Locate Oklahoma Real Estate Lawyers
In Oklahoma, real estate law is a very broad area of law covering anything that has to do with the ownership of land and buildings.
Real estate law can apply to many various facets of a personal and professional life. It can apply to anything from the purchase of a vacant lot, to renting prime downtown office space.
Oklahoma real estate law can be very complicated, because it's really a collection of a lot of different areas of law. These areas of law include property rights, contracts, land use, and many others.
Having a good basic knowledge of Oklahoma real estate law can make a lot of transactions, such as buying a house or renting an apartment, much easier.
Common Real Estate Issues in Oklahoma
Financing: Most people in Oklahoma probably can't afford to buy a house or a piece of land up front. Thus, most individuals and business use some form of financing to purchase real estate, normally a mortgage. A mortgage is a loan used to buy a piece of real estate, with the purchased real estate simultaneously securing the loan.
Disclosure: When a house or other structure is for sale, the seller has to tell prospective buyers about all physical defects of which the seller is aware, and which the buyer couldn't be reasonably expected to discover. However, if you are selling a house, you should probably just disclose every defect you're aware of. This will save you a great deal of potential liability. Even if your disclosure of a particular defect wasn't required (because the buyer could have easily discovered it), the buyer might still sue, and the cost of defending this lawsuit, even if you win, will be very high.
Warranty of Habitability: All rented residential properties have at least one basic requirement: they must actually be fit for people to live in them. While the apartments they rent aren't required to be luxurious or pretty, landlords are absolutely required to ensure that their property meets some basic standards for human habitability. This applies whether the lease mentions it or not, and cannot be waived, under any circumstances. A dwelling will usually be found to be uninhabitable if it lacks running water, electricity, heating, or protection from the elements. There are many other ways that a dwelling could be uninhabitable, however.
Zoning Laws: Zoning laws regulate what type of structures can be built in given parts of a town or city. Their general purpose is to ensure that a city is as livable as possible by ensuring that residential areas are not too close to the noise and pollution of industrial areas. It is very important that, before you make any improvements to a piece of property, you make sure that the proposed improvements comply with Oklahoma's zoning regulations.
Do I Need a Oklahoma Real Estate Lawyer?
These matters can be pretty perplexing, and the above discussion only scratched the surface of the huge body of law that can affect real estate transactions. Therefore, if you think any business or personal plan you have might be affected by real estate law, you should consult with an Oklahoma real estate lawyer as soon as possible.
Interesting Facts About Oklahoma
Oklahoma is called the "Sooner state" and is one of the main producers of oil and natural gas in the U.S. Ohio's economy is one of the fastest growing in the nation and is supported by other major industries like energy and telecommunications. Oklahoma achieved statehood relatively late, being the 46th state to join to Union.
Oklahoma's legal court system is formed by the District Courts, appeals courts, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The state has a total of 77 District Courts. Oklahoma's appeal system is different from other states as there are two branches for appeals: the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Court of Civil Appeals. Oklahoma also maintains an Administrative Office of the Courts, which provides the courts with administrative services. There are a total of 39 Native American tribal governments in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma's legal profession benefits from the presence of major law schools in the state. Some of these include the law schools at Oklahoma City University, The University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa. Oklahoma law schools train future lawyers in the particulars of Oklahoma law. Oklahoma is famous for court cases involving civil rights like the McLaurin case (1950), which laid the foundation for cases like Brown v. Board of Education.
Lawyers in Oklahoma are equipped to handle a wide range of legal claims and inquiries. Oklahoma lawyers have experience in dealing with the types of disputes that are unique to the state. Also, an Oklahoma attorney can provide advice on different legal matters.