Residential

  • November 19, 2024

    Condo Says Insurer Underpaid By $19M After Hurricane Ian

    A Florida condo association said its insurer underpaid it by nearly $19 million after Hurricane Ian destroyed its property in 2022, according to a suit that was removed to federal court.

  • November 19, 2024

    'Survivor' Winner Needs To Pay $3.3M Tax Bill, Judge Advises

    The winner of the "Survivor" television series who evaded taxes on his $1 million in prize money and served time in prison should pay $3.3 million of his civil liabilities, including fraud penalties, a federal magistrate judge said.

  • November 19, 2024

    Tarter Krinsky Adds CRE Transaction Atty

    An attorney with experience across the spectrum of commercial real estate transactions has joined Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP's real estate practice from Riley Riper Hollin & Colagreco PC, the firm announced.

  • November 19, 2024

    Fannie, Freddie To Buy $146B In 2025 Multifamily Loans

    The Federal Housing Finance Agency raised the multifamily loan purchase caps for government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to $73 billion each — totaling $146 billion in 2025 — the agency announced.

  • November 18, 2024

    Brokerage Startup Defends Suit Over NAR Listing Rules

    A residential brokerage startup defended its antitrust lawsuit from dismissal motions filed by the National Association of Realtors and multiple brokerages, arguing in Utah federal court that it has standing to bring its suit "as an excluded competitor" and that it's not required to make specific claims about the roles of the defendants in the alleged antitrust conspiracy.

  • November 18, 2024

    HUD Ducks Homeowner's Insurance Overpayment Suit

    A Florida federal judge dismissed a homeowner's proposed class action alleging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development failed to refund mortgage insurance premium overpayments, finding the suit seeks sweeping relief that exceeds the court's power.

  • November 18, 2024

    Treasury Finalizes Tougher Foreign Investment Law Penalties

    The Treasury Department on Monday finalized a rule sharpening its enforcement authority to stop or demand additional information regarding foreign-investment deals that the U.S. deems potential threats to national security.

  • November 18, 2024

    Trump Co. Seeks Coverage Of Wage Theft, Discrimination Suit

    The Trump Corp. asked a New York federal court to force an insurer to defend it in a more than $500,000 wage theft and age discrimination dispute brought by a former employee of a company-managed luxury condo in Manhattan.

  • November 18, 2024

    Wash. Court Asked To Eye Renewal Docs In Fire Damage Row

    A Washington couple and two Progressive units urged a federal court to issue a pretrial ruling on whether the couple is entitled to up to $750,000 for a fire they said "destroyed" their home, after Progressive denied coverage for failure to pay the homeowner policy's premium.

  • November 18, 2024

    Justices Urged To Review Landlords' COVID Eviction Ban Suit

    A group of trade associations and a nonprofit urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to grant a review petition filed by landlords claiming they lost $100 million as a result of Los Angeles' COVID-19 eviction moratorium, which ended in January.

  • November 18, 2024

    Honolulu Property Class Is Constitutional, Court Affirms

    A special Honolulu property class did not violate the state and country's equal protection clause, as a group of consolidated property owners alleged, because the property class served a legitimate policy purpose, the state Intermediate Court of Appeals has affirmed.

  • November 18, 2024

    NYC Real Estate Week In Review

    Simpson Thacher and Paul Weiss are among the law firms that landed work on the largest New York City real estate deals that hit public records, a busy period that saw eight transactions above the $20 million mark become public.

  • November 18, 2024

    After High Court Snubs, What's Next For NY Rent Law Cases?

    After the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review two cases challenging a tenant-friendly amendment to New York's rent regulations, attorneys say any future challenges will need to directly cite landlords' concrete injuries that stem from the state rent laws.

  • November 18, 2024

    NJ Justices To Consider Sanctions Against Town For Suing Attys

    The New Jersey Supreme Court has decided to weigh in on whether state law provides municipalities with immunity from sanctions for frivolous litigation, as it takes up a long-running affordable housing case in Englewood Cliffs.

  • November 18, 2024

    Latham Leads Invitation Homes In $200M Acquisition JV

    Latham & Watkins LLP advised Invitation Homes in forming a joint venture announced Monday to buy $200 million worth of newly constructed homes.

  • November 15, 2024

    Wash. Judge Says Junk Text Suit Must Lose Autodialer Claims

    Consumers who were peppered with hundreds of unwanted text messages from a home improvement platform can move forward with their $400 million lawsuit accusing the company of ignoring the Do Not Call Registry, but will lose their autodialer claims, a Washington federal judge has ruled.

  • November 15, 2024

    Pa. Top Court Snapshot: Silent Partners, Skill Games In Nov.

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's November argument schedule will task the justices with determining whether a property owner's absentee partner is an "indispensable party," whether CBD oil is reimbursable under workers' comp, and whether operating legally gray "skill games" should disqualify someone from getting a gaming license.

  • November 15, 2024

    Denver Voters Reject Sales Tax Hike For Affordable Housing

    Denver voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have increased the city's sales and use tax by 0.5 percentage points and dedicated the anticipated $100 million in revenue to the city's affordable housing efforts.

  • November 15, 2024

    Mass. Home's Value Should Be Lowered, Board Rules

    A Massachusetts home in a flood plain should be granted a tax abatement of $860 and have its value lowered based on comparable sales in the area, the state Appellate Tax Board said in an opinion released Friday.

