Scranton Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Scranton, PA

Commercial Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania

Commercial real estate is any form of land or structure in Scranton, Pennsylvania which is utilized for business purposes, mainly the sale of goods and/or services to the public.

The laws regulating real estate in Scranton, Pennsylvania apply differently when dealing with commercial, as opposed to residential, real estate.

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

For instance, residential real estate is covered by laws concerning rent control, living conditions, and other things relevant to buildings where people will be living. Most of these protections don't apply to commercial real estate, because the law assumes that the average business person is a bit more sophisticated in such dealings than the general population, and because a place to do business is generally less important than a place to live. However, the most basic protections, such as protection from fraud and deliberate concealment of defects, still apply.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Financing: Most small business owners in Scranton, Pennsylvania don't have the money to buy real estate with the cash on hand. Nonetheless, there is a solution to this problem, permitting 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 bought is used as collateral for the loan.

Concealment of Defects: if the seller or lessor of commercial real estate actively conceals a material defect in the real estate, they can be liable to the buyer or renter for any damages caused by this concealment.

Duty to Inspect: While buyers of real estate have some significant 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 usually won't be able to successfully sue, if defects are discovered after the purchase.

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 common encumbrance is an easement. In Scranton, Pennsylvania, an easement is some right of some third party to make limited use of land owned by someone else. For instance, 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 Scranton, Pennsylvania Attorney Help?

These issues are sometimes perplexing, and almost always very important. Therefore, it's essential to seek the assistance of a Scranton, Pennsylvania real estate attorney if you have any dealings in this area.

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Life in Scranton

Scranton is located in the northeast region of Pennsylvania. It is in Lackawanna County, with a population of 76,089 people.

An interesting fact is that Scranton is one of the largest former anthracite coal mining communities. Other such communities include Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, and Carbondale.

Some popular attractions include the Scranton Iron Furnaces, The Elecric City Trolley Museum, The Lackawanna Coal Mine at McDade Park, Everhart Museum, Terency Powderly's House, The Houdini Museum, Sno Mountain Ski Resort, and the Masonic Temple.

Scranton is also home to many law offices and small firms that provide legal services in all areas. Residents and businesses can therefore remain rest assured because they do not need to travel far for their legal matters to be handled.

Past famous residents include Bob Degen, Judy McGrath, Alex Grass, Bill O'Reilly, B.F. Skinner, Melanie Smith, and Lizabeth Scott.

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