Category Archives: Real Estate

Treatise Update – Holtzschue on Real Estate Contracts and Closings: A Step-by-Step Guide to Buying and Selling Real Estate (3rd Edition)

Holtzschue on Real Estate Contracts and Closings is an invaluable resource for attorneys and general practitioners who handle real estate deals as well as an important reference for brokers, title insurers, and inspectors. It distills more than thirty years of transactional experience into one plain-English treatise that clearly explains governing law and customary industry practices. The book provides useful legal, technical, and strategic guidance and checklists for sellers’ and purchasers’ attorneys preparing them to execute dispute-free residential deals quickly and easily.

This new release offers the latest information crucial to your practice. Highlights include:

Chapter 1, Preparing for the Sale or Purchase. The latest guidance about where New York City purchasers should search for filings (see section 1:2.2).
Chapter 2, Drafting and Negotiating the Contract. New and updated cases and other authority throughout, including in the following areas: finding statute of frauds not satisfied (see section 2:1.1); easements and licenses to improve adjoining property (see section 2:2.7[D][7]); time of the essence (see section 2:2.9[A]); caveat emptor (see section 2:2.11[A]); and allowing seller to recover proceeds of purchaser’s dishonored down payment check (see section 2:2.17[B][1]).

In addition, the Table of Authorities and Index have been updated to reflect the latest revisions.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

Treatise Update – Commercial Ground Leases (Fourth Edition)

Commercial Ground Leases is a definitive guide to drafting, negotiating, and finalizing equitable, error-free leasing documents that address the needs of both landlord and tenant. It features adaptable, time-saving agreement language and contains numerous appendices, including forms of letter of intent, leasehold mortgagee protection clauses, intercreditor agreements, fee and leasehold deed of trust provisions, estoppel certificate and guaranty, and a complete ground lease with many alternative clauses.

Highlights of the new release include:

Chapter 1: Updated discussion covers the landowner’s and the tenant/lender’s differing views on the basis for a percentage rent formula (see section 1:4.5).
Chapter 4: Updated discussion reviews the Lever House in the context of unused development rights (see section 4:5.3).
Chapter 10: Updated discussion reviews setting the duration of term when there is a second or third use of a building (or the underlying land) (see section 10:7.1).
Chapter 13: Provides a new typical maintenance clause (see section 13:5).
New Appendix Y: A provision creating a replacement reserve for the replacement of furniture, fixtures, equipment, and operating systems during the last twenty years of the lease term, or upon the exercise of the last tenant option to extend the term, or a number of years to be specified after completion of construction of the project.
New Appendix Z: A form of completion guaranty that covers completion of shell and core construction, exclusive of tenant improvements, and including ground lease rental that arises under the lease due to delays in completion of construction.
Chapters 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 16, 19, and 20 have also been updated with the latest developments.

In addition, the Tables of Authorities and the Index have been updated.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Edition! Legal Guide to the Business of Marijuana: Cannabis, Hemp and CBD Regulation (2022 Edition)

PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of the new edition of Legal Guide to the Business of Marijuana.

Updated annually, the book is a unique resource offering critical guidance on a wide range of interrelated topics for lawyers who represent clients in the fast-growing legal cannabis industry. It sorts through the complex and varying state regulation of medical and non-medical marijuana with an appendix providing the latest key state legislation (see Chapter 3 and Appendix C).

It also looks into the various aspects of establishing and managing a marijuana enterprise, including the growing, licensing, labeling, transporting, and distribution of marijuana and related products (see Chapters 7, 10, 11, 13, and 15). In addition, the guide addresses federal law, enforcement, and preemption and their implications for employment, taxes, and banking (see Chapters 8 and 9).

For lawyers new to representing cannabis clients, the authors provide an understanding of the definitions of marijuana and other cannabis products, as well as a review of the policy and political issues that have led to the controversy and uncertainty of the current environment (see the Table of Contents).

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Edition! Net Leases and Sale-Leasebacks: A Guide to Legal, Tax and Accounting Strategies (2022 Edition)

PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of the new edition of Net Leases and Sale-Leasebacks: A Guide to Legal, Tax and Accounting Strategies.

