Virginia RealEstateRama

WASHINGTON, DC - June 27, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Howard R. Shmuckler, 68, of Virginia Beach, Va., was sentenced yesterday to 90 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for running a fraudulent mortgage-rescue business that received substantial fees but actually modified clients' mortgages in only a few cases. The court ordered that this sentence be served consecutive to a 75 month federal sentence Shmuckler received on April 5, 2012, in Washington, D.C., involving a counterfeit check scheme.

Norfolk, VA - June 19, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- June is Homeownership Month and Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority’s (NRHA) HomeNet program is offering $30,000 in closing cost assistance to first-time buyers.

CHARLESTON - May 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $143,571.00 to the Northern West Virginia Center for Independent Living to assist people in West Virginia who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.

April 12, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Alexandria City Council will hold a public hearing on the 2012 Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Rates on Saturday, April 14, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in City Council Chambers, Room 2400 (2nd Floor) at Alexandria City Hall, 301 King St. On March 13, the Alexandria City Council voted 5-2 to authorized advertising a maximum possible real residential property tax increase to $1.008 per $100 assessed value, an increase of one cent. The personal property tax rate on vehicles and business tangible property tax rates would remain unchanged. The Council will determine and vote on a final real property tax rate when they adopt the Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program on May 7, 2012.

Washington, DC - April 4, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Housing Subcommittee, Jack Reed (D-RI), Chairman of the Securities Subcommittee, Mark Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the International Trade and Finance Subcommittee and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today led a group of 30 Senators in calling on Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Edward DeMarco to provide Congress with an accurate analysis of the effects on taxpayers of using principal forgiveness versus other mortgage modification options such as principal forbearance for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

April 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- There has never been a better time to purchase a home in West Virginia. The West Virginia Housing Development Fund is providing qualifying families a 30-year fixed rate loan at 3.25%. Down payment and closing cost assistance loans are also available for those who qualify.

NORFOLK, VA - January 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Philip Villasis, age 41, and Ray D. Gata, age 56, both of Chesapeake, Va., were indicted by a Norfolk federal grand jury on nine charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

January 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governments shouldn't get involved in property deals that can be handled by the private sector. But sometimes when the interests of developers and the interests of the community conflict, a City has the responsibility to step in to ensure progress toward vital community goals. Fully developed cities with little vacant land, especially, must look to redevelopment opportunities in order to grow their tax base.

NORFOLK, VA - December 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded more than $3.6 million in grants to sustain homeless housing programs in Norfolk and Chesapeake in the first phase of the HUD Homeless Assistance Awards for this year. All of Norfolk and Chesapeake's current Permanent Supportive Housing and Transitional Housing Programs were fully renewed through the competition.

December 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- World Changers Norfolk is a partnership between the City of Norfolk and a ministry of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. The program provides exterior home repair opportunities to low and moderate income homeowners at no cost to them. Volunteers come during the summer for one week.