Portland, OR. - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D- Ore.) and Governor Ted Kulongoski via video today to announce the creation of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities within HUD.

ST. CHARLES, MO - February 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) was in St. Charles today to announce a $575,000 small business loan impacting 23 local jobs. Treasurer Zweifel made the announcement at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repair. The low-interest loan, made through the Missouri Linked Deposit Program, will save the company an estimated $37,000 in interest costs. Qualifying borrowers generally save 30 percent on the cost of the loan.

ATLANTA, GA - February 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Senator Bill Cowsert, one of the Governor’s Senate Floor Leaders, has introduced mortgage fraud legislation that would grant the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) jurisdiction to initiate investigations on offenses related to mortgage fraud. The legislation would create a mortgage fraud unit by partnering GBI, the Department of Banking and Finance and local law enforcement to investigate mortgage fraud crimes.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to 24 counties in Arkansas and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes by severe storms and flooding during the period of December 23rd and January 2nd.

Roswell, NM - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- PrimeSource Mortgage, Inc. (PSMI), a leading mortgage brokerage and banking company, and a wholly owned subsidiary of PSM Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: PSMH) announces the opening of a new office in Belton, TX near the Ft. Hood military base.

LANSING, MI - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) shut down an operation claiming to be a Detroit-based mortgage company called “Kenneth and Doyle Financial” by ordering it to cease and desist from doing business. OFIR believes that Kenneth, through its website, was posing as a legitimate mortgage company in an attempt to steal consumers’ money and identity. The fraudulent company was encouraging customers to apply for loans by providing personal information including social security and financial account numbers.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against a California company providing loan modification services to homeowners facing foreclosure. According to the lawsuit filed today in Orange County, 21st Century Legal Services, Inc. allegedly charges consumers up-front fees in violation of Florida’s Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act.

Wilmington, DE - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Attorney General Beau Biden announced that Jamaar Manlove, Larry Manlove, Rhonda Manlove, Master Builders for Christ and Vision Builders Christian Center have been charged in a 21-count indictment for crimes related to a mortgage rescue scam. Warrants have been issued for their arrest and racketeering liens have been placed on their assets. This represents what is believed to be one of the largest mortgage rescue fraud indictments in Delaware history. The indictment alleges that Jamaar Manlove ran a criminal enterprise involving theft, money laundering, and forgery in which he preyed on vulnerable homeowners who faced imminent foreclosure. In these scams, struggling homeowners sell their homes to third parties to avoid foreclosure based on the false promise that they can repurchase their homes through a complex sale/lease-back arrangement when their financial situations improve. In reality, this never happens.

DALLAS, TX - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- First American Valuation and Property Solutions, a member of The First American Corporation (NYSE: FAF) family of companies and a leader in residential property valuations, inspections and preservation services, today announced its new valuation service, the Appraiser-Validated Price Opinion.

Washington, DC - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Saturday, February 6, 2010, Rep. Calvert, in conjunction with the Housing Opportunities Collaborative of the Inland Empire, the Federal Housing Administration, Housing and Urban Development, the City of Corona and Crossroads Christian Church, will host a homeownership preservation workshop

CONSHOCKEN, PA - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) PA/Southern NJ/DE state director and president of Metro Commercial Real Estate, Steven Gartner, will host the annual Economic Review and Forecast on February 9, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge

New York, NY - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Halstead Property Development Marketing and RGS Holdings, LLC, in conjunction with Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group and JP Morgan Chase Community Development, today announced that 2280 Frederick Douglass Boulevard has been approved by the Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage program. The 12-story new construction condominium development in Harlem, will now allow qualified buyers to purchase a new home with a down payment between 5 and 10%.

Washington, DC - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the strength of the housing market linked directly to overall economic prosperity, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) are leading the effort in Congress to convince the Obama administration and Federal Reserve to reverse course and continue several key programs due to soon expire or change that are critical to keeping mortgage rates low and making homeownership more attainable.

