Southfield Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Southfield, MI

Commercial Real Estate Law in Michigan

In Southfield, Michigan, commercial real estate is any form of real property (land or permanent structures) being utilized for business purposes.

Commercial real estate in Southfield, Michigan is controlled by laws which differ significantly from state and local laws that apply 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.

Several of the protections that don't apply to commercial property include warranties of habitability, rent control, and warranties of quiet enjoyment. There are others, as well. The most general protections, nonetheless, apply to buyers of both residential and commercial real estate, including remedies for fraud and concealment of physical or title defects.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Southfield, Michigan

Financing: Many businesses in Southfield, Michigan can't save up enough money to pay the full asking price of a decent-sized piece of real estate up front. Nonetheless, it's sometimes necessary for businesses to acquire real estate. To solve this issue, most rely on a mortgage. A mortgage is a typical type of loan, taken out to purchase real estate. The lending institution lends the full purchase price to the borrower, who then purchases the property. The property, in turn, becomes collateral for the loan, which must be paid back over a period of years, with interest.

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 significant 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 significant 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.

Buyer's Duty to Inspect: generally, 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 harmed 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 Southfield, Michigan, 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 certain purpose. For instance, 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 Southfield, Michigan 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 Southfield, Michigan real estate attorney if you are facing any of the issues discussed above.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Southfield

Southfield is a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. It is known area because of its five golden skyscrapers, nicknamed the "Golden Triangle." These skyscrapers form Southfield Town Center, a 2,200,000 square foot complex with the Westin Hotel and conference center.

Due to a relatively new thirty-three story luxury residential high-rise complex, located near Southfield Town Center, Southfield saw an influx of many new residents. It is home to approximately 71,739 people per the 2010 census.

Southfield is also home to employers such as Denso, Peterson Spring, Federal-Mogul, Lear, R.L. Polk Co., and Stefanini TechTeam Global.

The legal force is also present in Southfield via the attorneys who live and practice within the area. These attorneys are competent to handle the legal needs of residents and local businesses.

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