Bellingham Commercial Real Estate Lawyers

Find the right Commercial Real Estate attorney in Bellingham, WA

Commercial Real Estate Law in Washington

In Bellingham, Washington, commercial real estate is any parcel of land, or any building, which is utilized for business purposes, as opposed to residential, agricultural, or industrial use.

The laws in Bellingham, Washington which regulate commercial real estate differ considerably from the laws governing the rental and purchase of residential real estate.

People who buy and rent residential unites have a higher deal of legal protections not available to buyers of commercial property.

These absent protections include rent control, and warranties of habitability, among others. The most general protections, such as prohibiting sellers of real estate from lying regarding the property to the buyer, apply in any context, however.

Common Commercial Real Estate Law Issues in Bellingham, Washington

Financing: Many businesses in Bellingham, Washington 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 issue, most rely on a mortgage. A mortgage is a typical 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: if the seller or lessor of commercial real estate actively conceals a material defect in the real estate, they can be responsible to the buyer or renter for any damages caused by this concealment.

Duty to Inspect: Lest you believe that the duty to disclose defects relieves any duty of diligence on the part of the buyer, the law will not reward such lapses with a major cause of action. Buyers have a duty to conduct a reasonable inspection of the property before they buy it, typicallyy with a licensed building inspector. If the buyer fails to do this, they won't be able to recover any damages for defects which they could have discovered through a reasonable inspection.

Encumbrances: Encumbrances are defects of a different type: rather than physical defects, they are defects of title. In Bellingham, Washington, 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 specific purpose. For instance, 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 Bellingham, Washington Attorney Help?

These issues can be very complicated, and most people consider such financially-weighty decisions to be very essential. If you are one of those people, it's a smart move to contact a Bellingham, Washington real estate attorney if you are facing any of the issues discussed above.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Bellingham

Bellingham is located in Whatcom County, Washington. Per the 2010 census, Washington has 80,885 residents. Bellingham is surrounded by Fairhaven, Whatcom, and Sehome.

Bellingham is home to many wonderful attractions. Popular sites include the Whatcom Museum of History and Art, the Bellingham Railway Museum, the American Museum of Radio and Electricity, Whatcom Falls Park, Mount Baker Ski Area, Salish Sea, and North Lookout Mountain.

Although the city is known for its small-town charm, top employers include PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, Haggen, Sodexo, Bellingham School District, Sterling Health Plans and Fred Meyer. The legal industry too has a presence in Bellingham via many small law firms and law offices. These entities provide legal services to residents in practically all areas of law, with competent attorneys overseeing each and every case.

Famous celebrities who have, at one time or another, called Bellingham home include Billy Burke, Hilary Swank, Ryan Stiles, Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer.

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