Residential
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July 15, 2025
Calif. Homeowners Win Cert. In State Farm Underpayment Suit
A California federal court certified a class of nearly 200,000 homeowners alleging State Farm systematically underpaid property insurance claims in violation of the state's insurance code, ruling Tuesday that the plaintiffs offered a feasible methodology for calculating damages classwide and demonstrated that class members are identifiable.
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July 15, 2025
Ex-Yankee Wants $69K Tacked Onto Moldy Mansion Trial Win
A retired New York Yankees player is seeking nearly $70,000 in prejudgment interest after a Connecticut federal jury handed him a $222,000 win in his suit that sought to hold his former landlord liable for mold in a Greenwich mansion.
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July 15, 2025
State Farm 'Maliciously' Denied Property Coverage, Court Told
A California property owner accused State Farm of "maliciously" denying its property insurance claim in a lawsuit removed to federal court, further alleging that the insurer intentionally ignored evidence of the extent of the property damage.
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July 15, 2025
Property Co. Says Storm Coverage Row Can't Be Arbitrated
The owner of a New Orleans luxury apartment and retail complex urged the Fifth Circuit to affirm a lower court's decision to vacate a previous order forcing it to arbitrate its $7 million Hurricane Ida damage claims against a group of domestic insurers, saying Louisiana law applies and bars arbitration.
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July 15, 2025
Denver Defends Affordable Housing Fees, Citing Alternatives
The city of Denver has urged a Colorado federal court to toss a homebuilder's suit challenging the constitutionality of an affordable housing fee for new development, arguing the developer's claims overlook a clause that allows it to construct affordable housing as an alternative.
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July 15, 2025
Calif. Legislature OKs Retroactive Solar Property Exclusion
California would allow the purchaser of a new property a three-year window to apply for a property tax exclusion for solar energy systems under a bill passed by the state Senate and sent to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom for approval.
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July 15, 2025
Leech Tishman Hires Fla. Real Estate Atty For Counsel Role
Leech Tishman hired an experienced Florida real estate transactional attorney for a counsel role in the firm's teams in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch while working in its Sarasota office, the firm announced.
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July 15, 2025
Pa. Senate Bill Seeks To End School District Property Taxes
Pennsylvania would propose an amendment to the state constitution to eliminate school districts' authority to levy or collect property taxes after June 30, 2029, under a bill introduced in the state Senate.
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July 15, 2025
2 Firms Guide Cavco's $190M Manufactured Home Co. Buy
Cavco Industries said it has reached an agreement to acquire Houston-based homebuilder American Homestar Corp. and its subsidiaries for $190 million, in a transaction advised by DLA Piper and Jackson Walker LLP.
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July 14, 2025
OCC Drops 'Disparate Impact' From Fair Lending Oversight
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said Monday that it will stop checking to see whether banks' lending practices are causing potentially unintended discrimination, scrubbing so-called disparate-impact liability from its examination policies.
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July 14, 2025
Fla. Landlord Accuses Akerman Of Botching Lease Language
Real estate investor Turner Healthcare Facilities Fund LP on Monday accused its former Akerman LLP counsel in a south Florida state court of having committed a $45 million "mistake" by approving unenforceable clauses in leases on properties the investor owned.
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July 14, 2025
Greystone Arranges $43.5M Refi For Ore. Senior Living Site
Real estate finance company Greystone said Monday that it arranged $43.5 million in debt to refinance construction debt on a Class A assisted living facility in Oregon.
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July 14, 2025
4th Circ. Says Va. County Isn't Responsible For Damaged Pipe
The Fourth Circuit sided with Virginia's Isle of Wight County on Monday against a takings suit filed by local homeowners who alleged that the county had to pay for a damaged underground stormwater drainage pipe and the erosion it caused to nearby land.
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July 14, 2025
Airbnb Wants Out Of Pittsburgh House Party Shooting Suit
Airbnb said it has resolved all but one of a group of lawsuits brought against it after a 2022 mass shooting at a party at a Pittsburgh house rented through the app, and has renewed its objections to the last remaining claims from the family of a shooting victim.
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July 14, 2025
Pa. Bank Fights Court Oversight After $3M Redlining Deal
A Pennsylvania bank that agreed to pay a $3 million settlement to resolve the U.S. Department of Justice's allegations of discriminatory lending practices has asked a federal judge to reject a request by fair housing advocacy groups to continue court oversight to ensure the bank's compliance with the settlement terms.
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July 14, 2025
BNSF Can't Toss Indemnity Claim In Flood Coverage Suit
Two Travelers insurers may proceed with their claim that they have no duty to indemnify railway giant BNSF in a suit alleging that a track relocation project the company undertook caused significant flooding on a property owner's land, a California federal court ruled Monday.
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July 14, 2025
NYC Real Estate Week In Review
Herrick Feinstein and SLG are among the firms that handled the largest real estate deals that hit New York City public records last week, with a land deal in Queens topping the list.
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July 14, 2025
Foreign Spending On US Homes Rises 33% In NAR Report
The National Association of Realtors on Monday said foreign buyers snapped up about 33% more U.S. homes in the last year, compared to a year prior, with homes in Florida representing about one in five properties purchased.
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July 14, 2025
House Bill Would Slash More Than Quarter Of HUD Staff
A proposed congressional appropriations bill aims to cut 26% of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's staff, according to an official announcement.
