The U.S. housing industry has scored a victory with House and Senate votes to raise the size of mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration to $729,750. The measure split Republicans, many of whom supported retaining the lower limit of $625,500. As a result, efforts to restore the higher limit fell short until the Senate [...]
Archive for the ‘Government Affairs’ Category
January 27th, 2012
EPA Improves Web Resources Related to RRP
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency updated several of its Web resources related to the lead renovation, repair and painting rule. The EPA improved its search tool for EPA-certified RRP firms, allowing the public to search by firm name and location. EPA-certified firms should encourage their potential customers to use the tool to check the certification [...]
December 6th, 2011
Department of Energy Updates Refrigerator Efficiency Standards
Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released new minimum national energy efficiency standards for most new refrigerators, which will improve efficiency and cut energy use by refrigerators 25% by 2014. This is the fourth time that the standards have been strengthened. Since the first standards were implemented by the state of California in 1978, [...]
November 22nd, 2011
Obama looks to preserve role of government in mortgage market
Federal loan subsidy would be extended for home buyers; Fannie and Freddie could be saved as well. President Obama has directed a small team of advisers to develop a proposal that would keep the government playing a major role in the nation’s mortgage market, extending a federal loan subsidy for most home buyers, according to [...]
November 15th, 2011
Mortgage rates at record lows.
Meanwhile, 15-year fixed-rate loans and 5-year adjustable rate loans hit record-low levels of 3.54 and 3.18 percent, respectively. Mortgage rates have fallen in recent days because of the debt deal — which averted a feared scenario in which the US Treasury ran out of funds to pay all its bills. That could have sent ripples [...]
October 18th, 2010
Tax Credit Ending This Year
The Federal Energy Tax Credit on energy-efficient home improvements, including energy-efficient windows, doors, insulation, roofing, and heating and cooling systems, will expire December 31, 2010. Contact us to schedule yours today.
July 10th, 2010
NAHB to Sue EPA over Lead Paint Regulations
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A coalition of housing industry groups joined the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today in announcing plans to file a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for removing the “opt-out” provision from its Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. “About 79 million homes are affected, even though EPA estimates that only [...]
May 11th, 2010
House Passes Cash for Caulkers Bill
WASHINGTON: May 6, 2010 — Homeowners could collect thousands of dollars in Cash for Caulkers rebates for renovating their homes with better insulation and energy-saving windows and doors under a new economic stimulus bill the House passed Thursday. The Home Star bill, passed 246-161, would authorize $5.7 billion over two years for a program that [...]
May 11th, 2010
EPA LRRP Rule – The Opt Out Is Officially Out / House Passes Homestar
With publication in the Federal Register the Opt-Out provision in the EPA LRRP rule is removed effective July 6, 2010. Below is a summary of the publication in the Federal Register, and directly following a link to the entire rule. SUMMARY EPA is finalizing several revisions to the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program (RRP) [...]
March 16th, 2010
What do these engery tax credits mean to me?
(ARA) – The tax credit for energy efficient replacement windows and doors, originally introduced in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is set to expire at the end of 2010, making this year the best time for homeowners to replace their windows and upgrade the look and feel of their home. [...]
