Commercial Real Estate Law in Nebraska
Commercial Real Estate Law in Lincoln, Nebraska is any type of land or permanent structure which isn't used for residential or industrial purposes, and is instead used for a business involving the buying and selling of goods or services.
The laws governing real estate in Lincoln, Nebraska apply differently when dealing with commercial, as opposed to residential, real estate.
When renting or buying residential real estate, renters and buyers have substantial legal protections which often don't apply to commercial real estate.
These include implied warranties of habitability, rent control, and covenants of use and quiet enjoyment, among several 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 Lincoln, Nebraska
Financing: Most small business owners in Lincoln, Nebraska don't have the money to buy real estate with the cash on hand. However, there is a solution to this problem, allowing people without massive sums of money (but with a steady income) to buy real estate: the mortgage. A mortgage is a loan used to buy real estate, and the real estate being purchased is used as collateral for the loan.
Concealment of Defects: if the seller of commercial property acts to conceal a significant defect in the property, and then sells the property, he will be responsible for any harm this defect cause, as well as the reduced value of the property, or the cost of repair.
Buyer's Duty to Inspect: usually, 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 injured by physical defects that an inspection would have revealed, and that the seller didn't know about.
Encumbrances: An encumbrance is some small ownership interest in land held by a third party, or some right held by a third party to restrict the use of a parcel of land. A typical encumbrance is an easement. In Lincoln, Nebraska, an easement is some right of some third party to make limited use of land owned by someone else. For example, cable companies often purchase easements from property owners (or they are imposed by the government) allowing them to string cable wiring from the telephone wires on the street to nearby houses. Like any other property right, the holder of an easement can prevent others from interfering with it. Obviously, if a buyer doesn't know about an encumbrance on a piece of land, he might find that he's unable to make the use of the land that he was expecting.
Can a Lincoln, Nebraska Attorney Help?
Because of the importance and potential complexity of the issues surrounding commercial real estate, it's almost always prudent that, before engaging in any real estate deal, you pursue the counsel of a good Lincoln, Nebraska real estate attorney.