Texas RealEstateRama

AUSTIN - February 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Van Taylor filed HB 1496, which will amend state law to include a land owner's mineral rights in the definition of private real property. Current law protects only the property rights of surface owners, this bill expands provisions to any action a municipality may take regarding mineral interests.

Washington, D.C. - February 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Dave Camp of Michigan, today announced the formation of eleven separate Tax Reform Working Groups that will focus on comprehensive tax reform. Republican Congressman Kevin Brady (The Woodlands, TX) was named chairman of the Energy working group.

COLLEGE STATION, TX - February 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Conroe commercial Realtor-broker Mario A. Arriaga has been elected chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. He succeeds Amarillo Realtor Joe Bob McCartt.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this important hearing examining the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) role in the mortgage insurance market. As you mentioned, this is the first in a series of hearings. I look forward to holding similar hearings in my Subcommittee. I also look forward to working with Ranking Member Waters and Ranking Member Capuano as we seek to reform FHA and nurse it back to financial health.

AUSTIN - February 1, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today announced that Texas, 44 other states and the District of Columbia have concluded an extended, nationwide investigation into Florida-based Lender Processing Services Inc. (LPS) and its subsidiaries’ unlawful mortgage servicing practices. Under a multistate settlement agreement negotiated by the states, LPS and its subsidiaries must dramatically improve their loan servicing practices, only allow authorized corporate officers to sign foreclosure documents, and pay a $120 million penalty – including approximately $5.76 million for the State of Texas.

Dallas, TX - January 22, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Dallas office of Duke Realty Corporation (Duke Realty) today announced that Essilor of America, the leading manufacturer of optical lenses in the United States, has leased Waters Ridge II, a 169,476-square-foot industrial building in Lewisville. The facility will be used as a distribution center by Essilor, an international company with its U.S. headquarters in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan area

AUSTIN, TX - January 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) welcomes Cathy Coneway as chairman of the organization’s board of directors for 2013. Broker Associate with Stanberry & Associates, Coneway has a long track record of leadership and service within the real estate industry locally, statewide and nationally

AUSTIN, TX - January 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS®, the volume of Austin-area home sales continues to rise as December became the 19th straight month of sales volume increases—the most home sales in December since 2006—and year-end figures show momentum in Austin real estate coursing steadily into 2013

AUSTIN, TX - January 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott released the following statement after Travis County Commissioners vote to allow gun shows to continue on county property

El Paso, TX - January 14, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- River Oaks Properties is pleased to announce the purchase of the Coronado Shopping Center, in El Paso Texas from Rich Development. The 137,386 SF shopping center sits on 12 acres and was built in 1957. The Grocery anchored center is 100% occupied and leased to national credit tenants such as Anna's Linen, AutoZone, Big 8 Grocery, Dollar Tree, Eraser Dust, Harbor Freight, Goodwill, Sally Beauty Supply, Rent A Center as well as other regional tenants.

Houston, TX - January 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee released the following statement announcing that ten banks and mortgage companies will pay $3.3 billion in cash to borrowers and $5.2 billion in mortgage relief to settle federal regulators’ investigations into alleged foreclosure abuses

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Community Associations Institute (CAI) is studying the long-awaited federal Qualified Mortgage (QM) standards published Jan. 10 by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The new guidelines, required by the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (commonly known as the Dodd Frank Act), establish minimum requirements for all mortgage loans

DALLAS - December 17, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Eugene Lockhart, Jr. was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis to 54 months in federal prison and ordered to pay approximately $2.4 million in restitution following his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, stemming from his leadership role in a massive mortgage fraud scheme that he and others ran in the Dallas area from approximately 2002 to 2005. Lockhart, of Carrollton, Texas, is the last of 10 defendants who were convicted in the scheme to be sentenced.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 19, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Randy Neugebauer (TX-19) issued the following statement in response to the annual audit released today by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The audit revealed a $16.3 billion deficit in the FHA’s insurance fund.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 18, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Rick Perry joined Dan Wallrath, founder and president of Operation Finally Home, and Jonestown Mayor Deane Armstrong to break ground on a brand-new, mortgage-free home for U.S. Army Spc. Augustine "Augie" Pena and his family, provided by Operation Finally Home, Silverton Custom Homes and Henley Homes

COLLEGE STATION, TX - October 16, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Texas is wealthy, and real estate is a big reason. Texas’ 2011 real estate wealth was valued at $1.6 trillion or $65,432 worth of real estate for every Texan, regardless of age. That’s up 86.7 percent from the $35,055 in 1997.

September 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Representative Eddie Lucio III announced the extension the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation’s (TSAHC) down payment assistance programs to current homeowners and those who previously owned a home.

Washington, DC - September 19, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Large mortgage servicers have been ordered by federal bank regulators to identify borrowers who may have been harmed by errors and improper practices in foreclosure or threatened foreclosure and to review each of their mortgage files for financial harm.

HOUSTON - August 31, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Lisa Carol Ross, 50, of Missouri City, Texas, has pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today, along with FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen L. Morris and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cruz.

AUSTIN, TX - August 21, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Increasing the coordination of employment and health service resources with local housing programs will make the state agencies that administer programs to address the issues of homelessness more effective, according to a study issued today by the Interagency Council on Homelessness.