Residential
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November 06, 2025
Insurer, Former Exec Settle In Military Housing Fraud Case
Military housing developers alleging that they were defrauded out of millions of dollars through excessive and undisclosed premiums and fees have struck a settlement agreement with two defendants, Ambac Assurance Corp. and its former managing director, Chetan Marfatia, court records show.
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November 05, 2025
Ex-SEC Attys Urge Full 9th Circ. Review of Zillow Decision
Law professors and two former general counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have voiced support for Zillow Group Inc.'s bid for the Ninth Circuit to take a second look at its high-profile securities case, arguing that the full court should review a September ruling that upheld class certification in an investor suit over the real estate site's now-shuttered home-buying program.
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November 05, 2025
Missouri Justices Won't Consider REIT's Bid To Avoid City Tax
The Missouri Supreme Court won't review an appellate court ruling that said rental income from property owned by a healthcare real estate investment trust is subject to tax in Kansas City, Missouri, the justices said in an order.
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November 05, 2025
Former NYC Housing Czar Will Help Lead Mamdani Transition
Maria Torres-Springer, whose housing work in government spans three New York City mayoral administrations, will be part of the transition team that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has tasked with building his new administration.
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November 05, 2025
NJ Says Towns Can't Redo Affordable Housing Suit
New Jersey asked a federal court once again to toss claims brought by a group of municipalities and elected officials challenging a provision of the state's affordable housing framework, arguing that they've already brought and abandoned similar claims in state court.
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November 05, 2025
Native Hawaiians Sue Over Blocked Access To Sacred Temple
A group of Native Hawaiians are asking a federal court to bar a homeowners' association from blocking their access to an ancient Indigenous temple located within the community, alleging their requests have repeatedly been denied and they are being harassed by residents with entrance rights to the property.
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November 05, 2025
Home Remodel Group Renovo Files Ch. 7 With $100M+ Debt
Renovo Home Partners, a company that rolled up home improvement businesses while backed by private equity, has filed for Chapter 7 in Delaware bankruptcy court, declaring up to $500 million in debt across almost 20 affiliates.
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November 05, 2025
NYC Developers Prepare For A Democratic Socialist Mayor
As the broader business community braces for a New York mayor who won by campaigning on an agenda of raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy, real estate developers are searching for common ground with Zohran Mamdani.
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November 04, 2025
11th Circ. Won't Block Fla. Land Restriction Law
The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday refused to block enforcement of a Florida law prohibiting certain foreign nationals from owning land, finding that the plaintiffs in question lack standing to challenge the law and are unlikely to succeed in their challenge to its constitutionality.
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November 04, 2025
5th Circ. Unsure Man Can Challenge Texas Ban On Land Sales
A Fifth Circuit panel seemed skeptical of a seminary student's argument that Texas' new law barring Chinese nationals from buying land in the Lone Star State applies to him, suggesting Tuesday the man seems to be domiciled in Texas.
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November 04, 2025
States' Zillow, Redfin Suit In Va. Paused Amid Gov't Shutdown
A Virginia federal judge has granted a joint motion to pause an antitrust suit filed by Virginia and four other states against Zillow Group Inc., Zillow Inc. and Redfin Corp., ruling the suit will be paused until the current federal government shutdown ends.
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November 04, 2025
Ex-County Staffer, Housing Leader Admit To Bribery Scheme
A former program director for a Detroit housing nonprofit and former Wayne County taxpayer assistant pled guilty Tuesday to operating a scheme to remove homes from the county's foreclosure list to fraudulently transfer to new ownership and sell the properties.
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November 04, 2025
Sheppard Mullin Guides $460M Financing For Miami Towers
Scale Lending LLC announced Tuesday that it has finalized a $460 million financing package for a two-tower residential project as Namdar Group wraps up construction on the first of the 43-story towers, in a deal guided by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP and Gunster.
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November 04, 2025
Condo Lawyers Prep Amid Immigration Enforcement Surge
Between discussions on building inspections, shared facilities and board elections, residential association attorneys at a conference in South Florida last week turned their attention to a less obvious but certainly hot-button topic — immigration.
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November 04, 2025
Condo Association's $4.3M Hailstorm Suit Filed Too Late
A condominium association's property insurer owes no coverage for an over $4.3 million hail damage claim, an Illinois federal court ruled, finding that because the association failed to file a properly "sworn" proof of loss, a suit-filing deadline made its coverage action untimely.
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November 04, 2025
Judge To Allow Crypto Landlord To Begin Evictions In Detroit
A Detroit judge said Tuesday she will modify her court order barring a cryptocurrency real estate investment company from collecting rent to make clear its tenants must, in the meantime, pay their rent into escrow accounts held by the city of Detroit — and allow evictions of tenants who fail to do so.
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November 03, 2025
3rd Circ. Says FBI, US Attorneys Fumbled FOIA Requests
The Third Circuit partially revived a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit lodged by a man convicted of mortgage fraud on Monday, agreeing that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys lacked justification for failing to give him certain information he asked for.
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November 03, 2025
Continuum Closes South Fla. Condo Buy For Tower Project
Boutique developer Continuum Co. bought and terminated a 46-unit Florida condominium located in a North Miami area where the developer plans to build a 217-foot residential tower.
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November 03, 2025
5 Firms Guide $565M Construction Loan For Miami Tower
Ytech has landed a $565 million construction loan for its 70-story, ultra-luxury residential tower under construction in Miami, in a deal guided by Greenberg Traurig LLP, Kapp Morrison LLP, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Adler & Stachenfeld LLP.
