Good news for T exas veterans who want to buy land! In his first act as chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board (TVLB) Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush increased the land loan limit . The previous land loan limit was $100,000. Texas veterans are now eligible for low-interest…
Those who follow the oil and gas industry, especially in Texas, are always interested in indicators of the health of the industry. One recent news story that caught my eye on this front was Chevron’s announcement of construction of a 50-story new office at 1600 Louisiana Street in downtown Houston,…
There seems to be a steady stream of good news as the oil and gas industry in Texas continues to show signs of expansion. However, one potential problem area which might impact our growing economy relates to taxes. It remains to be seen how some of the President’s tax proposals…
When the federal government began giving billions of dollars to the banking industry through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), we discovered that many financial institutions had gotten themselves into their dire situations by making or investing in high-risk home loans. Subsequent to that discovery, there was a push to…
Texas real estate attorneys who practice residential real estate law in Texas will want to be sure to tell their clients about a new tax credit available to first time home buyers. As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, first time home buyers get a credit…
As a real estate attorney representing clients all over the world in connection with their real estate interests in Texas, I am naturally following the current economic challenges and their impact on Texas real estate very closely. Dr. Mark Dotzour, with the Texas A & M Real Estate Center, was…
Texas lawyers and real estate brokers have by now, along with other Texas business owners, filed their first return under the revised Texas Franchise Tax. It is described by the Texas Comptroller as a “privilege tax“, paid for the privilege of doing business in Texas, but it is an income…
One of the things I love about being a Texas real estate and development lawyer is that Texans are so open to innovative real estate developments. Practicing real estate and development law in Texas is great fun and very satisfying for this reason. A recent real estate development in Texas…
As a Texas real estate and development attorney who has represented lenders, commercial borrowers and developers for years, and as someone who has been critical of the “band-aid” solutions to the sub prime delinquency problem proposed by some politicians, I am heartened when I see solutions that appear to actually…
As a Texas real estate and development attorney who has represented lenders, borrowers and developers in Texas for years, I find the current debate over sub prime mortgages to be especially interesting. Sub prime loan foreclosures in Texas are not as extensive as they are in other states, however, they…