Housing & Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 28, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders will present its annual Educator of the Year awards to individuals who have excelled in teaching NAHB education courses to builders, remodelers and other industry professionals.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 28, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of new single-family houses in December 2013 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 414,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 7.0 percent (±17.5%)* below the revised November rate of 445,000, but is 4.5 percent (±19.8%)* above the December 2012 estimate of 396,000

CHICAGO - January 27, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new report from Woodstock Institute estimates that there are more than 11,700 zombie properties in Cook County, including more than 5,800 in the City of Chicago. A property becomes a zombie when a mortgage servicer files for foreclosure and then does not complete the process and take ownership of the property or resolve the foreclosure by other means. For its report, Woodstock defines a zombie property as a foreclosure that has not been resolved for more than three years. Because neither the borrower nor servicer has clear control of the property, neither has a strong incentive to assume responsibility for the property. Zombie properties, therefore, are likely to be poorly maintained or blighted, which threatens the stability of surrounding communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 27, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the Remodeling Market Index (RMI) held steady at 57 in the fourth quarter of 2013. This is the same level as the third quarter of 2013 and the highest reading since the first quarter of 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 27, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Once suffering from blight and high concentrations of poverty, one of Anchorage, Alaska’s oldest neighborhoods is now a thriving mixed-use commercial corridor, providing residents with affordable housing and jobs while stimulating the surrounding local economy. Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the American Planning Association (APA) announced the Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA) will receive the

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will host a forum on the 2014 outlook for the U.S. economy and housing market on Thursday, January 30, at 10:00AM.

BOCA RATON, FL - January 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) elected Daryl J. Carter, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Avanath Capital Management, LLC, to serve a two-year term as the Council’s Chairman. The event took place at the NMHC Annual Meeting on January 22 in Boca Raton, FL.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) today announced the first-ever rebranding in the organization’s 36-year history. The Council debuted a new logo and visual identity, a small, but important change to its name and a new tagline that captures the leadership and exclusivity that characterize the organization

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 21, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced nearly $5 million dollars in grants to five universities to evaluate innovative green infrastructure practices in urban areas, using Philadelphia, Pa. as the pilot area. These grants stem from a cooperative partnership between EPA and Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters program that represents a broad, long-term investment in implementing green infrastructure stormwater management practices.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 21, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Many firms plan to start hiring again and most contractors predict demand will either grow or remain stable in virtually every market segment this year according to survey results released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The survey, conducted as part of Optimism Returns: The 2014 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, provides a generally upbeat outlook for the year even as firms worry about growing worker shortages, rising costs and the impact of new regulations and federal budget cutting.

LONDON - January 21, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The competition for prime assets in Europe’s major real estate markets is leading investors to turn to recovering markets such as Ireland and Spain, regional cities and secondary property in search of returns, according to Emerging Trends in Real Estate® Europe 2014, a forecast published jointly by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and PwC

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 21, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Solutions to increase the supply of affordable rental housing are explored in a new report from the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Terwilliger Center for Housing and Enterprise Community Partners, Inc (Enterprise).

Dayton, OH - January 20, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The city of Dayton boasts the country’s least expensive commercial real estate. Whether someone wants to buy or lease commercial real estate, the market is currently the best it’s been since the Great Recession

WASHINGTON - January 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today the Obama Administration announced it is expanding the Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Initiative to include Brownsville, TX; Flint, MI; Gary, IN; Macon, GA; Rockford, IL; St. Louis, MO; and Rocky Mount, NC. President Obama established SC2 in 2011 as an innovative and flexible program designed to strengthen local capacity, coordinate federal investments, and spark growth in economically distressed communities. The SC2 Initiative was developed through engagement with mayors, Members of Congress, foundations, nonprofits and other community partners who are committed to addressing the challenges facing local governments as they work to create economic opportunity for all residents

WASHINGTON WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau today announced the following new residential construction statistics for December 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Following an unusual surge in housing starts in November, nationwide housing production fell 9.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 999,000 units in December, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Apartment market conditions weakened a bit in January compared with three months earlier. The market tightness (41), sales volume (41) and debt financing (42) indexes were all a little below the breakeven level of 50, although the equity financing index rebounded to 50. Higher interest rates may largely explain the modest decline in both sales volume and debt financing. With considerable equity capital continuing to look for apartment opportunities, a number of respondents noted a growing divide between would-be buyers and sellers on pricing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes fell one point to 56 in January from a revised December reading of 57 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today.

FRESNO - January 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of five individuals who allegedly ran a statewide housing scheme by using adverse possession laws to fraudulently seize at least 23 homes in nine counties.

MOONACHIE, N.J. - January 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit organization, is teaming up with Lowe’s to revitalize a Moonachie, N.J. neighborhood as part of Kickoff to Rebuild, a Super Bowl XLVIII-sanctioned event