Yearly Archives: 2016

The median sale price rose 5.1 percent in October 2016 when compared to October 2015 according to the official Housing Trends Report from the Iowa Association of REALTORS® (IAR).

Led by U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, 41 Senate Republicans today wrote to Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew encouraging the Treasury Department to abandon proposed regulations that would significantly increase the estate tax burden on family farms and businesses. The proposed regulations, if finalized, would contradict long-standing legal precedent and greatly discourage families from continuing to operate and grow their farms and businesses for eventual transfer to future generations.

Sen. Chuck Grassley today asked the Government Accountability Office to review whether the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is taking effective steps to comply with the federal law making fugitive felon status grounds for termination from living in public housing.

The Cedar Rapids Home Builders Association presented Sen. Chuck Grassley with the “Defender of Housing” award on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) for being a “forward-thinking federal legislator who recognizes housing’s significant role within the U.S. economy.”

Gov. Terry E. Branstad announced today that he has appointed Camille Valley to the Iowa Property Assessment Appeal Board. Valley’s term on the Iowa Property Assessment Appeal Board begins Friday, August 26, 2016 and ends April 30, 2019. Valley, who resides in Johnston, will be eligible for a full six-year appointment in April 2019 at the conclusion of her partial appointment announced today

Sen. Chuck Grassley is asking the Department of Housing and Urban Development to explain its policies for allowing wanted fugitive felons to live in public housing after a report suggested the agency takes a weaker approach than federal law requires

Iowa Congressman David Young today announced the City of Des Moines will receive $8,000,000 in grant funding through U.S. Department of Transportation’s (US DOT) TIGER Grant Program.

Home sale prices rose 2 percent in June 2016 and homes sold were up 3.8 percent when compared to June 2015. According to the Housing Trends Report by Iowa Association of REALTORS®, the median sale price for June 2016 is $156,000 as compared to $153,000 in June of last year

According to the Housing Trends Report by Iowa Association of REALTORS®, home sale prices rose 5.6 percent in April 2016 and homes sold were up 5.3 percent when compared to April of last year. The median sale price for April 2016 was $142,500 as compared to $135,000 in April of last year. Price Comparison April 16

The Branstad, Reynolds Administration announced an innovative homeownership month campaign hosted by the Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Association of REALTORS® and the Iowa Mortgage Association, at their regular weekly press conference. The 2,500 Bucks campaign encourages Iowa home buyers to visit IowaHouseHunt.com throughout the month of June to learn about all aspects of purchasing a home in Iowa, including a $2,500 down payment assistance grant and a chance to win $2,500.

Home Sale prices rose 4.2 percent in First Quarter of 2016 and homes sold were up 1.7 percent over this period compared to last year. According to the Housing Trends Report by Iowa Association of REALTORS®, the median sale price for the first quarter of 2016 was $135,500 as compared to $130,017 in the first quarter of 2015.

The Senate Appropriations Committee this week approved language championed by Sen. Chuck Grassley that will ensure transparency and promote accountability in public housing authorities’ use of more than $350 million in federal tax dollars. The Grassley language, which was incorporated into a committee report that accompanies an annual spending bill, will ensure that federal funds transferred to housing authorities will retain their federal designation and be subject to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversight

U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be distributing nearly $90 million in grants for a variety of projects aimed to build and improve flood-prone structures in communities across south Louisiana