The Woodlands Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in The Woodlands, TX

Commercial Real Estate Law in Texas

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

The The Woodlands, Texas laws governing commercial real estate differ significantly from the laws that cover residential and other types of real estate.

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

These include implied warranties of habitability, rent control, and covenants of use and quiet enjoyment, among many 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 The Woodlands, Texas

Financing: Some small businesses in The Woodlands, Texas find it necessary, at some point, to purchase a piece of real estate, for various reasons. However, most owners of small to medium-sized businesses can't afford to make a real estate purchase up front, with the cash they have on hand. Simply put, very few people have hundreds of thousands of dollars just sitting in the bank. One solution to this is a mortgage, which is similar to most other types of secured loans: a bank lends you money, and you put up some piece of property as collateral, so the bank has some security in the event of default. With a mortgage, however, the property being purchased with the loan also secures the loan, permitting the bank to foreclose on it in case the buyer defaults.

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.

Buyer's Duty to Inspect: typically, 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 hurt 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 frequent encumbrance is an easement. In The Woodlands, Texas, 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 The Woodlands, Texas Attorney Help?

Because of the importance and potential complexity of the issues surrounding commercial real estate, it's almost always advisable that, before engaging in any real estate deal, you obtain the counsel of a good The Woodlands, Texas real estate attorney.

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Life in The Woodlands

The Woodlands is a community located in Texas. It is within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area. Per the 2010 census, its reported population is 93,847 people. Specifically, this area is located 32 miles north from Houston.

Top employers include Chevron Phillips, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Baker Hughs, CBI, Hewitt Associates, Maersk Line, and Safmarine.

The legal industry also has a presence in the area because many attorneys call The Woodlands home. Also, with the area being so near Houston, residents and local businesses have access to the top-tier law firms and excellent attorneys that practice in the Houston area.

Celebrities who have once called The Woodlands home include Torrie Wilsom, Laura Wilkinson, Peter Stroud, Nick Mitchell, Larry Izzo, Jack Ingram, Hayes Carll, Michael Glyn Brown and Lance Blanks.

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