Professional Help

A variety of professionals will play an important role for anyone involved with developing artist space. This page offers advice on how to find, hire, and work with these people.

Square Feet Chicago has an excellent chapter on Professional Services; check it out first.

Lawyers

Purchasing real estate require that you have a good attorney for the following reasons. Attorneys will:

• Interpret technical documents
• Help you negotiate or evaluate negotiating strategies
• Remain emotionally uninvolved and give objective feedback and direction
• Understand all of the legal requirements to facilitate the project
• Assist in resolving financial or tax questions associated with the purchase
• Assist in drafting cooperative or condominium by-laws and documents

Look for an experienced real estate attorney who derives a major portion of his/her income from real estate, and who knows your community. Contact the Massachusetts Bar Association, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, or MassLegalHelp for help finding someone who will be willing to work pro bono, for reduced fees, or in exchange of artwork. You should make the case that taking this project on will serve a public purpose. Consider contacting other artists groups who have recently gone through this as contacts for their lawyers.

Insurance Agents

Please read our page on insurance and feel free to contact us to talk about finding insurance.

Code Consultants

Please see our page on Building Code and Space

Real Estate Agents

If you are looking for space, read our page on Working with Realtors

If you are in the process of purchasing a live/work unit or other residence, read futher about how to work with a broker.

Architect/Engineers

Please see our page on Working with Architects

Green Building

Please see our page on Green Building