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Residential

  • June 26, 2025

    Maine To Hike Sales Tax On Cannabis, Add Streaming To Base

    Maine will raise its sales tax rate on adult-use cannabis and lower its excise tax rate on cannabis flower and add streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu to the sales tax base under budget legislation signed by the governor.

  • June 26, 2025

    Houston Apartments Owner Files Ch. 11 With Over $10M Debt

    The owner of a Houston apartment complex filed for Chapter 11 protection in New York bankruptcy court with up to $50 million in debt.

  • June 26, 2025

    Developer, IRS Drop Suit Over $18M Loan Deductions

    A Florida real estate developer seeking $18 million in tax deductions for loans he said became worthless during the Great Recession agreed to drop his suit against the Internal Revenue Service after reaching a deal with the agency, according to an Eleventh Circuit court filing.

  • June 25, 2025

    Judge Tosses Suit Over Wash. Race-Based Home Program

    A Washington federal judge has thrown out a nonprofit's suit alleging that a state homeownership program is unconstitutional because it allegedly only helps first-time homebuyers who belong to specific minority groups.

  • June 25, 2025

    Antitrust Experts Weigh In On Compass V. Zillow

    The latest front in real estate antitrust litigation opened this week when Compass sued rival Zillow, alleging it violated antitrust law.

  • June 25, 2025

    Michigan Builders Sue State Over Energy Code Mandates

    Michigan homebuilders have sued to challenge the state's adoption of new construction codes, saying the energy efficiency demands will make new homes more expensive.

  • June 25, 2025

    RI Allows Providence To Exceed Tax Levy Cap For Fiscal 2026

    Providence, Rhode Island, may exceed the state's limit on property tax increases for the 2026 fiscal year under legislation signed by the governor.

  • June 25, 2025

    FHFA Tells Fannie, Freddie To Count Crypto In Loan Reviews

    The director of the regulatory agency for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said he ordered the government-sponsored enterprises on Wednesday to explore how they can consider cryptocurrency reserves when conducting risk assessments for loan applications.

  • June 25, 2025

    Missouri Judge Grants $24M Atty Award For Broker Fees Suits

    A Missouri federal judge has granted final approval of settlements for two antitrust class actions and awarded roughly $24 million to class counsel representing home sellers who accused multiple real estate brokerages of conspiring to artificially inflate buyer-broker commission fees for home sales.

  • June 25, 2025

    Ballar Spahr Steers Financing For $593M Bronx Housing Reno

    The New York City Housing Authority closed on financing for its $593 million renovation of 14 public housing buildings scattered across the Bronx, funding unlocked via the properties' conversion to Section 8 units under a federal program.

  • June 25, 2025

    Title Resources Group Names New NC Underwriting Counsel

    Insurance underwriter Title Resources Group announced on Wednesday that it has added attorney Natasha Branch as vice president of education and underwriting counsel for North Carolina.

  • June 25, 2025

    Billionaires, Endowment Back $163M Tryperion CRE Fund

    Beverly Hills, California-based real estate investment firm Tryperion Holdings said it has raised $163 million in a fund focused on a variety of U.S. real estate investments with backing from billionaires and a university endowment.

  • June 25, 2025

    Ore. Lawmakers OK Requiring Report On Property Taxes

    The Oregon Legislature would issue a report on the state's property tax system and options to modernize it, including an analysis of two tax-limiting initiatives, under legislation approved by lawmakers.

  • June 25, 2025

    Ga. University Contract Lands Dorm Operator In Ch. 11

    The Georgia affiliate of student and military housing provider Corvias filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court Wednesday saying an unsustainable contract with Georgia's public universities has left it unable to support its $532 million in debt.

  • June 24, 2025

    NJ Bank, DOJ Push To End Redlining Deal Amid Opposition

    Lakeland Bank and the U.S. Department of Justice urged a New Jersey federal judge to reject a brief from three fair housing groups opposing the early termination of the bank's $13 million redlining settlement, arguing the groups' call for housing discrimination accountability is irrelevant to the settlement's termination.

  • June 24, 2025

    Fox Rothschild Hires Veteran Real Estate Atty For Minn. Office

    Fox Rothschild LLP has brought on board an experienced commercial real estate transactions attorney for a counsel role in its Minneapolis office, the firm announced on Tuesday.

