Springfield Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Springfield, IL

Commercial Real Estate Law in Illinois

In Springfield, Illinois, commercial real estate is any type of real property (land or permanent structures) being used for business purposes.

The laws in Springfield, Illinois which govern commercial real estate differ significantly from the laws governing the rental and purchase of residential real estate.

People who buy and rent residential unites have a greater deal of legal protections not available to buyers of commercial property.

These absent protections include rent control, and warranties of habitability, among others. The most basic protections, such as prohibiting sellers of real estate from lying about the property to the buyer, apply in any context, however.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Springfield, Illinois

Financing: Some small businesses in Springfield, Illinois find it necessary, at some point, to purchase a piece of real estate, for various reasons. However, most owners of small to medium-sized businesses can't afford to make a real estate purchase up front, with the cash they have on hand. Simply put, very few people have hundreds of thousands of dollars just sitting in the bank. One solution to this is a mortgage, which is similar to most other types of secured loans: a bank lends you money, and you put up some piece of property as collateral, so the bank has some security in the event of default. With a mortgage, however, the property being purchased with the loan also secures the loan, allowing the bank to foreclose on it in case the buyer defaults.

Disclosure of Defects: Sellers of real estate have an obligation to inform prospective buyers of any defects present in the property, such as water damage and other structural problems. Basically, if the defect is significant enough that it might affect a reasonable buyer's decision on whether or not to purchase the property, and the seller knows about it, it must be disclosed. Failure to disclose such defects would give a buyer the right to sue the seller, and recover significant damages, including the cost of repairing the defect, compensation for any injuries or illness caused by it, and the reduction in the property's value caused by the defect.

Duty to Inspect: Lest you believe that the duty to disclose defects relieves any duty of diligence on the part of the buyer, the law will not reward such lapses with a major cause of action. Buyers have a duty to conduct a reasonable inspection of the property before they buy it, usuallyy with a licensed building inspector. If the buyer fails to do this, they won't be able to recover any damages for defects which they could have discovered through a reasonable inspection.

Encumbrances: An encumbrance is some small ownership interest in land held by a third party, or some right held by a third party to restrict the use of a parcel of land. A common encumbrance is an easement. In Springfield, Illinois, an easement is some right of some third party to make limited use of land owned by someone else. For example, cable companies often purchase easements from property owners (or they are imposed by the government) allowing them to string cable wiring from the telephone wires on the street to nearby houses. Like any other property right, the holder of an easement can prevent others from interfering with it. Obviously, if a buyer doesn't know about an encumbrance on a piece of land, he might find that he's unable to make the use of the land that he was expecting.

Can a Springfield, Illinois Attorney Help?

Because of the importance and potential complexity of the issues surrounding commercial real estate, it's almost always advisable that, before engaging in any real estate deal, you seek the counsel of a good Springfield, Illinois real estate attorney.

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Life in Springfield

Springfield, Illinois is the capital of the state of Illinois. It is also the county seat of Sangamon County. Its current population is approximately 116,000 people.

Springfield, Illinois is best known for being the longtime residence of President Abraham Lincoln, who worked as a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois before being elected president and moving to Washington, D.C.

Because it is the capital of a large state, but relatively small in population, the biggest employer in Springfield, Illinois is the state government. The state of Illinois employs a large number of Springfield, Illinois lawyers. They serve as public defenders, prosecuting attorneys, and attorneys that represent the state in civil matters.

On top of that, there are many Springfield, Illinois attorneys in private practice. So, if you need legal advice, or some other legal service, you should start by contacting a qualified Springfield, Illinois attorney.

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