Residential
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August 01, 2025
Land Claimant Urges No New Trial In $30M Cuba Resort Case
The claimed owners of the Cuban barrier island Cayo Coco urged a Florida federal judge Thursday to deny a new trial to Expedia Group, Orbitz and Hotels.com after a jury awarded $29.85 million on findings that the booking sites engaged in prohibited trafficking by taking reservations for resorts on land seized by Fidel Castro's government.
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August 01, 2025
FAA Greenlights 820-Foot Tower In Sunny Isles, Fl.
The Federal Aviation Administration determined that construction of a new, 820-foot tower along the beachfront in Sunny Isles, Florida, will not impede nearby air navigation.
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August 01, 2025
Normal Wear Is On Landlord's Dime, Not Renters', Court Says
Massachusetts' highest court on Friday concluded that landlords cannot ding a tenant's security deposit for normal wear and tear like scuffs on walls, nor can they force a tenant to pay for professional cleanings during a moveout.
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August 01, 2025
Texas Bill Seeks Permanent Limit For Property Tax Increases
Texas would establish a permanent cap on increases in the appraised value of real property other than residence homesteads for property tax purposes if voters approve a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the cap, as part of legislation filed in the state House of Representatives.
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August 01, 2025
Ex-Partner Of Seiden & Schein Says Firm Is Scapegoating Him
A former shareholder and director of the dissolved New York City real estate law firm Seiden & Schein PCÂ hit back at its $25 million suit accusing him of poaching clients and employees and stealing confidential information, claiming in New York state court that the case is a "calculated" attempt to "smear" him and make him a "scapegoat."
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August 01, 2025
Firms Say Lien Discharge Row Was Not Vexatious Litigation
The law firms Neubert Pepe & Monteith PC and Cuddy & Feder LLP told a Connecticut state court they should not have to face a lawsuit from a couple who claim they misused the judicial system to delay payouts from a property owner, arguing that the complaint does not sufficiently allege they engaged in vexatious litigation.
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August 01, 2025
Developer Group Wants Pittsburgh Inclusionary Zoning On Ice
A Pittsburgh trade group has asked a Pennsylvania federal court to temporarily bar enforcement of a zoning ordinance mandating that large multifamily developments include affordable units, after the city's planning department demanded that a member comply with the ordinance.
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July 31, 2025
Top Property Insurance Decisions So Far In 2025
A U.K. decision over coverage for Russian-seized aircraft and a Second Circuit ruling in favor of international insurers seeking to arbitrate hurricane damage claims are among some of the biggest decisions in the property insurance space so far in 2025.
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July 31, 2025
NY Court Won't Pause Fight Over Deregulated Apartments
A New York state court judge refused to stay a dispute between current and former owners of New York City apartment buildings with illegally deregulated units while an appeal plays out, finding an eventual ruling likely won't conflict with a second suit brought against the same seller.
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July 31, 2025
NC Homebuyer Says Mortgage Co. Sent Kickbacks To Broker
A homebuyer has accused a Raleigh, North Carolina, brokerage of taking kickbacks to refer borrowers exclusively to mortgage origination company CrossCountry Mortgage under a secret arrangement by executives of the two businesses, according to a complaint filed in federal court.
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July 31, 2025
Home Sellers Defend $110M In Broker Fee Deals To 8th Circ.
Home sellers are defending $110 million in settlements cut with several real estate brokerages in the sprawling litigation targeting the National Association of Realtors' broker commission rules from objections in a series of Eighth Circuit appeals.
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July 31, 2025
Kushner JV Scores $255M Refi On Jersey City Luxury Tower
A joint venture of Kushner Real Estate Group and National Real Estate Advisors has secured a $255 million refinancing for a recently completed luxury apartment tower in Jersey City, New Jersey, according to broker JLL Capital Markets.
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July 31, 2025
Invitation Homes Expects At Least $500M In Acquisitions In '25
Invitation Homes Inc.'s CEO said during a second-quarter earnings call on July 31 that the single-family leasing and management company is "confident" it will meet or surpass its $500 million to $700 million guidance for wholly-owned home acquisitions for the 2025 fiscal year.
