Case Study: The Major Code Violation on Sunrise Lane in Lakeland.

Project Snapshot: Deal Stats

The Challenge: A Declining Property and Mounting City Fines in Lakeland

When we received the call from Eleanor Rodriguez, she was at her wits' end. Eleanor had inherited a property on Sunrise Lane in the South Combee area of Lakeland from a distant relative, a house that had been a rental for years before sitting vacant and neglected. She lived out of state and the property had become an impossible burden.

When our team first walked into the house on Sunrise Lane, the sensory details were unmistakable: the damp, heavy smell of mildew hit first. Piles of decaying debris and personal belongings filled rooms. The yard was an overgrown jungle, obscuring broken windows and a collapsed section of fence. What truly compounded the stress for Eleanor were the incessant letters from the City of Lakeland Code Enforcement office. Citations had piled up for everything from the unruly landscaping and structural deficiencies to an unpermitted carport conversion that was now actively collapsing.

The house, a classic 1968 concrete block home, still had its original, hazardous electrical panel and a septic system that had clearly failed years ago, causing major plumbing issues. Daily fines were accumulating, threatening to outstrip the property's value. Eleanor felt trapped, unsure how to sell a house in Lakeland with so many immediate and pressing issues, especially from afar.

Our Approach: A Comprehensive Cash Offer for Lakeland's Toughest Properties

Unlike a traditional real estate agent who would have required Eleanor to address the extensive list of code violations, pay for repairs, or even clear out the property herself, we didn't ask her to lift a finger. Our strategy was direct and transparent, specifically designed for situations like this in Lakeland.

Our project lead, Max Cohen, personally visited the Sunrise Lane property. We conducted a thorough assessment, estimating the true cost of remediation: this included factoring in the existing City of Lakeland fines, the demolition of the dangerous unpermitted carport, a complete septic system replacement, a full interior gut due to pervasive mold and structural issues, and a new roof. We calculated our rehab costs, our holding costs, and our profit margin to arrive at a fair, no-obligation cash offer.

We presented Eleanor with a clear, itemized breakdown. She understood exactly why our cash offer was what it was, and saw the value in us taking on all the risk, expense, and administrative burden of dealing with the city and the extensive repairs. This transparency provided her with peace of mind she hadn't had in months, knowing she could walk away clean from her Lakeland problem property.

The Result: A Stress-Free Sale and a New Beginning for Eleanor

Just 18 days after Eleanor accepted our offer, we closed the deal at Polk County Title Company in downtown Lakeland. Eleanor received her cash funds, the accumulating city fines were settled directly by us, and she was finally free of the overwhelming burden of the Sunrise Lane property. She could focus on her move out of state without any lingering worries about the house or its legal complications in Lakeland.

"Max and his team were a godsend. I thought I was stuck with that Lakeland house and all those city fines forever. They took care of everything, no surprises. It was a huge weight off my shoulders."

This case on Sunrise Lane exemplifies our commitment to helping property owners in Lakeland navigate even the most challenging situations with speed, fairness, and transparency.