As reported by Matt Carter of Inman News, the Bush administration on Monday, March 31, 2008 — in reaction to the financial and real estate markets collapse — has put forward a sweeping plan for reorganizing the regulation of the financial system that would include national licensing standards for mortgage brokers and the elimination of […]

The Washington Business Journal’s Melissa Castro uncovers a buried treasure, deep within the  2008 Economic Stimulus Act.
Discover a lucrative perk for landlords and commercial tenants that’s there for the taking. In an effort to revive the commercial real estate industry, Congress increased the amount of construction costs that can be written off in the first year for improvements to […]

Mike Larson, in Money and Markets, examines the real estate marketplace in the U.S. and how neither commercial nor residential is ready for a turn around. Mr. Larson takes a closer look at the U.S. real estate markets and determines the troubles that might lie ahead.

On the Residential Front: There is not really any […]

Go Figure. Just when you thought all the news was gloom and doom, delinquency rates on commercial and multifamily loans ended 2007 at or near record lows for most major investor groups, according to new research by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Fourth quarter delinquency rates for commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), life companies, and government-sponsored enterprises […]

The Maryland Daily Record just reported that “a bill that would allow Maryland banks to collect closing costs from customers who pay off loans early moved closer to final passage … after a contentious debate.” Apparently there’s no free lunch. It makes sense, but is is legal? It will be, if this piece of legislation […]

As stated in our earlier Blog posting of December 28, 2007, Maryland withholding tax requirements for non-resident entities changed, effective October 22, 2007. It’s very important to note that the regulations were revised to alter the definitions of resident and non-resident entities, as well.  Previously, a non-resident entity could qualify or register to do business in Maryland […]

This is a historic time, in our financial markets. Americans’ percentage of equity in their homes fell below 50 percent for the first time on record since 1945, as reported on CNBC today.

Homeowners’ portion of equity slipped to downwardly revised 49.6 percent in the second quarter of 2007, the central bank reported in its quarterly […]

HUD has just released the new loan limits, as mandated by the Economic Stimulus Package of 2008.  This will immediately affect the Jumbo Residential marketplace.

FHA and the GSE’s can temporarily increase loan limits and insure larger mortgages at a more affordable price in high cost areas of the country.  Here’s the link to see for yourself. […]

Kevin L. Shepher, co-chair of the Real Estate Practice Group of Venable LLP, just published an interesting article in the Maryland Daily Record, entitled: Exercising real estate options: Close does not count.
Option contracts are at the heart of many real estate transactions, so this is an issue, and a holding, that is well worth studying.
The question: Must […]

As reported the Inman News, the Internal Revenue Service has just handed investors and second-home owners a new gift in the form of a safety net that provides a “safe harbor” for taxpayers who wish to swap the property via a Section 1031 tax-free exchange even though they have enjoyed personal use of the property.

Revenue […]