Middletown Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Middletown, CT

Commercial Real Estate Law in Connecticut

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

The laws covering commercial real estate in Middletown, Connecticut are quite different from those applying to residential real estate.

Buyers and renters of residential property enjoy some pretty significant legal protections, because the law of most states presumes that shelter (being necessary to survive, for the most part) is more important than business. Therefore, many of these consumer protections don't apply to commercial real estate.

These include implied warranties of habitability, rent control, and covenants of use and quiet enjoyment, among many others. Of course, the most basic protections, such as prohibiting the seller from actively concealing defects, apply to both.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Middletown, Connecticut

Financing: The majority of small businesses in Middletown, Connecticut can't afford to make large real estate purchases with the money they have in the bank. Nevertheless, buying real estate is sometimes essential for a business' survival. This problem is sometimes remedied by taking out a mortgage; a loan used to buy property, with that same property being used to secure the loan.

Duty to Disclose Defects: It is of the utmost importance that sellers and lessors of commercial real estate be up front about any defects that might be present in the property. Failing to disclose them can be bad, and actively concealing them can be much worse. In general, if a defect is serious enough that it would influence a reasonable person's decision to buy a piece of property, and the seller knows about it, the seller should disclose it. Failure to disclose can have serious consequences. If the buyer later discovers the defect, they can sue for the cost of repairing it, or for any reduction in the property's value caused by it. And, of course, if it causes any injuries, the buyer can sue the seller for those, as well.

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 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 difficult for the buyer to use the land as they intended when they bought it. A common type of encumbrance in Middletown, Connecticut 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 Middletown, Connecticut Attorney Help?

These issues can be very complicated, and most people consider such financially-weighty decisions to be very necessary. If you are one of those people, it's a smart move to contact a Middletown, Connecticut real estate attorney if you are facing any of the issues discussed above.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Middletown

Middletown, Connecticut is a city in Middlesex County. Its population is about 47,000 people, according to a 2005 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The first foreign settlement of the area now known as Middletown came in 1650, by emigrants from a settlement nearby, which had been established a few years earlier. These settlers were Puritans, and during their period of influence, life was harsh. Some of this harshness was self-inflicted, in the form of extremely draconian laws, which allowed the death penalty for "crimes" such as cursing, blasphemy, and "incorrigible stubbornness of children."

During the Industrial Revolution, Middletown saw a major influx of immigrants from various parts of Europe, including Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Poland. This diversity is evidenced even today, with Middletown's various neighborhoods and ethnic restaurants (for which the city is becoming increasingly well-known), and the general cultural diversity of the city. Modernly, Middletown is a residential community, with the Middlesex Hospital being one of the largest employers.

If you live in Middletown, Connecticut, and need an attorney, you're in luck. There are many Middletown, Connecticut lawyers who can handle virtually any type of legal problem a person might have.

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