Commercial Transactions
In the land of commercial transactions, there are many traps for the unwary. Unlike in residential transactions where the laws of the State of Florida provide many safeguards to protect people, in commercial transactions the driving force is “CAVEAT EMPTOR” or “LET THE BUYER BEWARE”. Let our experience help guide you through the process so that you can have a better chance of receiving the benefits that you bargained for.
Real Estate
There are many laws in Florida governing real estate. At Wyckoff Law Firm, P.A., we can negotiate, draft, and review contracts and agreements for any type of Florida real estate matter that you may be involved in. Whether you are a lender, seller, buyer, landlord, or tenant, your real estate matter is important to us. We consider it our job to ensure that any agreement that you enter into, as well as any contract that you sign, is in your best interest both at the time you sign it and into the future. Signing a contract without representation can prove to be a costly mistake.
We will not only negotiate and prepare your contract, we will also guide you through the entire process of your real estate transaction including helping you with your due diligence in evaluating the transaction. We have helped many businesses and individuals negotiate real estate deals throughout the Sarasota – Manatee metro area.
Commercial Real Estate
At Wyckoff Law Firm, P.A., we represent owners, buyers, sellers, developers, contractors, landlords, tenants and other participants on a wide range of commercial real estate matters. For example, we can draft or review on behalf of the seller or purchaser a contract for the sale and purchase of any commercial land and/or building.
We work closely with you to understand your objectives, concerns, and the potential risk inherent in any project or transaction. With our experience, we can point out opportunities that you may want to consider as well as potential liabilities that may not have occurred to you. We can make sure that the terms of your agreement accurately reflect your view of the transaction and help protect you from unnecessary risk.
Let our understanding of the real estate market and experience work for you to help you realize the value of your opportunity and to help alert you to the possible liabilities that you may be faced with.
Commercial Lease Agreements
Drafting, Negotiation, and Review of Leases
At Wyckoff Law Firm, P.A., we represent clients in lease negotiations. Too often, commercial tenants do not discuss and negotiate the terms and provisions of their lease with their landlord. It is an unfortunate and common misperception that the tenant must sign the lease the landlord gives them.
Please be aware that leases drafted by the landlord are almost always very one-sided in favor of the landlord. As a result, as the tenant in a non-negotiated lease, you may find yourself exposed to personal liability, additional rent, substantial costs that you were not aware of including unforseen costs for maintenance and repairs, unforseen increases in common area maintenance charges, a tenant who is a direct competitor moving in next to you, parking issues, and perhaps even costly litigation after you feel you have been wronged.
We have the legal education and skills to be in a position to help advise you of both the legal and practical ramifications of the lease provisions. We will help you negotiate lease provisions designed to provide protection against the above costly matters which should in turn provide you with a better opportunity for success.
Ending a Lease and/or Vacating the Premises
When a commercial tenant signs a multi-year lease, generally by law, they are responsible for payment of rent through the entire term of the lease, even if their business does not do as well as expected and they can’t sustain it. The tenant or landlord may seek a new tenant to sublet the space, but if they cannot negotiate a sublet for the same amount of rent, the original tenant can be held responsible for the balance. Tenants do, however, have legal rights.
When tenants vacate a property without notice, landlords face the challenge of locating them to hold them financially accountable. Landlords also face the challenge of how to handle and dispose of any of the tenant’s personal property that the tenant may have left behind at the leased premises. The landlord may have a right to claim the property as abandoned as payment for remaining rent and damages, but they should consult an attorney in order to ensure they are acting within the law when doing so.