Real Estate
Curtis Thaxter’s Real Estate Practice Group includes three principal areas: Commercial Real Estate, Housing and Land Use.
Commercial Real Estate. Curtis Thaxter has long been regarded a premier real estate and project development law firm. Our real estate attorneys represent local, regional and national lenders in all aspects of commercial financings. We also represent buyers, sellers and owners of apartment, office and commercial buildings, shopping centers, development property, forest lands, and children’s camps; condominium development and operations, time-share programs, planned communities, and resorts; owners and landlords, building contractors, energy project owners and developers, conservation groups, and utility companies. Curtis Thaxter was the first Portland law firm to form a title insurance agency and is recognized for its experience in title law, boundary matters, easements and rights of way, and Colonial Ordinance law affecting submerged and waterfront lands.
Housing. The firm’s real estate lawyers have substantial experience in housing finance and the firm is a recognized leader in affordable housing development. Our attorneys are active in all aspects of the acquisition, development, preservation, restructuring and financing of housing projects in Maine and nationally. We regularly handle transactions of all sizes involving low-income housing tax credits, tax exempt bonds, Rural Development, HUD Section 202 and Section 811 project financing, and FHA-insured projects. The firm handled one of the first pooled bond refinancings of HUD Section 202 loans in the country and is involved in similar transactions locally and regionally.
Land Use. Curtis Thaxter attorneys represent land owners and developers in all aspects of land use law, including obtaining federal permits and municipal and state approvals of subdivisions, variances and changes in zoning ordinances, Tax Increment Financing, and industrial, commercial, and residential siting approvals.
Curtis Thaxter is a founding and active member of the Maine Real Estate & Development Association and is a strong supporter of “Smart Growth”. Our clients benefit from the practical experience resulting from the service of the firm’s attorneys on municipal planning boards, boards of appeal and tax assessment review and governing bodies, as well as in other real estate and housing-related organizations.