Real Estate

Carney Badley Spellman’s real estate attorneys in Seattle are nationally recognized and provide a broad range of real estate services to clients across all industries. Our attorneys assist clients with a full range of services covering every aspect of real estate transactions and all asset classes – commercial office buildings, retail shopping centers, other retail leasing, industrial developments and properties, and multi-family and residential properties.

Commercial and Retail Leasing

We frequently represent landlords and tenants in drafting and negotiating commercial leases for office, retail, industrial, health care, data center, and other uses, including ground leases. We also handle all manners of landlord-tenant disputes, including lease terminations, unlawful detainer actions and rent collection.

Development, Design and Construction

Our real estate group frequently teams with our construction group to represent developers, owners, local governments, architects, engineers and contractors regarding contract negotiation and procurement, design issues, bids, performance bonds, claim prosecution and defending against liens, on a wide range of development and construction projects.

Easements & Boundary Disputes

We assist property owners in protecting their legal rights with respect to adjacent properties. This includes evaluating, creating and recording easements. We are often able to work successfully to negotiate boundary solutions, but our attorneys have also successfully litigated numerous complex boundary disputes including adverse possession, trespass, nuisance, easement, and related damage claims.

Finance, Lending and Capital Formation

We represent real estate investors, private lenders, institutional lenders and borrowers, on all aspects of real estate financings, land and development loans, bridge loans, construction loans, refinancing, loan restructuring and workouts. We also represent closely held companies, developers and investors, with regard to capital raises, equity and debt financing, entity formation, joint venture agreements, and planning and financing of purchases or development projects.

Property Management

Our attorneys represent owners and property managers regarding leasing issues, tenant disputes, risk management issues, tax planning, employment issues and insurance coverage issues.

Purchase and Sales

Our attorneys represent purchasers and sellers in acquisitions, dispositions, purchase options and related transactions, regarding both developed and undeveloped properties, commercial buildings, mixed-use projects, shopping centers, and office, industrial, retail, health care, restaurant, and multi-family properties, including feasibility analysis and due diligence.

Landlord Tenant Disputes & Evictions

We handle all types of commercial landlord tenant disputes including evictions. We represent residential landlords in disputes residential tenants. On rare occasions, we represent residential tenants in landlord tenant disputes.

Unlawful Detainers

Our legal team has a proven track record of successfully handling a wide range of commercial unlawful detainer cases. We understand the unique challenges that property owners face and tailor our strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes. Our experienced attorneys will prepare and file the unlawful detainer complaint with the court, outlining the legal grounds for eviction and seeking a timely resolution.  We provide strong and effective representation in court, advocating for your rights as a property owner. Our legal team is well-versed in presenting compelling cases to secure favorable judgment and allowing you to regain control of your property efficiently.

Zoning, Growth Management & Government Affairs

Our attorneys include former locally elected officials and planning commissioners. They bring their unique experience and insights to assist clients in their interactions with local governments. This includes negotiating development agreements for, and with, local governments, entitling properties for development, assisting with permitting issues, negotiating pre-annexation agreements, drafting and utilizing form-based zoning codes, and evaluating and advocating for comprehensive plan zoning changes.

Structuring and Tax Planning

Our attorneys counsel clients regarding the formal ownership of property, including formation of limited liability companies, general and limited partnerships, tenancy-in-common (TIC) agreements, corporations, and single purpose entities. We team with our tax attorneys to address federal, state and local tax issues, for the acquisition and disposition of property, real estate excise tax (REET) impacts, tax audits, tax appeals and related matters.

Development – Environmental

We have represented developers, owners, lenders and insurance companies and have significant experience with a broad range of regulations, due diligence and feasibility analysis, and drafting and negotiating easements, covenants, boundaries, mitigation banking instruments, licenses and use-related agreements.

Litigation

Our attorneys have significant experience with litigation and dispute resolution involving:

• real estate transactions
• property purchases and developments
• construction projects, construction defects, construction liens and insurance coverage issues
• leases
• landlord-tenant disputes (including unlawful detainer)
• title disputes
• easement and boundary disputes and adverse possession
• timber trespass
• property damages
• tax disputes
• reorganizations, workouts, creditors’ claims, property liquidation
• distressed property, condemnation
• condominium disputes

Real Estate Trade Organizations

• BOMA
• Downtown Seattle Association
• International Council of Shopping Centers
• NAIOP
• Urban Land Institute