NAR's "The Washington Report" Headlines

Washington Report: November 2, 2009 Edition

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:35:53 -0500

This week's headlines: Extending the Credit : Almost There; NAR Letter Expresses Concerns with Senate Data Security Legislation; House Leadership Releases Text of Health Reform Bill to be Considered on the House Floor; and, Congress Votes to Extend FHA and GSE Loan Limits through 2010.

Washington Report: October 26, 2009 Edition

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:24:59 -0400

This week's headlines: House Financial Services Committee passes H.R. 3126, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act; FCC Opens Net Neutrality Proceeding; Senate Small Business Hearing Examines the Impact of Senate Health Bills on the Self-Employed and Small Businesses; HR 3126 Passes House Committee with HVCC Amendment; and much more. . .

Washington Report: October 19, 2009 Edition

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:54:20 -0400

This week's headlines: Focus on Extending Tax Credit Intensifies; NAR Urges Caution in Phasing Out the Fed MBS Purchase Program; Senate Finance Committee Approves Fifth Health Reform Bill; and, Federal Regulators Reported Close to Issuing Guidelines for Commercial Mortgage Modifications.

Washington Report: October 12, 2009 Edition

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:05:46 -0400

This week's headlines: House Financial Services Committee Prepares to Mark-Up Financial Regulatory Reform Legislation; HUD Releases Additional RESPA FAQs; Rangel, Pelosi Comment about Tax Credit Extension; NAR Supports Refinance Enhancements to Affordable Housing Program; and much more. . .

Washington Report: October 5, 2009 Edition

Mon, 5 Oct 2009 14:02:27 -0400

This week's headlines: Fed Prevents Conflict between FHA and TILA; Senate Finance Committee Complete Consideration of Amendments; Vote Expected Next Tuesday; House Energy & Commerce Committee Approves Data Security Legislation; IRS Publicizes Tax Credit on YouTube; and more. . .

Washington Report: September 28, 2009 Edition

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:36:17 -0400

This week's headlines: HUD Releases Additional RESPA FAQs Along With New Table of Contents; Long Awaited Senate Finance Health Bill Released and Markup Begun; Tax Credit Extension Draws Increasing Attention; Mortgage Interest Deduction Limits Not Included in Health Care Legislation--So Far; and much more. . .

Washington Report: September 21, 2009 Edition

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:14:33 -0400

This week's headlines: IRS Says 1.4 Million Taxpayers Have Used Tax Credit; NAR Comments on FCC Definition of Broadband; NAR Calls for Enhancements to FHA Appraisal Rules; and much more. . .

Washington Report: September 14, 2009 Edition

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:52:24 -0400

This week's headlines: Health Care Debate Continues as Congress Returns to DC; NAR Adopts Policy on Streamlining the Regulation of Non-admitted and Surplus Lines of Insurance; NAR Begins Push to Extend Homebuyer Credit; and much more. . .

Washington Report: September 7, 2009 Edition

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 15:07:13 -0400

This week's headlines: August Health Insurance Reform Deadline Passes Without Floor Votes; SBA Launches YouTube Channel to Promote SBA Loan Programs; HUD Releases Expanded FAQs on New RESPA Rule; and more. . .

Washington Report: August 31, 2009 Edition

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:53:46 -0400

This week's headline's: FHA Clarifies Position on HVCC

Washington Report: August 24, 2009 Edition

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:54:37 -0400

This week's headlines: FTC Announces Fee Increase to Access Do Not Call Registry; NAR Submits Comment Letter to FinCEN on Money Laundering ANPR ;Freddie Mac Issues Written Short Sales Commissions Policy

Washington Report: August 17, 2009 Edition

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:00:15 -0400

This week's headlines: SBA Clarifies that Real Estate Agents are Eligible for SBA Guaranteed Financial Assistance; HUD Releases FAQs on New RESPA Rule; NAR Launches New Webpage Addressing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Real Estate; NAR Submits Letter to HUD Requesting Meeting on Administrative Fees and Home Warranty Contract Fess Under RESPA, and much more. . .

Washington Report: August 10, 2009 Edition

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:02:49 -0400

This week's headlines: Lead Paint Renovation Compliance Guide Now Available On-Line; NAR Calls for Enhancements to New FHA Condominium Rules; NAR Responds to FHFA Guidance on HVCC

Washington Report: August 3, 2009 Edition

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 15:16:38 -0400

This week's headlines: August Health Insurance Reform Deadline Passes Without Floor Votes; The Fed's 5 Tips for Shopping for a Mortgage; NAR Asks Obama Administration to Urge Servicers to Participate in the Upcoming Short Sales Program; NAR Calls on State Presidents to Support HVCC Moratorium, and much more. . .

