Residential
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November 04, 2024
GrayRobinson Adds Trio Of Attys To Tampa Office
GrayRobinson PA announced Monday that it has boosted its local government, education and commercial litigation offerings with three hires for its Tampa office — two new shareholders and a senior associate.
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November 04, 2024
Mortgage Co. Accused Of 'Bad Faith' In Settlement With Atty
A former staff attorney with a mortgage company has accused the business of "bad faith" for purportedly trying to renegotiate the terms of a settlement to resolve her Texas state lawsuit alleging she was fired after she witnessed inappropriate sexual behavior by a deputy general counsel.
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November 04, 2024
Haynes Boone Hires 3 More RE Attys From Holland & Knight
Haynes and Boone LLP has hired a trio of attorneys from Holland & Knight LLP in Dallas and Northern Virginia, saying Monday that their additions will complement the firm's real estate and finance offerings.
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November 04, 2024
IRS Finalizes Seized Property Rules To Include Online Sales
The Internal Revenue Service issued final rules Monday meant to modernize regulations governing the seizure of property by levy, including facilitating the online sale of a property and the agency's ability to maximize sale proceeds for the property owner's benefit.
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November 01, 2024
Property Plays: Energy Capital, Flatiron, CareTrust
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.
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November 01, 2024
CFPB Inks Deal With Townstone Over Redlining Claims
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau informed an Illinois federal court on Friday that it has reached a settlement with Townstone Financial resolving its redlining claims against the mortgage lender.
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November 01, 2024
Treasury Expands Foreign Land Transaction Authority
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Friday that it has added 59 new military installations to the list of those over which it has jurisdiction to review any nearby real estate transactions involving foreign citizens.
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November 01, 2024
Gibson Dunn Works On Flatiron Building's Financing
Real estate developer and owner The Brodsky Organization borrowed more than $406 million worth of mortgage loans from Tyko Capital for the Flatiron Building in Manhattan, New York, in a set of deals worked on by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, according to official property records released Friday.
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October 31, 2024
Feds: No 'Willfulness' Needed In Texas AG-Tied Investor Case
Federal prosecutors asked a Texas federal judge to reject an attempt by an investor at the center of the failed impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to toss the fraud case, saying Wednesday that "willfulness" isn't needed for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud conviction.
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October 31, 2024
Zillow's New Climate Tool Spotlights Old Insurance Concerns
Real estate marketplace Zillow recently launched a new tool that lists property climate risks and insurance recommendations, a move toward consumer transparency that also reignited existing concerns over climate modeling, environmental risks and the resulting property insurance implications.
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October 31, 2024
Calif. Judge Tees Up LIHTC Property Ownership Row For Trial
A California federal judge largely refused summary judgment requests in a fight between three entities struggling for control of a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit-funded property in Long Beach, saying a jury must decide whether a contractual purchase provision was properly triggered.
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October 31, 2024
Equity Touts Acquisitions With New Apartment Supply Waning
Chicago-based apartment owner Equity Residential said Oct. 31 that transaction activity is improving and pointed to $1.2 billion worth of acquisitions in the Atlanta, Dallas and Denver metros in its third-quarter results, while forecasting a continued scarcity of housing.
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October 31, 2024
Airbnb Insurance Providers Sued Over Undisclosed Fees
A proposed class of Airbnb users sued two insurers for the rental platform in Washington federal court, alleging the providers violate state law by charging consumers who buy their travel insurance with an unavoidable "assistance fee."
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October 31, 2024
Nixon Peabody Lands Norton Rose Real Estate Pros In LA
Nixon Peabody LLP took another step this week to strengthen its affordable housing and real estate practice on the West Coast and beyond, bringing on a pair of real estate attorneys from Norton Rose Fulbright with six years of experience working together.
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October 31, 2024
Suit Against Indicted NJ Power Broker Sent To Biz Court
A New Jersey state court on Wednesday granted indicted Garden State power broker George E. Norcross III's request to transfer the civil racketeering suit brought against him and his attorney brother by a Philadelphia developer to the state's complex business litigation program.
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October 31, 2024
NC City Urges Panel To Rethink Stormwater Ruling
A North Carolina city has urged a state appeals court panel to rethink its decision reviving part of a condo association's suit over damage the city allegedly caused by dumping stormwater onto the group's properties after Hurricane Matthew, arguing that the majority's opinion relies on a factual error.
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October 31, 2024
The 2024 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard
Check out the Law360 Pulse Leaderboard to see which firms made the list of leaders in all-around excellence this year.
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October 31, 2024
Firms' Hiring Strategies Are Evolving In Fight For Top Spot
Competition for top talent among elite law firms shows no signs of slowing down, even amid economic uncertainty, with financially strong firms deploying aggressive strategies to attract and retain skilled professionals to solidify their market position.
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October 30, 2024
Mortgage Co. Says Pension Fund Can't Jump In To Lead Suit
Rocket Companies Inc. has told a Michigan federal judge to reject a renewed class certification bid in a shareholder suit accusing the mortgage business of concealing a downturn in loan volume, arguing that the pension fund trying to take over as lead plaintiff is inadequate to represent the proposed class, among other things.
