Legal Advice Blog: Legal Advice, Case Insights, & Local Law Information

As Americans in Southern California keep aging, the current senior care center inventory will not be enough to support the increasing number of elderly individuals. This is particularly true for centers that deal with memory care — for example, those that accommodate patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. At the same time, the shrinking availability of land and commercial leases in dense parts of Southern California, such as Los Angeles, has pushed memory care-related development into the region’s secondary markets. Secondary markets for memory care development include the likes of San Diego County, the San Fernando Valley and Riverside County. Those wishing to develop land for memory care facilities face stiff competition from single-family and multifamily developers. After all, the latter have a far better land stake since they can cover the cost of land with their handy compressed cap rates. In addition to looking at secondary markets, developers of memory care facilities have become more creative when it comes to building and financing their spaces. For instance, long-term leases for land have become more commonplace across Southern California for all classes of assets. These types of leases were once unpopular for developers and banks to use for underwriting purposes. Los Angeles remains an in-demand area for those looking for commercial leases or property to develop for their businesses. However, this also means that competition there is tough. Fortunately, an attorney can offer the legal guidance that aspiring business tenants, property investors or property developers need to achieve their unique goals in the booming Southern California real estate market. Source: bisnow.com, “ High Land Prices An Obstacle For SoCal Memory Care Developers “, Parker Brown, May 29, 2018

A real estate firm recently purchased a condominium interest in California. Swift Real Estate acquired an interest in an office asset spanning more than 219,000 square feet in San Francisco. These properties featuring commercial leases remain in demand in other parts of the state as well, including in Los Angeles. The real estate firm paid more than $109 million for the condo interest, which Broadreach Capital owned after purchasing it for more than $42 million back in 2007. The property, which was renovated at that time, features retail space on the ground level and houses noteworthy tenants, including the City of San Francisco and Twitter. San Francisco in 2017 renewed a lease for more than 69,000 square feet, which it is using for its city attorney’s office. The real estate investment firm has acquired several properties over the past 12 months in key real estate markets along the West Coast. For instance, it recently added an office property in Silicon Valley as well as an office tower in San Diego. However, the company has also sold multiple properties and generated profits during the past 12 months in such areas as Irvine, California, and Portland, Oregon. Purchasing and selling properties featuring commercial leases can be both an exciting and a daunting undertaking. This is especially the case for those who have never gone through the process before. However, a real estate attorney in Los Angeles can provide the necessary guidance to cross every “t” and dot every “i” during even the most complicated commercial real estate transactions in the Golden State. Source: cpexecutive.com, “ Swift Real Estate Grabs $110M SF Office Tower “, Barbra Murray, May 23, 2018

A real estate firm recently purchased a condominium interest in California. Swift Real Estate acquired an interest in an office asset spanning more than 219,000 square feet in San Francisco. These properties featuring commercial leases remain in demand in other parts of the state as well, including in Los Angeles. The real estate firm paid more than $109 million for the condo interest, which Broadreach Capital owned after purchasing it for more than $42 million back in 2007. The property, which was renovated at that time, features retail space on the ground level and houses noteworthy tenants, including the City of San Francisco and Twitter. San Francisco in 2017 renewed a lease for more than 69,000 square feet, which it is using for its city attorney’s office. The real estate investment firm has acquired several properties over the past 12 months in key real estate markets along the West Coast. For instance, it recently added an office property in Silicon Valley as well as an office tower in San Diego. However, the company has also sold multiple properties and generated profits during the past 12 months in such areas as Irvine, California, and Portland, Oregon. Purchasing and selling properties featuring commercial leases can be both an exciting and a daunting undertaking. This is especially the case for those who have never gone through the process before. However, a real estate attorney in Los Angeles can provide the necessary guidance to cross every “t” and dot every “i” during even the most complicated commercial real estate transactions in the Golden State. Source: cpexecutive.com, “ Swift Real Estate Grabs $110M SF Office Tower “, Barbra Murray, May 23, 2018

Naturally, homeowners in Los Angeles and throughout California take pride in the places they call home. Unfortunately, not all homes are built up to standard. If a home features construction defects that could have — and should have — been avoided, grounds for real estate litigation may exist. Construction defects are conditions in homes that decrease their value. Sometimes a defect is obvious — for example, the seepage of water. Meanwhile, other defects are not as obvious; in fact, they might become apparent only years after the house was built. Construction defects may be related to using inferior materials or poor workmanship. Examples of these causes include the improper analysis and preparation of a home site’s soil, or poor structural and civil engineering. Common kinds of defects include dry rot, roof or foundation cracks, faulty drainage, improperly functioning electrical systems and mold. Homeowners who discover construction defects in their homes have the right to file lawsuits against the party or parties deemed responsible. An understanding of the facts that need to be proved will most likely be necessary to prevail in such a case in Los Angeles. A successful real estate litigation claim involving a construction defect relies in part on expert testimony, as experts can evaluate the causes of any claimed construction defects and make the necessary recommendations for remedying them. An attorney will provide the guidance needed to navigate the claim process, working to ensure that the homeowner’s rights and best interests are protected each step of the way. Source: findlaw.com, “ Construction Defect FAQs “, Accessed on May 12, 2018

Naturally, homeowners in Los Angeles and throughout California take pride in the places they call home. Unfortunately, not all homes are built up to standard. If a home features construction defects that could have — and should have — been avoided, grounds for real estate litigation may exist. Construction defects are conditions in homes that decrease their value. Sometimes a defect is obvious — for example, the seepage of water. Meanwhile, other defects are not as obvious; in fact, they might become apparent only years after the house was built. Construction defects may be related to using inferior materials or poor workmanship. Examples of these causes include the improper analysis and preparation of a home site’s soil, or poor structural and civil engineering. Common kinds of defects include dry rot, roof or foundation cracks, faulty drainage, improperly functioning electrical systems and mold. Homeowners who discover construction defects in their homes have the right to file lawsuits against the party or parties deemed responsible. An understanding of the facts that need to be proved will most likely be necessary to prevail in such a case in Los Angeles. A successful real estate litigation claim involving a construction defect relies in part on expert testimony, as experts can evaluate the causes of any claimed construction defects and make the necessary recommendations for remedying them. An attorney will provide the guidance needed to navigate the claim process, working to ensure that the homeowner’s rights and best interests are protected each step of the way. Source: findlaw.com, “ Construction Defect FAQs “, Accessed on May 12, 2018

When you bid on a construction project, you expect that everything will go according to plan. At the end of the job, you may find that you were right, but what do you do if you are wrong? The construction industry is fraught with risks and hazards, and you could find yourself facing liability for a variety of mishaps and issues. In fact, construction liability insurance is often a prerequisite for receiving a construction contract. When searching for the right coverage, it may help you to know that you can negotiate the terms of your policy. With the right help, you could end up with an affordable policy that covers your concerns and contains policy limits with which you can live. What should you expect from your policy? When searching for a good liability insurance policy, you may want to ensure that it provides you with the following benefits: You should receive an acceptable level of security, ensuring coverage for you, your employees and your assets. You should receive an acceptable level of protection against property damage and injury claims. Your policy should help cover the damages and costs incurred from a monetary judgment. Your policy should help cover the costs associated with litigation such as attorney’s fees, court expenses and more. Your policy should protect your company as a whole and protect your company in individual claims. You may have other concerns in addition to the above that you may wish to address in your policy. What should your policy cover? In order to meet your liability insurance needs and goals, your policy should cover the following: It should cover any damages to the property caused by our employees, along with the possibility that the owner may not be able to use the property due to the damage. It should cover claims for injuries (fatal or otherwise) suffered under your watch. However, it does not replace your workers’ compensation insurance requirements. It should cover any damages resulting from equipment you install or use on the site. You may also consider ensuring that your liability insurance covers any potential copyright infringement accusations you may face for equipment or products of your own design that someone else may believe are too similar to another party’s product or design. In addition to negotiating the terms of your policy, you may benefit from some guidance and assistance when it comes to either filing claims against the policy yourself or defending claims from others.

