News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 16.9 percent in February to a record-low seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,000 units, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department."Today's report is primarily a reflection of consumer uncertainty regarding the overall economy," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. "A recent Gallup poll confirmed that the economy is Americans' top concern right now. At the same time, even qualified buyers who are ready to make a purchase are facing frustrating challenges in terms of tight consumer lending conditions and inappropriately low appraisal values on new construction."

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, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications increased 2.7 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 18, 2011.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) WHAT:The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) 2011 National Policy ConferenceOn March 30-31, 2011 the real estate finance industry will convene in Washington, D.C. to educate the Administration and the Congress on issues that matter most to our industry. MBA's National Policy Conference 2011 gives attendees the opportunity to speak directly to lawmakers about what they do in their community, as well as the practical effect proposed changes may have on their business and the industry

Washington, D.C. - March 23, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) --The Hanley Foundation, in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council and its Greenbuild International Conference & Expo; EcoHome magazine and Hanley Wood, is proud to announce the launch of the 2011 Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership in Sustainable Housing. Entering its third year, this annual award honors an individual or organization that demonstrates extraordinary, lasting and far-reaching contributions to the advancement of sustainable housing in the United States. The award winner will receive $50,000, the largest annual grant given for advancing sustainable housing. The 2011 award will be presented at the USGBC Hanley Award Dinner at the Greenbuild Residential Summit in Toronto this October, which has become a magnetic annual event attracting green building leaders from all sectors of the industry

March 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- BURLINGTON—Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) has passed a major milestone: The Agency has issued more than $3 billion in bonds to finance homeownership and rental opportunities for low- and moderate-income Vermonters.

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 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Steve Scalise today announced that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have issued an updated remediation protocol to assist homeowners in ridding their property of toxic Chinese drywall. The updated protocol sites an in-depth study done by Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico which determined it unnecessary to replace wiring and electrical systems.

DENVER, CA - March 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Pamela Darby, Director of Relocation for Kentwood Real Estate, was a guest speaker during a special roundtable session at the 2011 Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE) conference he...

WASHINGTON, DC March 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that it will begin the orderly wind down of its remaining portfolio of $142 billion in agency-guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (MBS). Starting this month, Treasury plans to sell up to $10 billion in agency-guaranteed MBS per month, subject to market conditions

Washington, DC - March 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- WASHINGTON (March 21, 2011) – Existing-home sales fell in February following three straight monthly increases, according to the National Association of REALTORS

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.

March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- REALTORS®, Homebuilders, consumer groups urge federal regulators to avoid arbitrarily high mortgage down payments, which would hurt the economy by unfairly and unnecessarily closing the door to home ownership for many middle-class families

March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- USAA Real Estate Company has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. USAA Real Estate Company’s accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010. USAA Real Estate Company is the only real estate company in America that has won nine ENERGY STAR awards.

Upper Marlboro, MD - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the NAHB Research Center hosted an online presentation for building product manufacturers on which products were most (and least) frequently used in homes Green Certified to the National Green Building Standard last year. The information was gathered and analyzed by the company’s market research division.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The operator of a defunct money-making scam has agreed to settle a federal court judgment the Federal Trade Commission obtained against him in 2007 for falsely claiming his “wealth building” program would teach consumers how to make substantial income in a short time by buying and selling privately held mortgages. Under the settlement, John Stefanchik will pay the FTC $900,000 plus the proceeds from the sale of his house and substantially all of his personal property.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are issuing an updated remediation protocol for homes with problem drywall. A study conducted on behalf of CPSC by Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, finds no evidence of a safety hazard to home electrical systems. Sandia simulated long-term exposure of wiring and other electrical components to hydrogen sulfide gas, which is associated with problem drywall.

WASHINGTON, DC - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that 17 communities will be the first recipients of Planning Grant funding through the Department’s new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.

Washington, DC - March 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A month-long Home Ownership Matters Bus Tour hosted by the National Association of Realtors® makes a stop this week outside the Denver Home Show on Saturday, March 19. NAR leaders and invited local officials will be on hand to hear from consumers and speak with them about how shifting priorities and public policies in Washington could affect home ownership here in Denver

March 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) voiced strong objections to a bill brought forward by House Republicans today that threatens to eliminate resources that would create jobs and affordable housing in Rhode Island. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) Termination Act (H.R. 861) would end a proven successful effort to revitalize neighborhoods, as well as save and rehabilitate buildings and foreclosed property. NSP has already resulted in 100 new homebuyers purchasing and restoring previously foreclosed properties in Rhode Island and 165 foreclosed homes being acquired for non-profit