Press Releases

Atlanta, GA - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Prudential Georgia Realtyis pleased to welcome Atlanta real estate professional Nadine Chamseddine to itsnew office in Buckhead. The office is locatedat 3221 Peachtree Road, just south of the Peachtree and Piedmont Roadintersection

Albany, NY - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York state housing market continued to improve as April 2010 sales jumped nearly 20 percent compared to April 2009, according to preliminary single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of REALTORS. The statewide median sales price also rose by more than 8 percent compared to April 2009.

Developers Announce $8,000 Cash “Credit” for Contracts Signed Prior to July 31 New York, NY - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Since the federal tax credit expired at the end of April, the real estate industry nationwide has seen a slight lull in activity. The developers of Beacon Towers, a new cooperative residential development in Harlem, announced today that they will offer their own “tax credit” to buyers, in addition to affordable prices.

EUGENE, OR - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is excited to announce today's addition of Jennifer Beck, of Coldwell Banker Residential, to the consistently expanding group of real estate agents and brokers who are updating their business' online presence with IDX Broker software. The customizable Internet Data Exchange (IDX) technology takes raw listing data from the Wasatch Front Regional MLS (WFRMLS) and displays it directly on Beck's own website, giving her the unique ability to combine her own listings with those in surrounding areas. This process allows potential home buyers searching for a new property to examine the real estate market as a whole, rather than see only the houses their Realtor has listed

NEW YORK, NY - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that a subsidiary of the Hines U.S. Core Office Fund LP (Core Fund) has closed on the sale of 600 Lexington, a 36-story 303,515-square-foot office tower located on the Northwest corner of Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street in New York City, to SL Green Corp.

CLEVELAND, OH - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- County Prosecutor Bill Mason and the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force operating under authorization of Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray and Ohio’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission announced that Mark Kellogg was sentenced to 14 years on May 19, 2010 for operating a large mortgage fraud scheme in Slavic Village. Kellogg was ordered to pay restitution of $5,831,500 to lenders and $186,715 to 109 neighbors who sold properties located on the same city block as the foreclosures resulting from mortgage fraud

Atlanta, GA - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Georgianative Jodi Patterson, an Atlanta Realtor with 10 years experience, recentlymade the switch to Prudential GeorgiaRealty. She is based out of PrudentialGeorgia Realty’s Midtown office, located on Peachtree Street a few blocks from the High Museum.

New York, NY - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York City apartment building workers ratified a four-year agreement Friday that provides nearly 10% in wage increases, maintains fully employer-paid family health care coverage and keeps pension benefits secure. The new $8.1 billion contract with the Realty Advisory Board (RAB) covers 30,000 doormen, superintendents, resident managers, porters, handymen and concierges at over 3,200 New York City buildings.

New Survey Finds 76 Percent of Consumers. Now Believe Renting to be a Better Option over Homeownership. Advantages Cited Include Flexibility to Move to a Different Location with New Job Opportunities. Arlington, VA - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new online survey commissioned by the National Apartment Association conducted in May finds 76 percent of consumers deem renting to be the more favorable option to owning a home in the current real estate market, a 5 percent increase from 2008.

EUGENE, OR - May 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Shelia Salvitti, a member of Coldwell Banker Premier Properties in North Wales, Pennsylvania, has joined IDX, Inc.'s growing group of talented real estate agents and brokers who are changing the way people search for homes online. The IDX Broker technology extracts raw listing data from the Trend MLS (Trend) listing database and displays it directly on her website, bringing the most comprehensive search to her potential home buying clients

ATLANTA, GA - May 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Atlanta realestate professional and REO specialist Cindy Simpson was named 2009 winner ofthe Top of The Rock Award for top residential units for the U.S. South region. TheCindy Simpson REO Team is based out of Prudential Georgia Realty’s Cobb/Roswelloffice and handles REO transactions all over metro Atlanta. Prudential Real Estate andRelocation Services is a company of Prudential Financial, Inc. [NYSE:PRU].

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Trulia.com, smart real estate search to help you make better decisions, and RealtyTrac, the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released the latest results of an ongoing survey tracking home buyers’ attitudes towards foreclosures. The new online survey conducted on their behalf from May 10-12, 2010 by Harris Interactive® showed a notable decrease in consumers’ willingness to buy foreclosed properties compared to one year ago. Currently, 45 percent of U.S. adults age 18 and above are at least somewhat likely to consider purchasing a foreclosed home in the future, compared to the 55 percent of U.S. adults age 18 and above surveyed online by Harris Interactive® between May 1-5, 2009.

Atlanta,GA - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Atlanta real estate professional Tenley Robinson,with her 22 years experience advising buyers and sellers through many changingmarkets, has joined Prudential Georgia Realty’s newest office in Buckhead. Theoffice, which hosts its grand opening celebration later this month on May 20th,is located at 3221 Peachtree Road, just south of the Peachtree and Piedmont Road intersection.

