RealEstateRama

AUSTIN, TX - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- While the overall residential real estate market is still down, sales of vacation homes fared better than sales of primary residences and investment properties in 2010. In fact, some consumers found low real estate prices, attractive mortgage rates and the potential for price appreciation compelling enough reasons to buy more than half a million vacation homes last year, according to proprietary research commissioned by HomeAway, Inc. as part of the National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) 2011 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) issued the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 839 to eliminate the failed Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), which is funded by $30 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) money.

VIENNA, VA - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today released its analysis of suspicious activity reports (SARs) that call attention to possible fraud in the commercial real estate financing arena. The analysis, Commercial Real Estate Financing Fraud Suspicious Activity Reports by Depository Institutions, found that reported incidences of suspicious activity in commercial real estate financing as reported by depository institutions filing SARs almost tripled between 2007 and 2010, the period which FinCEN examined.

DES PLAINES, IL - March 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Whether you are planning to take advantage of the buyer's market this Spring, are looking to sell or rent or expecting to stay in your current home for years to come, now is a great time to schedule a home inspection. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), April is National Home Inspection Month and the association is reminding consumers about the importance of hiring a certified home inspector.

A new rule unveiled today by the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission would ratchet up mortgage lending restrictions to such an extent that they would disrupt the housing market and undermine an already-fragile recovery.

VIENNA, VA - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in its new report, Mortgage Loan Fraud SAR Filings In Fourth Quarter and Calendar Year 2010, today released full year data showing the number of suspicious activity reports involving mortgage loan fraud (MLF SARs) increased 4 percent in 2010 to 70,472 compared with 67,507 MLF SARs filed in 2009. The report also shows that the growth rate of MLF SARs began to slow over the last two to three years. Looking at just the 2010 fourth quarter, filers submitted 18,759 MLF SARs, a 1 percent decrease from the 18,884 filings over the same period in 2009.

IRVINE, CA - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Manny Gonzalez, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, CAASH and principal of KTGY Group will be the keynote speaker on the Multifamily Conference CEO Series on MultifamilyBiz.com, "Designed For Success: Today's 50+ Apartment Communities," on April 5, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. EST. This lively, fast-paced 60-minute FREE On-Demand Digital Media Webcast will bring to focus what you need to know about the growing 50+ market. In this in-depth informative discussion, Gonzalez shares his insight about how the aging Baby Boomers are driving urban infill, redevelopment opportunities and are changing the face of 50+ apartment community design.

DALLAS, TX - March 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MRG Document Technologies (MRG), a provider of mortgage document preparation software and compliance technology to banks, credit unions and other lenders nationwide, has successfully completed full lifecycle eNote certification through Xerox Mortgage Services' BlitzDocs® eVault.

March 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage Cadence, LLC, a leading provider of Enterprise Lending Solutions (ELS), Default Servicing Technology and Document Services for the financial services industry, today announced its Cloud-based, Symphony Loan Origination System (LOS), an affordable, on-demand origination solution for lenders of any size. The product fills a current gap within the marketplace by making available enterprise-level power in a pre-configured solution that locks down compliant processes and any lender can implement and put into production in just a few weeks

NEW YORK, N.Y. - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates marked a slight increase, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate rising to 4.96 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.41 discount and origination points.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homebuyers often have many homes to check out as they make the rounds searching for the one that's just right. Zephyr has removed the hassle from that chore with its new Home Tour tool, which plots out multi-destination driving directions to create a customized home tour.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International announced today that it will encourage its members to participate in the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)’s 2011 Earth Hour. WWF’s global initiative asks that individuals, businesses, organizations and governments turn off all non-essential lighting for one hour, from 8:30-9:30 pm local time on Saturday, March 26, 2011. The aim of Earth Hour is to visibly demonstrate global concern about climate change and a commitment to find solutions that minimize negative human impact on the Earth.

MIAMI, FL - March 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Fannie Mae and Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida (NHSSF) celebrated the one-year anniversary of Fannie Mae's South Florida Mortgage Help Center. Since opening its doors in March 2010, the South Florida Mortgage Help Center has reached out to more than 5,000 South Floridians and worked with more than 1,000 struggling families with loans owned by Fannie Mae. The South Florida Mortgage Help Center was the first of six Help Centers Fannie Mae opened in hard-hit cities across the country. Additional Help Centers are expected to open this year.

Reston, VA - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Wyoming ruled last week in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS), upholding the company’s ability to take any action required of a lender, including assigning the mortgage

March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- New research by the Center for Responsible Lending finds that banks and other loan servicers often foreclose when investors have more to gain from a loan modification. The study—“Fix or Evict? Loan Modifications Return More Value than Foreclosures”—also finds that the industry’s poor track record on loan modifications can’t be blamed on homeowners who re-default.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) has launched an all-new member benefit program designed to help its full electronic systems contractor (ESC) members market their businesses locally. CEDIA’s ESC Marketing On-Demand program features brochures, postcards, and other promotional materials which members can customize and print at affordable rates.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The IRS today released information on processing issues that are impacting a small percentage of tax returns involving repayment of the First Time Homebuyer Credit (FTHB), primarily involving 2008 home purchases. While most of these returns are processing normally, the IRS recognizes the hardship caused by delayed refunds, and it has assigned additional staff and resources to address the issues promptly.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The economy continues to show increasing signs of self-sustaining momentum, however an unexpected jump in oil prices and the potential for further tightening of fiscal policy suggest less economic momentum than previously believed, according to the March 2011 Economic Outlook released today by Fannie Mae's (FNMA/OTC) Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group. Projected economic growth for the year was lowered to 3.5 percent — down slightly from 3.7 percent in February 2011, but up from 2.7 percent annual growth in 2010.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, in conjunction with the Congressional Real Estate Caucus and the National Real Estate Organizations (NREO), hosted a “State of the Real Estate Industry” luncheon briefing on Capitol Hill on March 17. Senate Real Estate Caucus Co–chairs Sens. Ben Cardin (D–Md.) and Johnny Isakson (R–Ga.) kicked off the briefing, which also featured three speakers who covered the current state of both the residential and commercial markets. The residential overview was given by Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, while the commercial outlook was presented by James Woodwell, vice president of Commercial Real Estate Research with the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and Lisa Pendergast, managing director, CMBS Strategy & Risk with Jefferies & Company, Inc. The briefing was designed to give Senate staff a perspective of each segment’s recent history, current market conditions and what to expect for the future.

Washington, DC - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Keeping manufactured housing affordable by reducing the constraints on lending and instituting a responsible regulatory environment took center stage as over 90 MHI members flocked to Capitol Hill for the annual MHI Legislative Conference.