The treatise covers all aspects of the ownership, financing, documentation, taxation, and accounting for net leases with a focus on those areas where the treatment of net leases differs from the treatment of other forms of real estate investment. It includes in-depth guidance on sophisticated and complex structuring issues, particularly with respect to the latest tax and financial accounting rules, and provides readers with several appendices to assist with the nuts and bolts of net leasing practice, including a sample Net Lease and a sample Ground Lease.

Highlights of the 2022 Edition include:

Tenant Purchase Options. Chapter 2 (The Lease) has been updated with an expanded discussion of the risks to the landlord arising from a tenant purchase option.
Tax Considerations. Chapter 5 (Tax Considerations) has been updated with new material on section 1031(f) and related party exchanges, allocating interest payments between deductible and non-deductible uses, transfer tax liability, series LLCs, promoted interests, and more.
Sample Net Lease: Appendix E (Sample Net Lease) has been updated with new Force Majeure and Right to Go Dark provisions.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

Treatise Update – Holtzschue on Real Estate Contracts and Closings: A Step-by-Step Guide to Buying and Selling Real Estate (3rd Edition)

This new release offers the latest information crucial to your practice. Highlights include:

Chapter 2, Drafting and Negotiating the Contract. New Tips on who is favored in decisions dealing with “as is” and caveat emptor (see section 2:2.11[A][1]), and mortgage commitment contingency (see section 2:3.1).
Chapter 4, The Closing. Coverage of the New York Electronic Notarization Bill, effective June 20, 2022, which will allow notarial acts through a completely electronic format, referred to as Remote Online Notarization (RON) (see section 4:1); and the December 7, 2021 FinCEN Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which implements the federal Corporate Transparency Act’s beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting provisions as to corporations, limited liability companies, or other entities (see section 4:2.4).
New and updated cases and other authority throughout the text, including in the following important areas: Ethics and Professional Responsibility, [8] Attorney Escrow Accounts; easement for historic preservation (see section 2:2.7[D][7]); failed suits against title insurance companies (see section 2:2.7[E]); caveat emptor (see section 2:2.11[A]); and attorney approval clauses (see section 2:3.26[B]).

In addition, the Table of Authorities and Index have been updated to reflect the latest revisions.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

Treatise Update – Holtzschue on Real Estate Contracts and Closings (3rd Edition)

Holtzschue on Real Estate Contracts and Closings:A Step-by-Step Guide to Buying and Selling Real Estate is an invaluable resource for attorneys and general practitioners who handle real estate deals as well as an important reference for brokers, title insurers, and inspectors. It distills more than thirty years of transactional experience into one plain-English treatise that clearly explains governing law and customary industry practices. The book provides useful legal, technical, and strategic guidance and checklists for sellers’ and purchasers’ attorneys preparing them to execute dispute-free residential deals quickly and easily.

This new release offers the latest information crucial to your practice. Highlights include:

Ethics and Professional Responsibility, [8] Attorney Escrow Accounts. Updated to include New York State Bar Association Ethics Opinions on deposits to maintain an escrow account.
Section 2:3.24, Representations of Seller and Conditions to Closing. Updated to cover Section 13.02 of the commercial contract (Forms 154 and 3125).
Section 2:4, Contracts for Tenanted Buildings. Updated to include the provision in commercial contract (Forms 154 and 3125) regarding defects in title (see section 2:4.1).
A new section entitled Lasting Model Forms compiles the author’s work on model bar association contract forms.

In addition, the Table of Authorities and Index have been updated to reflect the latest revisions.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

New Edition! Legal Guide to the Business of Marijuana

PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of the new edition of Legal Guide to the Business of Marijuana: Cannabis, Hemp and CBD Regulation (2021 Edition).

This is a unique resource for lawyers who represent clients in the fast-growing legal cannabis industry. For lawyers new to representing marijuana clients, the authors provide an understanding of the definitions of marijuana and other cannabis products, as well as a review of the policy and political issues that have led to the controversy and uncertainty of the current environment.

The book also offers critical guidance on a wide range of interrelated topics, including:

The complex and varying state regulation of medical and non-medical marijuana;
Federal law, enforcement, and preemption and their implications for employment, taxes, and banking;
Various aspects of establishing and managing a marijuana enterprise, including the growing, licensing, labeling, transporting, and distribution of marijuana and related products.

