Houston Business & Commercial Law Blog

Commercial real estate in Houston and around the country can be a profitable investment, something that is reflected in the growing interest of high-net-worth investors in these projects. While commercial real estate projects have long been appealing for more local or smaller investors, a range of high-profile companies and individuals have become involved in an array of real estate ventures. Of course, urban real estate has long been an appealing investment, given the vast growth in value and the scope of many urban projects, which may be valued in the high millions of dollars.

Indeed, commercial real estate projects are also often appealing for global companies and individuals looking for a secure yet highly profitable investment. Cities like Seattle, Vancouver, and San Francisco have attracted a wide variety of firms with their highly valuable real estate and opportunities for development. While billionaires have become major players in the industry, less-wealthy people have also become major investors in both property development and private equity real estate firms. While publicly traded investments like REITs may have higher levels of vulnerability to changes in the stock market, commercial development projects often offer strong profitability with more limited risk profiles.

In 2018, rumors emerged suggesting Amazon was looking to dump Woody Allen from the 2017 four-movie contract signed between the two parties. The first of the four films, "A Rainy Day in New York," was filmed in 2017 and has yet to receive a release date. The long wait for a release date coincides with the timing of the #MeToo movement in which Allen was implicated, leading some to believe that the stalled release is intentional.

Woody Allen has responded to the delay by filing a lawsuit in New York for breach of contract. Allen is seeking $68 million from Amazon for allegedly "reneging on its promises" stated within the contract. The lawsuit alleges that Amazon was aware of the 25-year-old claim that Woody Allen molested his daughter prior to entering the contract; therefore, the molestation claim may not be grounds for terminating the contract. Allen also claims the molestation allegation is false.

Commercial real estate investors in Texas may find that artificial intelligence technologies will begin to have an impact on the industry as a whole. The residential real estate market is already seeing some effects from the use of bots to respond to inquiries as well as algorithms that seek out potential homes for interested buyers. However, on the commercial side of the market, the greatest potential for AI may be found in easing and transforming transactions. AI principles may allow investors to better understand the opportunity presented by a particular potential transaction.

Some machine-learning systems may be able to generate predictions for how a particular investment will perform by analyzing large amounts of other data. Because AI technologies can process this information quickly, it can speed up the process of making a decision about an investment far beyond the knowledge easily within human reach. For example, algorithms can include calculations based on occupancy, rent, demographic data, crime rates, mobility scores and economic trends to produce reliable predictions for the potential of a certain real estate project.

A contract can be one of the most important tools a freelance professional or small business owner in Texas has at his or her disposal. When written properly, contracts form the foundation of the relationship between a business and a client. They can also provide clarity and eliminate a variety of problems that could potentially arise before they have a chance to come up. By creating certainty, a company can spend its time delivering a quality product or service.

If a company or client breaches the terms of a contract, the document itself could spell out what the penalties are. If there is any confusion as to whether a contract has been breached, a written contract can serve as the starting point for negotiations. It can also obligate parties to go to mediation or present their case at an arbitration hearing before heading to court.