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July 30, 2025
How Law Firms Are Winning The Succession Game
Law firms take great care to ensure their longevity. To develop leaders, they carefully identify, mentor and groom the next generation. While top firms can outspend them, some firms are finding alternatives to acquire and retain partners. In a bid to win the loyalty of key clients, firms are increasingly involving them in their lateral hiring processes.
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July 30, 2025
Maturing Proptech Sector Navigates Uncertain Times
The volatility in the global economy this year has generated uncertainty within just about every industry, with no exception for property technology. Nonetheless, this subsector of the tech industry finds itself on relatively solid footing and with an overall positive outlook, according to professionals closely tracking its development.
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July 30, 2025
NYC Mayor Revives Bally's $4B Bronx Casino Bid
New York City Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a New York City Council vote that shot down gambling company Bally's Corp.'s bid to build a $4 billion resort and casino in the Bronx, saying Wednesday that a casino in the city "would bring good-paying union jobs and an economic boost to the surrounding community."
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July 30, 2025
Wash. Condo Group Seeks $10M In Water Damage Coverage
A condominium association said its Country Financial insurers must provide coverage for an estimated $10.4 million in hidden water damage, telling a Washington federal court the insurers have failed to make a coverage determination in the two years since the association submitted its damage claim.Â
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July 30, 2025
Rising Star: Gibson Dunn's Eric Meer
Eric Meer of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP guided RXR Realty through major recapitalizations and loan modifications on New York City office properties amid a tight rate environment as the Manhattan office market continued to take a beating, earning him a spot among the real estate practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
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July 30, 2025
Housing Groups Want $30M Grant Case Kept In District Court
A coalition of housing advocacy groups challenging the termination of $30 million in federal antidiscrimination grants asked the First Circuit on Wednesday to let the Massachusetts federal district court keep jurisdiction over the case, if only to keep it alive long enough to figure out next steps.
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July 30, 2025
CoStar Claims Zillow Stole Copyrighted Property Photos
CoStar Group Inc. and CoStar Realty Information Inc. alleged Wednesday in New York federal court that property listings giant Zillow stole and profited off of more than 46,000 of CoStar's copyrighted real estate photos.
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July 30, 2025
RealPage, Landlords Ask To Toss NJ's Antitrust Case
RealPage and a group of building owners urged a New Jersey federal court to toss a case brought by state enforcers accusing them of scheming to use software to raise rents, calling it one in a series of "baseless" lawsuits that fails to allege there was any kind of conspiracy.
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July 30, 2025
SDRE Lands $150M For San Diego Residential Construction
Funds managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group provided SDRE with $150 million in financing, which the homebuilder says it plans to put to use pushing residential construction projects over the finish line.
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July 30, 2025
Landlords Not Covered For Lead Exposure Suit, Insurer Says
An insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify property owners accused of negligently renting out an apartment with hazardous levels of lead that injured a child, the carrier told an Illinois federal court, saying the owners' policy bars coverage for bodily injury caused by lead.
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July 30, 2025
DLA Global Real Estate Leader Eyeing Data Center Investment
As investment funds reach the ends of their life cycles and have capital that must be deployed, funds are looking to pour that capital into U.S. data centers, among other asset classes, one of DLA Piper's global real estate leaders recently told Law360 Real Estate Authority.
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July 29, 2025
REIT Shareholders File 'Improper Lending' Suit Against Execs
Two Arbor Realty Trust Inc. shareholders hit several of the real estate investment trust's executives, including its president and CEO Ivan Kaufman, with a derivative suit on Tuesday alleging they made the REIT use "improper lending practices" that saddled the company "with a severely distressed loan portfolio."
