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Entering into a letter of intent for an office lease agreement? Consult our playbook for valuable key provisions, alternative language provisions, and guidance for both landlords and tenants. Download a copy to streamline your contract negotiation process...

Real estate activities are highly regulated, and each state has laws governing specific prohibited practices as well as liabilities and penalties for violations. Explore this state law survey covering essential topics such as compensation and commission...

Lease security deposit deductions typically cover repair costs for damages beyond normal wear and tear and cleaning expenses when rentals are returned in substandard condition. However, landlords and tenants often disagree as to when deductions are appropriate...

Many states are implementing energy benchmarking programs to track and identify energy use in buildings. These programs aim to encourage energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Check out this energy use reporting and disclosure clause for...

Hotel and hospitality acquisitions generally include additional operational concerns such as employee transitions, food and beverage operations, inventory, and guest baggage turnover, as well as franchise relationships. Check out our new resource kit...

Explore installment land contracts, which are alternatives to traditional mortgages and deeds of trust, where the seller finances the sale. The purchaser agrees to make installment payments to the seller with the seller retaining title as security for...

Explore the findings of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s 2025 Real Estate Market Sentiment Survey, which gathered insight from commercial real estate experts on critical topics including interest rates and construction costs. Discover why the majority of respondents...

The number of data centers has increased across the country due to the growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data storage. When determining the ideal location for data center facilities, it is prudent to evaluate the location’s...

Mortgages and deeds of trust are two types of security instruments used to protect a lender's interest in real property. Though the type of instrument varies by state, once the loan related to the respective instrument is satisfied, the lender must...

Every state regulates common interest ownership, which may include condominiums, townhomes, cooperatives, and planned communities. Refer to Practical Guidance’s survey for state laws covering topics such as condominium conversions, public offering...

The CARES Act, a wide-ranging set of federal laws enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, included new tenant protection rights. It required landlords leasing properties with federally-backed financing to provide a 30-day notice prior to proceeding with...

With an increasing shortage of rental homes, states are enacting tenant protection laws to increase tenant rights and decrease tenant displacements. Check out this article outlining new California pro-tenant laws, including laws on security deposits,...

Long gone are the days of tracking and sorting through paper contracts, making tedious edits by pen, and rushing to meet overnight courier deadlines. Today, the due diligence process and closings for real estate transactions are streamlined by cloud-based...

Check out Practical Guidance’s tracker to learn about Trump administration executive orders affecting housing and construction. Our tracker is updated regularly and provides links to the relevant order in the Federal Register; the date, number,...

Standby letters of credit are often used to provide security in commercial leases, secure construction requirements, or secure obligations assigned in commercial purchase and sales. They differ from commercial letters of credit because funds are drawn...

Lenders typically underwrite commercial real estate loans based on the borrower’s creditworthiness and the collateral real property’s value. To mitigate the risk of a loan not being paid, lenders may require a borrower to have one or more...

Certain states allow residential tenants to withhold rent when their landlords fail to maintain the premises. In those jurisdictions, tenants are generally required to first inform their landlords of the conditions and provide them with opportunity to...

Practical Guidance’s State Law Comparison Tool (SLCT) allows attorneys to compare state laws on various real estate topics, including commercial real estate ownership, foreign investment in real property, and commercial real estate leasing, in a...

Marijuana retailers are setting up shops in cannabis approved jurisdictions across the country to meet growing consumer demand. While leasing commercial spaces to cannabis businesses may be profitable, doing so can present risks to landlords. Read this...

Joint ventures are commonly formed between two or more entities for purchasing, developing, and managing real property. Parties to the joint venture usually enter into a written agreement allocating and sharing the associated responsibilities, liabilities...

Understanding California real estate development laws and procedures requires knowledge of, and familiarity with, state zoning ordinances, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Subdivision Map Act, and a host of other local,...

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has jurisdiction to review and restrict real estate transactions due to national security concerns. The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently issued a Final Rule, effective December 9...

Most states offer Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-Pace) financing to borrowers as additional capital for constructing energy-efficient improvements. C-Pace financings are funded by private lenders and administered by local governments. Read...

Industrial or warehouse spaces are used for light manufacturing, assembly, distribution, and warehousing. These spaces typically do not require significant work by the tenant prior to occupancy. However, industrial and warehouse spaces generally require...

Real estate joint ventures are formed between two or more entities to purchase, develop, and manage real property. Due to the complexity of these ventures, parties typically enter into a joint venture agreement to allocate and share the associated responsibilities...