Leasing – Houstonius

What are the key changes in the HUD memorandum? According to the provided sources, the HUD memorandum issued on May 22 introduces several shifts in how assistance animal accommodation requests are handled, even though the core legal framework remains the same. The key changes highlighted in the memorandum include: HUD Enforcement Interpretation: There is a change in how HUD interprets the enforcem...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development no longer requires landlords to waive pet policies for untrained emotional support animals. HUD has determined that requests to waive pet policies for animals trained to perform specific disability-related services are reasonable, but requests to waive pet policies for untrained ESAs are not. HUD no longer expects housing providers to extend acc...

Produced at the Poodle Ranch concerning emotional support animals, are landlords given exceptions under FHA rules, if the building only has 4 apartments Yes, under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), there is a specific exception that can apply to buildings with four or fewer units. This is commonly known as the "Mrs. Murphy Exemption." However, the exception only applies if certain criteria are m...

Must a prospective apartment tenant be treated differently if that prospective tenant has an emotional support animal Yes, under both federal and Texas fair housing laws, a prospective tenant with an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) must be treated differently than a standard pet owner. In the eyes of the law, an ESA is not a pet; it is considered an "assistance animal" (a medical tool), similar to...

In October 2025, this month, my client closed the purchase of a commercial property worth approximately $1,650,000 in southwest Houston.  Negotiations took approximately 3 weeks, because buyer and seller were sometimes traveling.  Neither buyer nor seller appeared motivated, but they were.  The broker representing the seller was professional and helpful. There had been other purchase offers from o...

Lester Langdon here.  In the past, several of my clients have had problems with squatters.  Here is a recent article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram, written by Tiffani Jackson Here’s what Texas’ new squatter laws mean for landlords, tenants and homeowners It’s a nightmare scenario for homeowners — discovering that someone has taken up residence in your property without permission, and finding o...

Spotting Signs of Fraud Overview: This briefing document summarizes the key themes and important information presented in the PetScreening article "Spotting the Signs of ESA Fraud." The article addresses the increasing trend of individuals attempting to fraudulently pass off their pets as assistance animals (Emotional Support Animals - ESAs) to avoid pet fees and restrictions in rental housing. It...

Several clients with properties have phoned to get my opinion on the status of prices and rental rates?  I am hunkered in the bunker for the last 4 weeks, but am watching the real estate markets. My answer to current market conditions is …. Too soon to tell. I do not know why? Several owners have asked how to handle  tenants who do not pay rent due to Covid virus challenges.  I have promulgated fo...

The World Has Become Complicated Five broker skill sets which effect buyers and sellers People Laws Institutions Real Estate Properties Technology People skills –  Ask questions and listen. If they sound like you know everything, it is probably not true and they  have a confidence problem.  We have to learn by their mistakes, so arguments may not help. A seller overpriced her property, after I had...