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November 03, 2025
Suit Claims Cos. Fraudulently Charging 'Zombie' Loan Interest
A proposed class of borrowers is accusing a mortgage servicer and a debt owner in Virginia federal court of fraudulently charging them thousands of dollars of retroactive interest fees for their "long-dormant," "zombie" mortgage loans.
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November 03, 2025
NYC Real Estate Week In Review
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, Adler & Stachenfeld LLP and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP guided the largest New York City real estate deals made public last week, which included two office buildings on Third Avenue and a luxury condominium in an Upper West Side skyscraper.
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November 03, 2025
Compass Says Zillow Ban Update Proves Its Point
Real estate brokerage Compass Inc. told a New York federal court Friday that an update on Zillow's website regarding its implementation of an allegedly anticompetitive policy only provides further support for its request to block the policy, days ahead of a preliminary injunction hearing.
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November 03, 2025
Georgia Real Estate Co. Names General Counsel
The Macallan Group LLC in Atlanta has named a Neel Robinson & Stafford LLC partner as its general counsel, the company announced Monday.
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November 03, 2025
Landlords Fight States' Objection To RealPage Settlements
A group of landlords urged a Tennessee federal court to reject arguments lodged by several attorneys general who criticized $141.8 million worth of proposed antitrust settlements that aim to resolve multidistrict litigation accusing the landlords of using property management software company RealPage Inc.'s technology for rent price fixing.
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October 31, 2025
MV Realty Will Pay $2.8M To End NJ Suit Lien Agreements
Florida-based MV Realty has entered into a $2.8 million settlement with New Jersey to resolve a lawsuit claiming it duped cash-strapped homeowners into signing agreements with predatory terms that placed liens on their homes for a one-time cash payment, the state's attorney general's office said Friday.
Expert Analysis
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Opportunity Zone Overhaul Is Good News For Investors
Recently enacted reforms making the qualified opportunity zone program permanent, restoring the basis step-up for capital gains and adding flexibility to the zone designation process enhance the program’s appeal for long-term investment, says Steven Hadjilogiou at McDermott.
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Texas High Court Decision Could Reshape Contract Damages
The Texas Supreme Court recently held that an order of specific performance for a real property transaction doesn't preclude a damage award, establishing a damages test for this scenario while placing the onus on lower courts to correctly determine the proper remedies and quantum of damages, say attorneys at Fried Frank.
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Navigating The Complexities Of NYC Waterfront Development
More than a dozen city, state and federal agencies share oversight of New York City's waterfront, presenting developers and their counsel with both challenges and opportunities to shape the regional and national economy, say attorneys at HSF Kramer.
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New NY Residential Real Estate Rules May Be Overbroad
New legislation imposing a 90-day-waiting period and tax deduction restrictions on certain New York real estate investors may have broad effects and unintended consequences, creating impediments for a wide range of corporate and other transactions, says Libin Zhang at Fried Frank.
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Compliance Is A New Competitive Edge For Mortgage Lenders
So far, 2025 has introduced state and federal regulatory turbulence that is pressuring mortgage lenders to reevaluate the balance between competitive and compliant employee and customer recruiting practices, necessitating a compliance recalibration that prioritizes five key strategies, say attorneys at Mitchell Sandler.
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What Developers Can Glean From Miami Condo Ruling
A Florida state appeals court's recent denial of a Miami condo redevelopment bid offers a detailed blueprint of what future developers must address when they evaluate the condominium's governing declaration and seek to terminate a condominium, say attorneys at Shubin Law.
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6 Questions We Should Ask About The Trump Trade Deals
Whenever the text becomes available, certain questions will help determine whether the Trump administration’s trade deals with U.S. trading partners have been crafted to form durable economic relationships, or ephemeral ties likely to break upon interpretive disagreement or a change in political will, says Ted Posner at Baker Botts.
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CEQA Reform May Spur More Housing, But Devil Is In Details
A recently enacted law reforming the California Environmental Quality Act has been touted by state leaders as a fix for the state's housing crisis — but provisions including a new theoretically optional traffic mitigation fee could offset any potential benefits, says attorney David Smith.
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Wells Fargo Suit Shows Consumer Protection Limits In Mass.
The Massachusetts Appeals Court's May decision in Wells Fargo Bank v. Coulsey underscores that consumer rights are balanced against the need for closure, and even the broad protections of state consumer protection law will not open the door to relitigating the same claims, say attorneys at Greenberg Traurig.
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What Calif. Insurance Ruling Means For Smoke Damage Limits
As California continues to grapple with an increasing number of wildfire claims, a state court's recent Aliff v. California FAIR Plan decision serves as a clear directive to insurers that policy language that narrows the scope of fire coverage below the California Insurance Code's minimum standards is impermissible, say attorneys at Wood Smith.
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The Metamorphosis Of The Major Questions Doctrine
The so-called major questions doctrine arose as a counterweight to Chevron deference over the past few decades, but invocations of the doctrine have persisted in the year since Chevron was overturned, suggesting it still has a role to play in reining in agency overreach, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.
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What 9th Circ. Ruling Shows About Rebutting SEC Comments
The Ninth Circuit's June opinion in Pino v. Cardone Capital suggests that a company's lack of pushback to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission comment may be evidence of its state of mind for evaluating potential liability, meaning companies should consider including additional disclosure in SEC response letters, say attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg.
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2 NY Cases May Clarify Foreclosure Law Retroactivity
Two pending cases may soon provide the long-awaited resolution to the question of whether retroactive application of the New York Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act violates the state Constitution, providing a guide for New York courts inundated with motions in foreclosure and quiet title actions, says Fernando Rivera Maissonet at Hinshaw & Culbertson.