Mortgage

WASHINGTON, DC - January 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $707,096 National Emergency Grant increment to continue to provide services to about 600 workers affected by the closure of the Taylor, Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Corp. and its subsidiary companies

WATERBURY, CT - January 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Mortgage Network (REMN), a national mortgage lender based in River Edge, N.J., is pleased to announce the addition of Marion Szarzynski to its growing team as a mortgage loan originator in Connecticut. While Szarzynski will be a part of REMN’s Derby office, she’ll be working remotely from a satellite office in Naugatuck to better handle the needs of new and existing home owners, real estate professionals and residential builders in the Waterbury area.

DERBY, CT - January 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Mortgage Network, Inc. (REMN), a national mortgage lender based in River Edge, N.J., announced today the opening of its first Connecticut branch in the town of Derby and the addition of Lou Gaetano as the office’s branch manager.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 31, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Eliminating the deductions for mortgage interest and real estate taxes would raise taxes disproportionately for middle-class households and make the tax system less progressive, according to a new study from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).The study also concludes that the benefits of these deductions are collected primarily by middle-class taxpayers, with incomes between $50,000 and $200,000, and that greater benefits are earned by larger households and families, such as those with children

Las Vegas, NV - January 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Who says that history doesn’t repeat itself? In September 1929, the Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew W. Mellon made the following announcement, “There is no cause to worry. The high tide of prosperity will continue.” One month later, Wall Street experienced the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States. The crash signaled the beginning of the 12 year Great Depression that affected all Western industrialized countries.

WOODSTOWN, N.J. - January 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) joined local officials today to celebrate the completion of Freedom Village, an affordable housing community located on Woodstown-Alloway Road in Woodstown. The HMFA, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), provided $2 million in permanent financing to the project from the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund and also awarded federal tax credits and tax credit subsidies. The DCA committed housing vouchers from the State Rental Assistance Program to assist with the project’s operations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today, pledging to work together to protect Illinois servicemembers from excessive mortgage fees and foreclosure. Recent news reports have raised concerns that servicemembers are being overcharged for the mortgages and foreclosed upon in violation of their legal rights. Durbin asked Quinn to do all that he can to ensure servicemembers are aware of their rights and the resources available to them.

HOUSTON, TX - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, a jury sitting in United States District Judge Sim Lake’s Courtroom found Vincent Wallace Aldridge, former fee attorney for First Southwestern Title Company and attorney for Aldridge and Associates, along with Tori Elyse Aldridge, a former employee of First Southwestern Title Company and Gilbert Barry Isgar, a co-owner of Waterford Homes, guilty of charges of wire fraud and money laundering in a scheme to defraud residential mortgage lenders of more than $3.7 million in loans in connection with home purchases in the Houston area, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today along with FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard C. Powers and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Rodney E. Clarke.

Washington, DC - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency today reported that the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders, used as an index in some ARM contracts, was 4.58 percent based on loans closed in November. This is an increase of 0.16 percent from the previous month.

DETROIT, MI - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Madison Theatre Building LLC, a new partnership formed by Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc., announced it has completed the purchase of the historic Madison Building, located at 1555 Broadway Street in downtown Detroit. The building was originally designed by architect C. Howard Crane and constructed in 1917 as part of the Madison Theater complex.

Sanford, ME - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Reliant Mortgage Company of Sanford, ME has announced that it has been named the #1 Mortgage Company of the Greater Sanford/Springvale area for 2011.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today conducted its annual State of the Real Estate Finance Industry Media Conference Call. The call featured MBA representatives discussing the state of the industry, MBA's legislative and regulatory agenda for 2011 (including Dodd-Frank Act Implementation, GSE/secondary market reform, tax reform and residential loan servicing) and MBA's new three-year macro-economic and mortgage finance/housing forecasts.The speakers included: Michael Berman, Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, John Courson, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, Jay Brinkmann, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Gail Cardwell, Senior Vice President of Commercial and Multifamily, Bill Killmer, Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs, and Steve O'Connor, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Industry Relations.

