Most homeowners in the Northeastern United States did not think they needed to worry about their homeowner’s insurance covering damage from an earthquake; however, most homeowner’s insurance does not cover earthquakes.
After the 2011 earthquake in Virginia, FEMA has issued the following statement:
Common Misunderstandings Could Delay or Limit Your Assistance
Virginia’s earthquake declaration has spanned five...
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Real Estate And Mortgage News
- HUD AWARDS $20 MILLION IN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES STABILIZE NEIGHBORHOODS HARD-HIT BY FORECLOSUREWASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $20 million in technical assistance funding to 12 organizations that will, in turn, help local communities across this country stabilize neighborhoods hard-hit by foreclosure through HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). […]
- HUD SECRETARY DONOVAN ANNOUNCES NEW REGULATIONS TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR ALL AMERICANS REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITYWASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today new regulations intended to ensure that HUD's core housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Donovan previewed the announcement at the 24th National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgend […]
- HUD charges owner of Holyoke, Massachusetts, apartment building with housing discrimination for denying families with children units that might contain lead-based paintHUD charges owner of Holyoke, Massachusetts, apartment building with housing discrimination for denying families with children units that might contain lead-based paint Read the charge […]
- Pending Home Sales Decline in December, Remain Above a Year AgoAfter reaching a 19-month high, pending home sales eased in December but stayed above year-ago levels. […]
- Homeownership Matters to NationPresident's speech supports homeowners and struggling housing market. […]
The Economy
- Housing Vacancies and HomeownershipHomeownership Rate (HR) The homeownership rate in the fourth quarter 2011 (66.0 percent) was lower than the fourth quarter 2010 rate (66.5 percent). The homeownership rates in the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West were not statistically different from their corresponding fourth quarter 2010 rates. Rental Vacancy Rate (RVR) The rental vacancy rate in the fo […]
FEMA
- Combined Federal Assistance To Pennsylvania Tops One-Half BillionHARRISBURG, Pa. - More than one-half billion dollars in federal assistance to date is supporting the commonwealth's recovery from Irene and Lee, announced officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. […]
- Recovery Update: Oklahomans Receive More Than $1.6 Million in AssistanceDENTON, Texas -- Nearly a year after Atoka County in Oklahoma was declared a federal disaster area following the April 14, 2011, tornado, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have approved more than $1.6 million in Individuals and Households Program (IHP) assistance for affected residents. […]
- Basic Water Well Knowledge for HomeownerMIDLOTHIAN, Va. -- When the ground shakes wells can break. In the wake of the August 23, 2011 Virginia Earthquake central Virginia well owners are urged to inspect water wells for damage and contamination. If damage is suspected residents should register with FEMA as soon as possible. […]
Earthquake Insurance After Virginia Quake
Existing-Home Sales Show Uptrend
Existing-home sales continued on an uptrend in December, rising for three consecutive months and remaining above a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
The latest monthly data shows total existing-home sales1 rose 5.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.61 million in December from a downwardly revised 4.39 million in...
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Homebuyer’s First Steps
Mortgage rates are at 50-year lows – the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.95 percent at the close of 2011 – making homeownership more affordable than ever for families with a stable income and good credit. But before you begin house hunting in earnest, it’s important that you get the facts about buying a home...
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Montgomery County Real Estate
Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds NANCY J. BECKER is urging recorders/registers of deeds across state and the country to withdraw public money from any banks affiliated with the Mortgage Electronic Registry System (MERS), which she claims is undermining the practice of accurate land recording.
In recent years, mortgages have been assigned and...
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The Future Of Housing
Six Key Principles for the Future of the Housing Finance Market
By Feddie Mac CEO Ed Haldeman
Freddie Mac was chartered by Congress in 1970 with a public mission to stabilize the nation’s residential mortgage markets and expand opportunities for homeownership and affordable rental housing. Our statutory mission is to...
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New Residential Construction
Building Permits, Housing Starts, and Housing Completions
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Existing Home Sales
Washington, DC, November 21, 2011
Existing-home sales improved in October while the number of homes on the market continued to decline, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
Total existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 1.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million in October...
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Houses for Sale by the U. S. Government
The HomeSales.gov web site provides current information about single family homes for sale by the U.S. Federal Government. These previously owned homes are for sale by public...
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Flood Insurance Reform
“The National Association of Realtors® is pleased that a continuing resolution passed by Congress today included a short-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program, but still believes a longer term extension is needed to ensure access to affordable flood insurance for millions of homeowners.
“As the leading advocate for homeownership...
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New Residential Home Sales
New home sales and existing home sales are released each month at about the same time. Many comparisons are made between the two series, but before doing any comparisons, one must be aware of some definition differences that affect the timing of the statistics.
The Census Bureau collects new home sales based upon the following...
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Making Homes Affordable
The Advertising Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), announced today the launch of a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to encourage homeowners who are struggling with their monthly mortgage payments to learn about the Making Home Affordable Program....
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How Do I Identify Loan Officers?
The loan origination business was like the wild west. Now, there is a new sheriff in town:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Mortgage loan originators will have to be fingerprinted and sign up to a central registry to do business in future, according to final rules issued on Wednesday by the Federal Reserve and other regulators.
The...
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Greater Philadelphia Region
- Abraham Lincoln Union Open HousePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania: The Union League of Philadelphia, founded in 1862 as a patriotic society to support the Union and the policies of Abraham Lincoln, will host its annual Open House on Saturday February 4, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is invited to stay after the open house for a special [...] […]
- Benefit Dinner For Occupy PhiladelphiaYou are invited to a dinner to benefit Occupy Philadelphia Friday, February 10, 2012 6:00 p.m. at the Friends Center 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia *a children’s program will be provided. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Philadelphians have quietly supported Occupy Philadelphia from the background. Though the encampment has been disbanded for the winter, Oc […]