Blog« back to blog homeSubscribe to RSS feed
William Lalor’s Article “COVID-19 Business Interruption Coverage Concerns” Appears in Risk Management Magazine
Category: Publications | Friday, March 13th, 2020 | Comments Off on William Lalor’s Article “COVID-19 Business Interruption Coverage Concerns” Appears in Risk Management Magazine
Devin McRae Quoted in Los Angeles Business Journal
Category: News, Publications | Friday, October 4th, 2019 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Quoted in Los Angeles Business Journal
Lisa Boswell’s Article on Disruptors in the Real Estate Industry Appears in Inman
Category: Publications | Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019 | Comments Off on Lisa Boswell’s Article on Disruptors in the Real Estate Industry Appears in Inman
From Inman:
Why the only constant in real estate is change
The look, functionality and way we insure homes are apt to change – and so should our expectations.
By Lisa Boswell
Just like Uber and Lyft have turned the future of car ownership upside down, those looking to stay ahead of the curve in the real estate market are looking for ways to adapt the concept of homeownership to fit into the less traditional millennial lifestyle.
While the concept of timeshares seems to have lost favor with the public at large, those looking to disrupt the traditional real estate market might look to apply aspects of the timeshare concept to capture the millennial homeownership market.
With the growing trend toward changing jobs more frequently and the corresponding need to relocate more often, fractional real estate ownership could potentially serve the needs of the modern mobile homeowner.
Similarly, others are exploring modular homes as a possible new growth area.
The first step, however, is coaxing reluctant first-time homebuyers into the market.
According to this recent survey commissioned by Northshore Fireplace, 65 percent of millennials believe homeownership to be a “choice” rather than a necessity. In that vein, hybrid real estate agencies like Purplebricks or online agents like those that have taken off in the U.K. are appealing to the newest generation of homebuyers given the emphasis placed on digital data and online search tools, not to mention the savings offered by the flat-fee sellerʼs commission.
“When the real estate market is rallying, discount brokerages of many stripes come out of the woodwork,” says real estate market expert Andrea Scott of Alain Pinel Realtors, which was acquired by Compass earlier this year.
On the other end of the spectrum, fullservice real estate firms are now offering a broader range of services such as short-term loans to clients to avoid the stress of timing the sale of their current home to the purchase of a new home, as well as loans to advance the costs of remodeling or staging a home for sale to entice millennials to trade up once they enter the homeownership ranks.
Everything from the look, functionality and the way we insure homes are apt to change.
In those cities and countries where food delivery apps are the new dinner norm, developers are offering kitchens better suited to those dining in them but not actually cooking.
While luxury appliances are still a must on homebuyersʼ wish lists, storage and working space are sacrificed to make room for extra dining space.
Although home automation is a relatively new concept, it has quickly become another must-have feature that millennial buyers consider essential. A study conducted by Coldwell Banker Real Estate showed that 61 percent of millennials are willing to pay extra for a home or rental that comes with smart home technology.
With some predicting that car ownership will decrease dramatically in the next decade, some home features that have historically been considered very attractive such as garages and off-street parking might be traded for home office space for the increasing remote workforce.
Many would consider the insurance industry to be one of the last bastions of the old-world business model.
Yet even the insurance industry is bracing for change. Tapping into the sensibilities of the next generation of homebuyers, the insurance startup Lemonade recently launched a new concept for home and rentersʼ insurance, marketing itself as “powered by tech and driven by social good”; two factors that strike a chord with the targeted demographic.
If change has reached the insurance industry, it is only a matter of time before we can expect to see similar efforts at revamping mortgage banking and other aspects of the real estate industry.
So while the American dream of homeownership will likely survive, some of the more traditional concepts associated with homeownership, including the white picket fence, might just have to go.
With these real estate trends in mind, brokers and agents would be wise to consider the demographics of their client base when tailoring their marketing strategies, creating an online presence and identifying the properties best suited to their buyersʼ lifestyles.
Similarly, real estate professionals should be prepared to deal with the increasing public expectation of reduced commission structures given the growing prevalence of online and hybrid agencies, as well as the media attention received by the recent filing of an antitrust class action suit against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and a number of national real estate brokerages associated with the Buyer Broker Commission Rule.
With these concerns looming, brokers and agents should look to develop and offer personalized services that cater to their clientele and give the added value that millennials and other cost-conscious clients will be looking for from a full service agency.
Lisa Boswell, Esq. is an attorney at the law firm of Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae in Los Angeles.
Early Sullivan Handles Another Lawsuit Involving Native American Law, Representing Homeowners Alleged To Be Trespassing on Indian Land
Category: News, Press, Publications | Friday, September 14th, 2018 | Comments Off on Early Sullivan Handles Another Lawsuit Involving Native American Law, Representing Homeowners Alleged To Be Trespassing on Indian Land
Mobile home park Safari Park Inc., located in Palm Springs, California, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against numerous high-end property owners, alleging that they regularly trespass onto land allotted to a member of the Agua Client Band of Cahuilla Indians and subleased by Safari Park.
