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Residential

  • August 28, 2025

    Attys, Judge Mull Next Steps In 'Ugly House' Trademark Trial

    A Delaware federal judge took a stab on Thursday at focusing post-trial briefing after three days of testimony on home-selling franchise HomeVestors of America Inc.'s claims that Warner Bros. Discovery's "Ugliest House In America" series has infringed its trademarks and confused customers.

  • August 28, 2025

    Texas House OKs Lower Voter-Approval Property Tax Rate

    Texas would lower its maximum property tax rate permitted by law without voter approval for larger taxing jurisdictions under a bill passed by the state House of Representatives.

  • August 28, 2025

    Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook Sues Trump To Block Firing

    Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook filed suit in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday challenging President Donald Trump's "unprecedented and illegal attempt" to remove her from her position.

  • August 27, 2025

    Citizens Say FinCEN's Real Estate Transfer Rule Unlawful

    Two citizens asked a Texas federal judge to throw out FinCEN's rule requiring disclosure of residential real estate transfers to corporate entities and trusts even when no money changes hands, saying the rule runs afoul of the Constitution.

  • August 27, 2025

    Amenity Wars, Conversions Steer Student Housing Strategies

    Attorneys advising on student housing deals say the sector's momentum has not been dampened by pressures on higher education, as colleges and universities across the country look to build, convert or lease more student housing and compete on amenities.

  • August 27, 2025

    Colorado Sues Mobile Home Park Over Unsafe Drinking Water

    Colorado health officials told a state judge on Wednesday that a local mobile home park's drinking water tested positive for potentially dangerous bacteria, and the mobile home park is violating state law by ignoring mandated further testing and refusing to notify residents of the test results.

  • August 27, 2025

    Fla. Appeals Court Affirms FDOT's Win In Easement Spat

    A Florida appeals court on Wednesday found that a Miami property owner failed to show proof of an easement that would grant her access to a parcel of land owned by the Florida Department of Transportation, affirming a win for the agency.

  • August 27, 2025

    Ga. Justices Back Income Approach For Low-Income Housing

    County tax assessors in Georgia may use a method known as the income approach to determine the fair market value of properties that qualify for federal low-income housing tax credits, the state Supreme Court ruled, reversing an appeals court finding.

  • August 27, 2025

    Widow Wasn't Forced Into Sewage Settlement, 4th Circ. Told

    The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, told the Fourth Circuit it did not pressure a widow to settle her property damage claims stemming from a sewage backup in her home, saying she was represented by a lawyer and was in good mental and physical health when she accepted the deal.

  • August 27, 2025

    Attys Navigate Tangle Of Transit-Oriented Zoning In Miami

    The Miami City Commission's recent approval of a new category of transit-oriented zoning has added another layer to a rapidly changing, increasingly complex web of regulations and incentives that real estate attorneys must consider when guiding development projects in the city.

  • August 27, 2025

    Howard & Howard Hires Condo Law Pro

    Howard & Howard has announced the firm added a real estate transactional and litigation expert, who is joining its Chicago office from a two-partner practice.

  • August 27, 2025

    NJ Panel Backs Co.'s Single-Family Subdivision Project

    A New Jersey appellate court on Wednesday backed a lower court order that vacated a township planning board's rejection of an application for a subdivision project with nine single-family lots.

  • August 27, 2025

    Contractors Looking To AI To Navigate Construction Tariffs

    Construction contractors are increasingly leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and technology to navigate the headwinds and uncertainty that have come with President Donald Trump's trade war, a technology executive recently told Law360 Real Estate Authority.

  • August 27, 2025

    Jones Day Continues Real Estate Growth With McDermott Atty

    Jones Day announced the latest addition to its real estate practice on Wednesday, welcoming a New York-based attorney from McDermott Will & Schulte LLP.

  • August 27, 2025

    Atty Eyes Chilling Effect From Texas Foreign Ownership Law

    In the latest effort by states to deter foreign control of real estate, Texas has introduced a sweeping prohibition, effective Sept. 1, against certain countries owning real property in the state. Polsinelli shareholder Weston B. Rockers explains how deals could be structured going forward — and how the law may scramble existing transactions.

  • August 26, 2025

    Expedia Says 11th Circ. Ruling Dooms Helms-Burton Verdict

    Expedia, Orbitz and Hotels.com tried to undo a $29.85 million verdict over Helms-Burton Act violations Tuesday, telling a Florida federal judge the plaintiff, who claims his family owned a Cuban barrier island before its seizure by Fidel Castro's government, does not meet the Eleventh Circuit's recently set standard.

  • August 26, 2025

    Expert Sees No 'Ugly House' Mixup In Warner Bros. IP Case

    During the second day of trial in Delaware federal court, a trademark litigation survey expert testified she found no public confusion with respect to Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.'s "Ugliest House in America" series and HomeVestors Inc.'s house-flipping business and "Ugliest House of the Year" campaign.

  • August 26, 2025

    Ohio House Bills Seek To End Or Limit Property Taxes

    Three bills introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives would eliminate property taxes by 2030, allow voters to introduce ballot initiatives to lower property taxes and increase the approval threshold for passage of certain property taxes.

  • August 26, 2025

    NYC Real Estate Week In Review

    Fried Frank, Davis Polk and Seyfarth guided a Manhattan real estate deal north of $1 billion, the first 10-figure New York City deed that's hit records this year and one of three large trades that became public last week.

  • August 26, 2025

    Calif. Senate OKs New Tax Default Property Sales Rules

    California county boards of supervisors would be required to take new steps before approving the sale of a tax-defaulted property under a bill passed by the state Senate. 

