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#real-estate
fromIndependent
1 day ago
Real estate

Your money questions - 'How long will it take to sell our house and get a new mortgage so we can move?'

fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago
SF real estate

Did the recent portal deals create a fair housing risk for listings?

Recent real estate deals have created a system that may unintentionally violate fair housing principles by limiting access to listings based on agent networks.
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago
SF real estate

Our Offer Was Accepted on Our Dream House. Then the Sellers Started Acting Very Strange.

Sellers terminated the contract after inspection, revealing serious house issues, leading to suspicions about their intentions.
Real estate
fromIndependent
1 day ago

Your money questions - 'How long will it take to sell our house and get a new mortgage so we can move?'

Consult an estate agent for your property's value and a mortgage broker for approval before selling and buying.
NYC real estate
fromtherealdeal.com
1 day ago

Antitrust lawsuit fallout fails to dent New York agent commissions

Commission rates in New York City remain stable despite antitrust lawsuits, with agents earning similar amounts as before.
SF real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

Did the recent portal deals create a fair housing risk for listings?

Recent real estate deals have created a system that may unintentionally violate fair housing principles by limiting access to listings based on agent networks.
SF real estate
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago

Our Offer Was Accepted on Our Dream House. Then the Sellers Started Acting Very Strange.

Sellers terminated the contract after inspection, revealing serious house issues, leading to suspicions about their intentions.
Law
fromwww.amny.com
2 days ago

New York-based Esquire Bank expands legal portfolio into the Midwest with Signature Bank acquisition | amNewYork

Esquire Bank acquires Signature Bank for $348.4 million, expanding its portfolio and resources in the Midwest litigation market.
fromwww.housingwire.com
4 days ago

Rocket Companies moves to dismiss RESPA lawsuit

Rocket Companies contends that the plaintiffs failed to plead injury, a qualifying referral, a thing of value, or an agreement, which are essential for their claims under RESPA.
Boston real estate
Intellectual property law
fromnews.bitcoin.com
3 days ago

CFTC and DOJ Sue 3 States as Jurisdiction Battle Raises Stakes for Prediction Markets

Federal authorities are asserting exclusive jurisdiction over prediction markets, challenging state regulations to ensure a unified framework for derivatives oversight.
LA real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
5 days ago

California bills target condo deposits and defect liability

California lawmakers are considering bills to reduce barriers for condominium construction, addressing deposit limits and construction defect liability.
Marketing tech
fromwww.housingwire.com
5 days ago

The 'end-to-end' title tech system has given way to something better

Title agencies benefit from specialized tools and open systems rather than all-in-one platforms due to diverse regulatory and workflow needs.
London politics
fromwww.bbc.com
5 days ago

'Fake landlord lied that his dad had died to scam my deposit'

Rental scams in London are prevalent, with many victims losing deposits and facing last-minute housing crises.
SF real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
6 days ago

C2 Financial's Urwin on reverse mortgage broker-lender evolution

New lender agreements are enhancing broker protections, but the reverse mortgage market must attract new borrowers beyond refinances.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

Florida court shields reverse mortgage credit from garnishment

The court ruled that just because a homeowner has access to funds through a HECM doesn't mean those funds can be garnished until the homeowner actually requests a draw.
Miami
fromwww.housingwire.com
4 days ago

eXp, Weichert home seller commission lawsuit settlements approved

The Gibson plaintiffs claimed that eXp negotiated the agreement with the Hooper plaintiffs after conducting prolonged, unsuccessful settlement negotiations with Intervenor Plaintiff counsel, conducting a reverse auction in an attempt to gain a sweetheart deal.
Boston real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
5 days ago

ALTA report quantifies complex title work required before closing

More than 80% of purchase transactions require reviewing at least 11 documents, while 21% involve reviewing more than 50 records tied to a property's ownership history.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
6 days ago

ALTA renews TrustLink as Elite Provider for 2026

The ALTA Elite Provider Program recognizes service providers that demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting the title insurance industry and the professionals who serve consumers every day, ALTA CEO Chris Morton said in the announcement.
Law
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
6 days ago