West Hartford, CT - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Connecticut Real Estate Investors Association, or CTREIA, in association with the Fairfield County Real Estate Investors Association, or FCREIA, is announcing a new FCREIA meeting. The event will take place in conjunction with the Bridgeport New Development Toolbox seminar, presented by the Bridgeport Downtown Task Force. This seminar is on Thursday, May 27, from 8:00AM to 11:00AM, at the Golden Hill Methodist Church on 210 Elm Street in Bridgeport, CT. Admission to this event is $20. All proceeds, minus expenses, will be donated to the church

May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Hawaii’s Largest Privately Held Mortgage Banking Institution Diversifies to Succeed and Thrive in Today’s Challenging Mortgage Industry (Honolulu, Hawaii), May 17, 2010 – Remaining strong in a currently challenging mortgage industry, NorthStar Family of Companies, Hawaii’s largest privately held mortgage banking institution, is proudly celebrating 10 years of providing Hawaii’s homeowners with efficient and competitive mortgage programs. “Our success in today’s mortgage industry is due to the fact that, when the market turned, we diversified the business into appraisals, real estate sales and development, and a work-force development program,” said Cathy Brogan, president and CEO of NorthStar Family of Companies. While over 70% of mortgage brokerage and real estate companies throughout Hawaii and across the country have been forced to shut down, NorthStar Family of Companies has remained able to not only succeed, but to also thrive, in one of the most difficult mortgage industry periods over the past 100 years.

Phoenix, AZ - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- RE/MAX New Heights Realty was recently named 2010 IMPACT Business of the Year in Arizona by the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. This marks the first time in the 23-year history of the award that a Latino-run business has received the honor.

Destin, FL - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The worst housing markets forecast by Housing Predictor in 2010 are projected to do better than what was first forecast at the beginning of the year, according to the latest update of the worst 25 markets.

ORLANDO, FL - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida Realtors’® member website, www.floridarealtors.org , took top honors nationally in the prestigious “2010 Outstanding Realtor Association Web Site Contest,” sponsored by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and Realtor® Association Executive Magazine.

EUGENE, OR - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. is pleased to announce today's addition of Realty Corner, Inc. and its owner, Reed Smith, to the growing number of real estate agents and brokers choosing to update their professional websites to better facilitate the online home search. With the use of IDX Broker software, Smith's clients can now search through thousands of Northern Nevada Region MLS (NNRMLS) listings, in an effort to match buyers with their dream property. The up-to-the-minute property details grant potential buyers access to listing information never before given to home seekers.

EUGENE, OR - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michelle Roberts of Keller Williams joins with IDX, Inc. to revolutionize her professional real estate website for both clients and agents. Now, thanks to IDX Broker software, Roberts' online home search tools enable home seekers in the Cary, North Carolina area to explore thousands of listings from the convenience of her website. The integrated IDX technology extracts raw listing data from the Triangle MLS (TMLS) listings and displays them on Roberts' site. Home seekers have more access than ever to up-to-the-minute TMLS area listings, a freedom never before afforded to potential home buyers through the online property search.

Ace Hardware Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Home Improvement Retailers for a Fourth Consecutive Year. WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - May 19, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Home improvement retailers that are customer-focused are better able to attract and retain loyal customers who might have otherwise shopped at a more conveniently located retailer, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction StudySM released today.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Metro Commercial Real Estate, Inc., the region’s premier full-service retail real estate company, has brokered the sale of two former Office Depot stores to Sixth Avenue Electronics.

Atlanta, GA - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new book for and about REALTORS®, All In A Day's Work for Real Estate Agents: Humorous & Heartwarming Stories(by TC McClenning, Work Like A Dog Books, copyright 2009, $14.95), has been named one of three finalists in the humor/comedy/satire category of the prestigious 2010 Ben Franklin Awards for Independent Publishing.

New York, NY - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- West 147th Associates LLC and Halstead Property Development Marketing today announced that PS90, a new development in Harlem, has been approved by the Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage program.

MILWAUKEE, WI - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA®) and Red Brown Kle′ Marketing Communications (RBK) have come together, once more to promote homeownership in Wisconsin – this time with the WHEDA Advantage home loan. This new mortgage product is the only option in the state which provides a unique combination of features designed expressly for first-time home buyers such as: lower cash to close (as little as $1,000), reduced fees (no private mortgage insurance needed) and job loss mortgage protection, just to name a few.

Houston, TX - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Smile Design Studios has leased 1,750 square feet at Colony Lakes Shopping Center, which is located at 6130 Highway 6 South in Missouri City. Russell Janicek, Alex Makris and Jazz Hamilton of CB Richard Ellis represented the landlord, Colony Lakes Center, Ltd, in the transaction. Susan J. Rinyu of Susan J. Rinyu Interest represented the tenant.

EUGENE, OR - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Coldwell Banker Select Professionals' Steve Bickford has teamed up with IDX, Inc. to employ a new and unique online home search experience for his buyers. The personalized IDX (Internet Data Exchange) technology that is now integrated on Bickford's website now partners with the Central Penn Multi-List (CPMLS) to deliver the multitude of diverse listings to the fingertips of home seekers in the Central Pennsylvania area who are searching for their property online. Finding the perfect home in the Harrisburg area is now easier than ever, thanks to the search tools on Bickford's professional website. IDX Broker software has eliminated the hassle and stress real estate websites used to cause potential home buyers by making the process simple for both real estate professionals and buyers.

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Much attention was paid to the now expired tax credit and the unique opportunity it presented for homebuyers, and rightfully so.

Washington, DC - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- First quarter 2010 commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations were 12 percent higher than during the same period last year and 26 percent lower than during the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A joint venture of LCOR and USAA Real Estate Company today broke ground for a new office building to be occupied by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) adjacent to the White Flint Metrorail station in North Bethesda