Buying an office building

[Nate T.]

I am in discussions with a seller to put in an offer on an office building (in Tempe AZ). I have done hundreds of residential transactions, but never any commercial, so I don't know what I don't know. Any suggestions from commercial investing veterans?

For example:

Should I have an attorney create the contract? Or just see what we have available from the local Realtor association?

What should I request from the seller, besides the income/expense numbers and rent rolls?

What kind of earnest deposit is typical?

What kind of inspections should be done?

Can I get access to the rented offices?

Should I get a survey? An environmental study? (In AZ we don't usually get surveys on residential  properties. And these reports wouldn't be required by the lender because I would be using seller financing. But I don't know how important it is to get them anyway for myself.)

Thanks!