Is someone letting you live in a home for free? Did a builder offer you deep discounts to move into a newly constructed house? Has a company offered to refinance your mortgage for a fee? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then you may be a victim of a scam. FBI special agents and [...]

Washington, D.C. - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Boston-based State Street Bank and Trust Company with misleading its investors about their exposure to subprime investments while selectively disclosing more complete information to specific investors.

Albany, NY - February 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Paterson today issued the following statement regarding the order of foreclosure for Riverton Houses, in Harlem:

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lt. Governor Peter Kinder today released the following statement on the resignation of Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) Director Pete Ramsel

Atlanta, GA - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- On January 27, 2010, the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) entered into a Consent Order with Dependable Mortgage, LLC, License Number 19425, formerly located at 6030 Dawson Boulevard, Suite A, Norcross, Georgia 30093, and its owner, Gbenga Ibisanmi, to resolve allegations pertaining to violations of the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act and agency rules.The Consent Order includes the following terms

TALLAHASSEE, FL - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum and Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner J. Thomas Cardwell today announced that a Seminole County man was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to a criminal racketeering scheme that involved mortgage fraud in home purchasing. Upon his release from prison, Stanford Morgan, president and owner of Homes for Sale by Owner, Inc., must also pay full restitution, including $200,000 to an investing couple in one transaction and compensation to the lending institutions he defrauded in other transactions. Morgan was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- My wife, Jeanie, and I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with our families, I pray for peace and joy in our homes and hearts

Washington, DC - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) introduced legislation to give certain preferences to individuals and families committed to rebuilding communities when purchasing government owned residential property. The First Look at Primary Residence Act requires the federal government, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to consider purchase offers from only those who plan to use the property as their primary residence for the first 15 days that the properties are listed. After that time period, the seller is allowed to consider any offer.

West Hartford, CT - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Connecticut Real Estate Investors Association, or CT REIA, in association with Andy Heller is announcing the February 2010 monthly meeting with Andy Heller. This event will take place on Monday, February 15th, from 5:30pm to 9:00pm, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, CT. This event is free for CT REIA members, and $30 for non-members

Washington, DC - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.—Texas) in conjunction with the DFW Home Ownership Preservation Enterprise will host a FREE foreclosure prevention workshop on Saturday, February 27th at 9:00 a.m. in Dallas. The event is open to the public and the press.

Providence, RI - February 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- At a time when so many Rhode Islanders are in need of a safe, healthy home that they can afford, Rhode Island’s unsettled economy continues to be a strain on many.

New York, NY - February 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York State Senate Finance Committee Chair Carl Kruger and Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman “Denny” Farrell will conduct a joint budget hearing to examine the Governor’s proposed budget relating to the development and preservation of housing across the state.

Pierre, SD - February 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- South Dakota Housing Development Authority and South Dakota Community Foundation are proud to bring the third course of the National Development Council’s Housing Development Finance Professional Certification Program to South Dakota and the best part is that it is FREE.

Lincoln, NE - February 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The 8th annual Housing Innovation Marketplace, sponsored by NIFA, was held on January 26-27, 2010 at the Omaha Regency Marriot Hotel. The goal of the conference was to stimulate the formation of affordable ownership and rental housing development.

Lincoln, NE - February 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The 8th annual Housing Innovation Marketplace, sponsored by NIFA, was held on January 26-27, 2010 at the Omaha Regency Marriot Hotel. The goal of the conference was to stimulate the formation of affordable ownership and rental housing development.

Lincoln, NE - February 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The 8th annual Housing Innovation Marketplace, sponsored by NIFA, was held on January 26-27, 2010 at the Omaha Regency Marriot Hotel. The goal of the conference was to stimulate the formation of affordable ownership and rental housing development.

Salem, OR - February 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) issued a cease-and-desist order and assessed $250,000 in fines against Anthony "Tony" Schwartz and two businesses he controlled for selling interests in foreclosed homes he seized in a complex "foreclosure rescue" scheme.