The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act: A New Era of Privacy for Homebuyers
HPPA makes several pivotal legal changes governing when, how, and to whom credit reports may be shared in the mortgage and insurance context.
LEGAL CORNER: Antitrust Law, the Real Estate Market, and Recent Antitrust Decisions
With the advent of artificial intelligence and the increased use of sophisticated algorithms in software and real estate platforms, the risks in violating antitrust law and engaging in anticompetitive behavior increase exponentially and must be carefully considered and assessed.
LEGAL CORNER: ‘The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’: A Transformative Boost for the Real Estate Industry
Another important provision in the OBBBA raises the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for taxpayers earning less than $500,000, effective from 2025 to 2029, before reverting to $10,000 thereafter.
LEGAL CORNER: Legal and Industry Updates for Realtors and New York Licensees: Navigating Recent Changes
At its Mid-Year Meeting, NAR also officially rescinded its “Non-Commingling Rule,” which was an optional policy that permitted Multiple Listing Services to limit display of listings online.
LEGAL CORNER: New York State Lead Paint Registry Law: A Comprehensive Overview
Signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on May 3, 2023, as part of the 2023-2024 New York State budget bill, Section 1377 of the Public Health Law will take effect on Nov. 3, 2025.
LEGAL CORNER: NAR’s Updated Clear Cooperation Policy: Seller Options, Listing Requirements and Brokerage Responses
These requirements aim to balance seller choice with the need for a transparent, cooperative marketplace, ensuring buyers and agents have equitable access to property information.
LEGAL CORNER: Navigating Obligations for New York State Real Estate Licensees: Website Requirements and Corporate Title Prohibitions
The New York State Department of State has established clear guidelines for real estate brokers regarding the content that must be publicly available on their brokerage websites.
LEGAL CORNER: The Recent Decision in Gelles v. Sauvage—A Review of Adverse Possession
For real estate professionals, particularly real attorneys and real estate agents, it is important to be aware of potential adverse possession issues that could exist when marketing a property.
LEGAL CORNER: The California Wildfires Effect on the Real Estate and Insurance Industries
The insurance industry will certainly bear a substantial brunt of the cost for rebuilding all of the properties destroyed in the wildfires. Unfortunately, as a result, many insurance companies will consider pulling out of these markets and substantial increases in premiums are inevitable.
LEGAL CORNER: A Legal Update and Look Back at 2024: A Year ‘for the Ages’
Fines issued by the DOS in these Consent Orders have ranged between $500 and $6,000. Brokers must carefully monitor all websites and social media pages of their associated licensees.
LEGAL CORNER: NYC Passes the FARE Act and Restricts the Payment of Commissions by Tenants
The real estate industry has expressed concerns regarding the potential repercussions of the FARE Act.
LEGAL CORNER: The New Federal Corporate Transparency Act: Key Features, Compliance Requirements and Impact on Real Estate Industry
Unfortunately, many small businesses, including most real estate brokerage firms, and real estate investment and holding companies, will not meet these criteria and will therefore be required to comply fully with the CTA’s filing requirements.