Many New York homeowners are faced with two mortgages they can no longer afford to pay. In many cases, the amount they owe to the bank far exceeds the current market value of their homes. In order to avoid foreclosure, debtors frequently turn to the federal bankruptcy courts. But a

In New York, local governments may impose significant restrictions on the use of private land. For example, since 1965, New York City has authorized local officials to designate certain buildings as “historic landmarks,” which limits the ability of owners to redevelop or alter their own properties. The law is supposed

The “warranty of habitability” is an important concept in New York real estate law. If you lease a residential property such as an apartment or condo, by law you guarantee the premises are “fit for human habitation.” This does not mean the residence must be in new or perfect condition,

New York courts will not enforce certain contracts if they violate state law or public policy. But that does not mean a contract is automatically unenforceable if it violates a state law. Rather, the court must determine the violation compromises “public health or safety.” or is otherwise “gravely illegal and

Many of us are struggling with credit card debt. If you have a delinquent account, a debt collector hired by the original creditor may approach you and offer a settlement. While a settlement may allow you to resolve the creditor’s claim for a fraction of what you may owe, it’s

New York’s highest court recently addressed a legal dispute arising from an allegedly forged deed. There is no question a forged deed is invalid. But the question here was whether the parties wrongfully deprived of their property by the alleged forgery had filed their claim too late to be heard

The American Society of Composers, Artists and Performers represents roughly half the musical composers and song publishers in the United States. Basically, individual artists assign their publishing rights to ASCAP, who in turn licenses the works to others businesses. Since the 1940s, ASCAP’s business practices have been subject to a

New York’s real estate world was rocked by recent corruption charges against a powerful Long Island politician. On May 4, the United States Attorney’s office in Manhattan announced the arrest of Dean G. Skelos, the majority leader of the New York State Senate, together with his son, Adam Skelos. Sen. Skelos

Property taxes are an important consideration in just about every real estate transaction. If you are contemplating buying property, you want to have some idea of its assessed value and potential tax liability. You must also be aware of how prior or pending legal proceedings may affect your rights once

The biggest fear many people have when buying a home (or other real estate) is they will find something wrong with the property after they have already closed the deal. If that happens, it is often too late to do anything about it legally. New York law can make it