Southwest Florida Case Studies

All 2 Deals at a Glance

City	Deal	Timeline
Fort Myers	After Hurricane Ian Left the Roof Tarped	Fast
Cape Coral	a Hurricane-Damaged Home in Cape Coral	21 Days

Selling After Hurricane Ian Left the Roof Tarped

Fort Myers, FL

When we first heard from Sarah, she was at her wit's end. Living in Ohio, she had inherited her uncle's property in Central Fort Myers on Lincoln Avenue after his passing. What she inherited was a full-blown crisis.

The 1972 concrete block construction home, once a busy family residence, had fallen into severe disrepair. Years of deferred maintenance and unpermitted modifications had caught the attention of the City of Fort Myers Code Enforcement. By the time Sarah reached out to us, the property had an imposing bright orange "Condemned" sticker on the front door, visible for anyone driving down Lincoln Avenue. Daily fines were accumulating, and the City was threatening demolition if the violations weren't addressed immediately.

Walking through the house was a sensory experience we're all too familiar with: the musty smell of trapped humidity, peeling paint on every wall, darkened interiors due to broken windows boarded up, and an overgrown yard that hid a deteriorating chain-link fence. The unpermitted additions, particularly an enclosed rear lanai, were structurally unsound and clearly visible as potential collapse hazards. A significant roof leak had gone unrepaired for years, causing a visible sag in one section of the ceiling, further contributing to the condemnation status.

Sarah was overwhelmed. She couldn't afford to travel to Fort Myers to manage repairs, nor did she have the capital to bring the property up to code. She wanted to sell fast, stop the bleeding of fines, and rid herself of the legal liability and emotional burden.

This wasn't a situation a traditional realtor could easily solve. No buyer would get a mortgage on a condemned property with active code liens. We knew we had to step in differently.

Our approach began with a rapid, yet thorough, assessment. Unlike asking Sarah to fix anything, our team immediately calculated the estimated costs involved: the new permitting process for removing the unpermitted structures, the structural repairs needed for the roof and foundation, potential asbestos abatement (a common concern in Fort Myers homes of that era), a full roof replacement, and general cosmetic updates. We also factored in the existing code violation fines, understanding their true impact.

We presented Sarah with a fair, all-cash offer that was completely transparent. We broke down our estimated rehab costs, explained how we would handle the existing liens, and detailed the closing process. