El Paso Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in El Paso, TX

Commercial Real Estate Law in Texas

Commercial real estate is any type of land or structure in El Paso, Texas which is used for business purposes, primarily the sale of goods and/or services to the public.

The laws covering commercial real estate in El Paso, Texas are quite different from those applying to residential real estate.

Buyers and renters of residential property enjoy a large number of legal protections. Many of these protections don't apply to buyers or renters of commercial property.

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 El Paso, Texas

Financing: Many businesses in El Paso, Texas 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 problem, most rely on a mortgage. A mortgage is a common 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.

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 common, 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. Therefore, 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: Encumbrances are defects of a different type: rather than physical defects, they are defects of title. In El Paso, Texas, 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 example, 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 El Paso, Texas Attorney Help?

Because of the complexity and importance of many of the issues concerning commercial real estate, it is almost always essential to consult with an El Paso, Texas attorney before buying or selling commercial real estate.

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Life in El Paso

El Paso, Texas is a large city in (and the county seat of) El Paso County, in the far western tip of Texas. It is the 5th-largest city in Texas, and the 22nd largest city in the United States, with a population of over 620,000. El Paso is right over the U.S. border from Juarez, Mexico.

The two cities are directly adjacent, and a great deal of cultural and economic exchange occurs between the two. For this reason, they are typically treated as part of the same metropolitan area (referred to as El Paso-Juarez). With a population of over 2.3 million people, El Paso-Juarez is one of the largest international metro areas in the world.

El Paso is an important entry point into the U.S., and Juarez serves the same role in Mexico. There is a significant amount of trade between the two cities, which accounts for a significant amount of the economic activity in both cities.

Additionally, Fort Bliss, an U.S. Army base which serves as home to the Air Defense Artillery Branch, is a major contributor to El Paso's economy.

Given its size and economic diversity, El Paso, Texas attorneys have plenty of work to keep busy, which ensures that they are constantly challenged, forcing them to become proficient in as many areas of law as possible. Accordingly, it's nearly certain that there's at least one El Paso, Texas lawyer who can help you with your legal issues.

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