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July 11, 2025
4th Circ. Tosses Ex-Baltimore Prosecutor's Fraud Conviction
A split Fourth Circuit on Friday tossed the mortgage fraud conviction of former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, finding that the jury was improperly instructed on where the crime occurred, but upheld her perjury conviction.
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July 11, 2025
Miami Mayor, Developer Discuss Crypto In Real Estate
When developer Diego Ojeda's firm closed the first-ever cryptocurrency wallet-to-wallet real estate transaction in the Miami market earlier this year, it drew a social media shoutout from one of the city's biggest crypto supporters — Mayor Francis Suarez. The two recently puzzled the pros and cons for crypto in real estate transactions.
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July 11, 2025
Real Estate Co. Says Pa. Title Insurer Missed Invalid Deed
A real estate company claims its title insurance company missed an invalid deed on a Philadelphia row house it purchased in 2020, negating years of ownership and investment in the property, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.
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July 11, 2025
Compass Says It Will Share Exclusive Listings With Any Brokers
Brokerage firm Compass Inc. announced Friday that it will conditionally share its exclusive homeowners listings with any brokers or multiple listing services.
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July 11, 2025
HOA Is Pushing Out Country Club Owner, NC Suit Says
A Florida country club operator asked a North Carolina judge to find that it controls a Charlotte-area country club and golf course within a gated community, alleging that a homeowners association has refused to recognize the company as the club's owner.
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July 11, 2025
Colo. Says Modular Home Co.'s Purchases Tax-Exempt
A company is exempt from sales tax on its purchases of materials to build modular homes in Colorado, the state's Department of Revenue said in a ruling released Friday, finding the materials fall under the state's wholesale exemption.
Expert Analysis
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A Look At A Possible Corporate Transparency Act Exemption
Attorneys at Kirkland offer a deep dive into the application of the Corporate Transparency Act's reporting requirements specifically to U.S.-domiciled co-issuers in typical collateralized loan obligation transactions, and consider whether such issuers may be able to assert an exemption from the CTA's reporting requirements.
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Emphasize Social Spaces During RE Project Public Review
As Boston continues to work through revisions to its public review process for real estate projects, developers attempting to balance impact mitigation and community improvements may benefit from emphasizing the ways in which development plans can facilitate open social exchange, says David Linhart at Goulston & Storrs.
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Complying With Calif. Price-Gouging Law After LA Fires
The recent tragic Los Angeles fires have brought attention to the state's sometimes controversial price-gouging protections, and every California business should keep the law's requirements in mind, despite the debate over whether these statutes help consumers, say attorneys at Cooley.
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What Contractors Can Do To Address Material Cost Increases
In light of the Trump administration's plans to increase tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, construction industry players should proactively employ legal strategies to mitigate the impacts that price increases and uncertainty may have on projects, says Brenda Radmacher at Seyfarth Shaw.
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Reg Waiver Eases Calif. Rebuilding, But Proceed With Care
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order suspending some environmental review and permitting requirements for the reconstruction of homes and businesses damaged by recent wildfires may streamline rebuilding efforts, but will require careful navigation of the evolving regulatory landscape, says Gregory Berlin at Alston & Bird.
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A View Of The Shifting Insurance Regulatory Landscape
Attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland explore how the Federal Insurance Office's climate report, the new presidential administration and the California wildfires might affect the insurance regulatory landscape.
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The Tides Are Changing For Fair Access Banking Laws
The landscape of fair access banking laws, which seek to prevent banks from denying services based on individuals' ideological beliefs, has shifted in the last few years, but a new presidential administration provides renewed momentum for advancing such legislation against the backdrop of state efforts, say attorneys at Latham.
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How Congress Can Stem Consumer Finance Law Uncertainty
In the face of rising uncertainty about consumer finance laws that are based largely on fluctuating administrative rules, Congress should cement certain existing laws into statute and clarify federal agencies' delegations of authority, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.
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Illuminating The Trend Of Florida's Unpaid Hurricane Claims
The sheer number of insurance claims closed without payment for damage caused by Hurricanes Milton and Helene reveals a systemic problem within Florida's insurance industry exacerbated by complex issues, including climate change and state regulators' resource limitations, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.
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Insurance Considerations For LA Wildfire Recovery
Businesses and homeowners affected by the destructive Southern California wildfires must act swiftly and strategically to navigate the complexities of the insurance recovery process, including by identifying all applicable policies, documenting damage thoroughly and keeping abreast of relevant state law, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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LA Wildfires' Effect On Calif. Insurer Of Last Resort
Attorneys at Willkie discuss the background of California's insurer of last resort — known as the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan — and examine the process of assessing member insurers and relevant recent property insurance market developments in light of the destruction from the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires.
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Algorithm Price-Fixing Ruling May Lower Antitrust Claims Bar
A Washington federal court's refusal to dismiss Duffy v. Yardi Systems, an antitrust case over rent prices allegedly inflated by revenue management software, creates an apparent split in the lower courts over how to assess such claims, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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California's New Homeowner Law Could Hamper Foreclosures
While A.B. 2424, which took effect this month in California, gives homeowners in default additional protections, it also provides loopholes that can be used to delay foreclosure auctions, and the cost of these delays will likely be passed on to the borrower, says Stephen Britt at Severson & Werson.