RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that among those who moved between 2009 and 2010, more than four out of 10 (16.4 million or 43.7 percent) did so for housing-related reasons, such as the desire to live in a new or better home or apartment, according to data from Geographical Mobility: 2010. Among other reasons for moving, people cited family concerns (30.3 percent), such as a change in marital status, employment needs (16.4 percent) and other factors (9.5 percent).

NEW YORK, N.Y. - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates dropped again, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling to 4.77 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.

PLEASANTON, CA - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ellie Mae®(NYSE Amex:ELLI), the provider of software and automation solutions for mortgage bankers, community banks, credit unions and other mortgage lenders, announced today that it has launched the Total Quality Loan (TQL) program, a new initiative to promote total loan quality for loans originated through Encompass360® Mortgage Management Solution. This program builds upon the company's strategy to provide a comprehensive mortgage solution that extends beyond standard loan origination functions by offering supplemental services that enhance loan quality and compliance, and help reduce many of the major risks throughout the mortgage cycle.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service has announced an $8.3 million grant competition to provide job training, counseling and placement services (including job readiness, and literacy and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force through its Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

AUSTIN, TX - May 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Vacation homes aren’t just for rest and relaxation; they are also a satisfying, moneymaking venture for many owners. HomeAway, Inc. – the world’s leading online vacation rental marketplace – finds in its latest “HomeAway Vacation Rental Marketplace Report” that 81 percent of vacation home owners who rent their homes to travelers are satisfied with the overall experience.

San Francisco, CA - May 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Oliver Burgelman, long-time agent at Zephyr Real Estate, has created a new web tool to demonstrate how the real estate market in San Francisco is trending. The website, allows viewers to instantly see on a San Francisco map whether the average price per square foot is increasing or decreasing. This unique market-trends tool shows properties currently available for sale in all of San Francisco, or by one of the 10 MLS districts, by neighborhood or by a customized “price square” of the viewer’s choosing.

WASHINGTON, D.C - May 24, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- “Today’s report shows that the banking industry continues to gain strength. For a year now, asset quality has steadily improved, loan losses have declined, and capital is at record highs. This forward momentum helps solidify the base for making new loans to bolster growth in the expanding economy. “Banks added nearly $25 billion in equity capital during the first quarter and total industry capital is now more than $1.5 trillion. Banks also have set aside more than $218 billion in reserves to cover possible loan losses. Capital plus reserves gives a total buffer protecting the industry of more than $1.7 trillion. This demonstrates strong industry-wide improvement and a continued build-up of underlying strength. In addition, the industry capital-to-assets ratio – a key measure of financial strength – continues to remain very strong and ended the quarter at an all-time high.

Brookfield, WI - May 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Inlanta Mortgage is proud to announce Mid America Mortgage Services, of Overland Park, Kan., has merged its operations with Inlanta Mortgage. The merger brings Kevin & Cindy Laffey to Inlanta with more than 20 years of experience, along with a highly experienced team of mortgage professionals. Laffey and his team have ranked in the top of the Business Journal’s “Top 25” in Kansas City

CHICAGO, LONDON, SINGAPORE - May 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Cross-border direct commercial real estate investment volumes reached US$37 billion in Q1 2011, up 25 percent from a year ago, according to the recent Global Capital Flows report from Jones Lang LaSalle. Inter-regional volumes (capital moving between the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific) rose to US$26 billion, a 70 percent increase over Q1 2010. This emphasises the appetite real estate investors have for acquiring foreign assets and far exceeds the 40 percent gain across the total market (cross border plus domestic investment) in the first quarter.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The DESCO Group of St. Louis today announced USAA Real Estate Company of San Antonio as its new equity partner in the ownership of 28 shopping centers totaling over 2.3 million square feet and anchored by Schnucks supermarkets in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. DESCO will be the managing member of the new venture

WASHINGTON, DC - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six grants have been awarded in the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) semi-annual funding of its Community Action Grants program. Through the program, the ULI Foundation Fund raises money to be distributed as grants to district councils or ULI members on behalf of nonprofit organizations for entrepreneurial programs that aim to improve urban growth in their communities.

New York, NY - May 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will join New York real estate industry executives and union leaders on Monday to recognize New York City's first class of green building superintendents to graduate from the 32BJ-Thomas Shortman Green Supers training program. Green Supers is an ambitious labor-management green buildings program, launched just over a year ago with Mayor Bloomberg, to train superintendents and resident managers in the latest state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures.

New York, NY - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a transaction completed today, 280 Park Avenue equity partners Broadway Partners and Investcorp have executed a recapitalization agreement with mezzanine debt holders SL Green Realty Corp (NYSE: SLG) and Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO). The transaction merges the parties' respective equity and debt positions to form a new ownership structure for the Class A office property and includes funding for an approximate $150 million repositioning and re-tenanting program

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - May 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mark Lucescu, President of Lucescu Realty, one of the most active real estate investment brokerage firms in the U.S., announced today that the firm has closed, or currently has in escrow, approximately $500 million in retail property transactions and has opened a new office in Las Vegas to better serve its clients. Lucescu Realty most recently represented separate sellers, and procured the buyers, in the sale of Park West Place, a 757,000 sq. ft. power center in Stockton, Calif., which was acquired for $92.5 million; and Gilroy Crossing, a 474,000 sq. ft. power center in Gilroy, Calif., which was acquired for $68.5 million.

AUSTIN, TX - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Keller Williams Realty, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Old Republic Home Protection to offer a variety of services to the company’s associates and their clients.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that special disaster assistance may be available to Veterans with VA-guaranteed home loans who have been affected by recent tornados in the South. Veterans living in the designated disaster areas in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee may receive mortgage assistance through their loan servicers

WASHINGTON, DC - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- America’s infrastructure investments – levels of which have long trailed behind those of Asia and Europe – will be further stifled this year by pressures to cut federal spending and reduce the deficit, compelling cities to be evermore creative and resourceful in securing partnerships to start or continue infrastructure projects, according to Infrastructure 2011: A Strategic Priority.

Greenbelt, MD - May 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bozzuto Group today announced that it has earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for two residential developments in its portfolio. The Fitzgerald, a mixed-use community in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon district, has received LEED Silver Certification and Riverwalk at Millennium, an apartment community in suburban Philadelphia, has received LEED Certification.

NEW YORK, NY - May 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- ING Clarion Partners, a leading real estate investment management organization, has acquired 44 Berry Street in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn for $27 million, it was announced today. The property, a 54,000 square foot, six-story, 42-loft unit apartment building includes six retail businesses on the ground floor and is fully leased.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae's latest national housing survey finds that Americans expressed more cautious optimism during the first quarter of 2011 than in the fourth quarter of 2010, but they continue to lack confidence in the overall strength of the housing market and economic recovery. The First-Quarter 2011 Fannie Mae National Housing Survey polled homeowners and renters between January 2011 and March 2011. Findings were compared to similar surveys conducted throughout 2010 and December 2003.