Locate Wisconsin Real Estate Lawyers

In Wisconsin, real estate law is a very broad area of law covering anything that has to do with the ownership of land and buildings.

Real estate law can apply to many various facets of a personal and professional life. It can apply to anything from the purchase of a vacant lot, to renting prime downtown office space.

Wisconsin real estate law can be very complicated, because it's really a collection of a lot of different areas of law. These areas of law include property rights, contracts, land use, and many others.

Having a good basic knowledge of Wisconsin real estate law can make a lot of transactions, such as buying a house or renting an apartment, much easier.

Common Real Estate Issues in Wisconsin

Financing: Most people in Wisconsin probably can't afford to buy a house or a piece of land up front. Thus, most individuals and business use some form of financing to purchase real estate, normally a mortgage. A mortgage is a loan used to buy a piece of real estate, with the purchased real estate simultaneously securing the loan.

Disclosure: When a house or other structure is for sale, the seller has to tell prospective buyers about all physical defects of which the seller is aware, and which the buyer couldn't be reasonably expected to discover. However, if you are selling a house, you should probably just disclose every defect you're aware of. This will save you a great deal of potential liability. Even if your disclosure of a particular defect wasn't required (because the buyer could have easily discovered it), the buyer might still sue, and the cost of defending this lawsuit, even if you win, will be very high.

Warranty of Habitability: All residential property which is being rented must be fit for human habitation. This is normally not a difficult standard for a reasonably well-maintained unit to meet (or one would think), but violations of this rule still occur. When renting an apartment, the landlord is implicitly promising that the unit will be habitable, whether or not such a promise is actually written in the lease, or even if the lease disclaims it. There are many requirements for a dwelling to be habitable, and most of them are fairly obvious- they include heating, running water, electricity, and basic protection from the elements. There are many other requirements, however.

Zoning: Zoning regulations normally divide cities into sections, or "zones," and state what types of buildings can be built in the different sections. Zones will be categorized by the type of use permitted, such as residential, industrial, commercial, etc. If you own a piece of property and want to make improvements to it, you should check the local zoning ordinance to ensure that any improvements you plan on making comply with all of Wisconsin's zoning regulations.

Do I Need a Wisconsin Real Estate Lawyer?

These issues can be fairly intricate, and the above discussion can't replace the advice of an expert on the subject. Therefore, if you have any real estate issues, it's never a bad idea to make an appointment with a real estate attorney in Wisconsin.

Interesting Facts About Wisconsin

Wisconsin claims most of the nation's milk and dairy production, most notably its cheese production. Wisconsin residents often embrace the state's nickname of "America's Dairyland" by wearing foam "cheese hats" at Green Bay Packer games and other sporting events. Interestingly, the iconic cheese hats are legally considered to be a hat. Wisconsin is also known for its output in manufacturing and consumer goods.

In its early days, the Wisconsin state legislature created several ground-breaking laws and government procedures. For example the state was the first to implement a statewide primary election procedure, and the first to establish workplace injury compensation laws. Wisconsin also had the first state income tax system based on actual earnings proportions.

More modernly, Wisconsin's law-making legislature has made legislative activity more transparent by providing information on the internet. Three major cities in Wisconsin provide residents with internet access to all public records in the city databases. The Wisconsin Supreme Court also operates a "Justice on Wheels" program, where it travels to different parts of the state to hear cases. This program helps to educate the Wisconsin population on the inner workings of the state's legal system.

Lawyers in Wisconsin handle many different types of legal claims in various fields. Wisconsin lawyers perform such tasks as representing clients in lawsuits, editing legal documents, and issuing legal advice. Many Wisconsin attorneys are experts in specialized legal fields.