Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Virginia

Re: commercial realestate

Dear Charlene:

I am not sure that I understand. Informally, of course, you can simply communicate with the owner and see if they are interested in your price.

So if I understand you, I think you are wondering how to get in contact with the owner when you see a mobile home park that you want to bid on?

The Commissoner of Revenue and/or Treasurer of the County where the real estate is located will have an address on file where they send the tax bills. This may be on-line on the internet, in fact. Alternatively, if it is a business, you may very well find the registered agent for the business on file with the State Corporation Commission, Clerk's office, in Richmond.

In terms of getting formal and submitting a formal bid and/or contract for purchase, either or realtor or a Virginia attorney could prepare these forms for you. I would think it would be best (if they do not already have their own realtor) to informally take their temperature to see if they are interested at your price before you bother with engaging your own realtor or attorney.

There are of course off-the-shelf forms you can buy, but I do have my doubts about them. No matter how good they are in theory, the problem is knowing when to customize them to your situation. It is not so much the form as it is when to use what form and when to do what with them. So going it alone without a realtor or attorney would be a gamble. It might all go fine, but it might not.

However, to the extent that this is also a BUSINESS you are buying, now you have a whole set of other issues you have to worry about. You will have to put in contingencies that your offer is subject to a complete review of the business, its finances, and any liabilities or contracts entered into., etc, etc. Now you are really getting into lawyer time rather than "do it yourself."

Not all lawyers are as expensive as you fear, however. You should not be afraid to ask. It is not entire impossible that you might get a flat fee for something like reviewing a business you are buying so that you will know what you are going to pay. Call me if you want. WHERE is the mobile park? I get around Virginia.