Archives

Grand Rapids, MI - February 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans is enlisting residents to help the organization win a $25,000 Home Depot gift card by voting daily in The Home Depot Foundation's second annual Aprons in Action Facebook contest. Voting begins February 1, 2013 and will run through February 28, 2013 at http://apps.facebook.com/apronsinaction. The organization that receives the most votes during the month will win the $25,000 prize to help fund an organizational or community improvement project, and will have the opportunity to compete for the grand prize of $250,000 at the end of the year-long program.

LANSING, MI - February 1, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Main Street Center at MSHDA has released its 2011-2012 Annual Report highlighting over $28 million in private investment in the 16 Selected and Master Level Michigan Main Street Communities for the program year 2011-2012. Since 2003, the Michigan Main Street Center has been a forerunner in placemaking by helping revitalize downtowns across the state. The Michigan Main Street Center currently has 42 communities participating in the Associate, Selected, and Master levels of the program. These communities receive training and technical assistance for community development through the Main Street Four Point Approach®, including organization, promotion, economic restructuring and design.

LANSING, MI - January 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that he has reached a $2.5 million civil settlement with Lender Processing Services, Inc., and its now defunct subsidiary DocX, a document processing company located in Georgia.

LANSING, MI - January 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Thomas Thelen, of Westphalia, to the Residential Builders' and Maintenance and Alteration Contractors' Board.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today noted that the Michigan Department of Treasury is now processing Michigan Home Heating Credits (HHC) for the 2012 tax year. The credit assists low-income customers with winter energy bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs' (LARA) Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC) today announced it will be replacing its existing PermitsPlus client-server technology with Accela Automation web-based enterprise system to integrate construction, code enforcement, licensing, and case management, improving customer service to Michigan citizens

LANSING WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) has issued an order for Finlock Financial Group, LLC to immediately cease and desist from conducting unlicensed activities as a mortgage broker and lender without first obtaining a license or registering under the Mortgage Brokers, Lenders, and Servicers Licensing Act (MBLSLA).

January 22, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Early last year, MAR teamed with Art Van to introduce the Home Rewards Program for Michigan REALTORS® and their clients. The new program offered $150 to home purchasers for use at Art Van, Paul’s TV and World of Floors and about 1,600 REALTORS® signed up clients in 2012.

January 22, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Michigan Association of REALTORS® would again like to thank all of the local associations who made the final push for RPAC investors at the end of 2012. With a state RPAC goal of $425,000, REALTOR® members met and exceeded it with a final total of $519,160! In addition, 29 local associations met and/or exceeded their local RPAC goal! In the end, state RPAC contributions were at 122% of state goal!

LANSING - January 08, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Executive Director Scott Woosley today announced three Upper Peninsula communities will receive Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) totaling $830,600.

December 18, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to the MLS reports compiled by the Michigan Association of REALTORS®, overall November total sales volume and average sales price of single-family homes in Michigan continued to rise compared to the same time last year. According to the report, 9,896 single family homes were sold in Michigan in November, 2012, an increase of 12.16% over November, 2011. The November 2012 average sales price was $113,404, a 9.98% increase over November 2011. Over eighty percent of reporting units showed an increase in total sales as well as an increase in average selling price compared to this time last year

LANSING, MI - November 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- A plan to keep Michigan's economy driving forward by reforming the burdensome personal property tax was outlined today by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and House Speaker Jase Bolger. The proposal recognizes the vital role that strong communities and schools play in Michigan's future by providing reimbursement rates to most local units of 100 percent for police, fire and ambulance revenue losses and a minimum of 80 percent for everything else. It also holds the School Aid Fund harmless and fully covers school debt.

LANSING, MI - November 26, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced he charged Lorraine Brown, former president of mortgage document processor DocX, with racketeering for her alleged role in authorizing the fraudulent signing of mortgage documents filed in Michigan. The felony charge comes as the result of an ongoing Attorney General investigation into questionable mortgage documentation filed with Michigan's Register of Deeds offices during the foreclosure crisis.

November 22, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- According to the MLS reports compiled by the Michigan Association of REALTORS®, overall October total sales volume increased considerably, while average sales price of single-family homes in Michigan continued to rise compared to the same time last year. According to the report, 11,434 single family homes were sold in Michigan in October, 2012, an increase of 22.58% over October, 2011.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 22, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., made the following statement in response to the legal action taken today by the Administration’s Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group headed by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman: