Yearly Archives: 2013

San Francisco - October 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Moderate AND choppy is how noted economist Ken Rosen described the U.S. economic recovery to a group of senior commercial real estate advisors here last week. Rosen, chairman of Rosen Consulting Group, chairman of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics and professor emeritus of the University of California’s Haas School of Business, said despite private sector job growth, low interest rates, continued quantitative easing and improvement in the housing market, the road to recovery is anything but easy. He made his remarks at the annual convention of The Counselors of Real Estate professional association, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The non-partisan, independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reports the Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners Act (PATH Act) that the House Financial Services Committee passed in July will slash the federal budget deficit by $5.7 billion over the next 10 years

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that a Las Vegas homeowners association, its management company, and the owner of a rental property will pay $65,000 under a Conciliation Agreement resolving allegations that they violated the Fair Housing Act when they refused to grant a family’s request to park in the driveway of its home an ambulance that the family needed to transport its son, who has a disability, to and from medical appointments.

Washington, DC - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National data show interest rates on mortgages continued their upward trend. Contract mortgage interest rates increased 0.11 percent from August to September, according to an index of new mortgage contracts.

LOS ANGELES, CA - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rebuilding Together San Gabriel Valley Foothills is teaming up with Choice Hotels and Rodeway Inn for the 4th Annual Rebuilding Dreams project, to rebuild the home of a homeowner-in-need in honor of “Make a Difference Day,” a national day of service.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced $400,000 to help six communities across the country, including Spartanburg, S.C., expand their use of green infrastructure. The funding is in support of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, which directs federal agencies to identify climate-resilient investments such as agency grants and technical assistance for communities across the country.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a brief filed today, Attorney General George Jepsen has joined with 11 other state attorneys general in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to recognize disparate impact claims under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Energy Department on October 25 announced winners of the first-ever Housing Innovation Awards, recognizing 46 diverse industry leaders bringing the best in energy-efficient building technologies and design to new and older homes and helping households save money. The competition, coordinated by the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, offered rigorous application criteria within four building categories: DOE Challenge Home Builders, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Participating Contractors, Excellence in Building Science Educator of the Year, and Building America Top Innovations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) commends the decision of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Board of Directors to remove the employment duration requirement in the Intern Development Program (IDP). This change will allow interns to earn IDP experience regardless of time spent on a project. The eligibility requirement is also being simplified to allow interns to begin earning credit upon graduation from high school. The changes go into effect December 16, 2013.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has entered into an agreement with Bolster, a company recently launched to simplify the process of home remodeling by providing insurance for the successful outcome of projects. The AIA and Bolster aim to combine their strengths and expertise to the benefit of homeowners, contractors and architects operating in the remodeling industry.

White River Jct., Vt. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Housing and energy efficiency advocates unveiled a new high-performance, energy efficient manufactured home today that is the first of its kind in the nation. It is specifically designed for northern climate conditions and uses one-third of the energy of a typical ENERGY STAR rated manufactured home.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing titled “Housing Finance Reform: Essentials of a Functioning Housing Finance System for Consumers.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Building upon the success of its first Capacity Building Initiative series for Native Community Development Financial Institutions (Native CDFIs), the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) today launched The Leadership Journey II: Continuing Native CDFI Growth and Excellence. The training series is open to a new cohort of Native CDFIs to participate in a comprehensive program of targeted training and technical assistance. The series is provided by NeighborWorks® America with specialized input from the Seven Sisters Community Development Group.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it has issued its recommendation on the federal government’s use of third party green building certification systems. GSA is required by law to issue a recommendation to the Department of Energy (DOE) on how the federal government can best use certification systems to measure the design and performance of the federal government’s construction and major renovation projects.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- “The bipartisan ‘Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act’ introduced today in the Senate by Sens. Robert Mendendez, D-N.J.; Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.; and Mary Landrieu, D-La., and in the House by Reps. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif., will help millions of homeowners who are facing sudden and extreme increases in flood insurance premiums, which are an unintended consequence of legislation to reform the National Flood Insurance Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- As lawmakers debate how best to reform the secondary mortgage finance market, they must ensure that any new system retains access to safe, secure and affordable sources of mortgage capital for creditworthy consumers in all market conditions or risk a major disruption to the economy, warned the National Association of Realtors® today in testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- More buyers than ever are taking advantage of the latest technology and online tools to search for a place to call home. As a result, Realtors® are leveraging new technologies to better assist their more tech savvy clients. A 10-year history of the National Association of Realtors® annual Member Profile shows Realtors®’ evolving use of technology, the Internet and social media and the essential role that technology plays in the real estate transaction.

WASHINGTON - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- One year after Hurricane Sandy devastated coastal communities in the Northeast, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today allocated a combined $5 billion through a second round of recovery funds to five states and New York City. Provided through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, these recovery funds will assist impacted communities to meet remaining housing, economic development and infrastructure needs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rick Judson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Charlotte, N.C., today issued the following statement on the introduction of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act in the House and the Senate:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is now accepting applications for the 2013 NAHB/Builders Mutual Insurance Company Safety Award For Excellence (SAFE). The awards program recognizes home builders and contractors who have developed and implemented high quality workplace safety programs, and also honors government officials and NAHB-affiliated associations who work to advance safety in the home building industry