Sarasota Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Sarasota, FL

Commercial Real Estate Law in Florida

In Sarasota, Florida, "commercial real estate" is any type of land or building which is used for a business, as opposed to residential, purpose.

Commercial real estate in Sarasota, Florida is regulated by laws which differ significantly from state and local laws that apply to residential real estate.

Buyers and renters of residential property enjoy a considerable number of legal protections. Many of these protections don't apply to buyers or renters of commercial property.

For instance, residential real estate is controlled by laws concerning rent control, living conditions, and other things relevant to buildings where people will be living. Most of these protections don't apply to commercial real estate, because the law assumes that the average business person is a bit more sophisticated in such dealings than the general population, and because a place to do business is usually less important than a place to live. However, the most basic protections, such as protection from fraud and deliberate concealment of defects, still apply.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Sarasota, Florida

Financing: Most small business owners in Sarasota, Florida don't have the money to buy real estate with the cash on hand. However, there is a solution to this problem, allowing people without massive sums of money (but with a steady income) to buy real estate: the mortgage. A mortgage is a loan used to buy real estate, and the real estate being purchased is used as collateral for the loan.

Concealment of Defects: if the seller or lessor of commercial real estate actively conceals a material defect in the real estate, they can be responsible to the buyer or renter for any damages caused by this concealment.

Duty to Inspect: This is a companion to the duty to disclose defects. Usually, buyers of real estate are expected to inspect the property. If they fail to conduct a good inspection, they might not be able to recover damages if they are harmed by any defects which an inspection would have revealed.

Encumbrances: An encumbrance is any interest held in a piece of property by a party other than the seller and the buyer. These property interests might make it very challenging for the buyer to use the land as they intended when they bought it. A typical type of encumbrance in Sarasota, Florida is the easement. An easement is some right that a third party has in a piece of property. For example, suppose that, many years ago, a neighbor adjacent to the land you want to buy, paid a previous owner for the right to cross his land to reach a public road. Unless the agreement states otherwise, this right will usually apply to subsequent owners, and has to be honored. Therefore, it might interfere with the intended use of the new owner.

Can a Sarasota, Florida Attorney Help?

Because of the complexity and importance of many of the issues concerning commercial real estate, it is almost always necessary to consult with a Sarasota, Florida attorney before buying or selling commercial real estate.

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Life in Sarasota

Sarasota, Florida is the county seat of Sarasota County, located on the central Gulf Coast. It has a population of about 53,000 people.

Humans first settled Florida, including the Sarasota area, about 15,000 years ago - not very long after their initial arrival on North America. At that time, sea levels were much lower, and Sarasota would have been about 100 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, rather than right on the coast. Europeans first settled the area in the 1600s.

Modernly, Sarasota has been hit hard by the crash of the U.S. housing market. However, it is still regularly visited by tourists, and tourism remains a major sector of its economy. Sarasota is also home to many sites of historic interest, from prehistoric archeological sites, to Civil War forts.

The architectural style prevalent in Sarasota was once so popular that it is now an established architectural style, known as the "Sarasota School" or "Sarasota Modern."

If you live in Sarasota, Florida, and are looking for an attorney, you're in luck. There are many lawyers in Sarasota, Florida who practice many different areas of law. If you need legal advice, a Sarasota, Florida lawyer is the person you should call.

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