Lakeland Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Lakeland, FL

Commercial Real Estate Law in Florida

In Lakeland, 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 Lakeland, 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 massive number of legal protections. Many of these protections don't apply to buyers or renters of commercial property.

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 Lakeland, Florida

Financing: Some small businesses in Lakeland, Florida 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, permitting the bank to foreclose on it in case the buyer defaults.

Concealment of Defects: Sellers and lessors of commercial real estate are under a duty to disclose any defects in the property which might impact the buyer's decision to purchase it, such as water damage, mold, or other structural problems. These defects are quite common, and the buyer has a right to know about them. If the seller doesn't disclose these defects, where they exist, the buyer can sue for any harm this causes.

Buyer's Duty to Inspect: typically, buyers of commercial real estate are expected to inspect the property before buying it. A failure to do so might prevent the buyer from prevailing in a lawsuit if he is hurt by physical defects that an inspection would have revealed, and that the seller didn't know about.

Encumbrances: Encumbrances are defects of a different type: rather than physical defects, they are defects of title. In Lakeland, Florida, an encumbrance is an interest in a piece of real estate held by a third party, such as covenants or easements. An easement is a right held by someone to use the property of someone else for a particular purpose. For example, a person might have an easement on the land of another person, allowing them to cross the land to access a public road.

Can a Lakeland, Florida Attorney Help?

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

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Lakeland

Lakeland is located in Polk County, Florida. It is between the popular cities of Tampa and Orlando alongside Interstate 4.

The economy of Lakeland prospers from the citrus, cattle, and phosphate mining industries. The largest employer is Publix Supermarkets. Other top employers include FedEx Freight FedEx Services, Saddle Creek Corporation, GEICO, Summit Consulting, and Rooms To Go.

Lakeland is a place filled with history. Some popular historic attractions are Dixieland, Biltmore-Cumberland, Beacon Hill-Alta Vista, and Munn Park.

Being so near Tampa and Orlando, Lakeland residents can take their complex legal programs to the mid to large size firms located in these two large cities. For any small legal issues, Lakeland is filled with small law offices that are owned by excellent, competent attorneys.

Overall, Lakeland is a wonderful area to live in. It has the small town feel but is surrounded by two of Florida's largest, metropolitan cities. Lakeland residents have the best of both worlds!

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