The new edition adds the latest on regulation of CBD products, the Final Rule for the Establishment of a Domestic Hemp Production Program, and the laws of the latest states to adopt some form of cannabis legalization—New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, and Virginia.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

Treatise Update – Commercial Ground Leases

Commercial Ground Leases (Third Edition) is a definitive guide to drafting, negotiating, and finalizing equitable, error-free leasing documents that address the needs of both landlord and tenant. It features adaptable, time-saving agreement language and contains numerous appendices, including forms of letter of intent, leasehold mortgagee protection clauses, intercreditor agreements, a complete ground lease with many alternative clauses, and more.

Highlights from the latest update (Release #15) include:

Chapter 1, The Truth About Ground Leases. New discussion covers the landlord as partner, including the considerations for tenant/developers and equity sources and institutional mortgage lenders. See section 1:8.
Chapter 1A, Preliminary Agreements and Letters of Intent. Discussion of a well-drafted letter of intent, which should include all the material points to which the parties have agreed and any significant deal points that are potential deal breakers or processes to resolve them. See section 1A:2.2.
Chapter 6, Leasehold Financing. New discussion of mezzanine financing, which has become a feature of commercial real estate for a variety of purposes, including budget shortfalls and short-term needs. See section 6:2.4.
Chapter 7, Bankruptcy. Updated to include discussion of Mission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology, LLC, 139 S. Ct. 1652 (2019), in which the U.S. Supreme Court held, “Rejection of a contract—any contract—in bankruptcy operates not as a rescission but as a breach” and “leaves intact the rights the counterparty has received under the contract.” See section 7:5.4.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.

Real Estate Law Webinar – This Thursday!

On Thursday, October 29 at 3:00 p.m. ET PLI’s Library Relations Manager, Kay Mitchell, will provide a brief demo to highlight the Real Estate Law resources available on Practising Law Institute’s (PLI) online research database, PLI PLUS. Kay will cover popular Real Estate Law titles and review research scenarios to demonstrate key features of PLI PLUS.

POPULAR REAL ESTATE LAW TITLES AVAILABLE ON PLI PLUS INCLUDE:

This demo is part of PLI’s ongoing webinar series. Each month we highlight PLI’s resources in a different practice area while also demonstrating the overall functionality of the research database. For registration and a list of upcoming webinars, visit PLI Practice Area Webinars.

Treatise Update: Friedman and Smith on Contracts

Friedman and Smith on Contracts and Conveyances of Real Property (Eighth Edition) delivers coverage and analysis of the most current developments in real estate conveyancing to assist attorneys representing parties in the sale of real property in drafting sound agreements. This treatise contains sample forms, clauses, and checklists that simplify and accelerate transactions.

Highlights of this release include:

Chapter 2, Parties to Contract, advises that well-drafted contract consistently describes the name of the seller in all parts of the contract; and cautions that describing the seller’s name as “Owner of record” in the contract may violate the statute of frauds requirement.
Chapter 4, Purchase Price and Consideration, discusses contractsthat provide for a credit to the buyer based on future events; and the distinction between earnest money and a deposit upon a buyer’s default.
Chapter 5, Statute of Frauds, covers the use of promissory estoppel as an alternative to the doctrine of part performance to take a contract out of the statute of frauds; and the trend by some states in recognizing fraud and other tort claims as exceptions to the statute of frauds.
Chapter 7, Property Quality, provides an overview of the various state statutes of limitations and statutes of repose for certain warranty claims.
Chapter 8, Misrepresentations by Sellers and Buyers, discusses seller’s liability for their broker’s misrepresentations.
Chapter 9, Mortgage Financing, covers an “absolute deed,” which is intended as security and gives rise to an equitable mortgage.
Chapter 23, Contract Remedies for Buyer Default, includes a state statute that provides for the forfeiture of the buyer’s payment if the parties agreed that the payment is “earnest money.”
Chapter 27, Deed Execution and Delivery, updated to include a discussion of acknowledgment of a deed.
Chapter 28, Deed Covenants of Title, includes a discussion of Trial v. Dragon, a Texas case where the court refused to apply estoppel to the grantor’s heirs who acquired their interest through their mother’s estate.

Order a print copy today.

PLI PLUS subscribers can access this title through their subscription.