Real Estate News – March 18, 2011 - Jeffrey O'Brien Today

Japan Relief Fund Established by AREAA (via REALTORMag): http://bit.ly/h5fEu6

The International Council of Shopping Centers is supporting a proposed federal bill that would encourage additional investment in struggling commercial real estate loans (via bizjournals.com): http://bit.ly/emWkvY

The 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated Japan last week sent a ripple through the U.S. mortgage markets causing interest rates to lower this week (via REALTORMag): http://bit.ly/f01lDS

A federal jury found disbarred Salt Lake City attorney Jamis Melwood Johnson guilty Friday night on 27 federal charges related to a mortgage fraud scheme that used false loan documents and straw buyers to strip millions of dollars from lenders (via sltrib.com):
http://bit.ly/fQs1f8

Federal bank regulators are suing three former top executives of Washington Mutual, accusing them of allowing risky mortgage lending (via REALTORMag): http://bit.ly/dH7hVR