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LOS ANGELES, CA - February 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- California home sales declined from both the prior month and year in January, according to data from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.). The median price also was lower, primarily due to a sales increase in the distressed market

SAN DIEGO, CA - February 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Three individuals charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud for their roles in operating a fraudulent mortgage loan modification business pled guilty today in federal court in San Diego, announced United States Attorney for the Southern District of California Laura E. Duffy. According to the plea agreements, Ziad Nabil Mohammed Al Saffar and Sara Beth Bushore Rosengrant admitted that they operated the fraudulent loan audit and modification business, located in San Diego, California, under the names “Compliance Audit Solutions, Inc.” (“CAS”) and CAS Group, Inc., (“CAS Group”). Daniel Al Saffar admitted that he worked as a sales representative in connection with the operation.

LOS ANGELES, CA - February 13, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- California’s housing affordability rose to its highest level in fourth-quarter 2011, matching a record high set in 2009, thanks to lower home prices and record-low interest rates, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.

IRVINE, CA - February 13, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + Planning, is pleased to announce its latest achievements in home design excellence. Foursquare Senior Living community in Portland, Oregon, received high honors at National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2012 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, FL, at both the Best in American Living Award (BALA) and 50+ Housing Council's Best of 50+ Housing Awards ceremonies on February 9, 2012.

LOS ANGELES, CA - February 10, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced an historic commitment to California of up to $18 billion that will benefit hundreds of thousands of homeowners in the state hardest hit by the mortgage crisis.

February 9, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Citing her work as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade – as well as her voting record during the 111th Congress – the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today honored Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) for her support of “free enterprise, individual liberty, limited government and personal responsibility.” ABC is a national association with 75 chapters representing construction firms with more than 2 million employees nationwide.

LOS ANGELES, CA - February 8, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) applauds President Obama’s proposal to help millions of underwater homeowners who are current on their mortgage to refinance.

Washington, DC - February 8, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Select Committee on Ethics Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Vice-Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) today praised the Senate’s passage of their amendment to the STOCK Act that would increase transparency and strengthen disclosure requirements by requiring members of Congress to disclose all their mortgages. The new requirements would also apply to the President, the Vice President and most Senate-confirmable appointees.

SACRAMENTO, CA - February 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six homebuilding leaders will be honored at the California homebuilding industry’s most prestigious event, the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame Celebration.

SACRAMENTO, CA - January 30, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging two defendants with mail fraud and money laundering in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in losses of at least $180,000 to lenders. Charged are Andrey Kim, 28, of Sacramento; and Sultanmurod Rashidov, 29, of Brooklyn, N.Y. Kim was indicted for another mortgage fraud scam last month. He is scheduled to appear on the new charges on January 31, 2012, before Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney. Rashidov is believed to be out of the country.

Washington, DC - January 26, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1), joined by Democratic Members of the California Congressional Delegation, today welcomed the President’s proposal from the State of the Union to provide responsible homeowners with the opportunity to refinance at historically low rates, but said this is only half of the equation

Washington, DC - January 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee approved H.R. 1433, “The Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2011.” Introduced by Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the legislation is intended to protect private property owners and communities from eminent domain abuse, and restore property rights that the Supreme Court changed in the controversial case, Kelo v. City of New London. In Kelo, the Court upheld the ability of the State and Federal government to transfer privately-owned property against the wishes of the owner to a large corporation, declaring that the resulting economic development would produce benefits to the community

LOS ANGELES, CA - January 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) Pending Home Sales Index dropped as expected between November and December, tracking the annual seasonal slowdown. However, the index was higher than a year ago for the eighth straight month, a trend that bodes well for the start of the spring home-buying season. C.A.R. also reported that sales of distressed properties increased in December, as lenders pushed to close REOs and short sales to move them off their balance sheets before the end of the year.

SACRAMENTO, CA - January 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- California saw the third-lowest yearly housing permit total and the worst yearly total on record for single-family units in 2011, the California Building Industry Association announced today.

January 24, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The City of Long Beach and LA County invites all residents to attend the Energy Upgrade CA Kick-Off Event on Thursday, January 26, from 6-8 pm at the Expo Art Gallery, 4321 Atlantic Ave., in Long Beach.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - January 19, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Raymond Foakes, 48, of Rohnert Park, California, was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,085,000 in restitution for his role in a multi-million-dollar mortgage fraud scheme, United States Attorney MELINDA HAAG announced.

Washington, DC - January 12, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives Mike Thompson (CA-1), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16) and Anna Eshoo (CA-14) led a group of 25 California Members of Congress in calling on President Barack Obama to address the housing crisis and appoint a Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The FHFA, which oversees mortgage backers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, has been without a permanent director for two and a half years.

IRVINE, CA - January 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors, one of the most dominant retail investment groups in the western United States and a market leader in the sale of retail properties, announced today that Edward B. Hanley, William B. Asher and Patrick G. Kent sold three multi-tenant strip centers totaling 96,327 square feet in southern California for a total consideration of $8,170,026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Supervisor Malia Cohen today introduced a resolution at the Board of Supervisors to ensure that major redevelopment projects, such as Mission Bay, the Hunters Point Shipyard, and Transbay as well as affordable housing projects under the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency can continue after the State required their elimination. The resolution is also co-sponsored by Supervisors Jane Kim and Christina Olague.

Washington, DC - January 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today announced more than $5.5 million for homeless programs across California’s First Congressional District. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and will ensure these housing and service programs remain operating in 2012 in an effort to reduce and end homelessness.