Texas RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28), along with representatives from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development division, held a videoconference today on federal housing loans and grants opportunities. This informational session provided attendees with an overview of federal housing assistance grants and programs, as well as federal resources and funding opportunities available to facilitate affordable housing projects.

AUSTIN, TX - July 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR), Austin-area year-over-year housing inventory fell to 2.9 months in June, a decrease of 1.5 months from June 2012. Mid-year statistics for 2013 reinforced a strong demand for the market, including a 19 percent increase in home sales and 25 percent less days on the market compared to the first six months of 2012.

Washington, DC - July 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Leaders on the Financial Services Committee today announced the PATH Act – the Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners Act – to create a sustainable housing finance system. The proposal

Katy, TX (Covering Katy) - June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Katy single-family homes market has low inventory heading into the summer months that are typically the most active for home sales.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Residents living at Houston Housing Authority’s Kelly Village Apartments can expect to have a park right outside their front doors in a couple of months. Today, Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston Housing Authority completed the first step in creating a community park on the property by demolishing 63 vacant units, which were offline as a result of hurricane damage. Construction of the park is expected to begin this fall. When completed, the three-acre park will feature new playground equipment, jogging/walking trail, exercise stations and a community garden area.

AUSTIN - May 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of National Hurricane Preparedness Week, Gov. Rick Perry is urging Texans to prepare their families and homes for the 2013 hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 through the end of November. The governor today was joined by Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw and State Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd at the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) State Response Activation Exercise to assess the readiness of state emergency management personnel and resources.

AUSTIN, TX - May 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- House Bill 3350, the Homestead Preservation District (HPD) legislation authored by Representative Eddie Rodriguez (Austin) and sponsored by Senator Kirk Watson (Austin), passed the Senate. This bill will help Austin preserve existing affordable housing opportunities for homeowners and enhance the viability of homeownership for low- and moderate-income residents in East Austin and neighborhoods experiencing economic pressures

Washington, DC - May 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, in conjunction with the National Center on Family Homelessness, hosted a congressional briefing entitled “Homelessness in America: Experiences & Solutions in the 113th Congress.” Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson serves as co-chair and co-founder of the Caucus.

Washington, DC - May 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Wednesday, May 15, 2013, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Al Green’s (TX-09) bill, H.R. 384, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2013 by a bipartisan vote of 420 to 3. This bill aims to help prevent low-income veteran families from falling into homelessness as well as provide relief for those currently homeless. This bill does this by moving the Special Assistant for Veterans’ Affairs into the Office of the Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as a matter of law not discretion

HOUSTON - May 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Harris County 338th District Court has convicted Leslie Ray Collins of Sugar Land of a first-degree felony of misapplication of fiduciary property over the value of $200,000 and sentenced Collins to serve 12 years in prison.

AUSTIN - April 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) --– The April 17 fire and explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas resulted in fatalities, serious bodily injuries, and widespread property damage. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), working in conjunction with other agencies, will be providing assistance through the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO), its Consumer Protection resources, and the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) to assist those affected by the incident.

Dallas, TX - April 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Recently, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson launched her small business series to assist homeless veterans in the Dallas area. The purpose of the series is to inform homeless veterans about the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program and provide them with the tools they need to apply for assistance.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) released the following open letter Friday to all gun manufacturers, and owners, persecuted by radical anti-gun legislators in their states:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement. I’m very pleased the City of Dallas will receive $11,750,000 through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program.

AUSTIN, TX - March 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- An international delegation from ERA Real Estate, a global residential real estate firm, visited the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) on Thursday afternoon, March 21, as part of the ERA International Business Conference. The group included 75 brokers and agents from Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- House Bill 2864 protects homeowners by mandating that banks cannot foreclose on a property unless they show proof that the borrowers received the foreclosure notice by certified mail. This bill also requires that the mortgage servicers provide one point of contact for all dealings with consumers, thus reducing communication issues between the mortgage servicers' offices and the borrowers.

Fort Worth, TX - March 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) announced the awarding of over $500,000 federal funds to the Fort Worth Housing Authority (FWHA). The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $250,000 in Emergency Capital Funds to FWHA, which will be used to improve the safety and security at Butler Place Public Housing Community. Another $269,856 will go to the Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program that assists families with supportive services

DALLAS - March 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Patience Lavon Jackson, 50, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 63 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $2,801,661.95 in restitution, following her conviction for leading a conspiracy to defraud residential mortgage lenders, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Judge Boyle ordered that Jackson surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on April 3, 2013.

Austin, TX - February 28, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, State Representative Dwayne Bohac (Houston) filed a comprehensive tax relief package aimed at cutting the tax burden on Texas homeowners' and businesses. Bohac's tax relief package includes HB 1943 which limits the amount of a homestead appraisal, HB 1946 which will limit the frequency of homestead reappraisals and HB 1945 and HB 1944 which will set the franchise tax exemptions at $2.5 million and $5 million, respectively

Washington, DC - February 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- As the recently named Chairman of the Tax Reform Working Group on Real Estate, Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX) encourages constituents and stakeholders to share their comments about the tax laws affecting real estate. The Tax Reform Working Group on Real Estate is one of eleven bipartisan groups that will review current law as well as identify and compile feedback as part of the committee’s tax reform effort. Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) is serving as Vice-Chairman.