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October 30, 2024
Realtor.com's Parent Can Amend Costar Claims, Judge Rules
A federal judge has ruled that Realtor.com's parent company can amend two claims alleging its rival Costar unlawfully accessed its computers but that it would not be limited in its Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claim to arguing that it suffered "technological harms."
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October 30, 2024
Essex Warns Calif. Rent Control Prop Will Hurt Resi Supply
Essex Property Trust executives voiced concerns Wednesday that a California ballot measure that would give cities free rein to impose rent control would "dramatically restrict" residential construction.
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October 30, 2024
NYC Officials Hit With Suit Over 'Homeless Sweeps'
New York City residents without homes and a legal services nonprofit brought class claims against the city, Mayor Eric Adams, the police commissioner and the heads of multiple government departments over so-called "homeless sweeps" that they say are unconstitutional.
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October 30, 2024
Real Estate Tax Ballot Initiatives To Watch
Next week, voters in seven states will be weighing in on a variety of real estate tax ballot initiatives, including various measures that would provide additional property tax relief to veterans.
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October 30, 2024
Real Estate Dealmakers Rush To Close, Others Await Election
Attorneys advising on real estate deals and real estate companies working on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets say some dealmakers are rushing to close, while others are holding off until after the election.
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October 30, 2024
Nonprofit Says Wash. Gov't Mortgage Program Discriminatory
A nonprofit group aimed at "overcoming identity politics" has told a Washington federal court that a state government mortgage loan program is unconstitutional, as it only serves specific racial groups in violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
Expert Analysis
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In The CFPB Playbook: The Bureau In The Courts
From defending the constitutionality of its funding and the scope of its rulemaking authority in the courts to releasing more nonbinding guidance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had a busy summer. Orrick's John Coleman discusses all this and more in the second installment of quarterly bureau activity recaps by former CFPB personnel.
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Fintech Cos. Should Consider Asset-Based Financing For RE
Fintech companies that own or plan to acquire real property may be able to utilize asset-based financings to access more efficient and cost-effective forms of capital beyond traditional venture capital sources, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.
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What To Consider When Converting Calif. Offices To Housing
In light of California legislators' recent efforts to expedite the process for converting offices into residential buildings, developers should evaluate both the societal upsides, and the significant economic and legal hurdles, of such conversions, says Steven Otto at Crosbie Gliner.
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9 Consumer Finance Issues To Note From CFPB Report
A recent report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau highlights abusive consumer finance tactics that the agency uncovered during supervisory examinations over the last year — among the most significant issues identified: deceptive practices in automotive loan servicing, and consumer reporting and debt collection compliance failures, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Transaction Risks In Residential Mortgage M&A Due Diligence
As the residential mortgage market continues to consolidate due to interest rate increases and low housing volume, buyers and sellers should pay attention to a number of compliance considerations ranging from fair lending laws to employee classification, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.
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Ore. Warranty Ruling Complicates Insurance Classification
The Oregon Court of Appeals' recent TruNorth v. Department of Consumer and Business Services holding that a service contract — commonly referred to as an extended warranty — covering commercial property is subject to the state's consumer service contract laws raises regulatory questions for contract obligors, sellers and administrators, say attorneys at Locke Lord.
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FCRA Legislation To Watch For The Remainder Of 2023
If enacted, pending federal and state legislation may result in significant changes for the Fair Credit Reporting Act landscape and thus require regulated entities and practitioners to pivot their compliance strategies, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Regulators Must Get Creative To Keep Groundwater Flowing
Even as populations have boomed in Sun Belt states like Arizona, California and Texas, groundwater levels have diminished due to drought and overuse — so regulators must explore options including pumping limits, groundwater replenishment and wastewater reuse to ensure future supplies for residential and commercial needs, says Jeffrey Davis at Integral Consulting.
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What Upholding Of Short-Term Rental Law Means For NYC
A New York state judge's dismissal of Airbnb's challenge against the Short-Term Rental Registration Law will benefit the city's hospitality industry and exert downward pressure on apartment rents, and potentially provide a model for other local governments around the U.S. to curb short-term apartment rentals, says Alexander Lycoyannis at Holland & Knight.
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Key Provisions In Florida's New Insurer Accountability Act
Florida's recent bipartisan Insurer Accountability Act introduces a range of new obligations for insurance companies and regulatory bodies to strengthen consumer protection, and other states may follow suit should it prove successful at ensuring a reliable insurance market, say Jan Larson and Benjamin Malings at Jenner & Block.
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Fair Lending Activity: Calm On The Surface, Churning Below
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recently released annual fair lending report to Congress confirms that despite the paucity of public fair lending enforcement actions in 2022, the CFPB and prudential banking agencies are engaged in significant nonpublic oversight, examination and enforcement activities, say attorneys at Cooley.
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The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Michael Lehet at Ogletree Deakins discusses the role of knowledge management attorneys at law firms, the common tasks they perform and practical tips for lawyers who may be considering becoming one.
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Negotiating Material Escalation In Construction Contracts
As material price escalation clauses have remained popular in construction contracts despite an easing of recent supply chain issues, attorneys representing owners should understand key considerations for negotiating such clauses, and strategies to mitigate potential exploitation by contractors, says H. Arthur Black II at Brooks Pierce.