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HUD SECRETARY ANNOUNCES DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR MASSACHUSETTS STORM VICTIMS

WASHINGTON, DC - April 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to seven counties in Massachusetts and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following the ongoing severe storm and flooding this month.

Governor Patrick Announces Free Homebuyer Fairs and Open Houses to Promote Affordable Homeownership Opportunities...

Latest series of "Opportunity Knocks” homebuyer fairs will be statewide on Saturday, April 10. BOSTON, MA - March 31, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Deval Patrick announced today that the latest series of free “Opportunity Knocks” regional homebuyer fairs and open houses to promote affordable homeownership opportunities in Massachusetts will be held on Saturday, April 10 across Massachusetts

Massachusetts Home Prices Edge up in February for Third Straight Month

Home sales up for eight consecutive months WALTHAM, MA - March 31, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that median prices of single-family homes were up 7.7 percent compared to February 2009 while condominiums were up 12.8 percent compared to the same time last year. Home sales have now increased for eight straight months and were up 14.3 percent compared to the same time last year while condominium sales were up 14.8 percent

Mayor Menino Joins Mission Hill Community to Celebrate New Housing in Renovated Mill Buildings

62 Mixed-Income Loft Development Will Boast ‘Green’ Efficiencies; Create 100 Construction Jobs March 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino and city officials today celebrated the start of construction at the Oliver Lofts, a $25 million housing development on Mission Hill’s Terrace Street. The project involves the adaptive reuse of two, four and five-story historic mill buildings, previously vacant for 25 years. The completed project will add 62 new units of mixed-income, LEED-Silver housing – a total of nearly 95,000 square-feet of living space – to the neighborhood.

UMass Study Finds MassHousing Tenancy Preservation Program Highly Effective in Preventing Homelessness Among Tenants...

BOSTON, MA - March 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- An evaluation by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute has concluded that MassHousing’s Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP) is highly effective in preventing homelessness among tenants with mental disabilities.

Mayor Menino, ZUMIX Celebrate Organization’s New Home in Renovated East Boston Firehouse

March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined city officials and community members in celebrating the new home of local after-school music education organization, ZUMIX, in a newly renovated firehouse at 260 Sumner Street in East Boston. The new 9,000-square-foot facility benefitted from $4.6 million in renovations over the past five years, and boasts a performance stage, several soundproof rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, and a radio station. The renovated firehouse, which was vacant for more than 30 years, replaces former ZUMIX headquarters on nearby Maverick Street.

AG Coakley Secures $3 Billion in Loan Modifications for Homeowners Nationwide in Agreement with...

$18 million in relief for Massachusetts homeowners; $4.1 million payment to Commonwealth. BOSTON, MA - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of her office’s ongoing initiative to combat predatory lending practices that contributed to our nation’s economic crisis, Attorney General Martha Coakley today reached a significant settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation (Countrywide) that will provide an estimated $18 million in loan modifications for Massachusetts homeowners, $3 billion in loan modifications for homeowners across the country, and a $4.1 million payment to the Commonwealth. Countrywide is now owned by Bank of America.The settlement, filed today in Suffolk Superior Court, expands an earlier agreement that Countrywide reached with 43 other state Attorneys General and the District of Columbia in 2008 for loan modification for certain delinquent borrowers and builds on standards set forth in the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) administered by the United States Treasury

Patrick-Murray Administration Survey of Home Show Contractors Finds 85 Percent Do Not Follow Registration...

BOSTON, MA - March 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A survey of home improvement contractors (HIC) conducted by the Patrick-Murray Administration's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation found that 85 percent of the contractors checked did not follow state laws requiring the listing of registration numbers on displays and other advertising.Since taking over the HIC program last July, the Office of Consumer Affairs has focused on ensuring contractors know the law regarding registration numbers and understand the importance of displaying the numbers. For consumers, being able to easily find and check a registration number is important as homeowners go through the process of considering a contractor. Hiring a registered contractor affords some protections and possible compensation from the state’s Guaranty Fund that would not be available if a consumer uses an unregistered contractor

Kerry: Chelsea to Receive $352,000 for Foreclosure Prevention

BOSTON, MA - March 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator John Kerry today announced that Chelsea Neighborhood Developers, Inc. will receive $352,000 in federal funding from NeighborWorks America. The funding will be used to help local communities revitalize and sustain their neighborhoods and to provide counseling to families and individuals facing the threat of foreclosure.

Kerry: South Shore to Receive $84,000 for Foreclosure Prevention

BOSTON, MA - March 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator John Kerry today announced that Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore, Inc. will receive $84,000 in federal funding from NeighborWorks America. The funding will be used to help local communities revitalize and sustain their neighborhoods and to provide counseling to families and individuals facing the threat of foreclosure.

Kerry: Lawrence to Receive $163,500 for Foreclosure Prevention

BOSTON, MA - March 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator John Kerry today announced that Lawrence CommunityWorks, Inc. will receive $163,500 in federal funding from NeighborWorks America. The funding will be used to help local communities revitalize and sustain their neighborhoods and to provide counseling to families and individuals facing the threat of foreclosure.

MONIQUE VAN GRINSVEN JOINS THE REAL ESTATE INNER CIRCLE

Worcester, MA - March 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Monique van Grinsven, one of North America’s top real estate professionals, has joined the staff of Real Estate Inner Circle™. Ms. van Grinsven has over 30 years of sales and leadership experience in the real estate industry as a REALTOR, manager, coach, trainer, speaker, and consultant. She will begin offering personal coaching to real estate professionals effective immediately.

MassHousing Executive Director Thomas R. Gleason Receives National Award for Preserving Affordable Housing for...

BOSTON, MA - March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing Executive Director Thomas R. Gleason was recently presented with the 2010 Friend of the Elderly Award by the California-based Retirement Housing Foundation for his longstanding efforts to preserve affordable housing for the elderly, economically disadvantaged families and people with disabilities.

February Massachusetts 2010 REALTOR® Market Index up Almost 100 percent Compared to the Same...

WALTHAM, MA - March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) today announced that for the second month in a row members reported solid improvement in market conditions over February 2009 according to results of the February 2010 Massachusetts REALTOR® Market Index (RMI). REALTOR® members also feel that prices are trending in a positive direction.

Change Clocks…Change Batteries

Boston, MA - March 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Each year, thousands of people needlessly die or are injured in home fires. Tragically, many of them would be alive or unharmed today had their home been equipped with working smoke detectors.

Recent

AG Healey Secures $2 Million in Restitution for 20,000 Massachusetts Homeowners...

One of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers will pay $2 million in restitution to resolve allegations that it violated state law and committed unfair and deceptive practices by charging Massachusetts homeowners for unnecessary fees and overpriced force-placed insurance policies, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today