BOISE, ID - May 17, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Bank of America Charitable Foundation recently contributed $5,000 to the Finally Home!® Homebuyer Education Program administered by Idaho Partners for Homebuyer Education, Inc. (IPHBE, Inc.). Bank of America has contributed nearly $30,000 since the program’s inception in 1999.

Boise, ID - April 8, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Idaho Department of Finance announced the issuance of a cease and desist order today against California-based “Relief Law Center,” stemming from alleged unlawful mortgage modification solicitations targeted to Idaho homeowners.

BOISE, ID - March 22, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fair housing can be complex for housing professionals, service providers, and local communities. The Idaho Fair Housing Forum, in partnership with the Idaho Affordable Housing Management Association, will host a conference focusing on rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act. “Fair Housing 2010 – More than a Black and White Issue,” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 19 at the Doubletree Hotel Boise Riverside. Registration is required and begins at 8 a.m. A $10 registration fee includes lunch and conference materials.

BLACKFOOT, ID - March 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Owning a home is something her family has dreamed of for some time, and now it’s a reality. With a little help from two programs, Scott and Julie Campfield and their three children now have a home of their own in Blackfoot. “It’s the first time I’ve ever owned a home – it’s amazing,” said Julie. Scott and Julie purchased their home in November after working with Idaho Housing and Finance Association’s (IHFA’s) Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) and Individual Development Account (IDA) programs.

Boise, ID - February 15, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Based on recently released national fourth-quarter financial performance statistics, Idaho-based financial institutions are not immune from the effects of the recession. Gavin Gee, director of the Idaho Department of Finance, reported that Idaho-headquartered commercial banks have experienced increased amounts of non-current loans and loan charge-offs, an increase in foreclosed real estate properties and, as a group, negative earnings for the year. In his budget presentation to JFAC this morning, Gee said, “Our Idaho financial institutions are caught in an economic upheaval that they did not create, one caused by a culture of risk carried out by large money center institutions, not traditional lenders like those we have in Idaho.

Home Partnership Foundation responds in time of need. BOISE, ID - February 11, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Home Partnership Foundation, brought to you by Idaho Housing and Finance Association, has awarded 13 emergency response grants in the amount of $69,600 to homeless shelters and service providers across the state. These funds are intended to support the greatest needs of housing service providers statewide including shelter operations and capital improvements, funding for motel vouchers (when shelters are full), as well as homelessness prevention efforts.

BOISE, ID - February 2, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- US Bancorp Foundation recently contributed $8,500 to the Finally Home!® Homebuyer Education Program administered by the Idaho Partners for Home Buyer Education, Inc. (IPHBE, Inc.). US Bancorp has contributed on an annual basis since the program’s inception.

January 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry (NMLS)—a mortgage licensing system operated by state financial regulators, including Idaho—is launching “NMLS Consumer Access.” NMLS Consumer Access is a fully searchable website that allows the public to view information concerning state-licensed mortgage companies, branches, and individuals currently licensed through NMLS

Boise, ID - December 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Twelve Idaho homeowners who paid a Meridian man, Paul Clarence Aughtry, IV, for mortgage loan modifications will receive refunds totaling $12,400 as a result of settlement agreements with Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and the Idaho Department of Finance. As a result of the actions, Aughtry is prohibited from engaging in loan modification activities in Idaho.

BOISE, ID - December 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Wells Fargo Foundation recently contributed $6,000 to the Finally Home!® Homebuyer Education Program administered by the Idaho Partners for Home Buyer Education, Inc. (IPHBE, Inc.). In total, Wells Fargo has contributed $100,000 to the program, $5,000 of which was dedicated to translation of the course textbook into Spanish.

BOISE, ID - December 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Qualified homebuyers can now take advantage of the recent extension and expanded provisions of the federal homebuyer tax credit of $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and $6,500 for homebuyers who have lived in their home for the past five years. To be eligible for this tax credit, homebuyers must sign a contract for a new home by April 30, 2010 and close on the home by June 30, 2010.

December 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is granting in part and denying in part petitions for reconsideration filed by area highway districts and, in the same case, denying a petition for reconsideration by the Building Contracts Association.

Washington, D.C. - December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- In these tough times, Idahoans deserve the chance to buy a home or attend college without having to worry about unfair marks from credit agencies.

December 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gavin Gee, director of the Idaho Department of Finance, today announced the signing of an updated agreement to cooperatively work with other state mortgage regulators in overseeing the activities of state-licensed mortgage companies operating across state lines

Washington, DC - November 6, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. House of Representatives today overwhelmingly passed legislation extending the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Provision through April 30, 2010. The bill also creates a new tax credit for move-up buyers who have lived in their current residence for at least five years. The expanded tax credit was included as part of H.R. 3548, legislation that provides an extension of federal unemployment insurance benefits.