Between Two Chairs - Demystifying Commercial Real Estate

After a decade of advocacy chipping away at Florida's state sales tax on commercial real estate leases, the legislature finally eliminated it! Starting October 1 of this year, there will be no more state or local sales tax on leases, which will put money back into the pockets of business owners.

Kids are master negotiators, so how better to learn about negotiating tactics than from the children's book, " How To Negotiate Everything " by Lisa Lutz? Key takeaways: Brokers are the neutral party when emotions take over with buyers and sellers, so don't be emotional Be rational, calm and thoughtful Set expectations for your client Acknowledge agreement of terms among all parties Have realistic...

Our guest in this episode is Carmen M. Peters, CPA, who specializes in helping people and businesses implement proactive tax strategies to save you money help you keep more of what you earn. We are halfway through the year, so the time to plan is now, not the end of the year What is your business structure? What can you write off and when? What is the best retirement plan for you? Is a Health Savi...

Control the deal. Time kills deals. Too many cooks in the kitchen. All of these seeming cliches come into play when you are brokering a deal. How do you control a deal when there are a variety of parties in a transaction? Transparency and constant, clear communication. Remember the broker can control the process, but the client controls the decision.

2025 has been another year with high interest rates and uncertainty, neither of which is good for the real estate market. However, we are seeing deals getting done and some movement on policies and legislation that can either help or hinder our market. In this episode, Fernando gives us an update on his legislative meetings in Washington D.C.

Underwriting commercial real estate, whether as an investor or lender, involves telling the story of both the property and the investor. An investor who underwrites their deals as a lender would has a better chance of getting the loan. Tune in as Fernando and I go back and forth with how I, as an investor underwrite deals, and how Fernando, with his lending background looks at underwriting a deal.

Everyone is talking about AI, so the topic wasn't top on my list as a podcast episode However, after Fernando and I attended an Inman conference and got a great takeaway from Phil Stringer , I was convinced this episode was worth doing. He said "AI is to your time what compound interest is to your money." The cost of running AI models is dropping, it is here to stay, and it can make us more produc...

In this episode we look at the Counselors of Real Estate 2025 Predictions for the Commercial Real Estate Market and how they are affecting Miami half way through the year. From Aon's first quarter insurance report , to Trepp's loan loss predictions and interest rates, we do a dive how the Greater Miami market is performing so far in 2025. You will be glad we aren't Boston! Tune in for a cautionary...

May is Teacher Appreciation Month. Here at Between 2 Chairs, we appreciate teachers all year long. They are educating our kids, grandkids, current and future employees, service providers, bosses and everyone else your path may or may not cross. We also have a soft spot for teachers as real estate agents, and not just because Fernando was a high school teacher and we have a lot of current and forme...

What happens in Tallahassee doesn’t stay in Tallahassee — especially when it comes to real estate. In this episode, we unpack Florida’s 2025 legislative session, spotlighting the top priorities championed by Realtors across the state and the major wins that made it into law. From tweaks to the Live Local Act to bills making it easier to remove squatters from commercial properties, we explore how t...

In this episode, we break down the complex — and often misunderstood — building recertification process in South Florida. From the tragic events that led to heightened scrutiny to the new 30-year and 10-year milestone requirements, we explore how property owners, engineers, and local governments are navigating this evolving landscape. Learn about what’s required, what’s at stake, and how these reg...

In this episode of our Kindergarten series, we revisit the timeless children's book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton — a beautifully illustrated tale of transformation, resilience, and the slow march of urbanization. Originally published in 1942, the story offers surprising parallels to the evolution of Miami-Dade County. From the strawberry fields of Kendall to the developments rising acro...

In this episode, we sit down with Andres del Corral and Juan Ruiz, Vice Chairmen at Blanca Commercial Real Estate, to dive into their journey in commercial real estate—from getting their start in #CRE to helping build one of Miami’s leading boutique brokerages. How many times have you heard, “You’ll never get institutional clients if you work for a small brokerage” ? Andres and Juan prove that wro...

In this episode we highlight the first quarter of 2025 CRE for Miami-Dade, Broward, & Palm Beach counties and go over the Miami Association of Realtors First Quarter Commercial Report and what a strong first quarter it was. The economic fundamentals in SE Florida are still outperforming most of the nation. This overview will set the stage for the next two episodes, where we do a deep dive into...

In this episode, we're diving deep into two crucial—and often confusing—topics impacting Florida property owners: Flood Insurance Lookback Periods and the 50% Rule . Flooding can happen anywhere, not just in high-risk areas. According to FEMA, just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage . That's why the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) exists—to provide separate flood insu...

First, we need to start with.... Disclaimer: this is not financial or legal advice and is for informational purposes only. To determine if purchasing real estate is right for you and what vehicle you use to purchase it, please consult with your financial advisors, CPA’s, and attorney. In this episode, we explore how self-directed IRAs can open the door to real estate investment opportunities beyon...

In honor of the Miami Film Festival, which starts today and runs through April 13, Fernando & I thought we would revisit a classic that spawned a few of the sayings in real estate that are still around today. I had heard Always. Be. Closing (ABC) & "Coffee is for closers" since I started in real estate decades ago, but had never seen the movie, Glengarry Glen Ross released in 1992. Have to...

This was the 5th year of Beth Azor's Women's Investment Summit and it was full of insights and opportunities. Pull up a chair to listen to some of the ideas and highlights that have women investing in all sorts of real estate.

Carlos M. Gonzalez, President of Atlantic Building Inspections, a residential and commercial inspection company with offices in: Miami-Dade/Broward, St Lucie/Martin/Palm Beach, Collier/Lee/Charlotte/Sarasota/Manatee joins us to discuss due diligence and how to scale a business. From the due diligence side, with CRE assume no one knows anything about the property. As such, inspect EVERYTHING. Think...

Fernando and I couldn't think of a better guest to help us ring in our 100th episode than Tim Weisheyer. He is a servant leader who lives and breaths real estate and firmly believes that it is at the heart of the American Dream. He sees the interconnectivity of real estate with all aspects of life and as such, in addition to being President of Florida Realtors, he is the current Chair of Greater O...

March is Small Business Month, so today's episode today’s is going to cover resources for starting, growing, and funding small business. If you are a broker, whether tenant rep/landlord rep or business broker, these resources can help you assist your future and expanding customers, by helping your small business contacts get started. Here are some of the ones we go over: The Florida Department of...

What does this child's book have to do with CRE? It may have been a stretch on this one, according to Fernando I twisted myself into a pretzel, to tie this book to commercial real estate. But we delve into some great lessons about mindset, such as how do you provide value while providing the silence to let the other party resolve the issue on their own? Tune into this episode to learn the invaluab...

One of the many benefits of investing in real estate is the ability to build wealth using other people’s money and deferring taxes. 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges allow you to keep 100% of your money (equity) working for you instead of paying (losing) about one-third (1/3) of your funds (equity) to taxes.

Key takeaways from @Florida Realtors Mid-winter meetings. Life events that drive real estate continue to happen ,whether interest rates are up or down, and the pent up demand that has resulted due to the rapid interest rate hikes is starting to move. People are accepting the higher for longer idea and brokers are seeing more activity in the beginning of 2025 than the saw in most of 2024. What do C...

Second generation restaurants are very popular in tight retail markets, even in not so tight markets, because a lot of the major and often expensive tenant improvements, such as grease traps and hoods, are already in the space. In this episode, Fernando does a deep dive into a lease he did in August of 2023 that is still undergoing "improvements" and is expected to open sometime in the first quart...