Early Sullivan represents the property owners and has filed a Motion to Dismiss Safari Park’s action, arguing that the Plaintiff relies on federal laws which do not confer jurisdiction of the action to the Central District. The Firm argues that the law cited by Safari Park that authorizes the allotment of reservation land to individual tribal members, and the related law that allows this property to be leased, do not apply to disputes between non-Indian lessees like Safari Park and third parties like the homeowners — rather, the laws can only be applied to relationships between lessees and Indian landowners.
The full article in the Desert Sun can be read here.
Eric Early Represents Non-Profit Group Concerned About Fair Education in Santa Barbara
Category: News, Press, Publications | Wednesday, September 12th, 2018 | Comments Off on Eric Early Represents Non-Profit Group Concerned About Fair Education in Santa Barbara
Representing a group of concerned citizens about fair and quality education, Eric Early appeared before the Board of the Santa Barbara Unified School District and spoke about its pending adoption of training programs to be provided by a nonprofit named Just Communities Central Coast. Detailed in Josh Grega’s Santa Barbara News-Press cover story titled, “School Board Threatened With Lawsuit Over Training Program,” Eric spoke out against three memoranda of understanding that purport to deal with diversity, inclusion and equity in schools, arguing that they were radical, discriminatory, and illegal. Early stated, “I’m here to tell you that the Board should consider long and hard and very carefully the legal exposure it will face if it enters these MOUs.”
Kevin Spacey And Harvey Weinstein Employment Agreements Say A Lot About Hollywood – Forbes
Category: Publications | Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 | Comments Off on Kevin Spacey And Harvey Weinstein Employment Agreements Say A Lot About Hollywood – Forbes
Bryan Sullivan’s article “Kevin Spacey And Harvey Weinstein Employment Agreements Say A Lot About Hollywood” was published in Forbes on November 15, 2017. In the article, Bryan discusses how entertainment entities often draft purposefully broad contracts in order to benefit the company in the event that an individual engages in immoral conduct.
To read the full article, click here.
IMDb Refuses To Comply With California’s Age Discrimination Laws – Forbes
Category: News, Publications | Friday, January 13th, 2017 | Comments Off on IMDb Refuses To Comply With California’s Age Discrimination Laws – Forbes
Bryan Sullivan’s article “IMDb Refuses To Comply With California’s Age Discrimination Laws” appeared in Forbes’ Legal Entertainment column on January 11, 2017. In the article, Bryan examines the lawsuit between the film directory website and the State of California, and speculates on likely outcomes for the case.
To read the full article, click here.
‘Criminal Minds’ Firing: Could Thomas Gibson Take Legal Action? – Forbes
Category: Publications | Friday, August 19th, 2016 | Comments Off on ‘Criminal Minds’ Firing: Could Thomas Gibson Take Legal Action? – Forbes
Bryan Sullivan’s article “‘Criminal Minds’ Firing: Could Thomas Gibson Take Legal Action?” was published by Forbes on August 18, 2016. The article discusses the hurdles Gibson would face if he were to file a lawsuit over his termination from the show for allegedly kicking a writer on set during a dispute.
To read the full article, click here.
Getty Likely To Settle $1B Suit By Photographer For Appropriating Her Public-Domain Work – Forbes
Category: Publications | Saturday, August 6th, 2016 | Comments Off on Getty Likely To Settle $1B Suit By Photographer For Appropriating Her Public-Domain Work – Forbes
Bryan Sullivan’s article “Getty Likely To Settle $1B Suit By Photographer For Appropriating Her Public-Domain Work” appeared in Forbes on August 3, 2016. In the article, Bryan discusses prolific photographer Carol Highsmith’s lawsuit against the stock images giant, and the copyright issues at hand in the case.
To read the full article, click here.
Bryan Sullivan Quoted in Los Angeles Business Journal
Category: Publications | Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Quoted in Los Angeles Business Journal
Partner Bryan Sullivan was quoted in Cale Ottens’ Los Angeles Business Journal piece “Subcontractor Hangs Foreclosure Filing on Broad,” which studies engineering subcontractor Seele’s latest action in its payment dispute with Eli Broad, owner of the new Broad Museum in Los Angeles. Less than a week after the popular attraction opened, Seele foreclosed on the entire property and claimed that Broad still owes the company close to $6.9 million for its work; a move that Bryan does not consider surprising.
“The only way to get paid sometimes is to foreclose on the property,” Bryan said. “I think the Broad Foundation, they probably have the money, so they can pay it if they lose.”
Click “Download PDF” to read the full article.