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Dallas, TX - February 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- McGuyer Homebuilders, Inc. (MHI) today announced it will pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes certification for all homes under its signature brands - Plantation Homes, Coventry Homes and Carmel Builders across the greater Dallas/Fort Worth, Tex. market. MHI, a leader in the production homebuilding community in Texas, announced its commitment at this week’s Texas Green Home Summit in Irving. With a commitment estimated at approximately 300 homes, MHI would become the largest builder of single-family LEED homes in the Texas market.

February 15, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Since September 7, 2008 the U.S. taxpayers have sunk $153 billion into Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And according to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) the final tab could be as high as $363 billion! As if the news couldn’t get any worse for the American people, an investigation undertaken by this Subcommittee has discovered that the taxpayers have spent more than $162 million defending Fannie, Freddie and their former top executives in civil lawsuits accusing them of fraud. This includes over tens of millions dollars for former executives who knowingly and purposefully manipulated earnings to increase their own compensation, and whose actions directly contributed to the demise of the GSEs.

DALLAS, TX - February 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- David Boles, 52, of Colleyville, Texas, who owned Metro Buy Homes, LLC., pleaded guilty this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez to one count of mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Boles faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, as part of his plea agreement with the government, Boles agrees to pay restitution for losses resulting from all of his criminal conduct and not just limited to losses stemming from his conviction offense. Boles is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle on May 26, 2011.

HOUSTON, TX - January 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, a jury sitting in United States District Judge Sim Lake’s Courtroom found Vincent Wallace Aldridge, former fee attorney for First Southwestern Title Company and attorney for Aldridge and Associates, along with Tori Elyse Aldridge, a former employee of First Southwestern Title Company and Gilbert Barry Isgar, a co-owner of Waterford Homes, guilty of charges of wire fraud and money laundering in a scheme to defraud residential mortgage lenders of more than $3.7 million in loans in connection with home purchases in the Houston area, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today along with FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard C. Powers and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Rodney E. Clarke.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) released the following statement today regarding today’s New York Times report on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac legal defense fees:

AUSTIN, TX - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a $480,000 award to the City of Clarksville to fund home repairs for low income homeowners, helping residents maintain homeownership while providing a shot in the arm to the local economy.City officials anticipate the funds will help rehabilitate six homes owned and lived in by income-eligible households.

AUSTIN, TX - January 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced a major funding award to a regional nonprofit organization to assist eligible low income residents of four communities in Coryell, Gregg, and Henderson counties obtain safe, decent rental housing, helping set them on the path toward self-sufficiency.TDHCA awarded $220,464 in rental assistance funds to Affordable Caring Housing, Inc., a nonprofit housing organization headquartered in College Station. The organization will use the funds to help a total of 20 low-income households living in the cities of Athens, Copperas Cove, Gatesville, and Kilgore secure housing and meet their monthly rent payments

AUSTIN, TX - January 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) this week released $45 million in mortgage credit certificate authority through its Texas Mortgage Credit Program, an innovative homebuyer program that makes homeownership more affordable by providing a dollar for dollar reduction of a borrower’s tax liability, not to exceed $2,000 annually.The credit authority will allow the Department to provide tax credits on approximately $150 million worth of mortgage loans, which it estimates will help approximately 1,000 eligible households purchase a home of their own once they complete a certified homebuyer education class.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Harris County, Texas, commissioner and a Houston-based real estate developer have been charged with bribery conspiracy in an indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

DALLAS, TX - December 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- At separate sentencing hearings today, U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn sentenced housing developers Brian L. Potashnik and Cheryl L. Potashnik, who were convicted in what has become known as the “Dallas City Hall Corruption Case,” announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

WASHINGTON, DC - December 14, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX), House Financial Services Oversight Subcommittee Chairman, released the following statement today regarding his December 13, 2010 letter to FHFA Director DeMarco

December 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) released the following statement after today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new 73-unit Paisano Green Community. The $10.4 million project was made possible by an $8.25 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. El Paso was one of only 36 communities in the nation (and the only one in Texas) awarded with a competitive grant for the construction of ‘green’ affordable housing units. Congressman Reyes was scheduled to speak at today’s ceremony but was unable to attend due to ongoing votes in the U.S. House of Representatives

AUSTIN, TX - December 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Texas State Representative Bill Callegari (District 132, Katy) announced the introduction of legislative packages to lower the state's spending cap and, separately, limit home property tax appraisals.

December 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- USAA Real Estate Company is pleased to announce that the Colonnade Centre, a multi-tenant, class A, office building located in San Antonio, Texas has earned a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED EBOM) certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) at the GOLD level.

HOUSTON, TX - December 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Four employees of Central Capital Financial Group have been sentenced to prison for running a mortgage fraud scheme, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. United States District Judge Nancy F. Atlas handed down the sentences in federal court in Houston on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

AUSTIN, TX - November 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The spirit of Thanksgiving was definitely in the air today as state and local elected officials gathered in Orange to join the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) in celebrating the grand opening of a new housing development in the historic Navy Park district financed with $3.4 million in federal hurricane disaster recovery funds from TDHCA.The grand opening of Orange Navy Homes II gives 36 low income families much to be thankful for this holiday season: A decent, high-quality home environment that fits the household budget.

November 23, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- “Today I sent a letter to FHFA Acting Director DeMarco asking him to provide a full and clear accounting of taxpayer dollars being expended for lawyer’s fees and related legal activities for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including former executives who are the subject of ongoing class action lawsuits. Now that the taxpayers are on the hook for the operations of Fannie and Freddie I want to be certain that their money is being used in the most responsible manner possible. Among other things, I am concerned that the taxpayers are stuck picking up the tab for ongoing legal counsel for the very executives who drove the GSEs into conservatorship in the first place.

Washington, DC - November 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Lamar Smith announced today that Comal County has been awarded a federal grant of over $10 million to help to reduce flood levels of Dry Comal Creek in southern Comal County, Texas.

AUSTIN, TX - November 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Texas State Representative Roberto R. Alonzo (Dallas) was informed by the Texas Department of Community Affairs (TDHCA) of some valuable resources and assistance the state agency is making available to all Texans who may find themselves with foreclosure problems and other related issues associated with homeownership. The TDHCA is the state's homeownership agency, and as such the staff there is committed to helping Texans achieve homeownership, as well as helping home owners avoid foreclosure and remain in their homes. To make all Texans aware of the various resources currently available throughout the state, TDHCA has prepared a valuable foreclosure prevention brochure and other resourceful materials that can be easily accessed by visiting the website at: http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/homeownership/foreclosure/. Or you may call toll-free at 1-888-995-HOPE (4673). You may also visit the TDHCA state agency website (www.tdhca.state.tx.us and click on the 'Disaster Recovery Assistance" link on the bottom right hand corner. All these materials and resources are free.

Washington, D.C. - November 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), along with U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, announced today that Texas has reached a significant milestone under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – completing weatherization work for more than 30 percent of the homes the state had planned to weatherize