Residential

  • May 01, 2024

    Construction Spending Down In March, Census Bureau Says

    National construction spending was down slightly between February and March, falling 0.2% to just more than $2.083 billion, which is still nearly 9.6% higher than this time last year, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday.

  • May 01, 2024

    Essex Still Watching Tech Jobs, Housing Court Backlogs

    Essex Property Trust executives said Wednesday that they have their eye on incremental increases in tech sector job growth and decreases in housing court backlogs, two factors that have weighed heavily on the performance of the real estate investment trust's properties.

  • May 01, 2024

    More Withdraw From Conn. Atty Hacked Payment Lawsuits

    A series of withdrawals has cut into a voluminous pile of lawsuits surrounding a real estate attorney's wiring of money to the wrong people in connection with several real estate sales, with First American Title among the parties that filed recent withdrawal notices in the myriad matters.

  • May 01, 2024

    Invitation Homes Sees Growth Ahead, Announces New JV

    Invitation Homes Inc.'s chief executive told investors Wednesday that the company's results for 2024's first quarter give good reasons to be optimistic about the U.S. single-family rentals market for the rest of the year, including a newly inked joint venture.

  • May 01, 2024

    Fried Frank, Levitt & Boccio Guide $97M Cornell Campus Refi

    Cornell University refinanced Hudson Cos.' $97.5 million mortgage tied to a 350-unit sustainable residential tower on the university's New York City technology campus, in a deal guided by Levitt & Boccio LLP and Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, per property records.

  • May 01, 2024

    MDC's Top Attorney Resigns After Sekisui House Merger

    Homebuilder MDC Holdings said its general counsel has announced his departure after Japanese firm Sekisui House Ltd. acquired the company in a nearly $5 billion transaction in January.

  • May 01, 2024

    What Attys Are Saying About The PFAS CERCLA Designation

    In the days since the Environmental Protection Agency classified two "forever chemicals" as hazardous, real estate and environmental attorneys have been analyzing how the move applies to their work.

  • May 01, 2024

    Real Estate Authority Is Moving To Thursday

    Beginning May 9, Law360 Real Estate Authority's two weekly newsletters — Commercial and Residential — will be distributed Thursday morning.

  • May 01, 2024

    Kennedy Wilson, Haseko Buy $90M Wash. Multifamily Builds

    Real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson and Japanese construction company Haseko Corp. partnered to purchase a pair of multifamily properties spanning 350 units in Vancouver, Washington, for $90 million, Kennedy Wilson announced.

  • May 01, 2024

    Swiss Firm Empira Eyes Long-Term Growth In US Housing

    The head of U.S. investments for Switzerland-based real estate investment firm Empira Group shared insights with Law360 Real Estate Authority on the opportunities the company saw in U.S. housing that have driven its recent arrival and growth on this side of the Atlantic.

  • April 30, 2024

    2nd Circ. Revives Commerzbank RMBS Suit Against US Bank

    The Second Circuit on Tuesday revived part of a nearly decade-old Commerzbank AG lawsuit brought against U.S. Bank NA over its role as a trustee on a slew of pre-2008 crisis RMBS trusts, sending some of the German bank's previously dismissed claims back to district court for a "closer inspection."

  • April 30, 2024

    Real Estate Leaders Ask Congress For Less Stick, More Carrot

    The federal government should incentivize home construction and office-to-residential conversions, avoid imposing more capital requirement rules on banks and refrain from treating commercial real estate monolithically, industry leaders testified to members of Congress on Tuesday.

  • April 30, 2024

    NY Agencies Hit With Rental Assistance Bias Class Action

    New York City Housing Authority tenants on Tuesday filed a proposed class action alleging their landlord and the administrator of COVID emergency rental assistance intentionally discriminated against low-income Black and Hispanic renters by sending them to the back of the rental assistance line.

  • April 30, 2024

    Conn. Mortgage Co. Settles Data Breach Claims

    A mortgage company settled a consolidated data breach class action that accused the company in Connecticut federal court of being liable for a November 2023 data breach that compromised its customers' personal information.

  • April 30, 2024

    Deal Frees Douglas Elliman From Mo. Broker Fee Class Action

    Douglas Elliman has agreed to pay up to $117.5 million to exit a class action in Missouri federal court accusing the broker of causing home sellers to pay inflated commissions under rules set by the National Association of Realtors.

  • April 30, 2024

    Mich. Judge Admits Error In Cutting Predatory Lending Claims

    A Michigan federal judge admitted she was wrong to toss fair housing claims alleging a group of real estate companies ran a bulk home buying program that preyed on Black buyers, reviving the claims and reversing a decision to cut a defendant from the case.

  • April 30, 2024

    NYC Judge Upholds Hotel Taxes On Apartment Subleases

    A company that leased residential apartments in New York City is liable for more than $200,000 in disputed hotel taxes on short-term subleases of the units, an administrative law judge found.

  • April 29, 2024

    Kazakh Businessman Accused Of Stealing Coal Mine

    A Kazakh businessman schemed with the country's government to steal a coal mine, its proceeds, and its assets and laundered the proceeds to buy luxury U.S. real estate worth more than $100 million, according to a suit filed in New York state court.

  • April 29, 2024

    6th Circ. Revives Co.'s Malpractice Suit Against Ohio Firm

    The Sixth Circuit on Monday revived a Texas real estate developer's legal malpractice claim against an Ohio law firm, remanding the case back to a lower court to consider the viability of certain professional negligence claims.

  • April 29, 2024

    Zillow Fights Investor Cert. In Home Pricing Program Suit

    Zillow urged a Washington federal court not to certify a class of shareholders amid an investor's suit alleging he was misled about the performance of its home-flipping program, arguing that the alleged misstatements had no bearing on stock prices.

