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Podcasts Take Two
Feds to crackdown on dark money in luxury real estate
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Jan 14, 2016
Listen 5:52
Feds to crackdown on dark money in luxury real estate
The majority of LA's high-end housing market is made up of anonymous buyers who shield their identities behind corporations. That could be changing soon.
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Chris Garcia
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The majority of LA's high-end housing market is made up of anonymous buyers who shield their identities behind corporations. That could be changing soon.

An announcement Wednesday by the Treasury Department could shake-up high-end property markets across the country.

The department says it will track anonymous buyers who hide behind shell corporations to purchase properties in the US. It's the federal government's latest move to crack down on foreign money laundering.

Officials say the initiative was inspired by a New York Times investigation into the dark sector of the luxury real estate market -- a market often fueled by buyers from overseas.

While the crackdown will start with properties in Manhattan and Miami, it's a decision that could eventually have an impact on high-end home buyers in LA.

Louise Story spearheaded the investigation for the New York Times. She says that nearly three-quarters of high-end homes purchased in Los Angeles over the past decade were bought through limited liability companies (LLCs).

Story joined Take Two to discuss the possible impact of the Treasury Department's decision. 

Press the blue play button above to hear the interview.