Mortgage

TALLAHASSEE, FL - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced he has filed a lawsuit against three businesses operating in Miami-Dade County, their principles and affiliated attorneys on allegations of deceptive and unfair trade practices regarding their involvement in a foreclosure rescue scam affecting homeowners nationwide. The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating Kirkland Young LLC, in July after receiving numerous consumer complaints against the company. During the course of the investigation it was discovered that Attorney Aid LLC and ABK Consultants were affiliated with Kirkland Young LLC.

30-Year Industry Veteran Brings Extensive Real Estate Assessment Expertise to Top Appraisal Post. Truckee, CA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Clear Capital, a premium provider of data and solutions for real estate asset valuation, investment and risk assessment, today announced the appointment of Mike Ousley as the company's Executive Vice President, Appraisal Group, reporting to Duane Andrews, Clear Capital CEO, and Kevin Marshall, Clear Capital President.

Program has benefited more than 3,100 first-time home buyers in California. LOS ANGELES, CA - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) today announced it is extending its Mortgage Protection Program (MPP) for first-time home buyers through Dec. 31, 2010. To date, C.A.R. has approved benefits for 3,122 first-time home buyers at no cost to the consumer.

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI - December 22, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- GreenPath Debt Solutions, a nonprofit consumer credit counseling service with seven offices in the greater New York City area, recently released mortgage delinquency data regarding its clients in New York State and New York City

BISMARCK, ND - December 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bank of North Dakota (BND) and the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) are jointly offering a $10 million Rural Mortgage Loan Program, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

MADISON, WI - December 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Stephen P. Sinnott, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the unsealing of a two-count indictment charging Gail L. Mendez, 44, of Sun Prairie, Wis., with bank fraud involving mortgage applications and making false statements in connection with a loan application.

December 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced today the filing of criminal charges against four west suburban men in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme.

Washington, DC - December 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today introduced the WARMER (Warriors Adapting Residences with Mortgages for Energy Renovations) Act to ensure our veterans can finance money-saving energy efficiency improvements to their homes

Hauppauge , NY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy today will file a resolution via Certificate of Necessity seeking immediate passage of a measure to provide Suffolk’s towns and villages with more than $26 million of mortgage tax revenues.

ALBANY, NY - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Andrew T. Baxter, United States Attorney, Rene Febles, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Albany, NY - December 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor David A. Paterson today announced that New York State will offer cash advances of up to $8,000 on the Federal homebuyer tax credit for borrowers using a State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) mortgage to purchase a home.

Washington, DC - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) voted to pass historic legislation that will bring about the biggest changes in financial regulation since the New Deal, by voting in favor of H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 11, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA)’s $3 billion Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance – already a proven success at blocking foreclosures for unemployed Pennsylvanians – was approved today by the House of Representatives.

ASBURY PARK, NJ - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson today joined representatives of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) at City Hall, One Municipal Plaza, to announce that the City is the newest member of the Live Where You Work program. Asbury Park is the 25th municipality to partner with the HMFA on this workforce housing initiative.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) submitted the following statement in the U.S. House of Representatives during debate of H.R. 4173, The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Discussing his vote against the measure, Congressman Skelton stated

Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22) today joined a majority of his House colleagues to pass a landmark piece of legislation to reform our financial system and protect consumers across the country. This bill, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R.4173), will prevent the irresponsible actions that contributed to the financial crisis last fall. This legislation restores real oversight to Wall Street through smart regulation and protects consumers by ensuring that the terms of bank loans, mortgages, and credit cards are fair, clearly written and easy to understand. Also, it helps make sure that American taxpayers will never again have to bail out Wall Street banks by putting an end to “too big to fail” financial firms.

Fights to Keep American Families in Their Homes. WASHINGTON, DC – The House of Representatives passed an amendment offered by Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D–California) to the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173) yesterday, which requires mortgage servicers or lenders participating in the Making Home Affordable Program to publicly report their progress in helping responsible homeowners stay in their homes. The amendment was introduced by Congresswoman Matsui with Rep. Betty Sutton (D–Ohio) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D–Florida), and debated on the House floor. Passage of H.R. 4173 is expected today.

Washington, D.C. - December 11, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District voted today for critical financial regulatory reform that will help ensure that the financial crisis leading to the worst economic recession since the Great Depression will not happen again.

Washington, D.C. - December 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada joined with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois to introduce an amendment to the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 that will help protect seniors from predatory practices by lending agencies

Amendment to Wall Street reform bill will shine light on loan modification process, help working families get straight answers, and prohibit egregious delay tactics or non-disclosure. WASHINGTON, DC - December 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) offered an amendment to provide greater fairness and transparency to homeowners who may have been improperly denied a loan modification on their mortgage without any explanation. The measure, an amendment to H.R. 4173 – the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009, was in direct response to horror stories shared by constituents and taxpayers across the country. Quigley’s amendment has the strong support of a broad coalition of consumer advocates, including the NAACP, AFL-CIO, and National Fair Housing Alliance

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- A $3 billion emergency mortgage assistance program for unemployed homeowners – authored by Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and based on a successful Pennsylvania program that Fattah helped create as a young state legislator – is on the verge of passage in the House of Representatives.

New York, NY - December 10, 2009 - (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"), and RICHARD H. NEIMAN,

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced a critical step forward in putting funds in the federal checkbook to track down and prosecute perpetrators of mortgage fraud. The funds are included in the CJS Appropriations Bill, which was approved by a House-Senate Conference Committee as part of Congress’ Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Bill.

December 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal indictment was unsealed today against a Minnesota pair for allegedly orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme in which they stole more than $2.5 million from lenders nationally by obtaining fraudulent loans for the purchase of 35 homes in the Twin Cities. The indictment charges Zack Zafer Dyab, 45, of Golden Valley, and Julia Alexander Rozhansky, 45, of Minnetonka, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of mortgage fraud through use of interstate wires, and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction involving criminally derived property.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - December 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- 15-count indictment was filed today against five defendants charged in a $14.6 million mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in at least 35 fraudulent mortgage loans, announced United States Attorney Michael L. Levy, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Janice K. Fedarcyk, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking Steven Kaplan.

December 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Good afternoon, everyone. I am honored to call to order this hearing of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. And I thank Chairman Leahy for permitting me to chair this hearing

Washington, DC - December 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Congressman Al Green (TX-09) called on private mortgage servicers to better address the needs of struggling minority homeowners during a hearing of the House Committee on Financial Services regarding the current foreclosure crisis.

December 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 27-year-old Webster man pleaded guilty today in federal court to bilking more than $7 million from at least 15 real estate mortgage lending companies between 2005 and 2008. Appearing before United States District Court Judge Richard Kyle in St. Paul, Dustin LaFavre pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with this crime. LaFavre was charged on November 5, 2009

Washington, D.C. - December 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22) today participated in a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee seeking solutions to the current mortgage crisis. Klein described the serious problems in the South Florida housing market for the Committee and witnesses, and said that it “is essential for banks and the federal government to implement effective programs to increase loan modifications and prevent foreclosures. It is simply not acceptable to watch responsible families in our community lose the homes they have worked so hard for.”

AUGUSTA, ME - December 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bureau of Financial Institutions Superintendent Lloyd P. LaFountain, III announced this week that third quarter 2009 data submitted by Maine-chartered banks and credit unions shows a continuing modest increase in home foreclosures in Maine. In general, foreclosure activity at Maine banks and credit unions appears to be lower than in many other states and it does not pose a threat to the stability of Maine-chartered financial institutions.