Put your trust in our experienced Raleigh Real Estate Attorneys
Wilson Ratledge represents purchasers, sellers, owners, developers, tenants and lenders in projects involving the development, construction, financing, leasing, sale and purchase of commercial, residential, and multi-family residential real property. Our real estate practice ranges from simple commercial transactions and land sales to complex tax-free or tax-deferred exchanges and syndications for the acquisition and finance of commercial property and development.
Acquisition and Sales
The professionals at Wilson Ratledge are an ambassador for buyers, sellers, lenders, developers and investors in all aspects of commercial real estate acquisitions and sales. The attorneys negotiate and prepare purchase and sale agreements, options and all related documents, and have expertise in feasibility studies, innovative financing, tax planning, securities compliance and the structuring of ownership entities.
Commercial Leasing and Property Management
Wilson Ratledge welcomes landlords and tenants in office, industrial, and retail lease transactions of all sizes, including ground leases and build-to-suit leases, and will be an agent for property managers and owners in the negotiation of property management agreements, as well as the operational issues confronting managers of commercial, multi-family and low-income housing properties.
Construction
The firm regularly speaks on behalf of developers, contractors, subcontractors, material men, architects, engineers and appraisers in all phases of construction, including negotiation of construction and supplier contracts, construction disputes, construction lien enforcement and defense, and construction litigation, including construction defect claims.
Development
Wilson Ratledge serves as outside general counsel for developers based in North Carolina and local counsel for others around the region and nation. For these individuals, Wilson Ratledge attorneys handle all facets of acquisition, financing, entitlement, construction, leasing and disposition.
Distressed Assets
The professionals at Wilson Ratledge have significant experience working with owners of distressed properties, including those with related personal guaranties, seeking and securing forbearance or loan restructuring, as well as providing for the orderly disposition of these assets and developing asset protection strategies.
Financing
The attorneys at Wilson Ratledge are regularly retained by lenders and borrowers in matters involving construction and permanent financing of real estate projects. Wilson Ratledge is of a select few who are involved in the negotiation and documentation of transactions involving New Market Tax Credits. The professionals will assist with exercising of lender security interest rights and can help borrowers with their own rights and options. And, given today’s difficult market for traditional financing, expertise includes the formation of entities allowing for the pooling of investor equity.
IRC & 1031 Exchanges
Wilson Ratledge regularly advises purchasers and sellers of real estate on strategies available under IRC § 1031 for avoiding or deferring gains and minimizing tax consequences. The attorneys will structure and draft tenancy in common arrangements consistent with these strategies, and work closely with the professionals in the business section of the practice with structuring entities and transactions to minimize tax consequences.
Land Use
The lawyers at Wilson Ratledge will advise property owners and developers in navigating North Carolina’s land use regulations and restrictions. They regularly represent clients at city and county hearings to obtain development approvals (e.g., site plans, variances, and conditional use permits) on the most favorable terms possible.
Litigation And Dispute Resolution
Wilson Ratledge has been the ambassador for clients in virtually every type of real property dispute resolution. Whether the case involves breach of a purchase and sale agreement, an action to enforce a lease, foreclosure of a trust deed, or complex environmental regulatory and insurance claims, Wilson Ratledge is uniquely qualified for the task. The professionals have a vast experience in trials in State and Federal courts and are equally experienced in alternative resolution procedures, including arbitration, mediation, mini trials and settlement conferences.
Planning And Zoning
Wilson Ratledge has built a strong relationship with local government staff and elected officials throughout Raleigh and the Triangle region, and have lobbied successfully for zone changes, and comprehensive plan amendments.