Contact Us

Please fill out the form below and our attorney will contact you.

!
!
!

Our Offices

Thoughtful and Effective Florida Real Estate Lawyers

Assisting Southwest Florida brokers, agents, buyers and sellers in real property transactions

Whether you are buying your first house or are in the middle of a dozen commercial office deals, the experienced real estate attorneys at Mahshie & DeCosta, P.A. understand the legal issues behind each agreement and every document. We assist our clients with the development, leasing, sale and purchase of commercial and residential real property. Our depth and breadth of experience allows us to develop both sophisticated and practical solutions to our clients’ needs, and we have successfully represented a wide range of clients, including condominium boards, in a variety of commercial and residential real estate transactions. By knowing the key points and the potential pitfalls in any real estate transaction, our attorneys help you resolve disputes and avoid a bad outcome.

The experience and support you need for complex real estate deals

Clients rely on our firm for a variety of transactions and to help with the problems that sometimes arise during the transactions. We assist with the routine aspects of real estate, such as financing, property investigations and obtaining title insurance. Our team performs due diligence on transactions, often finding issues involving defects in the property, lease agreements, deeds or construction. Our services also include:

  • Purchase and sale of residential and commercial property: The purchase and sale of property, whether residential or commercial, is often the largest transaction in someone’s lifetime. We can assist with the myriad of legal issues involved, including negotiation, preparation and enforcement of contractual terms, financing contingencies, use restrictions, tax issues, title defects and insurance issues.
  • Commercial and residential real estate contracts: Florida law requires that all transactions involving the purchase and sale of real property be memorialized by a written document setting forth the material terms of the parties’ agreement. However, terms that may make or break a deal are buried in undecipherable boilerplate contract language. Our lawyers have the real estate experience that lets us negotiate and prepare contractual terms which are clear, concise and enforceable in the event that litigation is necessary.
  • Construction contracts: Residential and commercial construction contract preparation and negotiation often are complicated, extensive processes which require knowledge, skill and experience in the construction industry. Our attorneys understand the process from start-to-finish, from settling on building plans and specifications to negotiating fix price vs. “cost plus” fees to builder, warranties, progress payments and timelines for completion.
  • Drafting and negotiation of brokerage and escrow agreements: When purchasing and selling real property, many people falsely believe that they only need be concerned about protection from the other party involved in the transaction. However, a great deal of litigation arises from disputes between buyers or sellers and their real estate brokers and/or escrow agents. It is important that buyers and sellers of real property understand their contractual obligations to the brokers they are working with and appreciate the legal ramifications of breaching their agreements with brokers.
  • Title insurance and closings: Title insurance is a vital part of protecting the buyer of real property against prior owners and encroachments on their property. We can assist with selecting a title insurance company as well as acting as the closing agent for the sale, delivering all documents at the closing meeting and reviewing the final statements before delivering the deed.
  • Land use and local government: You may have a vision for the real property you own, but accomplishing that vision may be a more difficult than you imagined. Our land use and local government lawyers work to help owners acquire, maintain and manage the present and future value of their land. We help a wide variety of landowners — including homebuilders, commercial developers, local governments and others — obtain the land use and development permits they require. We zealously represent our clients in the regulatory process as well as in administrative and judicial forums that are sometimes needed to obtain the right to develop land.

With our skill and knowledge, we can guide you through all of the complex aspects of Florida real estate law.

Accessible, attentive attorneys for Southwest Florida real estate deals

Mahshie & DeCosta, P.A. provides cost-effective, reliable counsel for Florida real estate transactions from our offices located in Fort Myers, Sanibel and Punta Gorda. With thoughtful, approachable lawyers that have experience in a broad array of property, construction and real estate issues, you can trust the HMD legal team. Contact us online today or call us at 239.931.7566 to learn more.