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Pittsburgh Lawyer Areas of Specialty: Real Estate Law Advice Provided a Law Firm in Pittsburgh

Article by Erica Ronchetti

If you’re looking for a Pittsburgh lawyer with experience in property law or a law firm in Pittsburgh to represent your case, the following article will provide guidance. Pittsburgh lawyers can assist clients with leasing, property financing, land use, and other areas of property law.

Pittsburgh Lawyers and Law Firms in Pittsburgh Specializing in Real Estate Law:

Should you require legal service or advice throughout the course of a property project or development, choose a Pittsburgh law firm that specializes in guiding local and national clients through projects and transactions. Pittsburgh Attorneys who understand the perspective of both landlords and tenants, buyers and sellers, and borrowers and lenders can help guide clients through property acquisitions, turnkey developments, and complex commercial lease issues.

Pittsburgh Lawyers specializing in real estate law can assist clients with a variety of real estate projects, including:

Real estate developmentThe sale and acquisition of propertyFinancing

And leasing of the following:

Commercial office parksRetail centersIndustrial sitesResidential projectsFlex and mixed-use developmentsWarehouse and manufacturing buildingsRaw land

Your law firm in Pittsburgh should represent both tenant and landlord cases in all areas of lease negotiation, including tenant construction and build-out issues, complex commercial office leases, restaurant and retail leasing, and ground leases. Should you have questions regarding construction, environmental, zoning, taxation, title insurance, financing, and other land use and development concerns, a Pittsburgh lawyer can provide assistance.

Real estate law firms in Pittsburgh specialize in representing property developers (with regards to building and leasing major office complexes), mixed use developments, and strip malls as well. Retail establishments, professionals, and anchor tenants benefit advice from a Pittsburgh law firm. Your Pittsburgh lawyer should monitor all leasing issues and news in real estate law to provide current and comprehensive advice.

Should you have questions about financing, a Pittsburgh lawyer can provide assistance. A Pittsburgh law organization specializing in property financing can help represent both lenders and borrowers in connection with real estate credit facilities. Your Pittsburgh law firm property team can represent clients involved in documenting, negotiating, and closing different types of property financing transactions (including development loans, construction loans, and permanent and bridge financing). Your Pittsburgh law organization can provide the direction, services, and advice necessary to close a property transaction.

A Pittsburgh law firm can counsel both residential and commercial developer, homeowner, and business in zoning, site plans, and matters of subdivision before government agencies and various boards. Should you have questions regarding laws, regulations, and procedures affecting a property owner’s use and development of real estate, contact a Pittsburgh law organization or Pittsburgh lawyer for further information.

About the Author

Erica Ronchetti is a freelance writer for Maiello Brungo & Maiello Attorneys at law. MBM Pittsburgh law firm and Pittsburgh lawyer are experts in the field of real estate law and are happy to answer any questions you have, or work with you to resolve your legal concerns.Learn more about law firms Pittsburgh and our services by visiting us on the web.

FTC Ruling Favors Discount Real Estate Brokers Offering Flat-Fee MLS Listings

Discount real estate brokers are very pleased with a recent Federal Trade Commission ruling that made it illegal for realtor organizations to discriminate against them. The FTC ordered a National Association of Realtors affiliate in southeast Michigan to cease its discrimination against discount brokers. The FTC’s decision was unanimous and was the most recent clash in a string of many battles between the NAR and federal antitrust regulators. The rules that make it difficult for discount real estate brokers to compete on a level playing field have caused a lot of friction between the NAR and federal regulators on a local and national level for years.

The root of the problem lies in the policies of NAR affiliate Realcomp II Ltd. that is owned by local realtor associations in the area and operates a multiple listing service featuring residential and commercial real estate in and around the Detroit metro area. A Multiple Listing Service, or MLS, owns and manages a searchable database of properties for sale and dictates how real estate brokers may use this information. Brokers have to belong to a multiple listing service to access the information they need on MLS listings. It is in a broker’s best interests to belong to an MLS as these listings provide more detailed information on properties than most real estate websites.

The FTC determined that Realcomp’s rules blocking certain types of homes for sale from being listed on Realtor.com and other real estate websites illegally discriminated against discount brokers. The types of MLS listings at the heart of the dispute are called “exclusive agency” listings that are used by discount brokers who charge flat fees for their services instead of a percentage of the home’s selling price.

Discount brokers have been watching developments in the Realcomp case for many years, hoping that the discriminatory practices would end in real estate markets around the country. When notified about the FTC ruling, one relieved flat-fee MLS listing broker said that the FTC has “clearly stated thou shalt not hide the listings of discounters.”

Realcomp’s CEO has said that the company’s board of directors was still weighing the merits of making an appeal on the FTC’s ruling in federal court. In the past, the National Association of Realtors has helped Realcomp fight the FTC with financial and legal support.

Flat-fee MLS listings provided by Louisville Properties will continue to help home sellers in and around the Louisville area whether the FTC ruling is successfully appealed or not. MLS listings through a discount broker are the most powerful and cost-effective way to market and sell Louisville real estate of all kinds.

Columbus Ohio Real Estate Going Fast

Columbus Ohio like the rest of the country has experienced it’s share of economic decline in the real estate market. The amount of homes on the market in Columbus has been going up since the pop of the real estate bubble. This created a supply and demand problem where there were many homes for sale and fewer buyers to purchase. When supply is higher than demand what follows is always a drop in prices.

Some blame the government for forcing lenders to hand out risky loans. Others critisize local home builders who offered low teaser rates. Some blame the buyers for taking on more than they could swallow. We can blame lot’s of people and lot’s of organizations but most blame the cause of the decline in home prices was teaser rate mortgages and and loans that didn’t conform to standard lending practices that set buyers up for failure in their newly purchased home. Regardless of who or what caused homes to decline we need to look at the current situation. Property values are very low compared to where they were 5 years back. This is not good news for sellers but could be the perfect time for buyers to make their move.

We have new market data showing us a possible increase in home prices. Economist have been watching housing data and have determined that we have experienced an up -tick in home prices during the last 7 months. The average number of days properties are staying for sale has been steadily decreasing. Economist predict home prices will increase as much as 11% in 2010. Home inventories have been quickly running out of supply. The day of the good deal is nearing an end. Buyer beware no longer means take precaution when purchasing a home. Now it means beware of missing out on a perfect time to buy.

What we clearly hold in our hands is an opportunity that will not likely be seen again in our lifetime.

Where is Columbus Ohio real estate headed? What it means for buyers is it’s time to get off the fence. There is substantial data and clear evidence that we have reached the bottom and are in the process of rebounding. Buyer’s who have been waiting for the best time to buy have now found it in the current real estate market. Columbus Real Estate will probably not see a better time to buy.

Now Is The Time

If you want the best real estate deal you are going to need access to real time data. Internet based MLS searches do not provide real time data on listings. At Search The Columbus MLS you get the ability to be part of my V.I.P. buyer system where you be given live data on all Central Ohio real estate. This will include all bank owned properties, short sales, HUD homes and all other types of sales.

This is the key to finding the best buy. The really good buys are always off the market in just a few days from listing. When you have direct access you will find the homes first before other people and be able to take advantage of the best buy. Over the past 16 years I have saved my clients a huge amount of money by using this exact service.

Attention buyers! Visit the links in this article where you will find the Free VIP service and other helpful real estate information.