technology takes raw listing data from the Wasatch Front Regional MLS (WFRMLS) and displays it directly on Beck's own website, giving her the unique ability to combine her own listings with those in surrounding areas. This process allows potential home buyers searching for a new property to examine the real estate market as a whole, rather than see only the houses their Realtor has listed

May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) is pleased to announce the 2010 CHFA-DECD Consolidated Application version 2.3 is now available for the HTCC Program

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- United Properties announces that it has signed a lease with Avtex at Northland Center, formerly Northland Executive Office Center, in Bloomington, Minn. The technology company Avtex will move into its 15,000-sq.-ft. space in fall 2010 from its current location at SouthTech Plaza in Bloomington. With the new lease and other lease extensions, the latest transaction adds a new tenant to the United Properties-owned 465,000-sq.-ft. office complex and brings the occupancy to 87 percent.

Austin, TX - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Leading journalists from The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Bloomberg News, Money magazine, National Real Estate Investor and Better Homes & Gardens, to The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, St Louis Post-Dispatch, Orange County Register, and Kansas City Star are registered for NAREE's 44th Annual Real Estate Conference. Set for June 2-5, the conference is thoughtful mix of news conferences, panels, journalism workshops and field trips

Ace Hardware Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Home Improvement Retailers for a Fourth Consecutive Year. WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home improvement retailers that are customer-focused are better able to attract and retain loyal customers who might have otherwise shopped at a more conveniently located retailer, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction StudySM released today.

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Much attention was paid to the now expired tax credit and the unique opportunity it presented for homebuyers, and rightfully so.

Des Plaines, IL - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing-home sales jumped 6.8 percent in March after three straight months of declines, with first-time homebuyers accounting for 44 percent of existing-home purchases. In preparing to finalize their purchase, these new homeowners will be forced to learn what might seem like a confusing language.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A joint venture of LCOR and USAA Real Estate Company today broke ground for a new office building to be occupied by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) adjacent to the White Flint Metrorail station in North Bethesda

Washington, DC - May 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) released today the names of five organizations which will receive federal grants under the first round of the Financial Education and Counseling (FEC) Pilot Program.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Improving labor market conditions and a strong increase in consumer spending led to solid economic growth according to the May 2010 Economic Outlook released today by Fannie Mae's (FNM/NYSE) Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group. The economy is expected to grow at a 3.5 percent pace for the year but concerns over European sovereign debt and possible long-term effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill bring uncertainty to the overall 2010 forecast. A welcome surge in home sales points to the positive impact of the homebuyer tax credit, although the increase will likely be temporary as incentives wind down. "Strong momentum coming out of the first quarter puts us in the direction of a self-sustaining economic recovery," said Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan. "Consumer spending grew at the fastest pace in three years and the job market posted gains across the board. Home sales grew in March, and will likely increase further in coming months, presumably from buyers rushing to sign contracts before the tax credit deadline at the end of April. We continue to project a pullback in home sales starting in July as the tax credit will likely pull sales forward into the second quarter," said Duncan. "The pace of employment growth and confidence in the labor market will be key factors for a pick up in home sales by the end of the year."

May 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Quicken Loans, the nation’s fourth largest retail lender, today announced the creation of Quicken Loans Mortgage Services (QLMS), a new division servicing the home financing needs of community banks and credit unions across the country

May 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) — WHAT: Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) 1st Quarter 2010 National Delinquency Survey (NDS) Media Conference Call. Conducted quarterly since 1972, MBA’s National Delinquency Survey covers more than 40 million loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties, representing more than 80 percent of all first-lien residential mortgage loans outstanding in the United States.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $27,947,749 in grants to public housing and non-profit agencies across the U.S. that will help public housing residents find employment that lead them toward economic independence. The funding will also link the elderly with supportive services that will allow them to age-in-place. Click here for local funding information.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Assistant Secretary Cathy Zoi of the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy joined leaders from 15 countries and the European Commission today at the first Policy Committee meeting of the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) to promote global collaboration on energy-saving programs and policies. U.S. participation in this partnership, launched at the Group of 8 (G8) Energy Ministers Meeting in Rome in May 2009, continues the Obama Administration’s efforts to forge partnerships among governments to address climate change, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and grow the global clean energy economy.