Real Estate

Section Chair

Real Estate

Recognized as a leading firm in real estate law, Chambliss has significant commercial real estate industry experience and advises clients on all aspects of commercial transactions.

Through its long history of representing real estate developers, lenders, and investors, Chambliss has the experience to efficiently and effectively guide its clients through the complexities of real estate transactions in order to achieve successful and desired results. Chambliss takes a proactive approach and focuses on working collaboratively with all parties and professionals in a manner that achieves client objectives.

The Chambliss team represents its clients on a wide variety of developments, including projects in the hospitality, warehouse, office, retail, multi-family, health care, and vacation rental sectors. Clients trust our attorneys to support them throughout the entire sequence of a transaction. We make it a priority to understand our clients – their goals, priorities, approach, culture, values, risk tolerance, and financial parameters. We then tailor our services to deliver the desired results. Our firm's clients appreciate our team's problem-solving approach and our responsiveness to meet their fast-paced demands.

We are proud to be a part of our client's team and to play a role in the successful completion of real estate projects in Chattanooga, the Southeast, and beyond. We value our clients' trust in us and strive to offer the highest levels of legal knowledge and client service. We are honored to be recognized for our efforts by Chambers & Partners USA® for real estate. One of our attorneys has also been recognized by Best Lawyers in America© as the Chattanooga Real Estate Lawyer of the Year for multiple years, and we have multiple partners recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers for real estate.

Client types represented by our firm include:

  • Manufacturers with production and warehouse facilities located throughout the US and abroad
  • Logistic companies which own or lease warehouse facilities in urban and rural markets throughout the United States
  • Local and regional residential developers producing a variety of housing types, including single-family residences, townhomes, condominiums, quadplexes, age-restricted units in the Chattanooga vicinity and throughout the Southeast
  • Companies focusing on the hospitality industry through the construction of hotels and short-term rental facilities
  • Chattanooga-based and regional firms that own, develop, and operate a variety of properties, including small-box retail, office, and health care facilities
  • Regional financial institutions that provide financing for projects in the residential, retail, office, and manufacturing sectors

What We See on the Horizon

A dynamic economy brings about an ever-changing landscape in a variety of real estate sectors. Chambliss attorneys work hard to keep abreast of current markets and legal trends in order to be in the best position possible to successfully navigate real estate markets.

Contact our Chambliss real estate team for our latest insights about the following:

  • Real estate companies are starting to lease residential units in luxury apartment buildings, and then sublease those same units on home sharing platforms like AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, and FlipKey. Learning how to navigate the wide disparity of local ordinances, laws, zoning code, and regulations across the country that govern this area of real estate is something we can help with. Learn more about short-term rentals and leasing in shared economies.
  • Owners of shopping centers and commercial real estate investors have tenants seeking space for a "pop-up" concept, such as a restaurant with limited fare and craft cocktails or a pop-up selling costumes for Halloween. Such short-term retail leases require a unique approach when it comes to drafting terms and conditions. We know how to assist our clients with the most heavily negotiated matters during this process. Learn more about pop-up leasing.
  • Real estate investors are taking advantage of the Opportunity Zones tax incentive created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Opportunity Zone incentives offer investors capital gains tax relief and promotes investments in economically distressed areas.

A Snapshot of Our Depth

  • Preparation and negotiation of commercial purchase agreements for portfolio and multi-state transactions
  • Jurisdictional approvals, including governmental entities and rezoning
  • Real estate financing, including construction, equity, sale, leaseback, and subordinated financing
  • Assistance with real estate due diligence items, including title, survey, and environmental
  • Manufacturing facilities development and expansion, supplier parks
  • Governance of community associations (homeowner's associations, property owner's associations)
  • Professional services agreements for contractors, architects, and engineers
  • Environmental assessments and compliance with various federal, state, and local agencies
  • Environmental enforcement actions and administrative proceedings
  • Conservation easements
  • Home-sharing and short-term rentals, such as AirBnB, FlipKey, HomeAway, and VRBO
  • Structuring of joint venture and equity development deals
  • Tax incentive investments, including Opportunity Zones and Section 1031 exchanges

Experience

  • Represented local developer in connection with the planning and development of a single-family residential neighborhood, such representation included the creation of the restrictive covenants, architectural guidelines, rules and regulations, and the establishment of the owner's association

    Assisted client with an economic development project involving solar energy in partnership with the State of Tennessee

    Assisted with acquiring and developing industrial property for manufacturing clients

    Represented regional developer in connection with the sale of twenty-six convenience store sites located throughout several Southeastern states

    Represented client in numerous multi-family transactions, including the closing of a $65 million sale of a North Carolina property

    Assisted investment group in the acquisition and completion of a partially developed condominium complex, such representation included the purchase of membership interest, the obtaining of the applicable construction financing, the termination of the condominium regime, the subsequent site development, and the completion of permanent financing

    Represented regional banking client in connection with the financing of a large mixed-use transaction

    Worked with regional developer to negotiate the rezoning and entitlements process in connection with the completion of a retail center

    Assisted a regional developer in connection with the conversion of a 137-unit apartment complex to a condominium regime

    Represented a local developer in connection with various aspects of a Tennessee-border region development, such representation included negotiating ground leases with several national retailers, and the owner of a golf-entertainment facility

    Assisted an apartment investment group with the acquisition of multiple apartment complexes, including the structuring of ownership entities to allow for the inclusion of investors through the use of 1031 like-kind exchanges

    Represented a world-wide automobile manufacturer with the financing of its supplier park located adjacent to its Chattanooga manufacturing facility

    Assisted a national lender with respect to the issuance of a guidance line of credit for the development of several small-box retail sites

    Assisted a local condominium owners' association in connection with transitioning to a new property management company

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