Residential

  • June 03, 2024

    NYC Condo Board Blames Damages On Seyfarth Atty

    The board of managers for a condominium building in Manhattan wants more than $1 million in damages from its former Seyfarth Shaw LLP attorney, who the board argues hurt it in litigation with the owner of a building unit by presenting "frivolous" and "bad faith" arguments.

  • June 03, 2024

    Conn. To Require Interest Waivers For Some Delinquent Taxes

    Connecticut will require municipal tax collectors to waive interest on delinquent property taxes when the delinquency is determined to be due to a mistake by a tax collector or assessor and not the taxpayer's fault under a bill signed by the governor.

  • June 03, 2024

    Ohio Property Sale Price Not Timely Enough To Raise Value

    An Ohio property made up of four lots was properly valued and should not have its value increased based on a 2017 sale, because the sale was not timely, the state Board of Tax Appeals ruled.

  • June 03, 2024

    Common Co-Living Company Files For Ch. 7 Liquidation

    The co-living company Common, which aimed to modernize apartment rentals and merged with Germany's venture backed Habyt in January 2023, filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in Delaware, listing between $10 million and $50 million of liabilities.

  • June 03, 2024

    Minn. Tax Court Lowers Home Value Over Native Burial Mound

    The valuation of a lakeside parcel including a legally protected Native American burial mound must be lowered because a split of the property as envisioned by assessors would have been unlikely to gain the needed approvals, the Minnesota Tax Court said.

  • June 03, 2024

    Nursing Home Co. LaVie Hits Ch. 11 In Ga. With $1.1B Debt

    Nursing home operator LaVie Care Centers LLC hit Chapter 11 on Monday in Georgia with $1.1 billion in debt, saying it has not been able to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • May 31, 2024

    Zillow Rival Tells 9th Circ. Listing Snub Not 'Optional'

    Defunct brokerage platform REX-Real Estate Exchange Inc. urged the Ninth Circuit to revive its deceptive practices suit against Zillow, arguing a Washington federal judge wrongly let the property listing giant off the hook for relegating REX home sale listings to a secondary tab on its website.

  • May 31, 2024

    Judge Axes Class Claims In Navy Federal Discrimination Suit

    A Virginia federal judge has cut claims and denied class certification in a suit accusing Navy Federal Credit Union of racial lending discrimination, saying the statistical evidence from media reports does not establish intentional discrimination.

  • May 31, 2024

    Colo. Establishes Middle-Income Housing Tax Credits

    Colorado is creating a pilot program to provide a tax credit for developers of housing aimed at middle-income residents under a bill signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis.

  • May 31, 2024

    NYC Landlord Inks Deal To End Wage Theft Suit

    A former maintenance worker has agreed in principle to settle his proposed wage theft collective action against a New York City landlord and its property manager, according to a letter filed Friday in New York federal court.

  • May 31, 2024

    IRS Can Seek Tax Beyond Bankruptcy Deal, 11th Circ. Affirms

    A deal between the IRS and an Alabama real estate developer to settle his tax debt for $2 million during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings wasn't final, and the agency can demand additional taxes from him, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed Friday.

  • May 31, 2024

    Race Bias Suit Against Ga. Housing Authority Trimmed

    A Georgia federal judge has narrowed the scope of a civil rights lawsuit filed by a woman who said she was denied a senior position with a local housing authority after leaders found out she'd sued her prior employer, tossing several claims Friday against the ex-chairman of the authority's board.

  • May 31, 2024

    Kirkland Guides Town Lane To $1.25B Debut Real Estate Fund

    Kirkland & Ellis LLP advised the close of an inaugural, $1.25 billion fund for Town Lane, a real estate firm founded by a brother-sister duo with decades of combined experience at Blackstone and Sycamore Partners, according to a Friday news release.

  • May 31, 2024

    Colo. Justices Agree To Weigh In On Blackstone Lease Row

    Colorado's high court agreed Wednesday to answer two key questions in a putative class action against Blackstone subsidiaries, after a federal judge said tenants' claims alleging the companies' lease agreements violate state law present novel legal issues with little case law to provide guidance.

  • May 31, 2024

    Former Miami City Atty Must Face Real Estate Fraud Suit

    A former Miami city attorney can't escape a lawsuit that alleges she aided her husband in a real estate fraud scheme after a Florida state appeals court found the complaint had sufficient allegations to survive her sovereign immunity assertions.

  • May 31, 2024

    4th Circ. Won't Revive NC Homeowners' Storm Coverage Suit

    The Fourth Circuit refused on Friday to revive a suit brought by the owners of a North Carolina beach house accusing certain underwriters at Lloyd's London of stalling a $1 million payout over hurricane damage.

  • May 31, 2024

    Judge Rejects Home Service Workers' Class Cert. Redo Bid

    A Colorado federal judge once again refused to fully certify a putative class of home service professionals who accused HomeAdvisor Inc. and other parties of running a scheme where poor quality customer leads were generated and sold to home service professionals.

  • May 31, 2024

    NJ Judge Says Mortgage Lender's Counterclaim Falls Flat

    A New Jersey federal judge tossed an unfair competition counterclaim brought by Nationwide Mortgage Bankers Inc. in a trade secrets suit by its rival Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, ruling that Nationwide Mortgage's counterclaim allegations do not actually count as unfair competition under Garden State law.