  • April 29, 2024

    DC Property Manager Can't Duck Utility Fee Claims

    A District of Columbia federal judge refused to toss a proposed class action lobbed by a former tenant against Bozzuto Management Co., leaving the property manager to face claims that its mishandling of utility charges violated consumer protection laws.

  • April 29, 2024

    Keller Williams Agent Can't Slip Robocall Class Action

    A Nevada federal judge refused to let a Keller Williams agent escape a proposed class action accusing her of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by repeatedly using robocalls to contact someone whose cellphone number was on a national do-not-call registry.

  • April 29, 2024

    Defendant Seeks Tribe's Confidential Data In Smoke Shop Suit

    An entrepreneur being sued by the Cayuga Nation is arguing in New York federal court that he should be allowed to view "highly confidential" spreadsheets purportedly detailing revenue losses the tribe suffered due to an unlicensed smoke shop on tribal land, asserting he has no business ties to the store.

  • April 29, 2024

    Peer Street Plan Ruling Gets Delayed After Objector No-Show

    Real estate investment platform Peer Street Inc. will have to wait another week for a decision on confirmation of its Chapter 11 plan, after a Delaware bankruptcy judge declined Monday to rule on the relief because an objecting party wasn't present in court.

  • April 29, 2024

    Pa. Retirement Home Wants Ed Board Tax Challenge Nixed

    The nonprofit owner of a retirement community in a suburb of Pittsburgh has filed a lawsuit against the local school board claiming that the board violated a soon-to-expire payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, agreement that was brokered almost 15 years ago.

Expert Analysis

  • Using Synthetic Securitization In Residential Mortgage Loans

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    In light of a recent Federal Reserve report emphasizing the importance of maintaining sufficient capital positions, banking organizations should consider using synthetic securitization to help mitigate capital charge associated with residential mortgage loan portfolios, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

  • Tips For In-House Legal Leaders In A Challenging Economy

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    Amid today's economic and geopolitical uncertainty, in-house legal teams are running lean and facing increased scrutiny and unique issues, but can step up and find innovative ways to manage outcomes and capitalize on good business opportunities, says Tim Parilla at LinkSquares.

  • How Cities Can Tackle Post-Pandemic Budgeting Dilemmas

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    Due to increasing office vacancies around the country, cities may consider politically unpopular actions to avoid bankruptcy, but they could also look to the capital markets to ride out the current real estate crisis and achieve debt service savings to help balance their budgets, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

  • What Associates Need To Know Before Switching Law Firms

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    The days of staying at the same firm for the duration of one's career are mostly a thing of the past as lateral moves by lawyers are commonplace, but there are several obstacles that associates should consider before making a move, say attorneys at HWG.

  • FHFA Plans Forecast The Year Ahead In Affordable Housing

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    This year attorneys in the affordable housing sector can expect to see developers utilizing the financing tools included in Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae's updated equitable housing finance plans, including various sponsor-elected programs and Freddie's forward commitment initiative, say Evan Blau and Beth Budnick at Cassin & Cassin.

  • A Case For Sharing Mediation Statements With Counterparties

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    In light of a potential growing mediation trend of only submitting statements to the mediator, litigants should think critically about the pros and cons of exchanging statements with opposing parties as it could boost the chances of reaching a settlement, says Arthur Eidelhoch at Eidelhoch Mediation.

  • How To Determine Best Format For Annual Building Meetings

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    As hundreds of New York City co-ops and condominiums conduct their annual meetings over the next few weeks, they should keep both legal and practical considerations in mind when deciding between virtual and in-person formats, says Robert Braverman at Braverman Greenspun.

  • EB-5 Reform Continues To Weigh Heavily On Participants

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    Recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guidance helps clarify aspects of the 2022 EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act, which increased oversight of EB-5 regional centers, but does not end the industry's continuing state of uncertainty, says Robert Divine at Baker Donelson.

  • Colo. Bankruptcy Ruling Clarifies Debt Collection Rules

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    The Colorado Supreme Court’s recent ruling in U.S. Bank v. Silvernagel provides necessary clarification on the state's debt collection statute of limitations commencement rules and gives lenders breathing room to pursue foreclosure after their borrowers receive a bankruptcy discharge, say Erin Edwards and Justin Balser at Troutman Pepper.

  • Preparing For Legal Scrutiny Of Data Retention Policies

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    Two recent cases involving Google and Meta should serve as a call to action for companies to ensure their data retention policies are updated and properly implemented to the degree of being able to withstand judicial scrutiny, especially as more data is generated by emerging technologies, say Jack Kallus and Labeed Choudhry at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Echoes Of '80s Thrift Crisis Are Present In Today's Bank Woes

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    The current distress in the banking industry bears an uncanny resemblance to the thrift industry crisis of the 1980s, and while that collapse was a worst-case scenario, it provides lessons for understanding the fundamental economic forces at work today, says Alan Frankel at Coherent Economics.

  • Attorneys Should Have An Ethical Duty To Advance DEI

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    National and state bar associations are encouraging attorneys to apply diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the legal profession and beyond, and these associations should take it one step further by formally recognizing ethical duties for attorneys to promote DEI, which could better the legal profession and society, says Elena Mitchell at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Data-Driven Insights Are Key To Attracting Today's Clients

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    As law firm growth slows and competition for clients increases, modern firms must rely on robust data analytics to develop the sector-based expertise and industry insights that clients increasingly prioritize in relationships with counsel, says Lavinia Calvert at Intapp.