LIEB BLOG

Legal Analysts

Friday, June 02, 2017

NY Radio CLE (for Attorneys only): Law You Should Know: Real Estate Brokers and the Law (1 CLE Credit)

Law You Should Know: Real Estate Brokers and the Law
CLE Provider: Nassau Academy of Law
Featured Guest: Andrew Lieb, Esq.
CLE Credit: 1 Credit in Areas of Professional Practice

Dates:
Wednesday June 7th at 3pm
&
Sunday June 11th at 7am

on 90.3FM in Nassau County
&
broadcast over the internet www.ncc.edu/whpc


To Obtain CLE Credit for the Program
Prior to Listening to the Program: Download an affirmation form

Tune into 90.3 FM and be sure to listen for a program verification code that will be announced by the host. 
Listen for the Code!
 Code must be written on the affirmation form in order to receive CLE credit. 

Monday, May 29, 2017

Fees for Brokerage License Increased on April 20, 2017

Fees for licensing have increased by $5 as of April 20, 2017. For real estate brokers the fee is now $155 and for real estate salesman (a/k/a, real estate salespersons) the fee is now $55.

Real Property Law 441-b(1) now reads (words in brackets are the former statute and capitalized words represent the now current statute):

The  fee  for a license issued or reissued under the provisions of
this article  entitling  a  person,  co-partnership,  limited  liability
company  or  corporation  to  act  as a real estate broker shall be [one
hundred fifty] ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE dollars. The  fee  for  a  license
issued  or  reissued  under  the  provisions of this article entitling a
person to act as a real estate  salesman  shall  be  [fifty]  FIFTY-FIVE
dollars.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision seven of section
four hundred forty-one-a of this article, after January first,  nineteen
hundred  eighty-six, the secretary of state shall assign staggered expi-
ration dates for outstanding licenses that have been previously  renewed
on  October  thirty-first  of  each  year  from the assigned date unless
renewed. If the assigned date results in a term that exceeds twenty-four
months, the  applicant  shall  pay  an  additional  prorated  adjustment
together  with  the  regular  renewal  fee. The secretary of state shall
assign dates to existing licenses in a manner which shall  result  in  a
term of not less than two years.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Top 10 Questions for Landlords to Ask Themselves Before Leasing to a Friend

Many homeowners on the East End rent out their property for various parts of the summer season in order to recoup their carrying costs on the property and to have an additional source of income. Some even rationalize their initial purchase of their vacation home by calling it an investment property, where they plan to designate a set period of time that the property will be used for investment purposes and another limited time where it’s designated for pleasure. So when a friend asks to rent this vacation property, knowing of its availability, it may sound like a godsend: you can have an easy experience, avoid using a real estate broker, and save on brokerage fees while also helping out a friend who will love your property as you do. However, before letting your friend lease your property, you need to ask yourself: do I want to lose my friendship with this prospective tenant if the rental doesn’t work out?
If your answer to this question is that it’s completely inapplicable to you because your plan is to simply allow your friend to live at your expense and you have no problem with the financial burden resulting from the lost income stream, you should nonetheless consider possible liabilities that your friend can cause you. Beyond the liabilities of town/village code violations for noise violations, parking violations, rental permit violations, and so on, there is property damage and don’t forget feeling unappreciated when you are doing a good deed.
Regardless, all landlords should ask themselves the following questions before just jumping to the conclusion that renting to a friend is a good idea: