- SEATTLE: 206-621-1110
- TACOMA: 253-572-1000
Seattle Real Estate Contract Lawyer
Legal Representation for Commercial Property Purchases and Sales
Buying and selling commercial real estate are significant and very costly transactions. This is why you need a Seattle real estate contract lawyer. Your purchase or sale of a property can be a substantial investment for you and your company. You should always ensure that any contracts involved in the process protect your interests and prevent conflicts or disputes from arising.
The experienced attorneys at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess can skillfully draft and review commercial real estate contracts with your best interests in mind.
If you’re planning to have a commercial real estate transaction, call one of our offices today at 253-572-1000.
How Our Real Estate Contract Review Lawyer Handles Commercial Property and Residential Property
Both Types of Property Have Their Own Issues
There are significant differences between commercial and residential real estate. Many legal issues can be involved, including zoning, wetlands, asbestos and lead paint removal, and polluted property may need to be abated. A building may need substantial repair or renovation to fit a future project. Any number of permits may be needed. Unlike residential properties, most commercial properties are leased.
Commercial buyers and sellers don’t have the same legal protections as residential buyers and sellers, because the law assumes they’re more sophisticated and better able to protect themselves, and they’re usually represented by legal counsel. There’s no tenant-friendly housing court for commercial buyers or lessors, either.
A commercial real estate project could be massive; more importantly, it’s likely to be a massive project for you and your company. Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess understands that you could be spending or receiving a substantial amount of money in a commercial real estate transaction. Our real estate contract attorney won’t take your situation lightly and will give you and your transaction the respect you deserve. We can help with contract review and drafting, including review of commercial leases.
Commercial Real Estate Is Too Important to Leave to Chance
Our Real Estate Contract Attorney in Seattle Can Protect Your Interests
Don’t risk buying or selling commercial real estate with a do-it-yourself or bought-off-the-internet purchase and sale agreement. And just because funds are in escrow, this doesn’t mean you have enough protection.
Escrow instructions mainly benefit the holder, not the parties to the transaction. These companies want to avoid potential liability. If the agreement goes wrong, you’ll probably have a hard time holding the escrow company responsible.
Conditions excusing one party’s performance may not be clear. Usually it’s an issue with one party, not both, that will end a transaction. The escrow holder won’t provide you with legal or tax advice concerning the sale, nor will there be representations or warranties which usually are part of a contract.
Unlike a contract, escrow instructions won’t state the consequences if a party pulls out of the transaction without a valid reason. They also lack provisions for dispute resolution instead of the parties’ going straight to court to file lawsuits.
If you’re buying or selling commercial real estate, there’s too much at stake to go forward without a contract. Something may go wrong that will impact the profitability of the property for the life of the investment. Call 253-572-1000 for a free consultation with our real estate contract lawyers in Seattle and get skilled legal guidance that will protect you from future problems.
Ensure All the Vital Pieces of a Real Estate Contract Are There
How Help from Our Seattle Real Estate Contract Attorney Can Protect You
At Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, we regularly handle a wide range of contracts concerning commercial real estate transactions. Our real estate contract drafting lawyers have a thorough understanding of all of the essential provisions necessary for a quality commercial real estate contract, which can include:
- Clear identification of the parties
- Clear property description
- Terms of payment
- Title insurance and abstract
- Right to adjust or amend the contract
- Land use and zoning issues
- Rights to inspect
- Warranties
- Escrow
- Dispute resolution options and remedies for breach of contract
If a proposed contract lacks important protections, we’ll ensure that you have what you need to protect your interests and rights while making the most of the transaction. Since every transaction is different, our real estate contract attorney will tailor your contract to fit your needs. Commercial real estate transactions are not “one size fits all,” so that’s not how we treat our clients.
Our Real Estate Contract Review Lawyer Can Help Ensure the Transaction Goes Smoothly
Both Parties May Want Contract Language Changed
We draft real estate contracts for our clients and review contracts presented to them. Often, by the time they’re complete, these contracts are a mix of language from both parties. We need to make sure you’re protected, that there aren’t any surprises in the contract, and there’s nothing that may unnecessarily complicate or delay the transaction.
The other party’s proposed language may use questionable terms that cloud who is responsible for doing or paying for what. Sometimes just the sheer size of a multi-page contract may lead to issues being missed. You do not want to find out about such terms after a real estate contract has been signed. By then it’s too late. You must understand all of the contract language and how it may impact you, now and in the future, before you reach an agreement.
Reviewing or Drafting a Contract is Just One Step in the Process
Our Real Estate Contract Drafting Lawyer Doesn’t Push Papers
Deciding on contract language isn’t just “dotting i’s and crossing t’s”. We go through a process to make sure our clients get the best results with the least risk.
Our real estate contract attorneys can’t make any critical decisions without approval from our clients. We need to understand the issues and what may happen whether the choice is made or not. Our clients make informed decisions about what to do next, because the client owns the business that is buying or selling the property.