The overlooked notarizations quietly slowing mortgage workflows

Lenders are modernizing the closing process with digital tools, but notarization outside closing events remains a challenge, slowing loan velocity and increasing compliance risks.
fromTheregister
5 days ago

ServiceNow salesman sues employer in commission dispute

Costa's then-manager told him that ServiceNow would not pay this commission because the Sales Compensation Department had concluded that Costa had 'overachieved to a degree that was outside normal' in relation to his sales quota. In other words, ServiceNow believed Costa had made too much money, notwithstanding that his commission was only a small percentage of the revenue recognized and received by ServiceNow.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 weeks ago

eXp, former agents ask judge to end Roberts sexual assault lawsuit

Roberts alleges that the girlfriend of David Golden, one of the men she has claimed sexually assaulted her, placed a pill in her mouth and told her it was Adderall. Instead, it was a drug that caused Roberts to black out. While Roberts said she doesn't remember the majority of what happened after blacking out, she said that through the testimony of others at the event, flashes of memory that came back to her and contextual clues, she concluded that she was raped by Golden and another former eXp agent Michael Bjorkman.
SF LGBT
Privacy professionals
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 weeks ago

Reducing risk: Why logging, protection, and review matter

Application logs are critical cybersecurity safeguards that provide visibility into system behavior, enabling early detection of security threats and operational issues in real estate and mortgage lending organizations.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
6 days ago

AI can accelerate real estate transactions But it can't replace the professional work that protects property rights

Artificial intelligence is enhancing efficiency in the title industry, but professional expertise remains essential for ensuring clear property ownership.
fromIndependent
5 days ago

'Mam has dementia and we need power of attorney to sell the house. But we've been quoted 10,000 in legal fees. What can we do?'

The family is faced with the challenge of appointing a decision-making representative for their mother, who has dementia, without a prior power of attorney in place.
Law
fromReadWrite
3 weeks ago

Police say gambling spending tied to Tallahassee property fraud

According to police, the case centers on how money connected to a client's property holdings was handled. Detectives say their review found signs that funds tied to the portfolio were improperly moved into the company's operating account.
US news
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 weeks ago

The Neighbor Kids Keep Trespassing on Our Property. It's Going to End in Disaster.

Property owners face legal liability for child injuries on their land from attractive nuisances like frozen ponds, requiring immediate protective action beyond verbal warnings.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

The mortgage industry built a sales infrastructure. It now needs a navigation infrastructure

Mortgage lending's efficiency may obscure its complexities, necessitating a shift from sales infrastructure to navigation infrastructure for better borrower understanding.
NYC real estate
fromCurbed
3 weeks ago

How Much Can a Broker Really Lie to Me?

Brokers in New York City rental markets can legally mislead tenants about lease status, though such practices are ethically questionable and exploit the competitive housing market.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

Compass seeks to dismiss TCPA lawsuit over agent calls

Murch alleges repeated unwanted calls from Compass agents despite requests to stop, while Compass seeks dismissal claiming no liability for independent contractors' actions.
#real-estate-litigation
SF real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
3 weeks ago

CT Realtors among three parties dismissed from Zea lawsuit

A Florida court dismissed claims against three defendants in a lawsuit by a discount brokerage owner alleging that real estate industry defendants steered buyers away from properties offering reduced commissions by failing to enforce MLS rules.
LA real estate
fromtherealdeal.com
1 month ago

Oppenheim Group sues Daftarian over soured Corona del Mar deal

The Oppenheim Group sued Orange County agent Paul Daftarian and his firm for allegedly conspiring with sellers to deprive the brokerage of commission on a Newport Beach luxury property listing.
Law
fromtherealdeal.com
3 weeks ago

Descent into toxicity: Ernie Carswell's commissions lawsuit details cultural decay at Elliman

Luxury agent Ernie Carswell sued Douglas Elliman for allegedly withholding over $300,000 in commissions through a hidden policy reducing departing agents' splits to 50 percent on in-contract deals.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 weeks ago

The industry's quiet first line of defense

Title agents perform critical fraud detection work during real estate transactions that remains largely invisible to buyers, sellers, and lenders despite being more important than the visible closing process.
#real-estate-fraud
SF real estate
fromwww.pressdemocrat.com
3 weeks ago

Why do large real estate fraud cases keep happening in the North Bay?

