What is an Appraisal?
This BLOG has written extensively on a wide variety of issues in the area of mortgage foreclosure. While we have not written about RPAPL 1304 in a while, it has been the subject of numerous articles in the past. By way of...more
On August 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit reversed a district court’s dismissal of a putative class action brought by two homeowners who alleged violations of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act (WCPA). The...more
On March 7, Arizona Attorney General (AG) Kristin Mayes filed a novel lawsuit alleging consumer fraud and racketeering against numerous entities, individuals, and even law firms and title companies involved in the residential...more
The blacklisting of condominium/condo associations by financial institutions and insurance providers has emerged as a pressing issue in the real estate finance and housing sector. This practice, which involves lenders or...more
With the recent developments at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), many mortgage lenders have been left wondering about the extent to which the CFPB will enforce federal laws governing the mortgage lending...more
Households impacted by the Los Angeles fires may be eligible for two new financial relief programs announced by Los Angeles County and the state of California this month. On February 14, 2025, the Los Angeles County...more
As a Los Angeles-based firm, we are deeply saddened by the devastation caused by the recent wildfires. We remain committed to supporting our clients and friends during this time and are hopeful that the general steps related...more
On December 17, the CFPB released an Issue Spotlight reporting on challenges that homeowners often face with mortgage servicing companies after a divorce or the death of a loved one which may cause them to become homeowners....more
In our latest roundup, infrastructure-related ballot initiatives, U.S. Green Building Council’s success stories, support for sustainable building, and more!...more
In our latest roundup, commercial mortgage bond market in trouble, commercial real estate investments, pressure on mortgage REITs, and more!...more
In our latest roundup, nonresidential spending drops, realtor payment structure changes, office vacancy rates soar, and more!...more
In our latest roundup, mortgage rates drop to lowest levels since March, hotel construction activity highest since February 2023, Biden administration calls for legislation regarding property owners, and more!...more
The Cozen Lens - While it’s becoming ever clearer Vice President Harris is likely to be the Democratic nominee following President Biden’s decision to step aside, it’s less clear what the impact will be on the presidential...more
On June 18, the CFPB settled enforcement actions against two mortgage servicers who serviced reverse mortgages on behalf of HUD, for their systemic failure to respond to consumer requests for assistance, resulting in...more
In May 2024, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) published a Request for Input (RFI) titled “Federal Home Loan Bank Core Mission Activities and Mission Achievement” with comments due to the FHFA on July 15, 2024. This...more
On May 28, the Governor of Connecticut signed SB 283 (the “Act”) into law, introducing amendments to the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority’s (CHFA) Emergency Mortgage Assistance Payment (EMAP) program. This law will...more
In our latest roundup, apartment sales fall for seventh straight quarter, raising real estate capital proves challenging, aspiring homeowners face strong obstacles, and more!...more
On October 31, New York AG Letitia James released a report detailing racial disparities in homeownership and access to home financing in New York. The report states that Black and Latino New Yorkers are “underrepresented”...more
In our latest roundup, SV invests in a new green “mega-city” outside San Francisco, refunds are given to investors in fraudulent real estate deal, homebuyers are losing purchasing power, and more!...more
On May 1, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a report and a proposed rule to clarify and strengthen its regulation of so-called Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. PACE financing is...more
On April 4, FHA issued FHA Info 2023-25, announcing proposed changes to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program and documentation requirements for certain submission criteria...more
On March 24, FHA reminded servicers about their obligation to inform distressed homeowners about the availability of financial assistance for FHA-insured mortgages, including single-family forward mortgages and home equity...more
The Federal Housing Administration recently issued Mortgagee Letter 2022-23, establishing a new COVID-19 Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Property Charge Repayment Plan. The COVID-19 HECM Property Charge Repayment Plan would...more
In this article, we share a timeline of our monthly "bites" for 2022 applicable to the Mortgage industry. So, what happened in 2022?...more
On December 22, the Massachusetts attorney general announced a settlement with a South Carolina mortgage servicer to resolve claims that it allegedly failed to assist homeowners avoid foreclosure and engaged in unfair debt...more