Category: New York
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New in New York: Transfer on Death Deeds
In July 2024, the brand-new Transfer on Death Deed Law went into effect in New York State. Residents are now free to create and record a transfer on death deed (also known as the TODD or TOD deed). If you know who you’re leaving your home to, and that person doesn’t already hold rights of…
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Deeds.com Position on Manual (Non-Electronic) Notary Journals in New York and Beyond
In a significant legal change we recently discussed here, the New York State Senate has voted unanimously for its Bill 8663, which amends state law “to limit the recordkeeping and reporting duties of public notaries only to electronic notarization acts.” That is, if the notarization isn’t electronic, a notary need not make or keep any…
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Update: New York Works on Clearer Laws for Remote Notaries
Lawmakers have proposed new legislation impacting the notarization of documents in New York State. Throughout New York, the legal update would make all official notaries’ records electronic only. Here, we offer a FAQ on the current law and the proposed modification.
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Guilty Pleas in Long Island: Heirs Recover Their Stolen Deeds
Two New Yorkers — and one is a former lawyer and a licensed notary — have pleaded guilty to deed fraud charges in New York. The charges involve first-degree scheming to defraud, and additional counts related to forging and filing false documents to take deceased people’s titles in Nassau and Queens. A company run by…
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Deed Theft Crackdown: New York’s on a Roll
New York State Attorney General Letitia James is championing a cause near and dear to our hearts: safe and secure deeds. On the last day of July 2023, the A.G. announced an indictment of a Long Island resident for deed theft. Joseph Makhani faces two counts of criminal possession of stolen property and one count…
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“Deed Theft” Is a Crime, Says New York Legislature
On June 24, 2023, New York’s lawmakers passed a bill to create the crime of deed theft and help New Yorkers hold onto their homes. The state’s Attorney General, Letitia James, has been vocal about the need for new legislation to help keep New Yorkers in their homes. State Sen. Brian Kavanagh and Assembly member…
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New York’s Attorney General Gets Tougher on Deed Thieves
New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced a new package of legislation to create the specific crime of “deed theft.” Deed theft occurs when someone conveys a property deed to another party without the informed consent of the rightful owner. The new law against it is meant to bolster the remedies available under New…
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Amid New York City’s Rampant Deed Theft, One Victim Wins
Brooklyn property values are going up. And there are plenty of opportunists looking to steal deeds. In the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn in New York City, Dairus Griffiths just triumphed over those opportunists. In the past decade, Brooklyn has lost many of its Black and Hispanic residents, as gentrification reshapes the district. Serial fraudsters and…
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Start Spreading the News: Blockchain Deed Recording Comes to New York City
New York City’s Department of Finance is trying out blockchain. Can the technology make recording and keeping deeds a better process? The test run, handled by Medici Land Governance (MLG), will find out whether the method will work in a massive city, the company stated in August 2021. MLG is owned by Overstock.com — an…
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The Sweet New York Condo Tax Deal
How Long Must This Show Go On? Homes in New York can have high property tax assessments. By default, home values are assessed at market prices. In contrast, homes classified as condos receive deep discounts when they’re assessed. The result? Some people pay a lot more to cover county, township and school taxes than other…
