February 10, 2008 - (RealEstateRama) — Tom Stephani, MIRM, a custom home builder/developer and consultant from Crystal Lake, Ill., was named chairman of the...

SPRINGFIELD, IL - June 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The month of May marked the fourth consecutive month-to-month increase in home sales for the Illinois housing market and the third monthly increase in the statewide median home sale price, according to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report. Total home sales (which include single-family and condominiums) were up 19.3 percent in May 2009 to 8,945 homes compared to 7,501 homes sold in April 2009. Compared to a year ago, home sales were down 21.0 percent from May 2008 sales of 11,326.

Washington, DC - June 4, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) joined U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO-3rd) in introducing a resolution recognizing the value of high-performance buildings. The measure, H.Res.492, “Supporting the goals and ideals of High-Performance Building Week,” was introduced late Tuesday. High-Performance Building Week will be June 15 through June 19, 2009.

Schaumburg, IL - June 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Congresswoman Melissa Bean met with local contractors, builders, green energy developers and environmental advocates at Roosevelt University to discuss the positive impact that energy incentives in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are having on the local economy, and to announce the re-introduction of her Green Initiative to provide further incentives.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - June 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Governor Pat Quinn today requested federal assistance to help people, businesses, local governments and electrical cooperatives recover from a devastating storm that hit parts of southern Illinois on May 8. The storm uprooted thousands of trees, causing widespread power outages and blocking countless roads and highways. At least 260 homes in a five-county area were destroyed or suffered major damage, and storm-related costs to state and local governments and electrical cooperatives are expected to top $26 million

Springfield, IL - May 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The Illinois housing market posted its third consecutive month of home sales increases over the previous month helped by record low interest rates and buyer incentives including the homebuyer tax credit and improved affordability. According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® latest report, total home sales (which include single-family and condominiums) were up 9.0 percent in April 2009 to 7,593 homes compared to 6,968 homes sold in March 2009. Overall, home sales were down 20.9 percent from April 2008 sales of 9,599.

Washington, DC - May 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Three measures that topped U.S. Representative Judy Biggert’s (R-IL-13th) list of priorities for 2009 were included in two bills signed into law by President Obama today. Biggert attended the signing ceremony at the White House where the President signed into law S.386, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009, and S. 896, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - May 12, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — March sales showed sizeable gains over February, yet tighter lending standards had a resounding effect on first quarter home sales, according to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR). Home sales (which include single-family homes and condominiums) totaled 16,748, down 23.5 percent from 21,902 home sales in the first quarter of 2008. The first quarter median home sale price was $146,000, down 21.1 percent from $185,000 a year earlier. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half sold for less.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - May 7, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — At the Illinois Association of Park Districts Legislative Conference in Springfield, Governor Pat Quinn announced $21.2 million in grants for 59 park development and land acquisition projects throughout Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - April 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — For the second-straight month, Illinois home sales increased over the month before and for the first time since June 2008 the statewide median home price also rose from the previous month.

CHICAGO, IL - April 08, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Illinois’ innovative Rental Housing Support Program is entering a second year of helping low-income residents by providing nearly $15 million in additional grants to agencies and landlords across the state to lower rents to affordable levels.

Chicago, IL - March 31, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Chicago will receive $12,262,589 from the competitive grant portion of the federal economic stimulus program to improve a runway and taxiway at O’Hare International Airport, Mayor Richard M. Daley and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded $9,731,580 in grants to airports in Rockford, Decatur and the Quad Cities.

Funding to bring new rental and homeownership opportunities for former residents

March 06, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced that the Crowne Plaza Chicago-Northbrook has opened, after undergoing a $16 million renovation and conversion from a Radisson.