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Showing posts with label New York Real Estate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Real Estate. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Condo owners can access adjoining units to perform construction

co-op , condo
Condo owners can access adjoining units to perform construction
Ever need to modify the pipes in your condo unit only to be denied access by your downstairs neighbor?

Those where the facts in the case of Marina Vornon and George Argiris v. Board of Managers of the Newswalk Condominium, et al. where the court granted such access.

This is the first time that a right to a construction license was granted in the condominium setting pursuant to RPAPL 881.

Moving forward, if you have a problem with your neighbor while performing condo construction, know that you have rights of access and if you can't negotiate those rights, a court can grant them to you in the form of a license.

Boards - take notice - knowing the law can avoid costly lawsuits.


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Monday, March 14, 2016

Real Estate Brokerage Regulatory Updates - 2/26/16 NYS Board of Real Estate meeting summary

DOS , Legal Updates
Real Estate Brokerage Regulatory Updates - 2/26/16 NYS Board of Real Estate meeting summary
On 2/26/16 the NYS Board of Real Estate continued its mission of optimizing the regulation of real estate brokers in our state by holding its meeting in NYC, Buffalo and Albany. To remind real estate brokers and salespersons, the public is welcome at these meetings where the public can bring comments from the floor. It’s encouraged that Lieb School students attend these meetings to have your voices heard. 

"[T]he Board has general authority to promulgate rules and regulations affecting real estate brokers and salespersons in order to administer and effectuate the purposes of Article 12-A of the Real Property Law."

A complete video of the meeting is available on YouTube.

In summary, the following was discussed:
The following pending regulations have moved forward and have one more required round of approval prior to being published in the State Register for public comment:


Pending Regulations:
1) Commingling of principal funds
2) Compensation of brokers
3) Additional license safety course
4) Changing the amount of hours from a course from 60 minutes required to 50 minutes required
5) Advertising regulations
6) Updates to the broker approval course

Next, the meeting shifted to a focus on Fair Housing in furtherance of the Governor's Fair Housing Initiative from February of this year. In support thereof, 19 NYCRR 175.17 was proposed to be amended and unanimously approved by vote. The new amended regulation will both broaden the protected classes to include all Federal, State, and Locally Protected Classes and clarify that a violation of Fair Housing, as determined by any local agency or a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be presumptive evidence of untrustworthiness in real estate brokerage wherein the Department of State may revoke a license. 

In all, the meeting's apparent goal was to increase awareness and enforcement of Fair Housing, to alert agents about upcoming educational awareness and outreach planned by the Department of State, and to renew the State's focus and attention onto discrimination through a collaboration between the Department of State and the Department of Human Rights. 
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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

An Eruv in the Village of Westhampton Beach May Bring in More Real Estate Sales and Rentals

Eruv , Hamptons Real Estate
An Eruv in the Village of Westhampton Beach May Bring in More Real Estate Sales and Rentals
A public utility company is permitted to enter into an agreement with a private Jewish group to erect displays of religious significance on the utility poles said the courts on January 6, 2015. 

In 2008, there was discussion of putting up an eruv in the Village of Westhampton Beach. An eruv is a religious boundary that permits observant Jews within the enclosed space to carry and push items on the Sabbath, which, under ordinary circumstances, is forbidden. This boundary is usually established by attaching strips of woods to telephone poles around the community, thereby requiring private contracts with telephone companies.

A religious group called the Jewish People for the Betterment of Westhampton Beach (or JPOE) sued the Village of Westhampton Beach to oppose the erection of the eruv, arguing that it was a wrongful exception to Jewish practices on the Sabbath and that the government, which was contracting with private parties to establish the eruv, was overtly endorsing one sect of religion over another.

Courts said on January 6, 2015 that it is lawful for public utility companies to erect eruvs as part of a contract with a private party. LIPA’s contract to erect an eruv using its telephone poles was neutral and did not establish a noticeable and overt display of religion throughout the town. In fact, no reasonable observer would conclude from the strips of wood on the utility poles that the government was endorsing one religion over another. Furthermore, since private parties had agreed to finance, install and maintain the strips on the utility poles, there was no excessive government entanglement with religion.

This decision is a victory for religious freedom as a fundamental First Amendment right but is also a victory for real estate in the area. As the strips of woods on the telephone poles are not very noticeable, they will not in any way diminish the appearance of the community. In fact, real estate sales and rentals may skyrocket in the Village of Westhampton Beach now since observant Jews will seek out the community for its eruv. 
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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

First Town in U.S. to Require Digital Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Legal Updates , New York Real Estate
First Town in U.S. to Require Digital Carbon Monoxide Detectors

In New York, the Town of Brookhaven has become the first Town in the United States to require digital carbon monoxide detectors in every residential property. 

This new law comes after a fatal carbon monoxide exposure incident involving a restaurant manager in Huntington Station this past February. 

This new law amends Chapter 30 of the town’s code which previously mandated all buildings with human occupants to have carbon monoxide detecting devices or systems. The newly amended law maintains this mandate but now requires all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors or devices with digital outputs. While conventional detectors only sound an alarm when the carbon monoxide level has reached a dangerous level, the digital detectors display the amount of carbon monoxide gas present even at very low levels. This change in the law is significant because even low levels of carbon monoxide exposure can lead to health problems.  

Failure to comply with the Town Code may result in substantial fines and criminal charges. Additionally, homeowners who fail to update their carbon monoxide detection system may be held responsible for injuries or fatalities on their property related to exposure.

Per the amended Code, new homes are required to immediately install digital carbon monoxide detectors and existing homes must install digital carbon monoxide detectors by August 1, 2021.

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Why Not to Rent Property to a Family Member

Andrew Lieb , Hamptons Real Estate
Why Not to Rent Property to a Family Member
Before letting a family member stay at your house, read and share Andrew Lieb's latest article published in the New York Section of the Huffington Post.

The answer depends on two very important factors:
  1. Do you really need the money from your rental?
  2. Are you actually related to your family member?

The comprehensive article is available through the following link. Full Article
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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Foreclosure Activity is Down Nationwide

Foreclosure , Foreclosure Defense
Foreclosure Activity is Down Nationwide
Nationwide foreclosure activity is at its lowest point since 2007. The amount of auctions, defaults, and repossessions have substantially decreased across the country. Only 17% of all mortgaged homes are seriously underwater as opposed to 29% in 2012, and negative equity is down overall.

It is anticipated that we will also start to see a decline in short sales in 2014 due to two major reasons:

a. The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act has not been passed for 2014. This means that borrowers are liable for the income tax on the forgiven debt in a short sale. In many cases, this kind of tax bill is too high and the borrower must default on his or her tax bill. The IRS can subsequently garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, and place liens on assets without having to first obtain a judgment. Many borrowers are unwilling to put themselves in such a position and would rather let the property go to foreclosure than to have the IRS go after them for money they do not have.

b. Lenders are less likely to approve short sales today because they know they can successfully sell the properties at auction or as an REO (bank-owned property) at a higher price because fair market value for real estate is on the increase.


Please note that the total amount of foreclosures (percentage of units by area) in Suffolk County is higher than the national average and the New York State average, and the amount of Suffolk County homes in pre-foreclosure is on the rise. Overall, however, foreclosure auctions are down in Suffolk County just as the rest of the nation. Keep this in mind, brokers, as you navigate the real estate in Suffolk County.
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