Top 5 New Real Estate Laws Affecting NYers in 2015

Now that 2015 is here, NYers should know the top changes from the past year in real estate laws that affect property owners and tenants in our community. This is not a list about the best events from 2014, but, instead, a list that highlights the new legal landscape that you face in 2015.

Read the full article in The Huffington Post.

10 Questions to Ask Yourself About a Summer Rental

Andrew Lieb's latest article is now available on Dan's Papers.

Keep these tips handy when planning your seasonal rental search.

Ocwen Financial May Lose its Mortgage License

By the end of this year, Ocwen Financial, one of the largest mortgage servicers in the U.S., may lose its mortgage license in California.

Ocwen has been subjected to numerous investigations over the years regarding improper foreclosures, misplaced and mislabeled borrower documentation, billing issues, and overall failure to comply with federal and state laws and regulations. In December, Ocwen settled an ongoing investigation by the NYS Department of Financial Services (DFS) by agreeing to pay $100 million, which was to be used to support foreclosure defense programs and other relief and $50 million to Ocwen borrowers who reside in New York. As a result, not only did the company’s chairman step down from his position, but DFS will continue to monitor Ocwen in the upcoming years for further unlawful conduct. Although this settlement greatly impacted borrowers in New York, it was held as a victory for borrowers all over the country because it was supposed to put Ocwen in check and to stop it from continuing its cycle of financial abuse.

Unfortunately, the story does not end there. California now wants to suspend Ocwen’s mortgage license in the state as a result of Ocwen’s failure to provide mandatory documentation to the Department of Business Oversight, which is responsible for determining whether Ocwen is complying with state regulations in California. Ocwen issued a press release on January 13, stating that it is committed to resolving the issues in California, especially since its shares are crashing as a result of the news. It is crucial that Ocwen turns its business practices around and finally provide high quality assistance to its borrowers. Otherwise, it will surely fail.

Settlement conferences will begin in February. If nothing is resolved, Ocwen will not be able to do business in California for at least a year. If that happens, Ocwen may not be able to survive such a huge blow.

Enrollment is Now Open for Property Manager Liability: Requirements, Responsibilities and Fair Housing on 2/6/15 in Plainview

Property Manager Liability: Requirements, Responsibilities and Fair Housing

Instructor: Andrew Lieb, Esq., MPH

CE Credits: 3

Price: Free

Date: 02/06/2015 at 1:30pm in

Maximize your client's investment while minimizing your exposure to great liability. Be cautious, property management is a serious business that has many liability landmines for the weary. Do not just dabble in property management. Do not just help out a landlord brokerage client in dealing with their tenants. Learn why the Department of State considers property management to be a licensed activity in this State. Understand how to mitigate exposure to license law liability, premises liability, and fair housing liability. Get real life examples of what can go wrong. Most importantly, learn what must go into your Property Management Agreement and why a top property manager should get paid.

*** THIS COURSE SATISFIES THE ONLY MANDATORY CLASS REQUIREMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE (DOS) FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION PERTAINING TO FAIR HOUSING AND / OR DISCRIMINATION ***

REGISTER FOR THIS CLASS HERE

Lieb School is Back in NYC with Estate Deals CE on 2/12/15

Estate Deals

Instructor: Andrew Lieb, Esq., MPH

CE Credits: 3

Price: Free

Date: February 12th, 2015 at 12:30pm on 51st (between 5th and 6th)

Estate sales offer a unique opportunity to help the grieving by doing your job professionally. Starting with speaking the language of the Surrogate’s Court, this course will empower the real estate broker / salesperson to assist the Executor / Administrator in liquidating real property in order to satisfy debts of the estate. Additionally, disputes between beneficiaries and with the fiduciary, sales forced by the court, and foreclosures incident to the probate process will be discussed. Lastly, the student will be exposed to the overlay of brokerage and executor’s commissions where an Executor / Administrator is expressly exempt from the Real Estate License Law for Brokerage.

Register For This Class Here

New NYS Foreclosure Prevention Program is Closing its First Loans

Yesterday, the New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, announced in a press release that the first loans have closed in the New York State Mortgage Assistance Program (NYSMAP) to help homeowners across the state pay off their mortgage arrears and/or liens in order to avoid foreclosure.

This program was launched on Long Island in September and was opened to the rest of the state in mid-October to provide funds to homeowners so that they may apply and be approved for loan modifications. Since one of the most common reasons for loan modification denial is the inability to pay off mortgage arrears, unpaid property taxes, and liens on properties in foreclosure, these NYSMAP loans are specifically designed to help homeowners pay off these types of debt up to $40,000. The program has already received 41 loan applications and approved 9 loans from Long Island alone. Mr. Schneiderman is predicting that hundreds of loans across the state will be approved over the next year, helping homeowners obtain loan modifications and keep their homes into the future.

Click here at nysmap.org or call 855-466-3456 to see if you are eligible for a loan through NYSMAP.