News & Annoucements

Rachael Bronstein By Feb 20, 2014 Posted in News Share

By: Robert Mansen In honor of Presidents Day, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will welcome approximately 17,800 new citizens during 148 naturalization ceremonies taking place throughout the U.S. this week.  Lori Scialabba, Acting Director for the USCIS, stated that “It is special for our newest citizens to take their Oaths of Allegiance as we celebrate Presidents Day.  Our newest citizens will help shape our nation’s future.  Through the contributions they make, and by choosing […]

Rachael Bronstein By Oct 14, 2013 Posted in News Share

By Michael Cotzen and Jennifer Murillo Last month, the Second District Court of Appeals entered an opinion in the case of Focht v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which stands to change the current defenses available to homeowners facing foreclosure. It is well-established law that a bank, at the time it forecloses, must have standing to sue.  Country Place Cmty. Ass’n v. J.P. Morgan Mortg. Acq. Corp., 51 So. 3d 1176, 1179 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010).  Consider […]

Rachael Bronstein By Sep 16, 2013 Posted in News Share

By Michael Cotzen Last week, the Fourth District Court of Appeal issued its opinion in the case of Seale v. Regions Bank, reversing a summary judgment of foreclosure entered by the trial court. In its opinion, the 4th DCA held “[a] wealth of case law makes it clear that in mortgage foreclosure cases, summary judgment is precluded if affirmative defenses are not factually refuted or shown to be legally insufficient.”  The court further held that the defense […]

Rachael Bronstein By May 28, 2013 Posted in News Share

Seizing on South Florida’s glut of foreclosed homes that are currently sitting vacant and rapidly deteriorating, real estate investors are capitalizing on a strategy that allows them to purchase home titles quickly and cheaply through community association foreclosures for the purpose of renting them until banks can recoup their losses. Because lien holders of these homes are primarily banks that are drowning in foreclosure proceedings, it sometimes takes several years before the foreclosure process is […]

Rachael Bronstein By May 22, 2013 Posted in News Share

When the housing boom ended in 2005, mortgage rates increased, affordability conditions rapidly disintegrated and investors speculating on pre-recession inflation rates began pulling out of the housing market. With the plunging confidence of home buyers combining with a volatile job market and the sidelining of trade-up and resort purchasers, foreclosure rates quickly reached rates commiserate with those of the Great Depression. Because the economy and housing market virtually collapsed overnight, many homeowners had no idea […]