Real Estate Development

Florida is an ever-changing and blossoming property environment. We have helped hundreds of families and businesses with our real estate development services. It gives us great satisfaction when we do our part to make a piece of land, whether developed or undeveloped, reach its potential and blossom into something that not only helps our clients, but the community as a whole. Development often ushers in jobs, homes, businesses, an increased tax base, and a healthier community.

Our Real Estate and Development Team can help you navigate the complex and ever-changing landscape of laws, rules and regulations that affect modern real estate transactions. We represent a wide range of clients in a myriad of real-estate situations. Whether representing clients before local value adjustment boards or procuring federal funding from Washington, our Commercial Real Estate and Development Team works hard to get the job done.  We focus on the legal and governmental issues involved in a project so you can focus on running your life and your business.

If you want to develop real estate, give our office a call today.

Development agreements

A development agreement is simply and an agreement to develop a piece of land for personal or commercial use. Such agreements are incredibly important, as they impact the entire scope of any project; they should be completed correctly and accurately in order to protect your interests.

The agreement can be between any number of parties, such as an individual, a construction company, a commercial builder, a city or town, a retail business or any combination thereof. It might deal with hazardous chemicals or toxic materials that need to be removed from the site.

The contract should list the necessary steps the builder needs to take in order to have the development approved by the municipality where the property is located. The development plan sketches out the project and sets down the expectations regarding time-frames and property limits. Depending on the complexity of the project, the improvements section may be very long as it outlines all of the improvements the project will need, such as the improvement of sewer lines or sidewalks. The final sections will set deadlines for building, landscaping rules, parking rules and other rules for further construction on that parcel of land.

Contracts like these form the legal basis for important relationships between parties developing real estate. We don’t take a cookie cutter approach to creating these agreements and make sure the unique needs of our clients and their projects are fully protected. If you’ve been asked to sign a development agreement or wish to have one created, contact our office. The agreement is too important to draft without the review of an experienced real estate attorney.

Land acquisitions

In a volatile real estate market, experienced representation can protect your interests in every step of a real estate transaction. Buying and selling residential and commercial property is more complicated than ever before. We help our clients in all types of acquisitions, including preparation and review of:

• Real estate purchase and sales agreements
• Land surveys
• Deed restrictions
• Financing documents
• Closing document

We may discover fixable or permanent problems with the property before closing – problems that might force you to reconsider the purchase altogether. There may be border disputes with neighboring property owners, the area may not be zoned for your type of project, toxic waste could be present or there may even be significant liens on the property. Only with the help of experienced legal counsel can you be confident in the both the property you are purchasing and the transaction process to acquire it.

Compliance with local codes and requirements

Developing a property often requires working with a number of government agencies on zoning, wetlands, and land use rules and regulations. Without a competent guide, these processes can drag on, delay projects, and generate hefty expenses. The best way to minimize these delays is to plan ahead and proactively address and resolve issues. We inform clients what applicable land use laws and regulations require, and how best to address the necessary steps; allowing them to accomplish their goals while avoiding as many problems as possible. This proactive approach can prevent small issues from becoming large regulatory problems which can stir up local opposition and make it difficult for local board and commission members to quickly grant necessary approvals.

We also work closely with the staff of government bodies to clearly communicate the facts and goals of a project. We make sure that we promptly address their concerns about a project’s impact, while meeting our client’s goals concerning costs and profitability. This cooperative approach can be far more cost and time effective for our clients than a “my way or the highway” approach or threats of legal action. We will zealously protect our client’s rights through litigation when necessary, but such a time-consuming and expensive tool is better left as a last resort.

Representation before government entities

Government entities have their role to play in land use. They must balance the needs and desires of developers, the wants and needs of neighbors and the community as a whole while juggling these interests with the applicable laws and regulations. It’s our job to communicate to these entities and any concerned citizens how our clients’ projects comply with applicable regulations and how it will benefit the community.

Our administrative lawyers are skilled at representing property owners and developers on zoning and land use issues, including providing tools they can use to help maximize the value of a property. We work with government staff on our clients’ projects and our attorneys make presentations before government bodies during official meetings. We even answer questions and concerns raised by board members and members of the public during public hearings.

Our experienced team helps clients achieve their objectives, beginning with strategic planning and continuing through final government approval. If your project will be before a government entity, or if you’re a concerned citizen who wants an educated opinion on a proposal that’s being reviewed by a government body, contact our office so we can discuss the issue and your options for dealing with it.

Real estate development is a major part of our practice. The knowledge and expertise we’ve developed over the years allows us to help our clients reach their real estate development goals effectively and efficiently. If you are trying to find an attorney Boca Raton or have a question about any aspect of real estate development, contact our office today at 1-561-997-9995 or 1-800-863-9560.