Archive

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – March 11, 2010 – Governor Charlie Crist directed Interim Emergency Management Director David Halstead to write a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Administrator Phillip May regarding federal assistance for Floridians affected by defective drywall.

WASHINGTON – March 11, 2010 – U.S. policy toward natural catastrophe risk is largely reactive, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) said in testimony before to two House panels, saying a comprehensive national natural disaster policy is needed.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – March 11, 2010 – A bill that would let property insurance companies pay claims in installments to make sure homeowners are actually using the money for repairs and make other changes survived its first committee vote Wednesday after efforts to change the bill were unsuccessful.

Property insurers say the measure (SB 2044) approved 7-3 by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee is necessary for their survival.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. – March 11, 2010 – A recent survey of 1,300 real estate agents conducted by HomeGain found that the No. 1 choice for marketing efforts – referrals – has not changed with technology. Realtors also show continued interest in using postcards/mailings, while MySpace ranked last.

The company included over 1,300 real estate agents and brokers nationwide in the survey, which based the desire for a specific marketing strategy on a scale from 1 to 10. As the top preference, referrals scored 8.7.

From energy tax credits to vacation home deductions, check out these tax tips for homeowners looking ahead to 2010 returns.

Tax planning for homeowners should start well in advance of the April 15 filing deadline each year. If you delay until the last minute, it might be too late to maximize tax credits and tax deductions. These tax tips for homeowners looking ahead to 2010 returns explain some of the things you can do now that'll pay off later on your 1040.

MoneyWatch.com: When Scouring the Housing Market, Watch out for these All-Too-Common Lies, Tricks and Exaggerations

MoneyWatch.com - <!-- sphereit start-->This story, by Ilyce Glink, originally appeared on CBS' Moneywatch.com

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – March 10, 2010 – For William and Lida Negron, their lender’s decision to modify their mortgage seemed to be the key to holding on to their home.

William Negron, in his mid-70s, lost his job in car sales two years ago. The possibility of losing their home put “so much stress on him,” said son Carlos Negron.

CHICAGO – March 10, 2010 – Citing concerns about increased mortgage fraud, four organizations representing more than 35,000 real estate appraisers have voiced their opposition to changes to an Obama administration program that will encourage “short sales” of homes. The Appraisal Institute leads the coalition that also includes the American Society of Appraisers, the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – March 10, 2010 – The campaign to defeat a vote-on-everything amendment to the Florida Constitution released a video showing the economic impact on St.

RISMEDIA, March 11, 2010—A new national poll of America’s 18-29 year-olds by Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP), located at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, finds that six in ten (60%) are concerned about meeting their current bills and obligations and almost half (45%) report that their personal financial situation is bad. Among America’s undergraduate population, 45% are concerned about their ability to stay in college given the state of the economy.