Yearly Archives: 2010

BOSTON, MA - August 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing announced a loan closing today of $5.9 million to preserve affordability for low-income families at the 86-apartment St. Michael’s House in Northampton.

WORCESTER, MA - August 13, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- An Oxford man was arraigned in Worcester Superior Court for his role in a complex scheme in which fraudulent documents were used to defraud homeowners and mortgage lenders in numerous real estate transactions involving distressed properties in the Worcester County area. Allen Seymour, age 42, is charged with Forgery (4 counts), Uttering (8 counts), Inducing a Lender to Part with Property (12 counts) and Larceny by False Pretenses. Yesterday, Massachusetts State Police transported Seymour from federal prison in New Jersey to Massachusetts.Three other co-defendants have been charged in connection with this case. On December 1, 2009, Raymond A. Desautels III, age 43, of Oxford, was sentenced to serve two years in State Prison after pleading guilty to the charges of Inducing a Lender to Part with Property (5 counts).

BOSTON, MA - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Patrick-Murray Administration's Division of Banks today announced the issuance of 43 temporary cease-and-desist orders against licensed mortgage loan originators in Massachusetts for failing to meet requirements for licensure under state law. The mortgage loan originators did not meet the standards set in a 2009 law, an Act Adopting the Federal Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, also known as the SAFE Act.A significant provision of the 2007 foreclosure prevention legislation filed and signed by Governor Deval Patrick was the extension of licensing requirements to individual mortgage loan originators employed by licensed non-bank mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers. This law was updated in 2009 by Chapter 44 to ensure compliance with the federal SAFE Act which was largely patterned after the existing Massachusetts law

BOSTON, MA - August 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today that her office has obtained a consent judgment and filed two lawsuits against multiple real estate companies and their agents for allegedly violating state anti-discrimination, lead paint, and consumer protection laws by posting advertisements mentioning the lead status of rental properties and thereafter refusing to rent to families with young children.Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to refuse to rent or steer families away from rental properties because they have young children whose presence triggers an owner’s duty to eliminate lead hazards that pose serious health risks. The judgment and lawsuits are the result of a partnership with the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston (“Fair Housing Center”) and part of an ongoing statewide investigation into reports of widespread discriminatory Internet advertising on Craigslist.org.

BOSTON, MA - August 6, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office concluded its case against former Brockton attorney Alec G. Sohmer and five other defendants over their roles in a 2006 foreclosure rescue scheme.The judgments entered today by Judge Thomas Connolly against Sohmer in the amount of $620,000 and against the four remaining defendants collectively in the amount of $364,000, together with the judgment obtained last May in the amount of $41,204, resolve allegations that Sohmer, with the assistance of the other defendants, orchestrated an unlawful foreclosure rescue scheme against 26 homeowners

BOSTON, MA - August 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Martha Coakley today announced that she has provided testimony to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding how to better protect investors relating to the subprime mortgage investment crisis.

August 4, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- "The new space will provide the Asian American Lawyers Association (AALAM) with a place to call home. Equally important, it will go a long way toward fostering ever closer relationships between AALAM, other affinity bar organizations, and the BBA for the benefit of the members that we serve.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a longtime champion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), today received an award from the National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN), a national organization representing local non-profit community action agencies, fuel providers, utilities and local government agencies. The NFFN presented Rep. Markey with their 2010 Extra Mile Award at the annual LIHEAP Action Day for his continued advocacy for increased funding for LIHEAP and for his call for the expansion of LIHEAP to include more American families who may find themselves in need of home heating assistance.

NEW BEDFORD, MA - July 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A consent judgment has been obtained against a South Dartmouth landlord resolving allegations that he made discriminatory statements in rental advertisements posted on the popular classified advertising website Craigslist.org (“Craigslist”), Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today

WALTHAM, MA - July 27, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were up in June, marking the 12th straight month of year-over-year increases. Both single-family and condominium median prices were also up in June and in Q2 compared to the same time last year.

Lynn, MA - July 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John Tierney (D-MA) announced that Bridgewell, a Lynnfield-based nonprofit, received a $1,715,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to build ten units of housing for local seniors and residents with developmental disabilities in Lynn. The program and apartments are designed to allow residents to live independently.

Bedford, MA - July 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real estate buyer specialist Beth Lucht brings her energy and expertise to Clayton Realty Group, Inc., a growing real estate firm specializing in the Northwest Boston suburbs. Formerly with Keller Williams Realty in Concord, MA, Miss Lucht first began her real estate career in 2005 with Buyer's Network, an exclusive buyer brokerage.

July 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) has recently been awarded a Permanent Housing Funding Bonus grant of more than $1 million by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that will provide for permanent housing for 22 homeless families who are currently living in emergency shelter, or in hotels or motels

BOSTON, MA - July 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Deval Patrick today announced that MassHousing had its single greatest lending year in the agency's 44-year history by providing more than $838 million for affordable housing in fiscal year 2010.This landmark year shattered MassHousing's previous record of $753 million in overall lending set just last year. MassHousing has posted four consecutive record years for home mortgage lending and more than doubled its lending in fiscal 2010 for affordable rental housing.

DEDHAM, MA - July 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bank of America Home Loans has opened a new customer outreach center in Dedham to serve customers in the Boston area and surrounding region. Bank of America homeownership retention specialists will be meeting face to face with financially troubled mortgage customers who are having difficulty making their monthly payments. Dedicated associates also are available to help customers facing hardship with their auto, credit cards and personal loans.