Washington Report: July 27, 2009 Edition

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:31:53 -0400

This week's headlines: Health Reform Bill Hits Snags in the House - Debate to Spill Over Into the Fall; Federal Reserve Board Proposes Major Changes to TILA Disclosures for Mortgages and HELOCS; Additional HVCC Guidance Released by FHFA, GSEs Called Good First Step by NAR; and more. . .

Washington Report: July 20, 2009 Edition

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:30:14 -0400

This week's headlines: House Committees Consider House Health Reform Legislation; Freddie Mac Stresses Appraisers Knowledge of Local Areas in Recent Bulletin; NAR Testifies on Green Building Incentives; The Impact of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct; and much more. . .

Washington Report: July 13, 2009 Edition

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:27:24 -0400

This week's headlines: Health Reform Update/NAR Participates in Senate Small Business Committee Health Reform Roundtable; Commercial Real Estate Industry Group Policy Statement; Joint Economic Committee Sponsores Hearing on Commercial Real Estate; Appraisal Foundation Announces Changes to USPAP for 2010-20011; and more. . .

Washington Report: July 6, 2009 Edition

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 14:12:07 -0400

This week's headlines: Maximum LTV for Obama Administration's Refi Program Increases to 125 Percent; Health Reform Legislative Timelines Slip/NAR Leadership Meets with Administration Health Reform Staffs; Congress Unlikely to Consider Tax Measures, Including Tax Credit, Until October; NAR Meets with NY Attorney General's Office and FHFA to Discuss HVCC; and much more. . .

Washington Report: June 29, 2009 Edition

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:25:43 -0400

This week's headlines: Commercial Real Estate Industry Group Policy Statement; Fannie Mae E-News for Real Estate Professionals; Houses Passes Climate Bill with Energy Labeling Exemption; and, Silence Continues on Revenue Sources for Health Reform.

Washington Report: June 22, 2009 Edition

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:26:40 -0400

This week's headlines: Obama Administration Announces Financial Regulatory Reform Plan; Fannie Mae Confirms Short Sales Commissions Policy and Establishes Appeals Process; What to Do If You Think a Servicer Isn't Following the Making Home Affordable Program Guidelines; National Health Care Reform Debate Begins in Earnest, and much more!

Washington Report: June 15, 2009 Edition

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:59:01 -0400

This week's headlines: Freddie Mac Improves Its Mortgage Refinance Program; New NAR Webpage on Short Sales Debuts; Banking Agencies Issue Red Flag FAQs on Identity Theft Rules; Senator Isakson Introduces Bill to Extend, Expand Homebuyer Tax Credit, and much more!

Washington Report: June 8, 2009 Edition

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 14:43:48 -0400

This week's headlines: NAR Meets With New HUD General Counsel; Senate Committee Approves Legislation without Energy Labels; Guidance on How to Use the Tax Credit with FHA Loans; NAR Calls on Veterans Affairs to Monetize Tax Credit; and more. . .

Washington Report: June 1, 2009 Edition

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 12:09:00 -0400

This week's headlines: HUD Announces Guidance for Use of Tax Credit on FHA Loans; Homeowners' Insurance Bill Reintroduced; Bills Introduced to Extend, Expand Homebuyer Tax Credit; and, High Volume May Impact Approval Time for Rural Development Loans.

Washington Report: May 25, 2009 Edition

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:41:48 -0400

This week's headlines: Federal Reserve Announces that Legacy CMBS Will Become Eligible for TALF; NAR Supports Realistic 2009 Affordable Housing Goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; House Committee Approves Real Estate Energy Labeling; and more. . .

Washington Report: May 18, 2009 Edition

Mon, 18 May 2009 12:36:31 -0400

This week's headlines: Obama Administration Announces Financial Incentives and Uniform Process for Short Sales; Representatives Kind and Gerlach Introduce HR 2360, "The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP)"; HUD Extends Waiver for Anti-Flipping Rule; and more. . .

Washington Report: May 11, 2009 Edition

Mon, 11 May 2009 15:35:22 -0400

This week's headlines: RESPA Case: Busby v. JRHBW Realty, Inc. d/b/a Realty South; TALF Loans Extended to 5 Years; REALTOR® Testifies on Foreclosure Rescue Scams; and more. . .

Washington Report: May 4, 2009 Edition

Mon, 4 May 2009 11:58:55 -0400

This week's headlines: Making Home Affordable Program Expanded to Permit Modification of Second Mortgages; House Financial Services Committee sends Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009 (H.R. 1728) to the House Floor; FHFA Proposes Relaxing GSE Affordable Housing Goals; and more. . .

