WASHINGTON, DC - December 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today was elected by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to lead federal efforts to end homelessness. As chair of USICH, Secretary Solis joins the newly elected vice chair, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in implementing Opening Doors, the first federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Solis succeeds Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, who has been chair since 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A press conference on green product trends featuring speakers from Green Day sponsors BASF, Kohler, Marvin Windows & Doors and The Council for Responsible EnergyA press conference on new-home energy-efficiency breakthroughs from builders participating in the Department of Energy's Builders Challenge and the National Green Building Certification programA Meet and Greet with members of the 20 university teams from around the world chosen to participate in the 2011 Solar Decathlon. See scale models of the designs and talk to the winning students as well as a select group of green builders and remodelers who can talk about real-world application of these cutting-edge technologies

Atlanta, GA - December 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Realtors,it’s been a tough year. Don’t let your funny bone go into foreclosure. Why notend the year on a positive note? Have a few laughs and save money at the sametime. Work Like A Dog Books has temporarily created short salepricing on its popular real estate book, AllIn A Day’s Work for Real Estate Agents—Humorous & Heartwarming Stories.The Next Generation Indie Book Awards humor/comedy category finalist featuresmore than 100 funny, crazy, bizarre or touching stories of real-life thingsthat happened to agents in the line of duty. Agents from 44 states have their“war” stories included in the book

TOPEKA, KS - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Do you have great ideas for dynamic speakers and presentations at next year's Kansas Housing Conference August 9-11 in Wichita? If so, we want to hear from you! The Conference Steering Committee is now seeking session suggestions that offer:

NEW YORK, N.Y. - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage rates soared again this week, with the average rate on the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate rising to 5 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.40 discount and origination points.

McLean, VA - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which found that both fixed- and short-term mortgage rates continued to rise this week. This was the fifth week in a row where fixed-rate mortgage rates were up

REENWOOD VILLAGE, CO - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Steve Travers, a top-producing real estate professional with Kentwood Real Estate’s Denver Tech Center office, was a contributor to the 46th Annual Colorado Business Economic Outlook just released by the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business. Travers was invited to assist with the 2011 report’s residential real estate section due primarily to his diverse business background and comprehensive knowledge of the real estate industry in Colorado

December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Huge jumps in prices for diesel fuel and copper—two key inputs to construction—pinched contractors in November as weak demand for construction forced them to hold down bid prices despite the cost increases, according to an analysis of November producer price index figures released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Prices for materials used in construction climbed 0.5 percent in November and 4.8 percent over the past 12 months, while price indexes for finished buildings remained flat over both time periods. The PPI for finished goods went up 0.4 percent for the month and 3.5 percent year-over-year.

Washington, DC - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo welcomed more than 28,000 attendees this past November at its show in Chicago, Ill. Attendees representing various backgrounds, professions and 114 countries filled the exhibit hall floor, educational and speaker sessions, green building tours and networking events that made up the three day long show. The nearly 200,000 square foot expo hall floor featured over 1,800 exhibit booths representing over 1,000 exhibiting companies. Greenbuild is the industry’s largest gathering of representatives from all sectors of the green building movement

WASHINGTON, DC - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A homeless-prevention program by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which seeks to help Veterans and families who are on the verge of becoming homeless, has moved closer to implementation. The program marks the first time that VA will fund services for the spouses and children of Veterans at risk of becoming homeless.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A combination of business strategy, philanthropy and unwavering commitment to each multifamily development earned the Michaels Development Company top honors as Multifamily Development Firm of the Year. The award was presented by the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) as part of the association's Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards last week

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Nationwide housing starts rose 3.9 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 555,000 units from an upwardly revised number in the previous month, according to newly released data from the U.S. Commerce Department. This marked the first upward movement in new-home production since August, and was entirely attributable to a nearly 7 percent gain in single-family home building.

Washington, DC - December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of the 2010-11Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, REALTORS® recently rated exterior replacement projects among the most cost-effective home improvement projects, demonstrating that curb appeal remains one of the most important aspects of a home at resale time.

Boston, MA - December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. multi-housing vacancy rate is expected to remain relatively stable through 2011, ending the year at 5.8%, before falling further to 5.3% during the course of 2012, according to a new forecast from CBRE Econometric Advisors (CBRE-EA). Multi-family property demand will remain solid, continuing a trend that began when the vacancy rate peaked at 7.4% at the end of 2009.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 10, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 2.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 2.7 percent compared with the previous week.