When you bid on a construction project, you expect that everything will go according to plan. At the end of the job, you may find that you were right, but what do you do if you are wrong? The construction industry is fraught with risks and hazards, and you could find yourself facing liability for a variety of mishaps and issues. In fact, construction liability insurance is often a prerequisite for receiving a construction contract. When searching for the right coverage, it may help you to know that you can negotiate the terms of your policy. With the right help, you could end up with an affordable policy that covers your concerns and contains policy limits with which you can live. What should you expect from your policy? When searching for a good liability insurance policy, you may want to ensure that it provides you with the following benefits: You should receive an acceptable level of security, ensuring coverage for you, your employees and your assets. You should receive an acceptable level of protection against property damage and injury claims. Your policy should help cover the damages and costs incurred from a monetary judgment. Your policy should help cover the costs associated with litigation such as attorney’s fees, court expenses and more. Your policy should protect your company as a whole and protect your company in individual claims. You may have other concerns in addition to the above that you may wish to address in your policy. What should your policy cover? In order to meet your liability insurance needs and goals, your policy should cover the following: It should cover any damages to the property caused by our employees, along with the possibility that the owner may not be able to use the property due to the damage. It should cover claims for injuries (fatal or otherwise) suffered under your watch. However, it does not replace your workers’ compensation insurance requirements. It should cover any damages resulting from equipment you install or use on the site. You may also consider ensuring that your liability insurance covers any potential copyright infringement accusations you may face for equipment or products of your own design that someone else may believe are too similar to another party’s product or design. In addition to negotiating the terms of your policy, you may benefit from some guidance and assistance when it comes to either filing claims against the policy yourself or defending claims from others.

The real estate world is a constantly changing industry in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Technology is driving much of this change. Fortunately, many of these changes have the potential to help those who own properties featuring commercial leases. Specifically, efforts are being made to provide real estate property management companies tools that can boost productivity by increasing operating and financial efficiencies. For instance, company leaders may be able to use technology to review the performance of equipment before issues crop up. Technology may also help to improve the experiences of the employees of corporate tenants and other end users. For example, an app could be used to foster community and convenience at a corporate tenant’s company. Individuals in the tenant’s building could use the app specifically to order dishes from local restaurants to avoid having to wait in lines. In addition, technology may help underutilized spaces, such as garages or unused basements, to become revenue-generating spaces for clients. Real estate industry technology may additionally be used to help those in real estate, such as property managers, to visualize and organize their data more effectively, as well as to manage documents more easily. The real estate sector remains an exciting industry for those interested in owning properties — or owning more properties — featuring commercial leases. However, navigating real estate deals can also be complicated and overwhelming, as every deal is different. Fortunately, an attorney in Los Angeles can offer investors the direction needed to complete commercial real estate transactions in a manner that will benefit their bottom lines long term. Source: nreionline.com, “ Five Ways Technology Is Shaping CRE Property Management “, Mary Diduch, May 8, 2018

The real estate world is a constantly changing industry in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Technology is driving much of this change. Fortunately, many of these changes have the potential to help those who own properties featuring commercial leases. Specifically, efforts are being made to provide real estate property management companies tools that can boost productivity by increasing operating and financial efficiencies. For instance, company leaders may be able to use technology to review the performance of equipment before issues crop up. Technology may also help to improve the experiences of the employees of corporate tenants and other end users. For example, an app could be used to foster community and convenience at a corporate tenant’s company. Individuals in the tenant’s building could use the app specifically to order dishes from local restaurants to avoid having to wait in lines. In addition, technology may help underutilized spaces, such as garages or unused basements, to become revenue-generating spaces for clients. Real estate industry technology may additionally be used to help those in real estate, such as property managers, to visualize and organize their data more effectively, as well as to manage documents more easily. The real estate sector remains an exciting industry for those interested in owning properties — or owning more properties — featuring commercial leases. However, navigating real estate deals can also be complicated and overwhelming, as every deal is different. Fortunately, an attorney in Los Angeles can offer investors the direction needed to complete commercial real estate transactions in a manner that will benefit their bottom lines long term. Source: nreionline.com, “ Five Ways Technology Is Shaping CRE Property Management “, Mary Diduch, May 8, 2018