McLean, VA - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) which shows long- and short-term rates rising this week

NEW YORK, N.Y. - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates showed little movement again this week, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate nosing higher to 4.97 percent according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.44 discount and origination points.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The recent launch of Brookstone Law PC’s Emergency Extension Department (EED) (www.brookstone-law.com), a new resource to help homeowners facing foreclosure keep their homes, achieved timely results for two local seniors by stopping the sale of their home the day before it was scheduled to be sold

FORT WAYNE, IN - January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller was in Fort Wayne today with Allen County Superior Court Judge Nancy Boyer to discuss a new foreclosure prevention effort to ensure borrowers' legal rights are fully protected and mortgage lenders follow the law.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 21, 2011. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 12.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 12.0 percent compared with the previous week. The results do not include an adjustment for the Martin Luther King holiday.

McLean, VA - January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today issued the company's Monthly Volume Summary for December 2010. The summary, available on the company’s Web site at www.FreddieMac.com/investors/volsum, provides information on Freddie Mac’s mortgage-related portfolios, securities issuance, risk management and delinquencies. Beginning in January 2011, Freddie Mac began publishing pool-level delinquency disclosures on its single-family PC and Giant PC securities on the company’s Web site, www.FreddieMac.com/mbs. As a result, Tables 9 and 10 are no longer included in the Monthly Volume Summary.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) released the following statement today regarding today’s New York Times report on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac legal defense fees:

Anderson, IN - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Deputy Attorney General Abigail Kuzma will be at the Anderson Public Library in January to hold a free settlement conference preparation seminar that is open to the public. Homeowners who are looking for information on foreclosure prevention and professionals in the housing industry including counselors, and realtors are invited and encouraged to attend.

LOS ANGELES, CA - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Tacoma, Washington man has been found guilty of federal fraud charges for running a scheme that defrauded the owners of distressed homes by promising to delay or prevent foreclosure through a program that supposedly used notes backed by Treasury bonds to pay off mortgages.

MILFORD, CT - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Total Mortgage Services, LLC, a leading mortgage lender, announced today the hiring of Lisa Schreiber as the Company’s new head of its wholesale lending channel TMS Funding. In her new role, as Executive Vice President Wholesale Lending of TMS Funding, Ms. Schreiber will be responsible for defining and implementing the Company’s vision, strategy and day to day execution to build TMS Funding into a leading nationwide wholesale lender. Ms. Schreiber will report directly to John Walsh, President of Total Mortgage and be based in Milford, CT

BUFFALO, NY - January 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Steven Carlson, 52, of Jamestown, New York, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, to evading the payment of taxes and mortgage fraud. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both

TRENTON, NJ - January 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that a former employee of the Essex County Division of Welfare was sentenced today for falsifying employment records in order to qualify for a $357,050 loan to buy a home in Newark

Destin, FL - January 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Almost half of U.S. homeowners say they’ll walk away from their mortgages if home prices continue to fall. That’s according to a new survey conducted by online real estate forecasting firm Housing Predictor.

Washington, DC - January 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Trade Commission has launched the website and blog for National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2011, to be held March 6-12. The annual event, now in its 13th year, is hosted by the FTC and nearly 30 other government agencies, consumer groups, and national organizations. The website, www.ncpw.gov, provides information about consumer rights, and promotes free resources to help consumers protect their privacy, manage credit and debt, avoid identity theft, understand mortgages, and recognize frauds and scams.

WORCESTER. MA - January 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A former mortgage broker has been sentenced to serve time in State Prison in connection with creating false or misleading bank documents that were then used to obtain fraudulent mortgage loans in the millions of dollars, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office announced today.“This case paints a clear picture of the abuse and fraud that was perpetrated in the banking industry by individuals who sought to take advantage of the housing market to make some fast cash,” AG Coakley said. “We are pleased that the court recognized the serious nature of these crimes, and our office will continue to prosecute those who try to game the system.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates showed little movement this week, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate nosing higher to 4.95 percent according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.4 discount and origination points.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On January 26, The Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness (also known as the Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness), Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), numerous nonprofit and governmental agencies, and several faith-based organizations will join forces to conduct their Point-in-Time Count, a “snapshot” taken during one specific point in time of the number of unsheltered homeless individuals in the 101 rural counties constituting the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care.

McLean, VA - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®). The survey results showed mixed results for both long- and short-term rates, with the 30-year rising slightly and the 15-year falling just as slightly.