Expert Analysis
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Contractors Need Protection From NJ Homeowner Protections
A recently passed New Jersey law, combined with the state's Consumer Fraud Act, is intended to protect innocent homeowners, but legislative action must be taken to prevent homeowners from abusing the law to avoid paying hardworking contractors, say Gary Strong and Madison Calkins at Gfeller Laurie.
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NY Shouldn't Pair 421-a Restoration And Good Cause Eviction
The good cause eviction system of rent control should not be imposed in New York, nor should its legislation be tied to renewal of the 421-a tax abatement program, which New York City desperately needs, says Alexander Lycoyannis at Holland & Knight.
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Setting The Stage For High Court BofA Escrow Interest Case
Dori Bailey and Curtis Johnson at Bond Schoeneck examine relevant legislation and case law dating back 200 years ahead of oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in Cantero v. Bank of America, the outcome of which will determine whether state laws governing mortgage escrow accounts can be enforced against national banks.
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DC's Housing Tax Break Proposal: What's In It, What's Missing
Proposed Washington, D.C., rules implementing the Housing in Downtown Tax Abatement program — for commercial property owners who convert properties into residential housing — thoroughly explain the process for submitting an application, but do not provide sufficient detail regarding the actual dollar value of the abatements, says Daniel Miktus at Akerman.
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Assessing The Future Of Colorado's Economic Loss Rule
The Colorado Supreme Court's decision to review a state appellate court's ruling in Mid-Century Insurance Co. v. HIVE Construction will significantly influence the future of Colorado's economic loss rule, with high stakes for the cost of doing business in the state, says David Holman at Crisham & Holman.
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How Recent Laws Affect Foreign Purchase Of US Real Estate
Early diligence is imperative for U.S. real estate transactions involving foreign actors, including analysis of federal and state foreign investment laws implicated by the transaction, depending on the property's nature and location, the parties' citizenship, and the transaction's structure, say Massimo D’Angelo and Anthony Rapa at Blank Rome.
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What Shareholder Approval Rule Changes Mean For Cos.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently approved proposed rule changes to shareholder requirements by the New York Stock Exchange, an approval that will benefit listed companies in many ways, including by making it easier to raise capital from passive investors, say attorneys at Baker Botts.
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High Court Case Could Reshape Local Development Fees
If last month's oral arguments are any indication of how the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, it's unlikely the justices will hold that the essential nexus and rough proportionality tests under the cases of Nollan, Dolan and Koontz apply to legislative exactions, but a sweeping decision would still be the natural progression in the line of cases giving property owners takings claims, says Phillip Babich at Reed Smith.
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White Collar Plea Deals Are Rarely 'Knowing' And 'Voluntary'
Because prosecutors are not required to disclose exculpatory evidence during plea negotiations, white collar defendants often enter into plea deals that don’t meet the U.S. Supreme Court’s “knowing” and “voluntary” standard for trials — but individual courts and solutions judges could rectify the issue, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.
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How 2 ĂŰĚŇĘÓƵ Advisory Opinions Affect Reporting Agencies
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued two advisory opinions last month that demonstrate a continued commitment to address inaccuracies in background check reports and consumer file disclosures through broad interpretation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, expanding on a coordinated federal agency effort, say attorneys at Cooley.
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Algorithmic Pricing Programs Caught In Antitrust Crosshairs
The Justice Department's investigation into software company RealPage follows a host of federal antitrust cases alleging that property owners and casino hotel operators use the same proprietary software programs to fix and maintain pricing, which means algorithmic pricing programs are considered a key price-fixing tool in the digital age, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.
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A Welcome Turning Of The Page For Residential Real Estate
After one of the most challenging years on record for residential real estate, 2024 will likely be a time of transition to a stabler business climate, as sellers lose some of their excess bargaining power and the pace of sales picks up, says Marty Green at Polunsky Beitel.
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Strict Duty To Indemnify Ruling Bucks Recent Trend
A South Carolina federal court's recent decision that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to decide an insurer's duty to indemnify prior to the finding of insured liability sharply diverges from the more nuanced or multipronged standards established by multiple circuit courts, says Richard Mason at MasonADR.