This past HGAR scored a big victory on Co-op transparency legislation and fair housing. The Westchester County Board of Legislators passed, and County Executive George Latimer signed a bill mandating co-ops provide a reason in writing to buyers if they are rejected by a co-op board from the purchase of a co-op. They also must…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Justice announced on July 1 it was withdrawing from a settlement it had reached with the National Association of Realtors last November in order “to permit a broader investigation of NAR’s rules and conduct to proceed without restriction.” The U.S. Justice Department has also filed to voluntarily dismiss its complaint against…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The Westchester County Board of Legislators in a 15-2 vote last night approved an amendment to the existing Co-Op Disclosure Law that now requires a cooperative Board of Directors to provide a reason for a denial of an applicant seeking to purchase a unit at their property. The measure went into effect immediately as…
Read MoreThe New York State of Emergency effectively ended on June 24, 2021. With its ending, many of the regulations enacted by the governor ended as well. We’ve been waiting for this emergency to end for over a year. So now with the ending of the emergency and a transition back to what is “normal,” Realtors…
Read MoreRecent ransomware attacks and major hacks have thrust into the spotlight the importance of businesses, including those in the real estate industry, having the necessary protocols and protections in place to protect themselves and their clients from cybercriminals. During the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a substantial rise in cybercriminal activity. The recent ransomware attacks…
Read MoreCurrently, we are seeing an uptick in the use of “broker agency” in our MLS, and there is much confusion in its use and how it applies, so I’m going to breakdown the difference between it and “buyer agency” and the pitfalls that can occur; specifically, not getting paid cooperating compensation (Note: I will not…
Read MoreThe end of the New York State legislative session in Albany is at hand. The real estate industry was fortunate in not having several bills it strenuously opposed come up for a vote. One particularly onerous bill with the misnomer “Good Cause” eviction, would have locked in a long-term lease and taken away the property…
Read MoreThe Westchester County co-op transparency bill has finally had a public hearing. The number of speakers who came out in support of the bill outnumbered the naysayers by a 3 to 1 margin. The arguments against the bill were ones we had heard many times before and easily disputed. Opponents said that the bill, if…
Read MoreAt the federal level Realtors have won a huge victory. The CDC moratorium on evictions, which has caused people to avoid paying rent, has been struck down. The decision does not affect the moratorium in New York State. This will still go through the appeals process, but for now it is the beginning of a…
Read MoreOn May 4, 2021, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation (see https://bit.ly/2RIW8bq) extending the statewide ban on certain residential and commercial evictions and foreclosures in New York. The bill extends the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 and the COVID-19 Emergency Protect Our Small Businesses Act. The legislation extends protections prohibiting residential and…
Read MoreAs of early May 2021, nearly 48% of all New York State adult residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 36% have been fully vaccinated. Business doors are opening and there seems to be light at the end of this long COVID tunnel. While the rules are starting to loosen…
Read MorePeople are out and ready to buy. Offers are coming in by the boatload. Highest and best is the order of the day. Today, the market is hot and, as a result, I am getting calls and e-mails about the presentation of offers. Sometimes concern arises after a cooperating agent learns that the listing broker…
Read MoreTwo years ago, on March 4, 2019, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York in Francis v. Kings Park Manor, Inc. (see https://bit.ly/2Kd38bo) (“Kings Park Manor I”) held that a landlord could be liable under the Federal Fair Housing Act (see https://bit.ly/2WBzEdH) and the New York State Human Rights Law (see https://dhr.ny.gov/law) for…
Read MoreAs the year goes flying by a great deal has been happening at the state and federal level. At the federal level, the PPP deadline has been extended by Congress. This will help assist many businesses who are in line more time to apply for and receive much needed funds to stay afloat. The American…
Read MoreThe following occurrences all highlight the importance of real estate licensees having a working knowledge of antitrust laws and dangers associated with any violation of antitrust laws: the recent antitrust lawsuits in the real estate industry, the focus on large technology and social media companies by Congressional leaders, the Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit and…
Read MoreOver the past few years we’ve seen a tremendous increase in the use of forms. Where we once had only one or two forms to fill out (usually done on the hood of a car), we now have up to a dozen documents. So, for the purposes of guidance and clarity, I’m going to try…
Read MoreOn Jan. 8th, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its final rule (“Final Rule”) clarifying the standard for employee versus independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (see https://bit.ly/371n8rp). The new rule was set to go into effect on March 8th, however, the Biden administration has delayed the rule’s effective date to May…
Read MoreALBANY—The leadership of the State Senate Democratic Majority announced on Feb. 8 it will advance major legislation to continue addressing housing discrimination across New York State. The legislative package was created following two public hearings on housing discrimination that included 25 subpoenas. The package of bills is also in response to legislative suggestions outlined in…
Read MoreAt the state level, in New York many issues are ongoing regarding Fair Housing. An anticipated Fair Housing report has been released by the State Senate that details cases of discrimination on Long Island by real estate agents. In many cases minority home seekers were steered toward one neighborhood while white home seekers were steered…
Read MoreRemain calm and carry on! Do not panic! Yes, the rumor is true. So, what am I talking about? Well, if you haven’t come out of your home, picked up a newspaper, or read a trade publication since the beginning of the pandemic, then please allow me to be the first one to inform you…
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