Real estate companies have come out full force to provide relief funding to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The National Association of Realtors is contributing more than $1 million to funds established by Realtor associations in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi to provide emergency relief to victims.
NAR is accepting contributions for the relief fund through Realtor.org/relief.
A la mode said on Thursday it has donated $150,000 in cash to be split equally among the disaster recovery operations of the three state Realtor associations. In addition, a la mode’s founder and Chairman Dave Biggers indicated that he would ask all of the company’s clients to donate to the American Red Cross through the a la mode Web site, www.alamode.com/katrina, and will personally match the total contribution up to $250,000.
The California Association of Realtors has donated $30,000 to hurricane relief efforts in the three afflicted states.
Individual contributions to C.A.R.’s hurricane relief effort can be made to the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund. To make a tax-deductable donation, make checks payable to the California Community Foundation, and write “C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund” on the memo line. Send checks to the California Community Foundation, 445 S. Figueroa St., #3400, Los Angeles, CA 90071-1638.
In addition, Andrew Cimerman, CEO and chairman of Realty World HomeLife Realty Services and Red Carpet Real Estate, said today he is offering victims three houses in Detroit that can accommodate at least five families with small children. Cimerman said the families can move in immediately with six months free of rent. Betty Main, vice president of Red Carpet Real Estate in Troy, Mich., will coordinate the move. She can be reached at (248) 680-7300.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have each offered mortgage relief for borrowers in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and other states facing hardships from damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.
With the secondary mortgage companies’ disaster relief provisions, lenders can help borrowers in several ways. These include suspending mortgage payments for up to three months, reducing payments for up to 18 months, or in more severe cases, creating longer loan payback plans.
Fidelity National Financial on Wednesday announced that the Fidelity National Property and Casualty Insurance Group Catastrophe team is staffed and ready to assist its agents and policyholders.
A dedicated hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for reporting claims at (866) 397-6347. Prompt reporting of claims will enable FNPC to assist insured people in scheduling inspections of their property.
SocketSite, a San Francisco real estate blog, has invited readers who may be planning to make online purchases to donate to victims through its affiliate programs with Design Within Reach and Amazon. The company will donate 100 percent of any affiliate commissions generated through the partnerships during September. Click here for the affiliate link to Design Within Reach; click here for the affiliate link to Amazon.
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