❓ Do I really need to hire a lawyer to negotiate this lease?

 If you had a burning rash on your face, would you really need to see a dermatologist? Well, it really depends on your tolerance for DIY solutions. You can use WebMD and YouTube and try to diagnose and remedy your affliction, but a burning rash on your face sounds pretty painful and gross, so you’d probably call an expert. 

Yes. Yes. 1000% yes. Leases are not exactly rashes, but they can certainly be painful and lead to (emotional and financial) disfigurement if not properly handled. We say this all the time, but once more for the crowd in the back…leases are five to ten year legally binding contracts. Also, they are written in Legalese, which is a foreign language to those of us whose legal education comes primarily from Legally Blonde and Law & Order. 

Your lease contractually binds you to a gazillion terms for more than one presidential administration. Some of the terms you’ll understand easily -- like what your rent is -- and some are far more obscure -- like whether you have to pay rent if there are city-wide utility interruptions.

So you’re far better off engaging an expert to help you navigate all the many legal questions in your lease. And by “expert,” we mean that you need a subject matter expert. Call a retail real estate attorney — don’t call your uncle Dan who’s a divorce attorney! You wouldn’t call a cardiologist for your burning face rash, right?