December 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced today a recommendation of Fiscal Year 2012 property tax rates for consideration by the Springfield City Council at a meeting Scheduled for Friday, December 16, 2011. The rates would be $19.99 for residential and $39.53 for commercial, industrial, and personal property (CIP) (per $1,000 valuation). This recommendation has been developed in consultation with Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Lee Erdmann and Chairman of the City’s Board of Assessors Richard Allen

BOSTON, MA - December 9, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing announced today that it has closed $2.7 million in loans for the first phase of the Tri-Town Landing Apartments, a 66-unit rental development in a Smart Growth District in Lunenburg.

DANVERS, MA - December 8, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With today’s broad awareness that green buildings offer lower operating costs, increased value and improved ROI, the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification has become the framework of choice for achieving sustainability at commercial properties. Lighting, which accounts for 40 percent of energy use in office buildings, often dominates the opportunity for energy savings among all electrical systems and can potentially contribute up to 19 credits towards LEED certification, according to Encelium.

Concord, MA - December 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rhines writes on architectural history and interior design as well as real-estate issues. Her articles have appeared in Old-House Journal, Old-House Interiors, Wayside Magazine, Style 1900, Arts & Crafts Homes & the Revival, and Antiques & the Arts Weekly. Prior to turning to freelance writing full-time, Rhines worked for over 15 years in public relations promoting affordable-housing initiatives at the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, with articles appearing in Banker & Tradesman, Bay State Realtor, and various Federal Reserve Bank publications.

BOSTON, MA - November 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing has awarded $300,000 in financing to help create or preserve affordable sober housing in Brockton, Lowell, Springfield and Worcester.

BOSTON, MA - November 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MassHousing recently recognized the efforts of 100 property management companies that make a concerted effort to do business with Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs).

EUGENE, OR - November 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Collette Lester of Milbury and Company Real Estate has become the latest real estate professional to integrate a customized IDX solution onto her website, thanks to IDX, Inc. and the extraordinary IDX Broker software. Lester, an Massachusetts-based Realtor, now hosts a dynamic search page which extracts raw listing data from the Massachusetts MLS Property Info Network (MLSPIN) database and seamlessly syncs it to the comprehensive listings database she supports on her website. Potential buyers and clients are able to scan the MLSPIN listings knowing they have the most up-to-the-minute data from MLSPIN right on Lester’s website.

Washington, DC - October 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John Tierney urged Acting Director Edward DeMarco of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to continue to take critical steps to prevent foreclosures and to push private lenders to provide relief. Earlier this week, the Administration announced that the FHFA would implement a series of policy changes that would allow more homeowners to access the Home Affordable Refinance Program ("HARP") to refinance their home mortgage.

Washington, DC - October 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman John Tierney released the following statement in response to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) decision to enact a series of changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) that will help more eligible borrowers refinance their home mortgage.

October 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Metro Credit Union was recently approved as a lending partner for the Boston Home Center. Metro will collaborate with the Boston Home Center to develop and enhance mortgage programs aimed at placing homeowners in the most sustainable mortgages

Boston, MA - October 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, the Planning Office for Urban Affairs (POUA), Pine Street Inn, and a number of state and local officials to celebrate the grand opening of 18 apartments for formerly homeless individuals in Boston’s South End.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- With the Department of Energy (DOE) reporting an increase in the price for most heating fuels this winter, Congressmen Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Steven C. LaTourette (R-Ohio), John B. Larson (D-Conn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately release as much LIHEAP funding as possible under the current continuing resolution which expires November 18, 2011. With continued uncertainty over the final FY2012 funding levels for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), release of these funds means states will have the opportunity to help those with greatest needs now.

October 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two preservation projects on property overseen by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department were recognized with 2011 Preservation Achievement Awards at the annual awards ceremony hosted by the Boston Preservation Alliance at the Paramount Center on October 6.

October 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As the winter months are fast approaching, the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) would like to remind homeowners and tenants to prepare for the winter early. According to the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, the heating season officially begins on September 15 and runs through June 15^th, at which time landlords and property managers must supply functioning heating systems. These facilities must heat habitable spaces at a minimum temperature of 68° during the day, 7a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and 64° in the evening 11:01p.m. to 6:59a.m.

Washington, DC - October 10, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman John Tierney (MA-06) will join a group of lawmakers in a meeting with Acting Director Edward DeMarco of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to discuss President Obama's proposal to allow more American families to refinance their mortgages at historically low interest rates. The meeting is the result of increased pressure from Tierney and a group of his Democratic colleagues on the FHFA to discuss quick implementation of the proposal President Obama mentioned during his recent address to Congress.