Archives

PELLA, IA - December 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As builders, remodelers, contractors, architects and students prepare for a new year – predicted to be challenging for the housing industry – Pella Corporation wants to help them "Go for it!"

Washington, D.C. - December 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ken L. Ross, FAIA, FACHA, joined the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in the newly created position of Vice President, Design and Practice. Mr. Ross, who recently retired as Senior Principal and former President of WHR Architects, Inc., a 170-person Houston-based full service architecture, interior design and technology planning firm, will serve in this position on an interim basis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Justice $2 million settlement with PrimeLending spotlights serious problems on loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The case found inconsistent and abusive pricing on loans to African-American borrowers, revealing that it’s far too easy for lenders making government-backed loans to overcharge home buyers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Serving as leading indicators for the sector, two composite multifamily indices produced from NAHB's survey of multifamily builders and property managers showed improvement in the third quarter of 2010. The NAHB Multifamily Production Index (MPI) increased to a value of 35.6, up from the 26.6 level reported for the second quarter. This is the highest the MPI has been since 2007

La Quinta, CA - December 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in La Quinta and Lori Ebeling have been selected to represent the Estates at the historic Point Happy Ranch. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agent Lori Ebeling consistently ranks among the top NRT agents nationwide, and was chosen by the new owners of Point Happy Estates as the listing agent for the sales and marketing of the15 estate homes.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is launching multiple investigations into the practices of certain mortgage lenders to determine if their home loan policies illegally deny qualified African American and Latino borrowers access to credit.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- NAHB’s National Sales and Marketing Council (NSMC) has announced the finalists for The National Sales and Marketing Awards – “The NationalsSM.” Finalists are known as Silver Award Winners, with The Nationals Gold Award winner emerging from the field of Silver Finalists.Gold Awards in each category will be presented at The Nationals Gala, held in Orlando, Fla., next month as part of the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS). The awards ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 12th at The Peabody Orlando, and is expected to draw more than 500 attendees.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) announced the year's best in multifamily housing today. Among the winners of the 2010 Multifamily Pillars of the Industry were a luxury high-rise in Dallas surrounded by shopping, dining and entertainment; an urban mixed-use condo loft community in L.A. combining living and working spaces for the telecommuting professional; and an adaptive reuse project that transformed a 13-story 1960's concrete superstructure into a sustainable luxury apartment tower overlooking the Washington, D.C., skyline.

LAKE CHARLES, LA - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and First Federal Bank of Louisiana are pleased to announce they have awarded Habitat for Humanity of Calcasieu Area (HFH of Calcasieu) in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a $70,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The grant will assist seven very low-income homeowners in Calcasieu and Beauregard parishes with down payment and closing cost assistance.

NEW YORK, NY - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered nearly $339,000 in back wages for 27 workers employed as electrical mechanics by Sant-Tec Electric Inc., a company incorporated in both New York and New Jersey.

Denver, CO The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) congratulates the National League of Cities (NLC) and its membership for its leadership in endorsing a national green building policy agenda that calls on the federal government to support critical green building efforts that are working to help cities save money, save energy and create jobs

Washington, D.C. - December 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Over the last several years there has been increasing demand for housing options within close proximity to public transit, employment centers, retail and entertainment options, and access to open space for recreation. Houses with porches that allow for more neighborhood connection, durable and low-maintenance products for home exteriors, sustainable features and solar reflective roofs also remain popular.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 7, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) will reinstate a Native American family’s rental assistance under a voluntary agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that settles allegations that?SFHA employees said they did not work with Indian tribes and refused to accept the family’s tribal documents.

Des Plaines, IL - December 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Homes react to weather changes, too, and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry has tips that can help homeowners protect their homes this winter and prevent minor trouble spots from becoming major repairs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- I am extremely pleased that the United States Senate has joined the House in passing legislation to name the Operations Building at Social Security headquarters in Baltimore as the “Robert M. Ball Federal Building.” Bob Ball was the longest-serving Commissioner of Social Security, and his dedication to the agency and its programs lasted until his death in 2008

WASHINGTON, DC - December 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- All across the country, there are environmentally challenged areas called ‘brownfields,’ contaminated properties that often require substantial cleanup before they can be reused for another purposes. In the latest issue of Cityscape, an independent journal published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, several scholars are calling for new policies and approaches that could significantly accelerate stalled brownfield redevelopment.

CINCINNATI, OH - December 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced two settlements against landlords for failing to inform tenants that their homes may contain potentially dangerous lead. The agreements require the landlords to replace windows and cleanup lead-based paint hazards in 31 residential properties containing a total of 294 units (see attached list). In addition to the $480,000 worth of lead abatement work being performed, the landlords also agree to pay civil penalties totalling $12,500.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has launched a newly-designed consumer-oriented website, www.SaveMyMortgageInterestDeduction.com, to provide up-to-date information on the threat to the mortgage interest deduction.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Beazer Homes USA Inc., a national residential homebuilder, has agreed today to pay a $925,000 civil penalty to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites in 21 states, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- DOE announced on November 30 that 24 projects are receiving a total of $21 million in technical assistance to reduce the energy used in their commercial buildings. This initiative, supported with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will connect commercial building owners and operators with multidisciplinary teams including researchers at DOE's national laboratories and private sector building experts. The teams will design, construct, measure, and test low-energy building plans, and will help accelerate the deployment of cost-effective energy-saving measures in U.S. commercial buildings.