Real Estate, Construction & Infrastructure

As a follow up to my colleague Allan Caggiano’s post here on the new 2016 ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards, the Planning & Zoning Resource Company (PZR) has recently circulated an important advisory on the practical effects of the new survey standards and the interaction between the surveyor and the zoning report that is typically provided by a third party like PZR.

Leases often form the start of a long term relationship between a landlord and tenant. This dynamic is much more critical in the life sciences context, and the process of lease negotiation and implementation requires integration and cooperation between the landlord and tenant teams. The lease creates a roadmap for what can be a very long tenancy, and needs to be carefully thought through and negotiated.

Beginning on February 16 of this year, the rate of tax withholding required by the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) will increase from 10% to 15%.  FIRPTA imposes federal tax on the sale of an interest in real property located in the United States by a foreign seller.

Mintz Levin was a sponsor of IMN's 13th Annual Winter Forum on Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing held at the Montage resort in Laguna Beach.  The IMN conference is the premier West Coast conference on real estate investing and is attended by the most influential voices in the real estate industry.

On February 23, 2016, the 2016 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys will become effective (superseding the 2011 ALTA/ACSM standards).

A sophisticated (and effective) wire-fraud scam targeting real estate (and other) transactions is on the rise, and mostly occurring in the United States.

Earlier today our colleagues in the Energy Technology practice posted an article regarding this morning's congressional agreement on a year-end spending and massive tax deal that will bring 5-year extensions to both the Investment Tax Credit and Production Tax Credit.

Our colleague Steve Friedberg recently spoke at the ICSC Shopping Center Law Conference in Phoenix, Arizona on the topic of “Financeable Retail Leases: A Guide to the Perplexed”.

Our colleague, Steve Friedberg will be speaking tomorrow during a seminar at this year's US Shopping Center Law Conference put on by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

Our colleague Jeff Moerdler was recently quoted in Law 360's article, "NYC Transportation Infrastructure Needs Innovation: Panel" after speaking on transportation infrastructure issues at the EisnerAmper's Real Estate Private Equity Summit this past Wednesday.

Since February 2015, California state legislators have proposed several bills to modify the limitations on property tax increases established by Proposition 13 (Prop. 13).

We are seeing more and more of our clients branching out into international markets. My partner, Dawn Saunders, wrote an interesting article about navigating international leasing transactions and the importance of having experienced international leasing counsel review these transactions.

Effective January 1, 2015, purchasers of property in California will no longer be able to hide the amount of transfer tax paid in connection with the acquisition of a new property.