BLOG:

N.J. District Court: Jersey City’s Limit on Short-Term Rentals is Constitutional Under the Takings Clause

by: Michael Realbuto
7 Mar 2022
Home sharing platforms have exploded in popularity over the past decade, becoming an acceptable way for individuals to earn supplemental income from their properties. Using these platforms, individuals may lease or sublease their properties for a short-term period of days, weeks, or months at a time. In 2015, Jersey City passed an ordinance affirmatively permitting... Read More

Tax Court Declines to Increase Property Tax Assessments for Carteret Property

by: Matthew Erickson
14 Feb 2022
The Tax Court of New Jersey recently rendered a seventeen (17) page opinion in Carteret Holdings Urban Renewal, LLC v. Carteret Borough (hereafter “Carteret Holdings”) that affirmed the 2018 and 2019 tax assessments for a garden-style apartment complex located in Carteret Borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey. The unpublished opinion, written by the Hon. Mala Sundar,... Read More

Property Tax Relief Legislation Advances Through NJ Senate Committee

by: Matthew Erickson
10 Feb 2022
NJ Property Tax Relief On January 27, 2022, the New Jersey Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee unanimously approved two pieces of legislation impacting New Jersey property taxes.  These proposed bills, S330 and S343, are lawmaker’s attempts to give some measure of property tax relief to New Jersey residents.  Though they both take very different... Read More

Crossing the Line? Nebraska Plans to Use Eminent Domain to Take Land in Colorado

by: Michael Realbuto
19 Jan 2022
We often think of eminent domain as the inherent power of the government to take private land for a public purpose. But what about when one sovereign entity intends to take land from another? Let’s look at a recent interstate taking story from the Nebraska-Colorado border, where Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts plans to use Nebraska’s... Read More

New Jersey Enacts New Changes to the Casino Property Stabilization Act

by: Matthew Erickson
12 Jan 2022
On December 21, 2021, the Governor of New Jersey signed into law S4007, a bill that is meant to address the property tax payments made by Atlantic City Casinos.  Previously, on December 20, 2021, the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey Assembly had passed the bill with narrow margins. The Casino Property Stabilization Act... Read More

How Can A Taking By Eminent Domain Affect Your Taxes?

by: Michael Realbuto
5 Jan 2022
The complex intersection of eminent domain taxation and property rights often creates confusion for property owners facing government takings. When your property is acquired through eminent domain, you may face unexpected tax implications beyond just losing your property. While certain properties like churches and schools may be exempt from eminent domain, most private property owners... Read More

How To Win Your Property Tax Appeal? Here Are 5 Steps To Follow

by: Michael Realbuto
Sign a house sale agreement
3 Jan 2022
Understanding how to win a property tax appeal is crucial for New Jersey property owners, as property taxes are not fixed expenses. Successfully appealing your tax assessment may create opportunities for hundreds or even thousands of dollars in yearly savings. With that being said, below are five basic steps that can increase your chances of... Read More

East Orange Resident Faces an Uphill Battle After a Surprise Tax Foreclosure

by: Michael Realbuto
16 Dec 2021
Buying, owning, and securing property can be one of the most monumental and emotionally taxing periods in a person’s life. As John Adams once noted, “[p]roperty must be secured, or liberty cannot exist.” Discourses on Davila, in 6 Works of John Adams 280 (C. Adams ed. 1851). These principles are woven throughout the story of... Read More

The Difference Between Eminent Domain and Condemnation: What You Need to Know

by: Michael Realbuto
Judge hammer and golden scales with small house on gray background
14 Dec 2021
While the terms “eminent domain” and “condemnation” are often used interchangeably, the difference between eminent domain and condemnation may come as a surprise to most. Eminent domain refers to the government’s power to take private property for public use, while condemnation is the legal process through which this power is exercised. Understanding these distinctions is... Read More

What Can NJ Property Owners Expect from President Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill?

by: Michael Realbuto
29 Nov 2021
On November 15, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill (the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act”) that provides New Jersey with an estimated $12.3 billion in funding over the next five years to revitalize the state’s dilapidated roads, railways, bridges, and tunnels. While widespread infrastructure repair is long overdue in New... Read More