Laws & Taxes

Bill Updates Income Tax Code for Solar Power, Offers Tax Credit for Homeowners who Invest in Community Solar Projects. Washington, D.C. - March 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A month ago, U.S. Senator Mark Udall had the opportunity to spend a week listening to Coloradans' ideas for how to strengthen the state's economy during a visit to the Western Slope and at an Energy Jobs Summit he co-sponsored in Aurora. He heard firsthand from business leaders and citizens about ways he could partner with Colorado communities to create jobs and strengthen the clean energy economy. And today, Senator Udall rolled out the first of a package of clean-energy job-creation bills based on those ideas - specifically an idea he heard during a visit to Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs

PLANO, TX - March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that 40 individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with a major mortgage fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Senate extended a property tax relief law originally authored by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

March 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the filing date for federal and state income taxes one month away, Montgomery County’s Community Action Board recommends that consumers avoid Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs). These highly advertised loans can subject consumers to high interest rates, additional fees and repayment risks.

New York, NY - March 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Office is warning the public to remain on the lookout for scams involving real estate and rental properties.

Raleigh - March 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Roy Cooper got consent judgments this week against two of the defendants in the Village of Penland real estate scheme, Richard Amelung and J. Kevin Foster

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - March 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) issued a statement following yesterday's release of a clean audit of his office performed by State Auditor Susan Montee's office.

Cleveland, OH - March 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- CABOR will join REALTORR organizations across the country to celebrate the first-ever REALTORR Nationwide Open House weekend on April 10 and 11, 2010. According to Chairman of the Board of Directors for CABOR, George J. Pofok, CCIM, SIOR, the purpose of the countrywide campaign is to increase awareness of the benefits of buying a home, give sellers an opportunity to increase exposure of their home for sale and spread the word about the expanded first-time homebuyer tax credit, which ends April 30, 201

LAS VEGAS, NV - March 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A man who owned and operated numerous now-defunct Nevada investment companies, and two of his former employees, were indicted by the federal grand jury today on mortgage fraud charges, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Washington, DC - March 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Loebsack sent a letter today to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urging her to bring legislation to the floor that will ensure Iowans are not barred from tax credits due to requirements that penalize married couples. The issue was brought to his attention after a married couple in Iowa found that they were ineligible for the expanded First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit due a loophole that requires both spouses to meet the same criteria

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - March 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) and Attorney General Chris Koster announced today they had reached a $303,000 settlement in a lawsuit against Sprint over uncashed and unclaimed rebate checks. Treasurer Zweifel said his office had already added more than 3,600 Missourians affected by the lawsuit to ShowMeMoney.com. Thirty-six states signed on to the $22 million settlement. As a result, thousands of people will be able to claim their rebate checks and put money back in their pockets.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) --Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a longtime champion of providing assistance to low-income families to heat their homes, today began an effort to request full funding for this critical program for the next fiscal year. Markey joined with other key lawmakers to circulate a letter to all 435 House Members seeking signatures on a joint letter to the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, urging that at least $5.1 billion be provided to support the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program in 2011, as well as nearly $600 million in additional emergency funds for 2011.“

Harrisburg, PA - March 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- In an effort to provide property tax relief to Pennsylvania’s disabled veterans, Rep. Thomas P. Murt (R-Montgomery/Philadelphia) is joining with Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Lehigh/Berks) to introduce a pair of bills designed to help disabled veterans.

RICHMOND, VA - February 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Robert S. Capehart, 55, of Richmond, Va., pled guilty to committing a $2.3 million mail fraud on banks and investors over a six year period.

New York, NY- February 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, JOSEPH M. DEMAREST JR., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"),

Pittsburgh, PA - February 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced today, February 16, 2010, that Jason Jester, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to five years of probation, including four months of home detention, on his conviction of wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme.

Albany, NY - February 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal announced today that New York leads all other states in disbursing Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) funds included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Cincinnati, OH - February 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Ohio Treasury announced that it will partner with U.S. Bank to offer the Energy Conservation for Ohioans (ECO-LINK) program to help Ohioans save money as they make their homes more energy efficient.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - February 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy committee unanimously approved a measure on Tuesday that would make changes to the property tax billing process. State Senator Frank Mrvan (D-Hammond), who is co-sponsoring House Bill (HB) 1059 in the Senate, says the measure would provide property taxpayers with proper notice of the tax amount due on their properties and maintain a consistent schedule for bills.

Richmond, VA - February 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- If you have made improvements to your home designed for increased accessibility, livability and visitability, you may qualify for Virginia’s Livable Homes Tax Credit (LHTC)

HARRISBURG, PA - February 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Foreclosure relief checks totaling more than $2.7 million have been mailed to several hundred Pennsylvania consumers as part of a multi-state settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation.

February 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Historic Preservation Office architect Bryan Lijewski will meet with Monroe property owners and developers at a free workshop on Thursday, February 18. The event is being presented by the Monroe Historic District Commission.

WALTHAM, MA - February 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) today announced that members reported solid improvement in market conditions over January 2009 according to results of its new Massachusetts REALTOR® Market Index (RMI). The monthly Massachusetts RMI quantifies the opinions of members who are working with buyers and sellers each day in the Massachusetts real estate market.

HOUSTON, TX - February 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal jury found David Vasser, 61, a Houston area resident, and Shirely Adger, 52, a Dallas area resident, guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

New York, NY - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City Industrial Development Agency (NYCIDA) approved an incentive package that will help Hindustan Granites Inc. acquire and renovate a 31,000-square-foot industrial facility in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - February 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Senate Appropriations committee voted 9 to 2 Thursday to approve House Bill (HB) 1021 sponsored by State Senator John Broden (D-South Bend) that would allow for exemptions to be made in bankruptcy matters. The bill would allow a debtor's Indiana Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to be considered exempt property under the bankruptcy property exemption statute

Albany, NY - February 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. David A. Paterson’s proposed cuts to the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax in his 21-day budget amendments are inadequate and New York’s 54,000 REALTORS strongly oppose shifting the cost to workers and businesses from one part of the MTA region to another.

PORTLAND, OR - February 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Joel D. Surprenant, 43, of West Linn, Oregon, pled guilty today to the crime of bank fraud. Surprenant is scheduled to appear again before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones on May 12, 2010, for sentencing on these charges.

Trenton, NJ - February 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce and Conference Leader Jon Bramnick both lauded Gov. Christie’s choice of former state Sen. Marcia Karrow to chair the newly formed Housing Opportunity Task Force that will study issues surrounding the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and its third round rules.

TRENTON, N.J. - February 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- For first-time homebuyers thinking of buying their first home in New Jersey, the combined incentive and mortgage programs from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) and the federal government have never been better.