  • November 15, 2024

    Property Plays: Franchise Group, Kushner, Astrodome

    Property Plays is a weekly roundup of the latest loans, leases, sales and projects around the country. Send your tips — all confidential — to realestate@law360.com.

  • November 15, 2024

    Ga. Panel Says Homeowners Must Arbitrate Boundary Spat

    The Georgia Court of Appeals on Friday ordered a property line spat between a construction company and a homeowner sent to arbitration, reversing a trial court's ruling that the issue fell outside the bounds of an arbitration provision within the original sale contract.

  • November 15, 2024

    Mass. Court Refuses To Set Defective Condo's Value At Zero

    The owner of a Massachusetts condominium unit that he claimed was uninhabitable and worth nothing was lawfully denied the valuation abatement he sought, a state appeals court said Friday, upholding a tax board decision.

  • November 15, 2024

    Florida To Aid Condo Hurricane Upgrades With $30M Effort

    Florida state officials launched a pilot program to help condominium associations prepare their properties for hurricanes with free inspections and grants for updates that could lower wind insurance costs.

  • November 15, 2024

    Ex-McElroy Deutsch Exec Says Firm Has No Claim On House

    The former McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP business development director whose husband pled guilty to stealing millions from the firm has argued that the time has come for the court to toss an attempt by the firm to put her house in a constructive trust.

  • November 15, 2024

    NY Real Estate Lender Bravo Names New GC And COO

    New York City-based real estate lender Bravo Property Trust announced Friday it has brought on a new general counsel and chief operating officer with 20 years of experience and a deep network of industry connections, as the company looks to grow.

Expert Analysis

  • Colorado Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

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    In the third quarter of 2024, Colorado's banking and financial services sector faced both regulatory updates and changes to state law due to recent federal court decisions — with consequences for local governments, mortgage lenders, state-chartered trust companies and federally chartered lenders serving Colorado consumers, says Sarah Auchterlonie at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • In The CFPB Playbook: No Lazy, Hazy Days Of Summer

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is headed for a brisk fall season, on the heels of a heated summer, which included the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the CFPB funding structure is constitutional, and in advance of the November election, says Eamonn Moran at Holland & Knight.

  • Basel Endgame Rules: A Change Is Coming

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    The Federal Reserve Board's recently announced recalibration of the Basel endgame proposal begins a critical chapter in the evolution of not only the safety and soundness of U.S. banks, but also of banks' abilities to lend and support American businesses and consumers, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

  • Round-Canopy Parachuting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Similar to the practice of law, jumping from an in-flight airplane with nothing but training and a few yards of parachute silk is a demanding and stressful endeavor, and the experience has bolstered my legal practice by enhancing my focus, teamwork skills and sense of perspective, says Thomas Salerno at Stinson.

  • Reassessing Lease Provisions To Account For ESG Initiatives

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    As companies seek to build ESG considerations into their businesses, it's crucial to understand how such initiatives can quickly become significant enough to compel reassessment of lease agreement provisions, and how best to modify leases accordingly, say Julian Freeman and Gabe Pitassi at Cox Castle.

  • Avoid Getting Burned By Agencies' Solar Financing Spotlight

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    Recently coordinated reports and advisories from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission maximize the spotlight on the consumer solar financing market and highlight pitfalls for lenders to avoid in this burgeoning field, says Mercedes Tunstall at Cadwalader.

  • Assessing Algorithmic Versus Generative AI Pricing Tools

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    A comparison of traditional algorithmic pricing models and those powered by generative artificial intelligence can help regulators and practitioners weigh the pros and cons of relying on large language models to price products or services, say Maxime Cohen at McGill University, and Tim Spittle and Jimmy Royer at Analysis Group.

  • Navigating A Potpourri Of Possible Transparency Act Pitfalls

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    Despite the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's continued release of guidance for complying with the Corporate Transparency Act, its interpretation remains in flux, making it important for companies to understand potentially problematic areas of ambiguity in the practical application of the law, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • DOJ Must Overcome Hurdles In RealPage Antitrust Case

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent claims that RealPage's pricing software violates the Sherman Act mark a creative, and apparently contradictory, shift in the agency's approach to algorithmic price-fixing that will face several key challenges, say attorneys at Clifford Chance.

  • What To Know About CFPB Stance On Confidentiality Terms

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    A recent circular from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau represents a growing effort across government agencies to address overbroad confidentiality agreements, and gives employers insight into the bureau's perspective on the issue as it relates to the Consumer Financial Protection Act, say Holly Williamson and Elizabeth King at Hunton.

  • What's Next For Federal Preemption In Financial Services

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    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's review of its preemption interpretations and growing pressure from state regulators signal potential changes ahead for preemption in U.S. financial services, and the path forward will likely involve a reevaluation of the entire framework, say attorneys at Clark Hill.

  • Increased Scrutiny Raises Int'l Real Estate Transaction Risks

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    Recently proposed regulations expanding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' oversight, a White House divestment order and state-level legislative efforts signal increasing scrutiny of real estate transactions that may trigger national security concerns, say Luciano Racco and Aleksis Fernández Caballero at Foley Hoag.

  • Financial Incentives May Alleviate Affordable Housing Crisis

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    There is a wide array of financial incentives and assistance that the government can provide to both real estate developers and individuals to chip away at the housing affordability problem from multiple angles, say Eric DeBear and Madeline Williams at Cozen.