Laws & Taxes

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

MADISON, WI - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today joined federal and state officials to crack down on loan modification and foreclosure relief scams, including against two California-based companies that took money from distressed Wisconsin homeowners."

HARRISBURG, PA - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Consumer protection lawsuits were filed today against four loan modification or "mortgage rescue" businesses, along with their officers, who are accused of deceiving Pennsylvania consumers seeking help modifying their mortgage loans.

WALTHAM, MA - November 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up over 17 percent compared to October 2008 as buyers made sure to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer before it was set to expire. Condominium sales also were up 17 percent. Median prices were down 2.6 percent compared to last year, while condominium median prices were down 4.0 percent. October pending sales (homes put under agreement) were up 27 percent from the same time last year. This is the fifth straight month of increases.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has introduced legislation giving Midwestern disaster victims more time to benefit from tax relief intended to help them repair or replace their devastated homes.

LANSING, MI - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) Board this week approved a $7.2 million tax credit for the NSO Bell project expected to invest $50 million in Detroit, State Senator Martha G. Scott (D-Highland Park) announced.

Bi-partisan measure will cut cost of renewable energy, create jobs. Washington, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Betsy Markey was today joined by Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN) in introducing the Renewable Electricity Integration Tax Credit Act (REITC), which will provide a tax credit for utilities to integrate more wind and solar into their energy portfolios.

Bi-partisan measure will cut cost of renewable energy, create jobs. Washington, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Betsy Markey was today joined by Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN) in introducing the Renewable Electricity Integration Tax Credit Act (REITC), which will provide a tax credit for utilities to integrate more wind and solar into their energy portfolios.

Bi-partisan measure will cut cost of renewable energy, create jobs. Washington, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Betsy Markey was today joined by Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN) in introducing the Renewable Electricity Integration Tax Credit Act (REITC), which will provide a tax credit for utilities to integrate more wind and solar into their energy portfolios.

Washington, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Betsy Markey today announced that nearly $100 million has been awarded to NextEra Energy Resources to expand the Northern Colorado Wind Energy farm in Peetz, Colorado. Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in lieu of a production tax credit, the award will allow quicker job creation in the near term and investment in infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits.

Washington, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Betsy Markey today announced that nearly $100 million has been awarded to NextEra Energy Resources to expand the Northern Colorado Wind Energy farm in Peetz, Colorado. Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in lieu of a production tax credit, the award will allow quicker job creation in the near term and investment in infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Illinois home sales took a double-digit jump in October as buyers took advantage of unprecedented buyer-market conditions with record low mortgage interest rates, affordable home prices and the federal first-time homebuyer tax credit. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report, statewide total home sales (which include single-family and condominiums) in October 2009 reached 10,986 homes sold, up 24.2 percent from October 2008 sales of 8,846. The Illinois median price in October 2009 was $157,000 down 7.6 percent from $170,000 in October 2008. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less

Leesburg, VA - November 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Loudoun County Treasurer, H. Roger Zurn, Jr., reminds taxpayers that the deadline for payment of the second half real property tax is Monday, December 7, 2009.

ALEXANDRIA, VA - November 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Godwin Asifo, 55, of Woodbridge, Va., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for running a mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in the foreclosure of at least three homes in northern Virginia.

Morrisville, PA - November 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8th District) joined local realtors and homebuyers to announce the expansion of the first-time homebuyer tax credit to help more hardworking families in Bucks County and across the country achieve the American dream by owning their own home.

ALBANY, NY - November 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Andrew T. Baxter, United States Attorney, Patricia J. Haynes, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (New York Field Office), John F. Pikus, Special Agent in Charge, Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Robert Bethel, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, announce that KEVIN M. O’CONNELL, age 35, of Albany,

Saint Paul, MN - November 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Property tax levies will increase an average of 3.5 percent statewide if proposed local tax levies are adopted later this year, the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced today. This compares to last year’s increase of 5.6 percent and an average increase of 6.9 percent during the past three years.

November 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Recently President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which: - Provides a tax credit equal to 10 percent of the sales price of the home, up to a maximum credit of $8,000.

CHICAGO, IL - November 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Thirty-four Illinois homeowners were made whole this month when the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) repaid all the money lost from their escrow funds earlier this year. The homeowners were in default for taxes and insurance coverage after Chicago-based American Escrow, LLC went out of business without making the obligatory property tax and insurance payments from their escrow accounts.

Albany, NY - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Judiciary Committee Chair Helene Weinstein, Banks Committee Chair Darryl Towns and Housing Committee Chair Vito Lopez today announced the passage of a measure that strengthens current foreclosure law to protect homeowners and tenants

Hampton Bays, NY - November 13, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Tim Bishop was joined by first time homebuyers and a local realtor and contractor to demonstrate the how the $8000 first-time homebuyer tax credit is helping turn around Long Island’s economy.

COLUMBUS, OH - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- At the soon-to-be new home of Mike Decker and Katie Arends, who used the first-time homebuyer federal tax credit to build their first house, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today discussed how the newly extended federal tax credit can help other Columbus community members purchase new homes.

November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on a new report saying that a $400 tax credit provided by the economic stimulus plan may leave more than 15.4 million Americans owing money to the IRS because of under-withholding from their paychecks. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) today released its review of the IRS’ administration of the making work pay credit. Recent reports have documented administrative problems with the homebuyer tax credit and the existing health care tax credit

Louisville, KY - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) was joined by Louisville Realtors, representatives from the Home Builders Association of Louisville, and local homeowners and recent homebuyers to announce that more Louisvillians than ever are eligible for a homebuyer’s tax credit.

Washington, D.C. - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Kevin McCarthy joined House colleagues in cosponsoring bipartisan legislation, the Small Business and Military Family Assistance Act (H.R. 4042), that would extend a tax credit for small businesses that pay differential wages to their employees who are Armed Forces servicemembers and have been called up to active duty.