Commercial Real Estate Law in Tennessee

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

The laws governing commercial real estate in Forest Hills, Tennessee are quite different from those applying 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, commercial real estate normally isn't covered by rent control laws, nor does it carry with it an implied warranty of habitability (because people typically won't be living in it). Furthermore, it also doesn't come with a covenant of quiet enjoyment. However, some of the most basic legal protections (such as laws against fraud, and concealment of defects) apply in both the commercial and residential context.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Forest Hills, Tennessee

Financing: The majority of small businesses in Forest Hills, Tennessee can't afford to make large real estate purchases with the money they have in the bank. Nonetheless, buying real estate is sometimes necessary for a business' survival. This problem is sometimes remedied by taking out a mortgage; a loan used to buy property, with that same property being used to secure the loan.

Concealment of Defects: Sellers and lessors of commercial real estate are under a duty to disclose any defects in the property which might impact the buyer's decision to purchase it, such as water damage, mold, or other structural problems. These defects are quite typical, and the buyer has a right to know about them. If the seller doesn't disclose these defects, where they exist, the buyer can sue for any harm this causes.

Duty to Inspect: Buyers of commercial real estate are expected to be diligent, and a court will not reward a lack of diligence. Thus, if the buyer fails to conduct a thorough inspection of the property before buying it, and thereby fails to discover defects which such an inspection could have easily revealed, he will not be able to sue the seller over these defects later on.

Encumbrances: Undisclosed encumbrances are defects of another sort: defects of title. An encumbrance is any interest that a third party has in the Forest Hills, Tennessee commercial real estate. These normally take the form of easements, which are rights held by third parties to use the land for a specific purpose. Easements can have profound effects on how a new owner can use the land, so it is crucial to know about them before buying.

Can a Forest Hills, Tennessee Attorney Help?

The issues surrounding commercial real estate in Forest Hills, Tennessee can get fairly complex. Therefore, it's never a bad idea to have the assistance of an accomplished commercial real estate attorney.