Business & Real Estate

Transfer-on-Death Deeds: The New Way to Pass Real Estate Without Probate

Owning real estate in New York is a major financial milestone. However, planning how that property will pass to loved ones after death often raises difficult legal and practical questions. Traditionally, many homeowners relied on wills or trusts to address these concerns. Recently, however, New York introduced a new planning option that...

Who Pays Closing Costs in a New York Real Estate Transaction?

One of the most common—and most misunderstood—questions in a New York real estate transaction is who pays the closing costs. While buyers and sellers naturally focus on the purchase price, closing costs often determine the true financial impact of a deal. In New York, closing costs follow a combination...

The End of Traditional Real Estate Commissions

Recent nationwide litigation has triggered one of the most significant shifts in residential real estate practice in decades. Although the lawsuits originated outside New York, buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals across the state now feel their effects directly. Following the National Association of Realtors (NAR)...

Flood Zones & New York Real Estate: What Buyers Need to Know

Flood risk has shifted from a secondary concern to a central issue in New York real estate transactions. Today, flood zone classifications directly affect financing, insurance costs, property value, and long-term ownership viability. As a result, buyers can no longer afford to treat flood exposure as an issue discovered late in the...

‘COPA’ Laws | New York City

What Property Owners Need to Know New York City’s proposed Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) has become a significant topic in real estate and housing policy discussions. As of early 2026, the law remains at a critical stage, with its final form dependent on further action by...

Shohei Ohtani Named in Lawsuit Over Hawaii Luxury Real Estate Development

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his longtime agent, Nez Balelo, have been named in a lawsuit stemming from a luxury real estate development on Hawaii’s Hapuna Coast. The case, filed in Hawaii Circuit Court, involves allegations of improper interference with a proposed $240 million project known as The Vista at...

Squatters’ Rights in New York

Recent media coverage has renewed attention on so-called squatters’ rights in New York, causing concern among property owners, particularly in New York City. While headlines often suggest that squatters can easily take over property, the legal reality is far more limited and fact-specific. Understanding the distinction between squatters, tenants,...

New York’s Property Condition Disclosure Act

New York’s Property Condition Disclosure Act (PCDA) imposes mandatory disclosure obligations on certain residential property sellers. Recent amendments—effective in 2024 and expanded again in July 2025—have significantly changed how sellers must approach disclosures and how buyers should evaluate risk before entering a contract. As a result, anyone buying or...

New York Rent Stabilization Laws

New York’s rent stabilization laws regulate rent increases and eviction rights in approximately one million apartments across New York City, primarily in buildings constructed before 1974 with six or more units. These laws are most common in neighborhoods such as Park Slope, Astoria, the Upper West Side, and throughout Brooklyn and Queens.

New York Wetlands Regulation: Expanded DEC Authority & Development Impact

New York wetlands regulation has undergone a significant shift following a recent ruling and regulatory update issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Together, these changes expand freshwater wetland protections and substantially increase the number of properties subject to state oversight, permitting requirements, and land-use restrictions.

People v. Commons West: Limits on Enforcing Section 8 Under New York Law

People v. Commons West, LLC places New York’s source-of-income housing protections at the intersection of fair housing policy and constitutional law. In that case, the Cortland County Supreme Court held that New York’s source-of-income discrimination statute is unconstitutional as applied when enforcement compels landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers under threat of...