  • August 26, 2025

    1st Circ. Says Insurer Owes No Defense In Eviction Suits

    A Liberty Mutual unit has no duty to defend a commercial real estate loan provider in underlying suits over the eviction of residents from a Massachusetts senior care facility, the First Circuit ruled, finding the insurer's denial of coverage to be reasonable.

  • August 26, 2025

    Fed's Lisa Cook Preps Lawsuit Over Trump Firing

    Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook is preparing to file a lawsuit over President Donald Trump's announcement that she has been terminated from her position, allegedly for committing mortgage fraud, her lawyer said Tuesday.

  • August 26, 2025

    Buchalter Adds Ex-Carlton Fields Attys To LA Office

    Buchalter has hired two former Carlton Fields attorneys as shareholders for its corporate team in Los Angeles, and one of the announced hires is returning to the firm after almost 30 years.

  • August 25, 2025

    Nationstar Loan Payoff Statement Fees OK'd By Wash. Judge

    A Washington federal judge has sided with Nationstar in a proposed class action alleging illegal fees, recognizing the home loan servicer is allowed to charge a "reasonable fee" for expedited delivery of a loan payoff statement upon request.

  • August 25, 2025

    Washington Judge OKs Tenant Class Challenging Lease Terms

    A Washington federal judge certified a class of Washington tenants accusing a landlord for more than 700 U.S. residential properties of having lease provisions, such as service fees, that violate state law.

Expert Analysis

  • 7th Circ. Ruling Expands sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Power In Post-Chevron Era

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    The Seventh Circuit’s recent ruling in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Townstone Financial interprets the Equal Credit Opportunity Act broadly, paving the way for increased sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ enforcement and hinting at how federal courts may approach statutory interpretation in the post-Chevron world, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • Tips For Lenders Offering Texas Home Equity Lines Of Credit

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    As interest in home equity lines of credit increases, lenders seeking to utilize such products in Texas must be aware of state-specific requirements and limitations that can make it challenging to originate open-end lines of credit on homestead property, says Tye McWhorter at Polunsky Beitel.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: July Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers cases touching on pre- and post-conviction detainment conditions, communications with class representatives, when the American Pipe tolling doctrine stops applying to modified classes, and more.

  • Expect sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ To Enforce Warning Against 'Coercive' Fine Print

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    The recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warning against unenforceable terms "deceptively" slipped into the fine print of contracts will likely be challenged in court, but until then, companies should expect the agency to treat its guidance as law and must carefully scrutinize their consumer contracts, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • How NJ Worker Status Ruling Benefits Real Estate Industry

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    In Kennedy v. Weichert, the New Jersey Supreme Court recently said a real estate agent’s employment contract would supersede the usual ABC test analysis to determine his classification as an independent contractor, preserving operational flexibility for the industry — and potentially others, say Jason Finkelstein and Dalila Haden at Cole Schotz.

  • 7th Circ Joins Trend Of No CGL Coverage For Structural Flaws

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    The Seventh Circuit, which recently held potential structural instability did not count as property damage under a construction company's commercial general liability policy, joins a growing consensus that faulty work does not implicate coverage without tangible and present damage to the project, say Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty, and Elan Kandel and James Talbert at Bailey Cavalieri.

  • In The sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Playbook: Making Good On Bold Promises

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision upholding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding structure in the second quarter cleared the way for the bureau to resume a number of high-priority initiatives, and it appears poised to charge ahead in working toward its aggressive preelection agenda, say Andrew Arculin and Paula Vigo Marqués at Blank Rome.

  • FBI Raid Signals Growing Criminal Enforcement Of Algorithms

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    The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division's increased willingness to pursue the use of algorithmic pricing as a potential criminal violation means that companies need to understand the software solutions they employ and stay abreast of antitrust best practices when contracting with providers, say attorneys at Rule Garza.

  • State Licensing Pitfalls Mortgage Servicers Must Beware

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    A recent enforcement action from the Washington Department of Financial Institutions demonstrates how subtle distinctions in state mortgage servicer licensing laws may come as a surprise to some companies, even if they never directly receive payments or interact with borrowers, says Clayton Swears at Hudson Cook.

  • Keys To Strong Parking, Storage Contracts For NYC Buildings

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    Drafting and enforcing unambiguous parking and storage unit license agreements are essential tasks for co-op and condo boards in New York City, with recent cases highlighting how prudent terms can minimize potential headaches, say Matthew Eiben and Adam Lindenbaum at Rosenberg & Estis.

  • Realtor Settlement May Create New Antitrust Pitfalls

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    Following a recent antitrust settlement between the National Association of Realtors and home sellers, practices are set to change and the increased competition may benefit both brokers and homebuyers, but the loss of the customary method of buyer broker compensation could lead to new antitrust concerns, says Colin Ahler at Snell & Wilmer.

  • What Fla. Ruling Means For Insurer Managed Repair Programs

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    A recent Florida state court ruling in Fraga v. Citizens Property Insurance, holding that the insurer could not seek to add additional terms in its managed repair program consent form, should promote clear written contract terms that clarify the relationship between insurers, policyholders and contractors, says Chip Merlin at Merlin Law Group.

  • Preparing For sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ 'Junk Fee' Push Into Mortgage Industry

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    As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau considers expanding its "junk fee" initiative into mortgage closing costs, mortgage lenders and third parties must develop plans now that anticipate potential rulemaking or enforcement activity in this space, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.