There are many things to consider when starting a business in Arizona, including what type of items to sell, how many people to hire and where the business will be located. Zoning requirements are helpful to understand. Zoning regulations Anyone who would like to develop or use a property in Arizona should be familiar with the local zoning regulations and obtain permits before starting construction or changing a property. Business zoning requirements are regulated by local zoning ordinances, which divide areas into different zones. Each has their own permitted land uses, building types and dev ..read more

Re-zoning is the process of changing the land use designation of a property to allow for different types of development. However, re-zoning is not a simple or quick process. It involves several steps and requires approval from various Phoenix agencies and officials. Pre-application meeting Before you submit your formal application, you should schedule a pre-application meeting with the Planning and Development Department staff. This meeting will help you understand the requirements and procedures for your re-zoning request, identify any potential issues or concerns and get feedback on the site ..read more

Many people in Arizona live in communities that have homeowners’ associations. These associations charge various dues to the people living within the association in exchange for the association providing services to the community. Homeowner associations also have the authority to set different rules regarding care of the outside of homes, what people can store in their yards and other rules to help keep the community in good condition, which, in turn, can keep property values higher for everyone. Generally, when people move into a property in a community governed by a certain homeowners’ assoc ..read more

Purchasers of commercial real estate must perform their due diligence before committing to the sale, which basically means they are assessing the property for possible problems that should be resolved before closing or that could expose them to liability. This includes obtaining a Phase I Environmental Assessment (Phase I ESA). What is a Phase I ESA? A Phase I ESA is a report used as part of the commercial real estate sales process. The purpose of a Phase I ESA is to determine if the property being sold polluted the ground or groundwater underneath it. This is especially pertinent to certain b ..read more

It is quite common for businesses in the Phoenix area to be a part of real estate transactions. Sellers might sell a property to raise capital, for example. For buyers, the business may be looking to expand its footprint, reach new areas and customers or even engage areas where they may find better employees. Whatever the reason for your company to engage in a real estate transaction, paying attention to details in the transaction is crucial. Any of our readers in Arizona who have been a part of a real estate transaction before probably know that there can be quite a lot of paperwork involved ..read more

As any commercial landlord knows, litigating commercial real estate disputes can be costly, both in terms of dollars and reputation. Disputes can also lead to lost rent if an angry tenant leaves. For these and other reasons, many commercial landlords are turning to mediation as a way to hopefully resolve disputes in an amicable manner. What is mediation? Mediation is a process in which a neutral mediator facilitates negotiations between parties with the ultimate goal of reaching a settlement. The mediator has specialized training in helping parties find common ground and explore ways to resolv ..read more

With the recent explosion in home prices and the difficulty getting housing financing, there has been a renewed interest in condominiums. This interest has extended into Phoenix, Arizona, and the surrounding areas, and according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are millions of Condominium projects across the country. However, as the Champlain Towers tragedy in Surfside, Florida, taught us, condos have their own set of serious issues. Single-family home vs. condominium The primary difference between a Phoenix, Arizona, single family structure vs. a condomi ..read more

Commercial real estate litigation is an always-evolving field. And, especially this year with the Federal Reserve’s insistence to keep raising interest rates, it looks to be a particularly active year for Phoenix, Arizona, commercial real estate litigation. Breaches If there is one thing that can get a once-excited commercial buyer to get cold feet, it is an extra percentage point. Unfortunately, that is the interest rate landscape we live in now, and even if there is a rate lock, if it expires before a closing can occur, the resulting rate could be dramatically different. And, if they were ok ..read more

The concept of eminent domain isn’t one that most people become familiar with until it impacts their lives directly. However, many of our readers in Arizona probably know the basics of eminent domain: it is a legal mechanism by which the federal, state or local government – or other authorized entity – can take some form of ownership over another person’s property for a public purpose. The property owner is supposed to receive compensation for the property or property rights taken. The process of using eminent domain is commonly referred to as “condemnation.” That can all seem fairly straightf ..read more

As business owners know, commercial property taxes are unavoidable. They are a percentage of the tax authority’s market value assessment of your commercial property. These taxes, along with residential property taxes, fund local government operations like police, fire departments, school districts, etc. This is why your tax authority’s market value assessment sometimes does not resemble reality. They have a built-in need to maximize your market value, while you have the opposite incentive. Additionally, Arizona law allows you to appeal your commercial property tax assessments. How to appeal Wh ..read more