WASHINGTON, DC - September 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced the approval of the State of Texas’ disaster recovery plan totaling $31.3 million in emergency aid to help several communities throughout the Lone Star State to recover from last year’s devastating wildfires. With the acceptance of this disaster plan, the real work of long-term disaster recovery throughout the State can now begin.

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.

Torrance, CA - August 10, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Westwood Financial Corp., one of the largest owner-operators of shopping centers in the U.S., has purchased Waterside Marketplace, a Kroger-anchored retail center in a suburb of Houston, Texas. The sale price was undisclosed.

Washington, D.C. - August 9, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) announced that the U.S. Department of the Treasury will award the El Paso Credit Union Affordable Housing LLC (El Paso CU) a $98,400 federal grant to assist in the city’s affordable housing markets. El Paso will receive the award under the fiscal year 2012 funding round of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Program.

AUSTIN, TX - July 30, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced it has allocated $48.6 million in housing tax credits to developers of affordable rental properties, helping increase housing choices for the state’s growing population of younger working families and senior citizens.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 30, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Randy Neugebauer (TX-19) is pleased to announce a Veteran’s Affairs grant to improve services to veterans in West Texas. The West Central Texas Regional Foundation was awarded nearly $500,000 to provide supportive services to veterans and their families to prevent homelessness. The grants will be used to fund three full-time staff members that will assist approximately 120 families with financial counseling, employment assistance, child care, transportation, and other services that either prevent homelessness or help families recover from the loss of housing. The foundation will focus on holistic approaches that help families continue being self-sustaining in the long-term.

AUSTIN, TX - July 27, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) today announced that it has awarded a $1.2 million contract to Webb County to continue funding operations of the county’s Colonia Self-Help Center, which promotes home ownership and self-sufficiency for residents living in five county colonias.

July 23, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Friday, July 13, the Texas Department of Insurance began receiving hundreds of emails from consumers all across Texas addressed to Commissioner Kitzman. The messages were identical and contained comments and suggestions concerning the state of the property insurance marketplace in Texas. Commissioner Kitzman reviewed these suggestions with her staff on July 17, and is in the process of gathering the necessary data and information to respond to each consumer in a substantive and comprehensive manner.

PLANO, TX - July 16, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Five individuals have been indicted have been indicted for their roles in a combination foreclosure rescue/drug distribution scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today

COLLEGE STATION, TX - July 13, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- By almost any measure, Texas homes are more affordable than the United States overall. But the gap is narrowing, said a residential expert with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.

Washington, DC - July 12, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congresswoman Johnson ,the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, and the National Coalition for the Homeless, hosted a briefing on violence against the homeless. The goal of the briefing was to raise awareness about the violence facing homeless men, women, children, veterans, elderly, and the disabled.

COLLEGE STATION, TX - July 6, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- (Real Estate Center) – More indicators support the conclusion that the Texas housing market has recovered. One of those is the annual dollar volume of home sales.

COLLEGE STATION, TX - July 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- May was packed with indicators of an improving housing market here in Texas. ccording to the latest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data, existing home sales were up 20 percent over May 2011, prices were up 8 percent, and inventory was at a comfortable six months.

EUGENE, OR - June 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. has uploaded IDX Broker software onto the real estate website of RJ Avery, bringing thousands of property listings to his clients instantly. Avery has enabled an IDX solution, and in turn received the most thorough online real estate website, simplifying both the home search for potential buyers and his own job of managing his online realty solution. With his customizable IDX synced website, Avery has forever changed the way Forney, Texas home seekers participate in the online property search.

COLLEGE STATION, TX - June 27, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Permits for new single-unit Texas homes are on the rise, fueling expectations the long-awaited housing recovery is underway.

Dallas, TX - June 8, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bright Realty brokered the lease for a 3,350 square foot Jovian's In & Out Buffet in Murphy. The restaurant is located at 703 East F.M. 544 in the Murphy Forum Plaza. Britton Lankford with Bright Realty represented the landlord. Louis Innocent with Global Realty represented the tenant.

Dallas, TX - June 7, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Bright Realty brokered the lease for a 4,244 square foot II Brothers’ Bar and Grill in Frisco. The restaurant will be located at 5858 Main Street in Frisco, adjacent to the FC Dallas Stadium. Britton Lankford of Bright Realty represented the tenant; Evan Clark with Caddis Partners represented the landlord.

EUGENE, OR - May 31, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. and Jay Hendrick are pleased to announce the addition of an innovative IDX solution to the William Davis Realty website. IDX Broker software extracts raw listing data directly from the North Texas Real Estate Info System MLS (NTREIS) and displays it on the search function Hendrick hosts. Frisco, Texas home seekers can now experience a truly unique online property search with more dynamic tools than have ever been available to real estate agents and brokers to customize their professional website

EUGENE, OR - May 24, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, IDX, Inc. is pleased to announce Chris Brickman is the latest real estate professional to adopt a customizable IDX solution for his website. North Texas Real Estate Info Systems MLS (NTREIS) listing data is extracted by IDX Broker software and displayed with ease on the website Brickman represents. He can now give his clients a comprehensive online property search experience, making it easier than ever for home seekers to find Texas homes online.