Pacific Private Money, a Marin County real estate finance company, abruptly closed with over 100 investors unable to access funds since December, prompting District Attorney investigation into potential fraud or business failure.
SF real estate
fromThe Mercury News
4 weeks ago

Why do large real estate fraud cases keep happening in the North Bay?

Pacific Private Money's abrupt closure has prompted investigation into complaints from over 100 investors unable to access funds since December, with authorities examining whether this represents business failure or fraud.
SF real estate
fromwww.pressdemocrat.com
3 weeks ago

Why do large real estate fraud cases keep happening in the North Bay?

Pacific Private Money, a Marin County real estate finance company, abruptly closed with over 100 investors unable to access funds since December, prompting District Attorney investigation into potential fraud or business failure.
SF real estate
fromThe Mercury News
4 weeks ago

Why do large real estate fraud cases keep happening in the North Bay?

Pacific Private Money's abrupt closure has prompted investigation into complaints from over 100 investors unable to access funds since December, with authorities examining whether this represents business failure or fraud.
Law
fromIPWatchdog.com | Patents & Intellectual Property Law
3 weeks ago

Legal Groups Push for Mandatory Disclosure of Litigation Funders

Third-party litigation funders must disclose their involvement in federal civil cases through a proposed amendment to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(1)(A) to establish uniform disclosure requirements across inconsistent federal courts.
LA real estate
fromLos Angeles Times
27 years ago

Homeowners File Suit Against Builder

A homeowners association sued builder Amcal General Contractors for widespread construction violations including defective electrical, plumbing, waterproofing, and sound reduction systems at a 90-unit condominium complex.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
3 weeks ago

Unison is facing another home equity investment lawsuit

Unison illegally issues mortgage loans disguised as option contracts, circumventing consumer protection laws while using selective data and opaque fees to profit at homeowners' expense.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
3 weeks ago

West Capital sues loanDepot over TILA pay violations

loanDepot allegedly compensated production staff for steering borrowers into higher-rate loans while penalizing pricing exceptions, creating unfair competitive advantages through systematic violations of lending regulations.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
3 weeks ago

Newrez is waiving lender title insurance on some refis

Newrez TitlePass eliminates title insurance requirements on eligible conventional refinance loans up to 80% LTV with AUS approval, reducing closing costs and improving efficiency through integrated digital processing.
LA real estate
fromLos Angeles Times
10 years ago

Q&A: Homestead exemption won't protect owner from nonjudicial foreclosure

A homestead exemption protects home equity from creditors in California for principal residences, including condominiums, and applies only to judicial foreclosures, not nonjudicial foreclosures by associations.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
4 weeks ago

Trigger leads restrictions rewrite mortgage outreach rules

A new federal law effective March 5 prohibits credit bureaus from selling trigger leads to lenders, significantly reducing unsolicited mortgage solicitations unless consumers opt in or lenders have existing relationships.
fromwww.housingwire.com
4 weeks ago

FinCEN's AML rule reshaping title processes and buyer behavior

I don't want the closers and processors to have to get into the weeds with this. I don't want there to be any negative shadowing of our title offices, because we're having to ask for this. It's really not a title role, as far as the title insurance product that we provide. It definitely has been tasked to us, but it's not something that I want to be viewed as, 'Title requires this.' This is a governmental requirement.
Real estate
US politics
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

OCC escrow plan opposed by regulators, consumer advocates

The OCC proposed rules would let national banks control mortgage escrow terms and potentially withhold interest, preempting state consumer protections.
LA real estate
fromLos Angeles Times
9 years ago

Buy a home now, move in after the seller dies

Wealthy Southern California residents use life estates and charitable trusts to sell or gift high-value properties while retaining lifelong residency rights.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Florida Agency Network partners with law firm to launch OL Title

OL Title represents a significant expansion of our capabilities. We're making available a title and closing resource specifically designed to handle the complexities of commercial and high-end residential transactions backed by the strength of a full-service law firm and the resources of Florida's largest independent title network.
Law
UK news
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

My husband burned down our house then the bank threatened repossession'

A domestic abuse survivor faced financial ruin and prolonged legal obstacles after her husband's arson and financial sabotage, but halted repossession by paying the mortgage.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

RESPA uncertainty fuels debate over agent-lender partnerships

RESPA's outdated 1974 framework creates compliance ambiguity for modern mortgage and real estate partnerships, causing lenders to lose business to competitors willing to pay higher referral fees to real estate agents.
Law
fromLos Angeles Times
12 years ago

Can landlord be liable for property manager's unlawful action?