McLean, VA - December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) announced today that it will not issue a Reference Notes® security on December 15, 2010. The company’s 2010 Reference Notes calendar designates dates that it may use to announce the issuance of Reference Notes securiti

December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- "ABA, along with other financial trade associations, filed an amicus brief yesterday in opposition to applying overtime regulations to most bank employees who originate residential mortgages. The amicus was filed in the case of Henry vs. Quicken Loans in the United States District Court of Eastern Michigan. "The amicus brief argues that the new Administrator's Interpretation marked a sudden and dramatic shift in the Dept. of Labor's position that is inconsistent with the regulations that it seeks to interpret, and that the sudden and dramatic reversal of course results in an unfair surprise to employers who have reasonably relied on the Dept. of Labor's prior interpretations.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Business Solutions, a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, has entered into an exclusive two-year arrangement with U.S. Bank Home Mortgage that will provide member banks with a competitively-priced outlet for the sale of wholesale loans

December 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes remained unchanged in December from the previous month at 16 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today."Builders are bracing themselves for a slow holiday season as a number of factors continue to cause uncertainty among consumers and builders alike," said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a home builder from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. "While the HMI is adjusted for seasonal factors, the typical cold-weather slowdown in sales activity is being accentuated by ongoing weakness in the job market, the rising number of foreclosures and short-sales, and very challenging credit conditions for both builders and buyers."

VIENNA, VA - December 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today released two mortgage fraud reports entitled Mortgage Loan Fraud SAR Filings, which together cover the first six months of 2010; one report covers January through March 2010, and the other covers April through June 2010.

Solemn Recognition Coincides with $5 Million Campaign to Raise Awareness of the Statewide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The state Office of Mental Health today announced that bridges and landmarks across New York will be lit in purple and teal tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 18, to mark Suicide Prevention Month.

The cost of rocks to do a landscape project may be high, but obtaining inexpensive rocks can greatly affect one's budget. Rocks have several uses in landscaping; they may act as walks, borders, or specimens in a garden. Nevertheless, it might often be quite difficult to look for cost-friendly rock suppliers.

Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Keeping Aid for Municipalities and Localities Accountable Act, or the KAMALA Act. The KAMALA Act will ensure that the federal government is not bankrolling states and localities that provide illegal aliens with housing assistance.

“We see the dramatic impact of climate change on our national parks every day. That’s why we need a transition to renewable energy that makes sure solar development is sited quickly and where it makes the most sense, minimizing harm to national parks and the communities they support."–Matt Kirby, NPCA's Senior Energy and Landscape Conservation Director

Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) has acquired two senior affordable housing properties in very desirable Massachusetts communities that are vulnerable to increasing housing costs: Northside Village in Dennis and Westport Village in Westport.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is alerting consumers about the dangers of television (TV) tip-over hazards. Millions of New Yorkers will watch the Super Bowl this Sunday either on TVs at home or at parties with friends. DCP is taking this TV-focused occasion to remind consumers of critical TV safety tips.

Fast-growing Florida has been a favorite of real estate investors for many years. With so much interest having been focused on the state, though, investors need to take care to seek the best available opportunities.

Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced that the Senator Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building located at 65 Court Street in Buffalo will be sold at auction in 2020. A work group formed earlier this year made up of City, County, and State officials working with professional real estate consultants CBRE, determined that in the current competitive and robust Buffalo real estate market

The Bureau of Land Management today announced that Karen Mouritsen has been named the new California State Director—a key leadership position based in Sacramento. As State Director, Mouritsen will direct a team that manages lands encompassing 15% of the Golden State’s total land mass

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) today announced the opening of the new JLC Recovery and Wellness Center in New York City. JLC is operated by Exponents Inc. and provides free help and support services for people affected by addiction and for their families.

In spite of a robust U.S. economy, a strong employment rate, and steadily increasing 401(k) plan earnings, Black homeownership rates continue to drop. Drawing from the 2019 release of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, asked the Department of the Interior about its commitment to the Yakima River Basin during a hearing on the president’s FY 2017 budget request. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael Connor agreed with Sen. Cantwell that the Yakima River Basin plan “is a model for the rest of the nation in water management.”

“Consumers Energy is thankful to be a part of holiday celebrations across the state as warm Thanksgiving memories are being made, and we are committed to providing many more generations of Michigan families with reliable, affordable energy in all seasons,” said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy’s vice president and chief customer officer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued a final rule that creates exemptions from certain appraisal requirements for a subset of higher-priced mortgage loans. The exemptions are intended to save borrowers time and money while still ensuring that the loans are financially sound

Atlanta, Georgia - November 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) entered into a Consent Order with Equity Loans, LLC, License Number 23300, located at 1150 Hammond Dr., Building E, Suite 650, Atlanta, Georgia 30328, to resolve allegations pertaining to violations of the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act