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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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In the not-so-distant past, consumerism and commerce meant taking a trip to a nearby mall. Nowadays, however, consumers in Los Angeles and elsewhere associate these terms with visiting an e-commerce hub and eagerly waiting for their new packages to arrive at their homes or businesses a couple of days later. The evolution taking place in commerce no doubt has an impact on the real estate market, specifically the market of properties featuring commercial leases.

The real estate industry was admittedly unprepared for the rise of e-commerce. The result? Warehousing options ended up being limited. Thus, it may come as no surprise that commercial warehouse spending reached more than $24 billion last year — a record.

In fact, spending on warehouse construction increased nearly 30 percent each year over the last five years, compared with just 1 percent annually during the past 19 years. In light of these changes, features such as having a location near major metros, high ceilings and wide open spaces are among the largest selling points among both tenants and investors. The booming warehouse sector does not appear to be slowing down in the near future, either.

As warehousing rises in popularity, now may be a smart time to jump on the warehouse bandwagon by investing in large properties offering commercial leases that could be used for warehousing purposes. Of course, purchasing any piece of commercial real estate can be a daunting task, especially for those who have never been through the process before. Fortunately, an attorney in Los Angeles can provide the direction needed to navigate even the most complex real estate deals so that one’s personal goals are achieved in the Golden State.

Source: Palo Alto, CA, Patch, “E-Commerce’s Impact on Commercial Real Estate”, David Taran, April 16, 2018

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WeWork, a company that offers workspaces for rent, recently claimed more space in California — specifically San Francisco. In fact, it just signed its largest Golden City lease. These types of commercial leases are becoming increasingly popular throughout the state, including in Los Angeles.

The lease that WeWork recently signed is for a property that spans almost 250,000 square feet. The deal no doubt solidifies the business’ presence as a major player in San Francisco’s commercial real estate market. The company is planning to turn the building, which dates back to the 1960s, into an amenity-heavy and trendy-looking co-working space.

WeWork has escalated in popularity during the past year, now nearly doubling the amount of space it leased last year. It is therefore currently San Francisco’s fourth-largest renter behind PG&E, Wells Fargo and Sales Force. The new building will expand WeWork’s footprint by more than 30 percent. The business, which was a mere startup eight years ago, is now worth tens of billions and has over 200 locations across the globe.

Entrepreneurs and freelancers are becoming increasingly drawn to shared workspaces since they lack traditional offices. For this reason, now appears to be an ideal time to take advantage of commercial leases to offer these spaces to the increasing number of people who are venturing out to work for themselves. Of course, making a mistake when it is time to sign a lease can be financially devastating. Fortunately, an attorney in Los Angeles can review and negotiate a lease agreement for an aspiring tenant, to make sure that his or her best interests are protected before he or she signs on the dotted line.

Source: sfchronicle.com, “WeWork signs largest San Francisco lease yet for California Street tower“, Trisha Thadani and J.K. Dineen, March 28, 2018

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Like many in California, you may be learning about the benefits of including real estate investment in your retirement portfolio. On the other hand, you may simply be excited by the many options available and hope to build a business through residential and commercial properties.

Whatever your goals, the first roadblock you may encounter is obtaining the resources necessary to begin purchasing the investment properties. You may be considering the option of taking on a partner in your investments. There certainly are many advantages to forming a partnership, especially if you have a particular person in mind with whom you would like to work. However, understanding the drawbacks to a partnership is essential to making a wise decision.

The advantages of a partnership

Your partner may not only supply you with the funds and the worthy credit score you need to acquire investment real estate, but the right candidate may also bring critical skills to the operation, including investment experience, property management skills or a network of valuable connections. A successful partner will ideally make up for what you lack.

As in a marriage, a partnership allows you to share the load. You and your partner can divide the tremendous amount of work involved in owning and managing investment property. You will also reduce the chance of missing or forgetting critical tasks since your partner will be a second set of eyes overseeing the operation. This will be most helpful if you intend to own multiple properties.

The disadvantages

When dividing the work and responsibility, you also divide the profits. Depending on the type of partnership you form and how you and your partner agree to divide the money, you may make less than half of what you would alone. This could be even less if you decide to take on multiple partners. You also relinquish a fair amount of control over the investment business. Every decision you make will involve your partner, and there may be times when you disagree.

Another consideration when taking on an investment partner is the amount of complication you may be adding to your tax burden. Dividing the tax responsibilities can be complex and confusing enough to require legal assistance to avoid conflict with federal, state and local tax authorities.

With the many factors involved in forming a partnership for your real estate investment, you may benefit from sound legal advice, especially from an attorney with experience in many aspects of real estate and investment law.

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Areas where remote workers and entrepreneurs can share workspaces have been springing up in California and elsewhere throughout the United States during the past several years. As a result, many investors have set their eyes on properties featuring commercial leases that could be used as shared office spaces. The downtown area of Santa Rosa, located a few hours from Los Angeles, is ready to make a major investment in this co-working trend.

The first floor of a newspaper building in Santa Rosa is currently undergoing renovations to replicate the amenities, look and vibe of high-demand providers of co-working spaces in the San Francisco area. The aim is to offer office space spanning 10,000 square feet by the summer, followed by around 8,000 square feet of space in nearby Petaluma. This trend is not expected to die down anytime soon, either.

Research shows that the number of co-working sites has skyrocketed from around 600 back in 2010 to about 14,000 across the globe by late 2017. A major appeal of these types of spaces is that workers can enjoy the type of convenience they would experience in a coffee shop while being able to focus on their work and even collaborate with professionals from various industries. In light of this, co-working spaces usually offer quick tea or coffee refills, high-speed wireless connections and the opportunity to schedule time for sensitive calls, and client meetings in private rooms.

Investors interested in taking advantage of the co-working trend may understandably be excited by the prospect of purchasing properties featuring commercial leases. However, they may be overwhelmed by the transaction process, especially if they have not gone through it before. A savvy attorney in Los Angeles can provide the guidance needed to navigate a commercial real estate deal in the most personally favorable manner possible.

Source: sonomanews.com, “Co-working center coming to Santa Rosa“, Jeff Quackenbush, April 3, 2018

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Los Angeles is currently considered the best place for investing in real estate. However, San Diego, located only a couple of hours south of Los Angeles, is also apparently a real estate hot spot for investors. According to a recent real estate report, major money players are flocking to this city to purchase properties, including those featuring commercial leases. These players include the likes of pension funds and insurance companies.

On a list of the most attractive places for investing in real estate, San Diego jumped from a No.  17 ranking in 2017 to a No. 11 ranking this year. The most desirable real estate properties in America’s Finest City include retail, office, multifamily and industrial properties. One reason investors like San Diego so much is that the vacancy rates are low and the economy is diversified.

Another reason San Diego is high on many investors’ radars is that the lack of industrial and new office properties as well as development sites means higher rent returns. San Francisco is yet another California city that is drawing increasing interest from investors. About half of the investors who were recently surveyed acknowledged that they planned to increase their purchases in 2018 compared with 2017.

Investing in real estate properties that feature commercial leases can be a personally exciting and lucrative endeavor. However, it also benefits the local economy, as it involves adding a new building to an area or taking an old one and renovating it to make it desirable. All of this ultimately benefits the local community. Still, navigating commercial real estate deals can be confusing, particularly for investors who have never done it before. An attorney in Los Angeles can provide the guidance needed to seal a real estate deal successfully in the Golden State.

Source: sandiegouniontribune.com, “San Diego becoming hot spot for real estate investing, report says“, Phillip Molnar, March 16, 2018

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