Property owners face absolute vicarious liability for fair housing law violations by property managers and employees, regardless of owner knowledge or involvement.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 months ago

We Have No Choice But to Sell My Mother's House. There's One Exasperating Person Standing in My Way.

A reluctant sibling is blocking the sale of an elderly mother's house needed to fund assisted living, risking the mother's finances within months.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

5 Referral Partners Every Loan Officer Needs to Build a Resilient Pipeline

Loan officers must cultivate diverse referral partnerships across multiple partner types to build stable, sustainable pipelines that withstand market cycles and unpredictable homebuying demand.
US news
fromLos Angeles Times
1 month ago

He helped take over a dead man's Sherman Oaks home. Now he'll spend more than 16 years in prison

Man sentenced over 16 years for burglary, identity theft, and wire fraud tied to a dismembered homeowner and a fraudulent $1.5 million home sale.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Direct Mortgage ex-employees sue over fraud and unpaid wages

Beech made specific representations about Direct's proprietary technology platform and the operational infrastructure supporting it; however, after joining Direct, it became apparent to Plaintiffs that the technology platform did not function as represented, the suit reads. By Fall 2025, it was clear that Direct's technology platform was incompatible with effective mortgage operations.
Real estate
LA real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

New Venture Escrow expands into Los Angeles

New Venture Escrow opened a Los Angeles office to serve agents and clients immediately, led by an experienced team including Casey LeBlanc and Jill Green.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Court upholds FinCEN's anti-money laundering rule for home sales

In the lawsuit, FNF claims that the rule, which was promulgated under the Biden administration, is arbitrary and capricious, and that the rule will cause irreparable harm. The rule requires title firms to report specific details on all-cash home purchase transactions. These include the names, addresses, dates of birth, citizenship status and ID numbers of all people involved including minors, payment details and information about trusts and entities that are purchasing the property.
Law
#zillow
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Reverse mortgage servicers face lawsuit over borrower fees

Class-action alleges HECM servicers improperly added attorneys', property inspection, preservation and appraisal fees to reverse mortgage loan balances, inflating principals and costs.
fromIndependent
1 month ago

Solicitors in legal dispute after mistakenly paying almost 100,000 to estate of deceased client

Error at Galway city law firm came to light last year
Law
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Good intentions do not protect brokers from trust account violations

Brokers must implement end-to-end trust fund systems proving penny-perfect compliance; intent does not excuse control failures or inadequate supervision.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

UWM, DeCiantis deny contract interference in AIME-Sweeney suit

Sweeney alleges AIME and UWM pressured her, withheld agreed payments, and covered up financial misconduct; defendants deny allegations and seek dismissal.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

How are buyer broker agreements reshaping trust in real estate?

Buyer broker agreements exposed trust gaps by requiring early exclusivity and unclear compensation, prompting buyer hesitation and frustration.
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

NAR outlines legal risk mitigation, litigation strategy in 2025 report

These initiatives include things like analyzing and assessing legal risks and providing members, local associations and MLSs with legal resources and the education to do the same, as well as reducing litigation exposure and working with industry partners to garner favorable legal outcomes. In its 2025 Annual Report, NAR outlined what it was doing to accomplish these initiatives. Efforts highlighted by the trade group included hiring
Law
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

How to Comply with FinCEN Without Break Your Operations (or Budget)

FinCEN's Residential Real Estate Rule, effective March 1, 2026, requires title and escrow teams to file file-by-file AML reports and embed compliance into core workflows.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Best practices for real estate buyer-broker agreements take shape

Brokerages implemented rapid, standardized training, tech-integrated disclosures, and layered audits nationwide to ensure compliance with buyer representation and compensation practice changes.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Mortgage escrow misconceptions persist as payment amounts rise

