New York State Passes Pied-à-Terre Tax Aimed at NYC’s Luxury Second Homes

by Phil Hall | May 28, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

The New York State legislature has approved Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to enact a new tax on second homes in New York City valued at $5 million or more. The Wall Street Journal reports the so-called “pied-à-terre tax” is part of the state’s budget legislation and...

National Fair Housing Alliance Sues CFPB Over Changes to Equal Credit Opportunity Act Enforcement

by Phil Hall | May 28, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) has sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to block a new rule that changed the agency’s enforcement policies relating to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) of 1974. The ECOA was designed to prohibit...

Fertitta Entertainment Acquires Caesars Entertainment for $17.6 Billion

by Phil Hall | May 28, 2026 | Commercial Real Estate News, Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

Two of the world’s most prominent hospitality and gaming companies are being combined into a single entity as Fertitta Entertainment Inc. announced its acquisition of Caesars Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) in a $17.6 billion all-cash transaction that includes the...

A Phil Hall Op-Ed: Wherefore Art Thou, Bill Pulte?

by Phil Hall | May 27, 2026 | A Phil Hall Op-Ed, Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

A Phil Hall Op-Ed: Three months ago, Bill Pulte took to X to cheer the decline of the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage below the 6% level for the first time in four years. “President Trump, single-handedly, lowered mortgage rates. He’s the best,” declared Pulte on his...

Lennar Expands Presence into the Des Moines Market

by Phil Hall | May 27, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN) is quietly entering Iowa’s Des Moines-area housing market. According to a Business Record report, the Miami-headquartered homebuilder created a Lennar Iowa Facebook page that heralded the upcoming arrival of “move-in ready homes” at prices...