LIEB BLOG

Legal Analysts

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

NYC LOCAL LAW – FORECLOSURE FILINGS


Effective June 15, 2012, pursuant to Local Law 4 of 2012 a lender foreclosing a mortgage on residential real property must notice the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development within fifteen (15) days from commencement of suit, discontinuance of action, entry of judgment, and the transfer of title by Referee to purchaser at sale. Here is a link to the same:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/downloads/pdf/Foreclosure-Notification-Rules-Proposed.pdf

We will continue to monitor if other jurisdictions follow suit, but for now, be guided accordingly.

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Bad Faith Negotiations = $200K Exemplary Damages Principal Reduction

In Bank of America v. Lucido, Justice Spinner, Supreme Court, Suffolk County found in his equitable powers that the bank's bad faith misrepresentations on their appraisal, ability to offer a principal reduction pursuant to the pooling and servicing agreement in the face of their denial of the same, inability to have an individual with settlement authority appear at the conference, prior counsel's inappropriate conduct, and 34 months of bad faith negotiations should result in punitive damages.

The decision is particularly interesting because Justice Spinner had previously been reversed on appeal when he cancelled a mortgage following similar conduct in Indymac Bank v. Yano-Horoski. It appears the Judge is  testing the authority of the Supreme Court to impact settlement conferences pursuant to CPLR 3408. This is a very important measure for all settlement conferences in the macro because it gives practitioners a clearer idea of what the ramifications for bad faith negotiations can be. Now lets see if the decision is modified on appeal.

To read the Lucido decision, click here.

Friday, August 03, 2012

Open meeting with Town of Southold Supervisor Scott Russell


Forwarded email from my friend Joan Bischoff:

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To all owners/managers of RE companies on the North Fork

Dear colleagues,

Town of Southold Supervisor Scott Russell and Phillip Beltz asked me to make you aware of the following meeting:

Please attend a meeting between Real Estate professionals and Town of Southold Supervisor Scott Russell, the Town's Economic Advisory Council and the Town's new business liaison John Stype.

Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 9th at 7:00 p.m. at the Peconic Lane Community Center (next to the Recreation Center.)

All attendees are requested to fill out a business questionnaire:
  tiny.cc/southold

I encourage you to send this invite to all your agents and look forward to seeing you there.
For details please see attached invite.

Sincerely,


Joan Bischoff van Heemskerck
Managing Director North Fork & Shelter Island
Associate Broker, Town and Country Real Estate
O: 631 765 0500 C: 631 948 0234 F 631 765 0400
jbischoff@1townandcountry.com