  • May 30, 2024

    CFPB To Probe 'Junk Fees' In Mortgage Closing Costs

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Thursday that it will scrutinize how "junk fees" may be making it more expensive to purchase a home, kicking off a broad inquiry that could presage a crackdown on rising mortgage closing costs.

  • May 30, 2024

    Real Estate Investor Beats Niece's Suit Over Fall At LA Home

    Real estate investor and philanthropist Stanley Black can't be held liable for injuries suffered by his niece when she tripped and fell on the driveway of his Sunset Boulevard mansion, a California state appeals court has ruled, saying there's no evidence of defects on the driveway she walked on many times before.

  • May 30, 2024

    Colo. Creates Low-Income Housing Investment Tax Credit

    Colorado will allow an income tax credit for investments in certain low-income housing projects and increase the amount of affordable housing tax credits it offers under a bill signed Thursday by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.

  • May 30, 2024

    Mass. Foreclosure Law May Be Unconstitutional, Judge Says

    A Massachusetts law blocking towns and cities from returning excess funds from foreclosure sales may be an unconstitutional taking, a federal judge has said.

  • May 30, 2024

    2 Firms Guide $84M Loan For Fla. Multifamily Project

    Centennial Bank inked an $84.4 million loan for the joint venture behind a multifamily development in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which secured local support with plans to reserve 10% of the units at workforce housing levels of affordability.

  • May 30, 2024

    Interest Rates Knock Pending Home Sales, NAR Says

    Pending home sales in the U.S. declined by 7.4% in April year-over-year, and rising interest rates are to blame, the National Association of Realtors said May 30.

  • May 30, 2024

    Fried Frank, Kirkland Pilot $1.55B Multifamily Portfolio Deal

    Brookfield, advised by Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, bought a $1.55 billion portfolio of U.S. multifamily properties from Starwood Capital Group, guided by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, in a recently closed deal, a spokesperson for Starwood confirmed this week.

Expert Analysis

  • Wave Of Final Rules Reflects Race Against CRA Deadline

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    The flurry of final rules now leaping off the Federal Register press — some of which will affect entire industries and millions of Americans — shows President Joe Biden's determination to protect his regulatory legacy from reversal by the next Congress, given the impending statutory look-back period under the Congressional Review Act, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • A Deep Dive Into High Court's Permit Fee Ruling

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    David Robinson and Daniel Golub at Holland & Knight explore the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that a local traffic impact fee charged to a California property owner may be a Fifth Amendment taking — and where it leaves localities and real estate developers.

  • The Case For Overturning Florida Foreclosure Ruling

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    A Florida appellate court's recent decision in Desbrunes v. U.S. Bank National Association will potentially put foreclosure cases across the state in jeopardy, and unless it is reconsidered, foreclosing plaintiffs will need to choose between frustrating and uncertain options in the new legal landscape, say Sara Accardi and Paige Knight at Bradley.

  • Bracing For The CFPB's War On Mortgage Fees

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    As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau homes in on the legality of certain residential mortgage fees, the industry should consult the bureau's steady stream of consumer lending guidance for hints on its priorities, say Nanci Weissgold and Melissa Malpass at Alston & Bird.

  • DOJ Consent Orders Chart Road Map For Lending Compliance

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    Two recent consent orders issued by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of its efforts to fight mortgage lending discrimination highlight issues that pose fair lending compliance risks, and should be carefully studied by banks to avoid enforcement actions, says Memrie Fortenberry at Jones Walker.

  • Reverse Veil-Piercing Ruling Will Help Judgment Creditors

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    A New York federal court’s recent decision in Citibank v. Aralpa Holdings, finding two corporate entities liable for a judgment issued against a Mexican businessman, shows the value of reverse veil piercing as a remedy for judgment creditors to go after sophisticated debtors who squirrel away assets, says Gabe Bluestone at Omni Bridgeway.

  • Calif. Housing Overhaul May Increase Pressure On Landlords

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    Two recently enacted California laws signal new protections and legal benefits for tenants, but also elevate landlords' financial exposure at a time when they are already facing multiple other hardships, says Laya Dogmetchi at Much Shelist.

  • New Proposal Signals Sharper Enforcement Focus At CFIUS

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    Last week's proposed rule aimed at broadening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' enforcement authority over foreign investments and increasing penalties for violations signals that CFIUS intends to continue expanding its aggressive monitoring of national security issues, say attorneys at Kirkland.

  • Climate Disclosure Mandates Demand A Big-Picture Approach

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    As carbon emissions disclosure requirements from the European Union, California and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission take effect, the best practice for companies is not targeted compliance with a given reporting regime, but rather a comprehensive approach to systems assessment and management, says David Smith at Manatt.

  • Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.

  • Illinois EV Charging Act Sparks Developer Concerns

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    A recent state law in Illinois requiring multifamily housing to provide facilities for electric vehicle charging raises significant concerns for developers over existing infrastructure that isn't up to the task, says Max Kanter at Much Shelist.

  • What NAR Settlement Means For Agent Commission Rates

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    If approved, a joint settlement agreement between the National Association of Realtors and a class of home sellers will likely take the onus off home sellers to compensate buyers' agents, affecting considerations for all parties to real estate transactions, say attorneys at Jones Foster.

  • Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    The first quarter of the year brought the usual onslaught of new regulatory developments in California — including a crackdown on junk fees imposed by small business lenders, a big step forward for online notarizations and a ban on predatory listing agreements, says Alex Grigorians at Hanson Bridgett.