Rising property taxes, insurance premiums, and escrow misconceptions are causing unexpected mortgage payment increases and borrower surprise despite many claiming they understand escrow.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Distressed assets, AI fraud complicating title insurance risk

Layered validation and synchronized countermeasures are essential to combat increasingly sophisticated, AI-driven title insurance fraud amid uneven property market risks and rising bad actors.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Florida judge denies broker's bid to make NAR, MLSs enforce rules

Zea alleges defendants coordinated to restrict choice and maintain high prices by steering buyers and failing to enforce MLS/NAR rules; court denied his motion.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Rocket RESPA lawsuit is unique, but legal hurdles lie ahead

Rocket Homes allegedly received ~35% referral fees for buyers steered to its agents, compromising agents' fiduciary duty and prompting pay-to-play coercion claims.
Real estate
from24/7 Wall St.
2 months ago

How to take over a mortgage when inheriting a house

Heirs can inherit a house without assuming the mortgage; understanding federal rules and contacting the lender quickly preserves options and prevents costly mistakes.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Rocket Mortgage alleges $194,000 loss in broker fraud lawsuit

Rocket Mortgage sues Sharp Loan and Reyes for fraud and breach after undisclosed UWM loans caused repurchases and about $194,000 in losses.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Real Brokerage settles Cwynar home buyer commission lawsuit

Homebuyer lawsuits allege NAR and multiple brokerages' pre‑2024 policies led to inflated buyer-paid commissions, prompting consolidated litigation and multimillion-dollar settlements.
Real estate
fromIndependent
1 month ago

'My uncle sold me a site and now he's padlocked the only way in'

A planned purchase of a one-acre site is threatened by the seller uncle's refusal to acknowledge a right of way after forming a new relationship.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Court advised to reject legal bid to compel NAR rule enforcement

The magistrate judge recommends denying Zea's preliminary injunction because delay and lack of evidence undermine any claim of irreparable harm.
Real estate
fromNew York Focus
1 month ago

How Disputed Math Allegedly Helped a Bank Win a Brooklyn Home for $100

In over 1,250 foreclosures, lenders' allegedly illegal interest calculations were baked into auction minimum bids, enabling banks or investors to repurchase properties for $1,000 or less.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Does lead diversion help buyers, or does it undermine agent accountability?

Listing agents who earn listings must be accessible and accountable; failures are service issues requiring enforcement, not portals diverting consumer leads.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Keller Williams settles Batton homebuyer commission lawsuit

Keller Williams will pay $20 million to settle the Batton homebuyer commission lawsuit and releases franchisees, agents, and teams from related antitrust claims.
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Rocket Companies faces lawsuit over mortgage steering

The plaintiffs are represented by Hagens Berman, a consumer protection law firm that was also involved in similar litigation against Zillow and the National Association of Realtors. In a press release announcing the action, the law firm said that Rocket including its affiliates Rocket Mortgage, Amrock Holdings and Rocket Homes Real Estate, which were also named as defendants conspired to pressure clients to use Rocket's mortgage company to finance their purchase.
Real estate
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Unison faces consumer lawsuit over home equity investment claims

Unison's home equity investment agreements are alleged to be misleading, functioning as unlicensed, high-cost mortgages that can strip homeowners' equity and evade consumer protections.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Trust is earned, not granted: The foundation of every successful mortgage relationship

Trust must be earned through relationships; loan officers build it by listening, acting with integrity, honesty, empathy, transparency, education, ethics, respect, and consistent follow-up.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Brokerages look to dismiss Cwynar homebuyer commission lawsuit

Defendants argue Cwynar plaintiffs lack standing and antitrust damages because they were indirect purchasers of buyer-broker services and sellers already obtained settlements.
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

DOJ is still keeping a close eye on real estate commission rules

In late December, the DOJ filed a statement of interest in the Davis homebuyer commission lawsuit, which was filed in May 2024 against Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. In the filing, which was signed by Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater, the DOJ urged the court to take a closer look at agent commissions, arguing that they are still possibly inflated due to unreasonable trade group rules that the department feels are inherently unlawful.
Real estate
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

UWM seeks to dismiss remaining RESPA claims

UWM seeks dismissal of remaining claims after a judge dismissed all RICO and most RESPA claims, leaving limited RESPA and state claims active.
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