Real Estate News – April 13, 2011

The largest homeowners association in Laguna Woods Village that recently prohibited residents from hoarding, will consider a policy that would limit where residents can smoke (via OCRegister.com): http://bit.ly/gYCOgF

The Maryland House of Delegates concurred with amendments approved by the Senate last week and Maryland has become the first state in the country to approve the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) (via citybizlist.com): http://bit.ly/dN0noj

Fannie Mae is trying to lure more buyers to its foreclosure properties by offering to cover 3.5 percent in closing costs for home owners who close by June 30 on its HomePath properties (via REALTORMag): http://bit.ly/gvWDB5

A new bill to improve the process for approving short sales may soon bring relief to distressed home owners who are unable to keep their homes and hope to avoid foreclosure. The bill, introduced in the U.S. House yesterday and strongly supported by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, would impose a deadline of 45 days on lenders to respond to short sale requests (via REALTORMag): http://bit.ly/eDC1t9

The 14 largest U.S. mortgage servicers must pay back homeowners for losses from foreclosures or loans that were mishandled in the wake of the housing collapse, the first of a set of sanctions regulators are seeking against the companies (via Bloomberg.com): http://bloom.bg/fDk6UJ

5 Celebs Hit Hard by Foreclosure (via kfoxtv.com): http://bit.ly/ho6wYA