The recent mass casualty events in Sutherland Springs, Texas as well as in Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale and around the world have many of us thinking about public safety and how we would react in such circumstances. As a result, prudent property managers are starting to assess their on-site... Read more

As a real estate lawyer, part of my practice involves preparing and negotiating commercial and residential lease agreements. Because commercial lease terms are usually five, 10 or even 20 years, both landlord and tenant should consult with an attorney before signing a legally binding agreement. That way, they can... Read more

Brokers with LandQwest Commercial expect continued strength in the commercial real estate market during the second half of this year. The following is a synopsis of their latest MarketQwest report, which examines the performance of some of our market’s most active sectors over the last six months. Land Michael... Read more

The property tax game has changed dramatically since I became the Lee County Property Appraiser’s attorney in 1994 and founded TaxCuts1 in 2003. This year is no different. The wheels of change are ever in motion and the following is an overview of my recent observations. Assessment Caps Have... Read more

Recently, I quoted a commercial real estate investor’s building with an insurance company that offered some significant advantages over the property’s existing insurer. For example, the new company’s quote not only lowered the hurricane deductible from 5% to 2%, it also increased the level of business interruption coverage by... Read more

With the Fort Myers/Naples economy improving, unemployment has plunged to 4.5%, tourism tax dollars are at record highs, airport passenger counts have increased to more than nine million people per year and residential housing prices are at postrecession highs. With that scenario also comes a decline in available office... Read more

Southwest Florida’s real estate market saw considerable growth in 2016, as every sector continued to rebound. The ongoing expansion of the housing sector, in rental community development and new single-family sales, was especially notable and should remain robust this year. As a result, I expect strong demand for commercial... Read more

Although there are many ways to make the most of a real estate investment, it takes insight and industry knowledge to be truly successful in this market. Based on our experience in managing and marketing real assets from start to finish, my partners and I have identified the seven... Read more

This year, on two separate election days, Florida voters had — and will have — the opportunity to vote on two different constitutional amendments. Amendment 4: Florida Tax Exemptions for Renewable Energy Equipment (Editor’s Note: At press time, the August 30th primary had yet to occur and therefore, it... Read more

As the real estate bull market continues unabated, astute property owners will carefully scrutinize their 2016 valuations. Property tax reduction efforts are more likely to succeed by using the following advanced strategies. Here’s the countdown: 8. Use The Cost Approach To Test Reasonableness Of New Construction Assessments. Although the... Read more