Washington Report: April 27, 2009 Edition

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:06:15 -0400

This week's headlines: NAR President, Charles McMillan, Testifies Before the House Financial Services Committee on Mortgage Reform Bill H.R. 1728; Senate Finance to Review Revenue Issues Related to Health Care Reform; Bank Regulators Warn Consumers about Foreclosure Rescue Scams; and more. . .

Washington Report: April 20, 2009 Edition

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:22:39 -0400

This week's headlines: With Foreclosures on the Rise, NAR Program Providing Aid to REALTORS®; Freddie Mac Announces Guidelines for Super Conforming Mortgages in High Cost Areas; NAR asks IRS to Help States Make Credit Available at Closing; and more. . .

Washington Report: April 13, 2009 Edition

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:01:02 -0500

This week's headlines: NAR Urges Use of Local Residential and Commercial REALTORS® for the Public-Private Investment Program (PPIP); NAR Files Comments with HUD on RESPA's "Required Use" Definition; and, NAR Testifies on Need for Increased Capacity for FHA

Washington Report: April 6, 2009 Edition

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 10:30:25 -0400

This week's headlines: NAR Writes Government Officials on Bank Lending Issues; Mobile Spam Legislation Introduced; Fannie Mae Announces Guidelines for Loan Limits in High Cost Areas; and more. . .

Washington Report: March 30, 2009 Edition

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:58:03 -0400

This week's headlines: Treasury Department Announces Public-Private Investment Program; NAR Opposes Omnibus Lands Bill; Funds Available for USDA's Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program; and, more. . .

Washington Report: March 23, 2009 Edition

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:52:21 -0400

This week's headlines: NAR President Charles McMillan Meets with the CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; Obama Administration Unveils New Website: Making Home Affordable Program; IRS Provides Filing Guidance on First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit; and much more. . .

Washington Report: March 16, 2009 Edition

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:54:30 -0400

This week's headlines: HUD Warns Housing Counseling Agencies Not Take a Fee Split from Real Estate Brokers/Agents; HUD Delays "Required Use" RESPA Rule; GSEs Issue Guidance on Home Affordable Modification Program; and more. . .

Washington Report: March 9, 2009 Edition

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 11:26:54 -0400

This week's headlines: The Obama Housing Plan: Making Home Affordable; Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Release Refinancing Guidelines; FTC Publishes Notice of Proposed Changes to Guides for Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising; and more. . .

Washington Report: March 2, 2009 Edition

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 12:53:14 -0500

This week's headlines: Fannie Instructs Its Servicers Not to Cut Commissions on Short Sales; Administration Budget Proposal Targets Mortgage Interest Deduction; and, New FHA Loan Limits Released.

Washington Report: February 23 , 2009 Edition

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:53:01 -0500

This week's headlines: President Obama Announces Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan; Stimulus Package Includes $7.2 Billion in Broadband Spending; and, Home Energy Investments in Stimulus.

Washington Report: February 16, 2009 Edition

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:08:38 -0500

This week's headlines: President Signs Stimulus bill; Obama Administration Announces Financial Stability Plan; NAR Submits Comments on Proposed TILA Rule; and Congress Improves Homebuyer Tax Credit.

Washington Report: February 9, 2009 Edition

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 11:31:38 -0500

This week's headlines: Obama Administration to Announce Financial Stability Plan, H-2B Visa Legislation Introduced, and Senate Modifies Homebuyer Tax Credit.

Washington Report: February 2, 2009 Edition

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:16:06 -0500

This week's headlines: FHA and GSE loan limit increases in House economic stimulus bill; HUD delays RESPA required use change in response to homebuilder lawsuit, and much more.

Washington Report: January 26, 2009 Edition

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:24:18 -0500

This week's headlines: House Commerce approves 2.8 billion broadband grant program; Fannie Mae announces national REO rental policy; Tax credit repayment likely to be eliminated; and much more.

Washington Report: January 19, 2009 Edition

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 09:32:32 -0500

This week's headlines: Senate approves release of the remaining TARP funds; NAR surveys members on Homebuyer Tax Credit; and tax credit repayment likely to be eliminated.

Washington Report: January 12, 2009 Edition

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:32:56 -0500

This week's headlines: The TARP Reform and Accountability Act of 2009; Senators discuss Homebuyer Tax Credit changes; and NAR speaks to Capacity and Risk Management of FHA; and much more.

Washington Report: January 5, 2009 Edition

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 09:33:06 -0500

This week's headlines: NAR challenges Fannie Mae fee increases.