We also negotiate with the other party or their attorneys on real estate contract language. There may be language our client wants to change and wording the other side wants to have amended. We work out our differences and do our best to ensure both sides are satisfied enough to agree. Language in a real estate contract could end a proposed purchase and sale; but if it does, it should be because one party fears it may expose them to too great a risk of loss.
Contract language review is notorious for slowing down business. We balance the need to be thorough and the need for speed. If review and negotiations drag on, the delay could take a big bite out of a project’s profit margin.
Missed deadlines may bring an end to a deal. Our real estate contract attorneys will protect your interests without wasting your time.
Work with a Real Estate Contract Drafting Lawyer You Can Trust
Put Our Knowledge and Experience to Work for You
Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess is Seattle’s preeminent real estate, business, and probate law firm. With more than 100 years of combined experience, we have a strong reputation for providing superior service and outstanding results for commercial real estate clients.
Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess helps buyers and sellers of commercial property in negotiations, sales, and disputes throughout the Seattle area. We represent business clients involved in tenant issues, easements, and quiet title actions. Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess’s clients have addressed boundary, real estate commission, and title insurance disputes.
Working with us means you have one of Seattle’s real estate law specialists on your side. Our clients benefit from high-quality, cost-effective service and innovative legal solutions.
Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess sets itself apart by handling complicated and unpredictable real estate disputes with creativity and a desire to find practical, cost-effective solutions for all those involved.
Call Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess at 253-572-1000 today for a free, 15-minute consultation.
Attorney Robert Dickson
The core of Rob’s legal practice is civil litigation, with an emphasis on construction, real estate, and business law. He represents a wide range of clients, from large construction companies to individual homeowners. His is a practical approach to law, which strives to balance the need for a successful legal outcome with a client’s financial goals (or constraints). Outside of his private practice, Rob serves as an adjunct professor at the Seattle University School of Law where he teaches real estate litigation. [ Attorney Bio ]
Thomas L. Dickson
Tom is an experienced litigator and the founding partner of the firm. For over 30 years, he’s helped clients prevail in their real estate, construction, and business law matters.
Heather Burgess
Heather represents property owners and developers in all phases of real estate development, from pre-acquisition due diligence through local permitting and appeals.
Robert P. Dickson
The core of Rob’s legal practice is civil litigation, with an emphasis on construction, real estate, and business law. He represents a wide range of clients, from large construction companies to individual homeowners.
Daniel J. Frohlich
Dan’s legal practice focuses on civil litigation, real estate law, business law and probate law. He has more than 10 years of experience as an attorney serving clients throughout Western Washington.
Mark S. Johnson
Mark’s legal practice focuses on civil litigation, real estate law, business law and family law. He works tirelessly to help his clients achieve the outcome they are looking for.
Trevor A. Zandell
Since graduating with honors from law school in 2005, Trevor has been serving the legal needs of businesses, individuals, and families across Southwest Washington.
Daniel E. Pizarro
As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Daniel is active in the firm’s civil litigation department. His practice is mainly centered around real estate law, landlord-tenant law, construction law, and probate law.
Alexander J. Wisbey
Alexander Wisbey comes to the firm with 5 years of experience as a litigator and trial attorney. He has first chaired several jury trials and has extensive experience handling arbitrations, mediations, depositions, and settlements.
Andrew Hata
Andrew is the head of our Transactional Department and focuses his practice on corporate governance, real estate transactions, commercial contracts, and corporate finance.
Kelley Duggan
As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Kelley practices in a wide range of areas, including estate planning, probate, civil litigation, and intellectual property law.
Cambria A. Queen
Cambria is an Associate with Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess in the civil litigation department, where she practices primarily real estate and probate law.
George Knight
As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, George is active in the firm’s civil litigation and transactional departments. His practice is mainly centered around business law, real estate law, construction law, employment law, and probate law.
Chris Pierce-Wright
Chris comes to Phillips Burgess Tacoma from Seattle, where he served as an associate attorney focused on insurance litigation with Wilson Smith Cochran Dickerson.
Lacey L. Hatch
Lacey has developed an in-depth knowledge and has successfully advised clients in an array of land use matters, including project review, code drafting and interpretation, as well as a variety of litigation pertinent to land use issues.
Jennifer Yoo
Jennifer is an associate attorney at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess where her current practice focuses on real estate law, contract and commercial disputes, and business law.
Katherine E. Baals
As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Katherine practices in a range of areas, including real estate, construction, business, and civil litigation.
Kenneth Chan
As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, PLLC, Kenny is active in the firm’s civil litigation and transactional departments. Prior to working at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Kenny was an in-house attorney for a Fortune 100 company.
Brian Buske
Following his graduation from Lewis & Clark Law School, Brian garnered valuable client experience working on international compliance and intellectual property issues.