  • June 24, 2025

    Carlton Fields Adds HUD Expert To Real Estate Group

    Carlton Fields has brought on a title insurance expert to its real estate and commercial finance practice, who joins the firm on the heels of a 16-year tenure at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

  • June 24, 2025

    NJ Agency Fights $26M Property Taking Verdict In Ch. 11

    A New Jersey development agency pushed back against a move in bankruptcy court by the owner of a former tire factory site to collect a $25.6 million jury verdict stemming from the agency's decision to condemn the property and make way for housing.

  • June 24, 2025

    Ga. High Court Balks At Housing Authority's Immunity Stance

    The Supreme Court of Georgia has tossed a ruling that sovereign immunity can shield a local housing authority from a shooting victim's lawsuit, saying Tuesday that lower courts had wrongly extended the state government's immunity to a city, and from there to the authority.

  • June 24, 2025

    Texas Narrows Discovery Allowance In Property Tax Appeals

    Texas district courts can't order discovery in property tax cases unless the discovery is requested by the appealing party under a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott. 

  • June 24, 2025

    Greystar Cuts $1.4M Deal To End DOJ's Military Lease Claims

    Greystar Management Services LLC agreed to pay more than $1.4 million to resolve the federal government's claims that the company wrongfully charged U.S. service members for canceling their leases early when they were ordered to move elsewhere, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

  • June 24, 2025

    Mass. Condo Value Won't Get Reduced, Board Says

    The fair cash value of a Massachusetts condominium should not be lowered, the state Appellate Tax Board ruled, finding the owner failed to prove the property had decreased in value since she purchased it two months before.

  • June 24, 2025

    Judge Trims Homebuyer Antitrust Claims Against Brokerage

    A Pennsylvania federal judge found homebuyers showed enough to continue claims that brokerage Hanna Holdings effectively inflated costs for buyers by following rules set by the National Association of Realtors, even while rejecting claims that the firm colluded with competitors.

  • June 24, 2025

    Simpson Thacher Guides $575M Loan For Times Square Office

    In two loan deals guided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Apollo Global Management Inc. borrowed more than $575 million for a Times Square office skyscraper that's going to be converted into a residential building, according to official property records filed Tuesday.

  • June 24, 2025

    MG Properties Adds SoCal Complex For $144M In Latest Buy

    Real estate investment and management company MG Properties announced it has paid $144 million for an Anaheim, California, apartment complex in its second major Southern California purchase this year.

Expert Analysis

  • Colorful Lessons From NYC's Emotional Support Parrot Suit

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    A recently settled lawsuit in New York federal court concerning housing discrimination claims from a resident who had emotional support parrots highlights the importance of housing providers treating accomodation questions seriously even if they may appear unusual or questionable, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • Recent Securities Cases Highlight Risks In AI Disclosures

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    Increasing public disclosure about the use and risks of artificial intelligence, and related litigation asserting that such disclosures are false or misleading, suggest that issuers need to exercise great care with respect to how they describe the benefits of AI, say Richard Zelichov and Danny Tobey at DLA Piper.

  • Consider Best Legal Practices For Commissioning Public Art

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    Commissioning public art for real estate projects can provide many benefits to real estate developers and the public, but it's important to understand the unique legal and contracting aspects of the process to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget, says Sarah Conley Odenkirk at ArtConverge.

  • Proposed Mortgage Assistance Rule: Tips For Servicers

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent proposal to alter Regulation X mortgage servicing procedures to broadly construe requests for assistance, and stay foreclosure proceedings during loss mitigation review, will, if finalized, require mortgage servicers to make notable procedural changes to comply, says Louis Manetti at Locke Lord.

  • How Multifamily Property Owners Can Plan For The EV Future

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    As the electric vehicle market expands, and federal and state incentives and mandates intended to promote EV use come into effect, owners and operators of multifamily residential properties should be prepared to meet the growing demand for onsite EV charging infrastructure, say Sydney Tucker and Andreas Wokutch at Frost Brown.

  • Fla. Insurer-Breach Cases Split On Unrepaired Property Issue

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    A Florida appellate court's recent decision in Universal v. Qureshi is directly at odds with a 2020 decision from another Florida appellate court, and raises important questions for policyholders and insurers about the proper measure of damages in breach claims involving unrepaired property, say Andrea DeField and Yaniel Abreu at Hunton.

  • 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 ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ 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 ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ 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.

  • 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.