Yearly Archives: 2009

July 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced that the California Department of Housing and Community Development has awarded over $96 million in funds to housing developments in San Francisco seeking to start construction. Awards were from two State programs created through the 2006 passage of Proposition 1C; the Transit Oriented Development and Infill Infrastructure Grant programs.

Three associations of REALTORS® join calREDD™, the statewide Multiple Listing Service. LOS ANGELES, CA - July 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- calREDD™ today announced that the Mariposa County Board of REALTORS®, Tehama County Association of REALTORS®, and the Yosemite Gateway Association of REALTORS® have joined calREDD™, the statewide Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

Inland County Took Action to Incentivize Homebuilding and Create Jobs. July 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Riverside County became the latest California jurisdiction to reduce development impact fees charged to homebuilders, which the California Building Industry Association said is a growing trend that is paying off.

Los Angeles, CA - July 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — As part of a massive federal-state crackdown on loan modification scams, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. at a press conference today announced the filing of legal action against 21 individuals and 14 companies who ripped off thousands of homeowners desperately seeking mortgage relief.

Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young to kickoff “Gain the Edutizing Edge” in San Francisco on Aug. 4. LOS ANGELES, CA - July 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Real Estate Business Services® (REBS®) in conjunction with the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTOR® (C.A.R.) is pleased to announce that C.A.R. Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young and a dynamic group of real estate experts will share their knowledge with REALTORS® at a special program “Gain the EDUTIZING Edge: How to build your business by giving today's buyers and sellers what they really value--local market insight!” The program will be held Aug. 4, the day before Inman’s Real Estate Connect in San Francisco at the Palace Hotel.

July 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The Jordan Downs Recreation Center served as the meeting place for the Jordan Downs Redevelopment planning meetings. Residents,...

‘Operation Loan Lies’ Aims to Help People At Risk of Losing Their Homes. July 13, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — As part of a federal/state law enforcement initiative, the Federal Trade Commission will hold a press conference in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, July 15, 2009, at 10 a.m., Pacific Coast Time to announce an effort to crack down on mortgage-related scams. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz and California Attorney General Jerry Brown will be available to answer reporters’ questions.

Washington, D.C. - July 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Today, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) sent a letter to Federal Housing Finance Agency Director James Lockhart applauding the Administration’s recent decision to expand the Home Affordable Refinance plan, which allows responsible borrowers whose home values have declined to refinance their Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans and take advantage of historically low mortgage rates.

SACRAMENTO, CA - July 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The pace of home sales at California new-home communities in May was still below year-ago levels but continued to improve from preceding months, the California Building Industry Association reported today.

Los Angeles, CA - July 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. July 6 sued a foreclosure consultant and an attorney -- Paul Noe Jr. and Mitchell Roth - who conned 2,000 desperate homeowners into paying exorbitant fees for "phony lawsuits" to forestall foreclosure proceedings.

Funds Will Provide Housing for Disabled Families Throughout Sacramento. WASHINGTON, DC - July 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) today announced $878,784 in federal funds for low-income housing initiatives has been allocated to the Sacramento region. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will provide $878,784 to the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency through the Housing Choice Vouchers Program to provide housing for local disabled families.

Increased affordability, low mortgage rates motivating home buyers, according to C.A.R.’s “2009 Survey of California Home Buyers”. LOS ANGELES, CA - July 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Favorable home prices, record-low interest rates, and the belief that rates will rise in the near future were the primary motivators leading home buyers to purchase in 2009 compared with last year, according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) “2009 Survey of California Home Buyers” released today. Sixty-eight percent of buyers said price decreases motivated them to buy a home, while 39 percent reported low interest rates helped them move to a better location. Twenty-three percent claimed the likelihood that rates will move up as the motivating factor.

Clarus MarketMetrics® is available for free to members of six Northern California AORs. LOS ANGELES, CA - July 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Real Estate Business Services Inc. (REBS®) today announced that more than 15,000 members of six local associations of REALTORS® in Northern California now have access to Clarus MarketMetrics® as a free member benefit. Members of the Coastal Mendocino, Marin, North Bay, Northern Solano County, San Francisco, and Solano associations of REALTORS® join the more than 100,000 California real estate professionals who have member benefit access. Bay Area Real Estate Information Services (BAREIS) and the San Francisco MLS (SFARMLS) are the multiple listing providers to members of the aforementioned local associations.

Funds Will Provide Housing for Disabled Families; Housing Assistance for Native Americans. WASHINGTON, DC - July 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) today announced an additional $928,364 in federal funds for housing initiatives in Sacramento. Two grants, awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will provide $878,784 to the Sacramento County Housing Authority, and $49,580 to the Buena Vista Rancheria. The Sacramento County Housing Authority will receive funding under the Designated Housing Fund, to provide housing for disabled families. Buena Vista Rancheria, home to the Me-Wuk Indian Tribe, will receive funding through the Indian Housing Block Grant Program to provide decent, safe and affordable housing for lower-income Native Americans.

Newsom also announces 450% increase in San Francisco solar applications since inception of solar rebate program. July 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced plans to install over 365 kw of solar panels on the San Francisco Housing Authority properties of Hayes Valley North and South and Plaza East through San Francisco’s GoSolarSF Initiative. The solar panels will provide hundreds of thousands of kilowatts of clean, renewable electricity to public housing residents. The project is expected to create 25 jobs and be completed by the end of the year

Turner Completes Project in 23 Months - 18 Days Ahead of Schedule. New York, N.Y. - July 6, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Turner Construction Company, the nation’s leading general builder, has completed the $480 million Terranea Resort project in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. in 23 months, 18 days ahead of schedule. Turner served as the manager of preconstruction and construction services for the resort on behalf of owner/developer Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises.

Monterey County and Santa Cruz AORs offer Clarus MarketMetrics® as a member benefit. LOS ANGELES, CA - July 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Real Estate Business Services Inc. (REBS®) today announced that the Monterey County Association of REALTORS® (MCAR) and Santa Cruz Association of REALTORS® (SCAR) signed agreements to provide Clarus MarketMetrics® as a member benefit to their more than 2,600 REALTOR® members. MCAR and SCAR join three other local associations in the area: Santa Clara County, Silicon Valley and San Mateo County associations of REALTORS®, all of which utilize MLSListings Inc. as their multiple listing service (MLS) provider, in providing Clarus MarketMetrics® as a member benefit. SCAR also is providing Clarus Investor®.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $3,026,914 National Emergency Grant increment to continue assisting 1,063 California workers affected by mass layoffs and closures in the mortgage and banking industries.

C.A.R. reports May home sales increased 35.2 percent, median home price declined 30.4 percent. LOS ANGELES, CA - June 26, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Home sales increased 35.2 percent in May in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home declined 30.4 percent, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.

Pleasanton, CA - June 24, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today sued the City of Pleasanton to remove its "draconian and illegal" limit on new housing, a significant cause of traffic congestion, air pollution and urban sprawl in the East Bay and Tri-Valley area.