MONTICELLO and LAWRENCE COUNTY — Monticello and Lawrence County have achieved new fire insurance ratings. Officials tell the Daily Leader the city has new rating of six and the county had an eight. The ratings came from the state. Monticello Fire Department Capt. Jared Evans says a class six rating will lower insurance costs to [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: March 7,2012
Tags: builders, building, construction, fees, home builders, home building, homes, houses, municipal government, ordinances, real estate, residences, residential real estate, residents, zoning
PETAL — The Petal Board of Aldermen has voted to amend the official zoning ordinance for the city, hoping to make it easier for building in the city. Mayor Hal Marx said the goal is to make it easier for people to go through the approval process and cut fees. The Hattiesburg American reports one [...] [...]
OXFORD — FNC Inc.’s latest Residential Price Index (RPI) indicates U.S. residential property values declined in December amid signs of continued improvement in the job market and economic growth. With sales of distressed properties comprising a large portion of overall home sales, prices on non-distressed sales continued to reflect the downward pressure distressed sales have [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: March 5,2012
Tags: agriculture, businesses, disaster, disaster prepredness, engineers, flood control, flooding, floods, homes, houses, levees, military, natural disaster, repairs, residences
VICKSBURG — The Vicksburg District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently received an additional $140 million in funding from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act. These funds will be used toward 81 Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries (MR&T) projects affected by the historic 2011 flood. The District developed a list of projects that will benefit from [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: February 17,2012
Tags: federal government, grants, homes, houses, identity theft, law enforcement, residences, residents, scam, scheme, telemarketing, theft, thieves
ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The FBI has warned Mississippi residents of a telephone scam that claims the person is eligible for a $5,000 to $10,000 grant from the Grants Department of the federal government. It supposedly can be used for home or residential purposes. The FBI says in a statement that a claim code containing two [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: February 8,2012
Tags: disaster, disaster recovery, federal government, homeowners, homes, houses, hurricanes, severe weather, tropical weather, Weather
WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed a plan to waive recoupment of improper disaster assistance payments that were disbursed due to government error, according to U.S. Senators Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Mark Pryor, D-Ark., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss. Next week, FEMA will send letters to 90,000 affected individuals and households informing [...] [...]
GREENVILLE — A housing agency director has received a month’s delay before she stands trial for allegedly taking kickbacks from a contractor and retaliating against a witness. Ann “A.J.” Jefferson’s trial was moved from today to Feb. 29, The Delta Democrat Times reported. Defense attorneys asked for the delay because of unspecified conflicts of counsel. [...] [...]
MADISON — Fitch Ratings has placed the ratings of Old Republic International Corporation’s (ORI) and its insurance company subsidiaries, including Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Company, on “Rating Watch Negative.” Fitch reports: “The Rating Watch reflects uncertainty as to ORI’s ability to continue to avoid a covenant breach under its debt obligations in light of ongoing [...] [...]
OXFORD — FNC’s latest Residential Price Index (RPI) indicates that U.S. home prices continued to decline despite recent signs of job recovery and rising home sales and new residential construction. The continued price retreat is no surprise as the housing market remains constrained by high volumes of delinquent mortgages and foreclosures. November marks the fourth [...] [...]
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — Mississippi Gulf Coast home sales finished 2011 on an upswing, with average sales prices up $8,000 in December and more homes sold than at the end of 2010. The Mississippi Gulf Multiple Listing Service report showed the average sales price of a home in South Mississippi was $124,694 in December. That [...] [...]