Suffolk and Nassau County legislators passed a bill that allows homeowners to remove covenants from their property deeds – covenants that once prohibited people from certain racial and religious backgrounds from buying property on Long Island. Long Island Board of REALTORS® celebrates this progress and looks forward to further strengthening communities with equal access to homeownership. Racially and religious restrictive language in property documents IS illegal and unconstitutional. Thanks to County legislators, removing these restrictive covenants from your deed is now easy and free. Here’s how:

Suffolk County

• 1. Download the form HERE. 
• 2. Fill out your personal information and when the restrictive covenant was recorded on your deed.
• 3. Notarize the form and return the signed version to 310 Center Dr S, Riverhead, NY.

Nassau County

• 1. File and notarize a new deed with the Nassau County clerk. 
• 2. Fill out the statutory RP-5217 and TP-584 forms, available at tax.ny.gov.
• 3. Return the signed forms and new deed to the County clerk’s office at 240 Old Country Rd, Mineola, NY. 

For more on the history of covenants click here.

Here are few predictions about the housing market made by Dr. Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors Chief Economist.

1. Inventory will increase - The total number of houses for sale will increase as the number of new constructions of one family house increase and mortgage forbearance comes to an end.
2. Interest rate will inch up - Increase inflation will lead to an increase in interest rates with a prediction of 3.7% by end of 2022.
3. A 2% reduction in home sales from 6M to 5.88M.
4. A more Normal Housing Market by summer of 2022 where the supply of houses will be close to the demand.

1. Find a reputable agent and talk to him or her about how to safeguard your possessions.

2. Make sure your agent uses a sign-in sheet for everyone who comes into the house. The sheet should include name, phone number and address. 

3. For multilevel homes, ask your agent to bring an assistant so that all floors are covered at all times.

4. Remove valuables from view and store them in a safe, locked place.

5. Remove all prescription medicines and lock those up too.

6. Store away safely small electronics such as laptops, iPads, smartphones, and other electronic devices that are easy to tuck in a pocket.

7. Do not hide anything in your top dresser drawer as this is a well know spot for thieves.

8. Make sure your computers are locked with a pass code.

9. Bills, checks, bank statements, passports, and ID cards should be safely stored away.

10. Do not use any heirlooms or valuable possessions to stage your rooms.

11. If images of your home are on MLS or any other online real estate site, don’t display valuables that could entice thieves.

 12. After each open house, make sure your or your real estate agent check and lock all doors and windows even those that were not open. There are unscrupulous people who will leave doors or windows open so they can get in later.

On December 28, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 which is intended to provide relief to tenants, homeowners, and small landlords facing continued economic hardship resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Act prevents residential evictions, foreclosure proceedings, credit discrimination, and negative credit reporting related to the COVID-19 pandemic until May 1, 2021. It also extends the Senior Citizens’ Homeowner Exemption and Disabled Homeowner Exemption from 2020 to 2021.

The Act helps tenants facing eviction and mortgagors facing foreclosure proceedings due to the pandemic in the following areas:

1) Residential Evictions: The Act places a moratorium on residential evictions until May 1, 2021, for tenants who have endured COVID-related hardship. Tenants must submit a hardship declaration or a document explaining the source of the pandemic-related.

2) Residential Foreclosure Proceedings: The Act also places a moratorium on residential foreclosure proceedings until May 1, 2021. Homeowners and small landlords who are a natural person and own 10 or fewer residential dwellings may file Hardship Declarations with their mortgage lender, other foreclosing party, or a court in order to prevent foreclosure until after the moratorium expires.

3) Tax Lien Foreclosures and Sales: The Act prevents local governments from engaging in a tax lien sale or a tax foreclosure (including, in connection with any unpaid tax, special ad valorem levy, special assessment, or other similar charge) until at least May 1, 2021. However, tax payments and assessments due to the local government will remain due and payable.

4) Credit Discrimination and Negative Credit Reporting: The Act prohibits lenders from discriminating against a property owner when making lending decisions because the property owner has been granted a stay of mortgage foreclosure proceedings, tax foreclosure proceedings, or tax lien sales pursuant to the Act, has filed a Hardship Declaration, or is in arrears.

5) Senior Citizens’ Homeowner Exemption and Disabled Homeowner Exemption: Local governments are required to carry over Senior Citizens’ Homeowner Exemptions (SCHE) for homeowners who are 65 years old or older, and Disabled Homeowner Exemptions (DHC) from the 2020 tax assessment roll to the 2021 assessment roll at the same levels. Local governments are also required to provide renewal applications for anyone who may be eligible for a higher amount of exemption in 2021. Municipal governments may set up procedures for assessors to require renewal applications from people who the assessors believe may no longer be eligible for an exemption. Recipients of the exemption do not have to file renewal applications in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, New York’s government has attempted to provide relief from pandemic-related hardship to New Yorkers in danger of losing their homes or their businesses. According to Governor Cuomo, this Act of Dc 28^th is “the kind of support that helps us stay New York Tough.”