Beverly Hills “queen of real estate” charged with mechanic’s lien fraud

The Los Angeles County District Attorney charged a Beverly Hills woman with 25 felony counts of real estate fraud.  County D.A. Nathan Hochman charged 58-year-old Rita Ortiz in an “egregious” case of alleged real estate fraud, KTLA and Realtor.com reported. Ortiz faces more than 24 years in state pr

USDA lending changes could handcuff low-income California homebuyers

Housing advocates warn that recent changes to a federal rural lending program could sharply limit homeownership opportunities for low-income families in California communities. The California Coalition for Rural Housing said revisions made Feb. 10 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Secti

Compromise Indiana housing reform law trims local zoning power

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun swiftly signed into law comprehensive state housing reforms after lawmakers spent weeks debating how much the state could and should override local zoning rules and design standards. The law adopts a softer approach to neutralizing local zoning authority after mayors, county

Spring market shows early signs of green shoots

Early data shows that existing-home sales were up in February and that relistings are experiencing a surge, signaling consumer confidence in the market.