Locate Alabama Real Estate Lawyers

In Alabama, real estate law is a very broad area of law governing anything that has to do with the ownership of land and buildings.

Real estate law can apply to many different facets of a personal and professional life. It can apply to anything from the purchase of a vacant lot, to renting prime downtown office space.

Alabama real estate law can be very complex, because it's really a collection of a lot of different areas of law. These areas of law include property rights, contracts, land use, and many others.

Having a good general knowledge of Alabama real estate law can make a lot of transactions, such as purchasing a house or renting an apartment, much easier.

Common Real Estate Issues in Alabama

Financing: Most people in Alabama probably can't afford to buy a house or a piece of land up front. Therefore, most individuals and business use some form of financing to purchase real estate, usually a mortgage. A mortgage is a loan used to buy a piece of real estate, with the purchased real estate simultaneously securing the loan.

Disclosure: When selling a house, the seller is under a specific legal duty to tell the buyer about any physical defects which the buyer might not be able to discover on his or her own. Sometimes, it isn't entirely clear if a given defect has to be disclosed. In such cases, it's ideal to disclose it anyway. It simply isn't worth the risk to fail to disclose it, and hope that a court agrees that it was the type of defect that you didn't have to disclose.

Warranty of Habitability: This applies in residential leases. Landlords are under a legal duty, whether it's explicitly stated in the lease agreement or not, to ensure that the rented property is fit for human habitation. The requirements for habitability often include electricity, heating, running water, a working phone line, and protection from the elements. Of course, that list is not exhaustive.

Zoning Laws: Before you begin any construction project, you need to make sure that it will not violate any zoning laws in Alabama. This is because zoning laws restrict what can and can't be done on a given piece of property. They can be pretty complex, but, in general, they are designed to ensure that people who use land in different ways can co-exist as harmoniously as possible. To that end, they work to keep industrial and residential uses separate, among other things.

Do I Need a Alabama Real Estate Lawyer?

These matters can be pretty difficult, and the above discussion only scratched the surface of the huge body of law that can affect real estate transactions. Therefore, if you think any business or personal plan you have might be affected by real estate law, you should consult with an Alabama real estate lawyer as soon as possible.

Interesting Facts About Alabama

Alabama, the "Yellowhammer State", is situated in the southeastern portion of the U.S. Like many southern states, Alabama began as a primarily agriculture-centered locale. Today it is home to many businesses, particularly high-tech industries. The presence of several military installations also helps to boost Alabama's work force. Alabama's Unified Judicial System is one of the oldest networks of courts in the country.

The state of Alabama is well-noted for its state Constitution. Ratified in 1901, the Alabama Constitution contains over 300,000 words and nearly 800 amendments. This makes it the lengthiest constitution in the entire world. It is about 40 times the length of the United States Constitution. The Alabama Constitution is unique among state constitutions as it grants a great amount of power to the central government and much less power to local authorities.

Alabama's Unified Judicial System operates the state's courts in accordance with the Alabama Constitution. The judicial system is made up of Municipal and District Courts spread out throughout the state. There are also Circuit Courts, a Court of Appeals (Civil and Criminal), and the Alabama Supreme Court. The mission of the Unified Judicial System is to be "the most successful judiciary in the nation".

Lawyers in Alabama contribute to the state's success by providing legal services in strict accordance with high professional standards. Alabama lawyers are trained to handle a diverse array of legal claims and inquiries. The services of an Alabama lawyer are often necessary when dealing with the state's distinct body of laws.