College Park Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in College Park, MD

Commercial Real Estate Law in Maryland

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

Commercial real estate in College Park, Maryland is managed by laws which differ significantly from state and local laws that apply to residential real estate.

Many of the protections that buyers and renters of residential real estate enjoy rarely apply to renters of commercial real estate.

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 College Park, Maryland

Financing: Some small businesses in College Park, Maryland 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, authorizing the bank to foreclose on it in case the buyer defaults.

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: While buyers of real estate have some substantial protections with respect to defects, they also have some obligations. Before finalizing a purchase, buyers are expected to undertake a reasonable inspection of the property, usually by using a licensed building inspector. If the buyer fails to conduct an inspection, they typically won't be able to successfully sue, if defects are discovered after the purchase.

Encumbrances: These are defects to title, rather than physical defects. They are legal issues which might make it difficult or impossible for a landowner to make full use of their land. In College Park, Maryland, these might include easements. An easement is a right to use property held by a party other than the owner. This use is often very particular in scope, such as allowing the holder of the easement to cross the property to access a public road, or something similar. Such rights usually have to be recognized and honored by new owners, so if they buy property not knowing about them, they might be seriously inconvenienced.

Can a College Park, Maryland Attorney Help?

The issues surrounding commercial real estate in College Park, Maryland can get fairly complex. Therefore, it's never a bad idea to have the assistance of an efficient commercial real estate attorney.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in College Park

College Park, Maryland is a community of about 25,000 people, situated in Prince George's County. It is just outside Washington, D.C.

College Park is home to the University of Maryland, a public research university, and the flagship of Maryland's public university system. University of Maryland, College Park is very well-regarded across the country, and some rankings even put it in the top 50 universities in the world.

Given its size, and the presence of a major university attracting students from all over the nation, College Park, Maryland is definitely a classic "college town." As with any college town, there is sometimes conflict between students and long-time residents of the town. However, it is rarely serious, and typically does not escalate beyond noise complaints and other minor nuisances.

Occasionally, however, the student community attempts to get one of its own elected to the city council, since anybody who resides in College Park and is over 21 is eligible to run. None of these bids have been successful, however.

College towns tend to have slightly more lawyers than other communities of comparable size. This means that there are probably College Park, Maryland lawyers who can handle just about any type of legal issue that you're likely to face in your lifetime. If you have a legal issue, it's very like that there's a College Park, Maryland lawyer who can help.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.
Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.
Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.
David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA