Archives

Tampa, FL - November 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As Midwest residents recover from last week’s severe wind, rain and snow storms, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) urges home and business owners to incorporate disaster-resistant techniques into their repair and rebuilding efforts.

WASHINGTON, DC - October 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging the owners of a single-family home in Gibsonton, Florida with violating the Fair Housing Act for engaging in discriminatory housing practices, including reneging on their agreement to rent the house to a mother and her children because they are African American. HUD’s charge also alleges that the owners used racial slurs when referring to and addressing the family.

Tampa, FL - October 5, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- This is Fire Prevention Week (October 3-9) and, with 85 new wildfires burning today throughout the United States, and many areas of the country under fire watches, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers effective ways to reduce the risk of wildfire-related property damage.

Tampa, FL - September 20, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Each year in the United States, more than $35 billion in direct property loss is caused by natural disasters. Yet, while states and municipalities are seeking to adopt ordinances that require “green” or “sustainable” construction, they are overlooking disaster-resistance construction.

ORLANDO, FL - September 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida CFO Alex Sink’s Department of Financial Services will offer a Florida Housing Help workshop tomorrow in Orlando. Struggling homeowners will be able talk to lenders and certified HUD counselors about foreclosure issues and options. Representatives of various banks including SunTrust, Chase, Bank of America, Fifth Third, Freddie Mac, HSBC, Wachovia/Wells Fargo will be available, along with counselors from In Charge, HANDS, Consumer Credit Counseling Services, the Internal Revenue Service and Community Legal Services.

TAVARES, FL - September 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, Lake County is conducting a pilot program by selecting one home and one small commercial building to receive free energy efficiency retrofits (up to a $3,000 value) to show how small investments in energy efficiency reduce energy costs.

Tampa, FL - August 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- With Hurricane Danielle churning out in the Atlantic, and the recollection of the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Andrew on this date 18 years ago, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) urges residents to take the necessary precautions to minimize wind and water damage from potential hurricanes.

Tampa, FL - August 9, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- As new and existing home sales remain sluggish, one way sellers can increase appeal of their homes is by adding disaster-resistant retrofits, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

Tampa, Fla. (July 27, 2010) – The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers residents and small business owners the following guidance on returning to flood-damaged properties.

Tampa, Fla. (July 22, 2010) – The summer edition of Disaster Safety Review, a publication of the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), sheds new light on coastal property risks as the Gulf and Atlantic coasts prepare to enter the height of what is forecast to be an active hurricane season.

Tampa, FL - July 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today released its latest research study, “Surviving Nature’s Fury: Performance of Asphalt Shingle Roofs in the Real World,” which investigated damage from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008.

July 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Yesterday, Rep. Wasserman Schultz secured funding for important transportation and housing projects in her district. These funds have been passed out of the Appropriations committee as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 21, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Families with children are now able to live without restrictions at a Pompano Beach, Florida housing development under a voluntary agreement between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Cornerstone Residential Management, Inc., and the Oaks at Pompano, Ltd. The agreement will improve and increase the affordability of multifamily housing in their area and provide $30,000 in rental assistance to families with children. The firms will also make family-friendly improvements to their properties and donate $20,000 to a fair housing organization

TAVARES, FL - July 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- When Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law Senate Bill 1752 “Jobs for Florida” last month, not only did it provide tax incentives and tax breaks for qualified businesses, but it allowed developers and property owners to extend Lake County development orders that have an expiration date between Sept. 1, 2008, and Jan. 1, 2012, for two years. The extension applies to building permits, preliminary plat approvals, construction plan approvals and site plans.

TAVARES, FL - July 1, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new trailer equipped with a 280-gallon tank is allowing the Lake County Department of Environmental Utilities, Water Quality Services Division, to pump out old home-heating oil tanks more cost effectively.

Washington, DC - June 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced today that $418 million is now available to help Floridians with bridge loans for mortgages through the Obama Administration’s “Hardest Hit Fund,” which will be directed to the state Housing Finance Agency and will immediately assist homeowners

Tampa, FL - June 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- June is National Homeownership Month and the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers advice on how to keep the American dream of homeownership from becoming a nightmare

Washington, DC - June 3, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Representative John L. Mica (FL-7th District) announced federal grants for the Housing Authority of Daytona Beach and the Housing Authority of Ormond Beach to aid in securing housing for homeless veterans.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - May 25, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida CFO Alex Sink today asked Governor Crist to sign into law the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which would give local governments the option of providing loans for property owners to make energy-efficiency enhancements to their homes and engage in renewable energy projects.

ORLANDO, FL - May 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 27 percent in April, which means that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison for 20 months, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Another positive sign: Last month’s statewide existing-home median price of $140,100 was 1 percent higher than the statewide median price in April 2009.Existing home sales rose 27 percent last month with a total of 16,781 homes sold statewide compared to 13,244 homes sold in April 2009, according to Florida Realtors. Statewide existing home sales last month increased nearly 3 percent over statewide sales activity in March. Meanwhile, April’s statewide existing-home median price was 2.3 percent higher than March’s statewide existing-home median price of $137,000. It marks the second month in a row that the statewide existing-home median price has increased over the previous month’s median.