It is no surprise that store vacancies in the Los Angeles area and in other parts of California and the United States are rising in number these days. At the same time, more tenants are demanding shorter commercial leases. This is the perfect situation for a company called Appear Here, a business that is changing how landlords locate new tenants through an new online marketplace. Appear Here, based overseas, moved into another state’s market a year ago. Since then, it has seen over a 50 percent rise in global demand from brands interested in booking spaces by using the company’s unique platform. Later in 2018, the company will enter the California market, too. It is also interested in moving into malls throughout the country. The goal of Appear Here is relatively simple: to fill the empty stores that are growing in number in today’s retail apocalypse. Many restaurant chains and retailers, such as Toys R Us, Bon-Ton and GNC, have closed hundreds of U.S. locations as more consumers turn to the internet to make purchases. In their place are more ‘popup shops’ — smaller-format stores with leases that are shorter term and more flexible. The benefit of using Appear Here is that business owners can complete lease transactions in a matter of minutes rather than a few weeks, as using a traditional brokerage firm is no longer necessary. The landscape for commercial leases is changing thanks to innovative companies such as Appear Here. However, one thing has not changed — the complexity of leasing agreements. Fortunately, an attorney in Los Angeles can help business owners who are interested in becoming tenants to review and effectively negotiate lease agreements before signing on the dotted line. Source: CNBC, “ Meet the company helping fill a sea of vacant stores in the US “, Lauren Thomas, April 30, 2018

It is no surprise that store vacancies in the Los Angeles area and in other parts of California and the United States are rising in number these days. At the same time, more tenants are demanding shorter commercial leases. This is the perfect situation for a company called Appear Here, a business that is changing how landlords locate new tenants through an new online marketplace. Appear Here, based overseas, moved into another state’s market a year ago. Since then, it has seen over a 50 percent rise in global demand from brands interested in booking spaces by using the company’s unique platform. Later in 2018, the company will enter the California market, too. It is also interested in moving into malls throughout the country. The goal of Appear Here is relatively simple: to fill the empty stores that are growing in number in today’s retail apocalypse. Many restaurant chains and retailers, such as Toys R Us, Bon-Ton and GNC, have closed hundreds of U.S. locations as more consumers turn to the internet to make purchases. In their place are more ‘popup shops’ — smaller-format stores with leases that are shorter term and more flexible. The benefit of using Appear Here is that business owners can complete lease transactions in a matter of minutes rather than a few weeks, as using a traditional brokerage firm is no longer necessary. The landscape for commercial leases is changing thanks to innovative companies such as Appear Here. However, one thing has not changed — the complexity of leasing agreements. Fortunately, an attorney in Los Angeles can help business owners who are interested in becoming tenants to review and effectively negotiate lease agreements before signing on the dotted line. Source: CNBC, “ Meet the company helping fill a sea of vacant stores in the US “, Lauren Thomas, April 30, 2018

The industry of the life sciences in California — San Diego specifically — is growing exponentially. As a result, capital has been pouring into this market, and employment in this sector is up. This phenomenon is driving the demand for properties offering commercial leases — a Southern California trend that may have a major impact on Los Angeles in the near future. In 2018’s first quarter, venture capitalists poured more than $547 into more than 30 startups in the San Diego area. This is around 4 percent higher than the previous year. A large percentage of the venture capital went toward the life sciences. In fact, health care companies and biotech businesses represented seven in 10 regional deals during this time period. That is essentially 66 percent of the deals, valued at over $360 million. Big pharmaceutical companies are also moving into this area. As a result of all of this, employment in the life science field in San Diego County surpassed that of Orange County recently — the first time this has happened. Nearly 50,000 people have life science positions in the San Diego area. This may provide hope for those in Los Angeles who would like to see the area’s own life science industry develop, too, in the months and years ahead. These include real estate investors, who may be interested in purchasing specialized properties featuring commercial leases and leasing out their properties to biotech and health care businesses. Of course, navigating any commercial real estate can be tricky, particularly for those who have never done this before. Fortunately, an attorney can provide the guidance needed to successfully complete a commercial real estate deal in the Golden State. Source: bisnow.com, “ San Diego Life Science Industry Leaps Ahead, Real Estate Benefits “, Dees Stribling, April 19, 2018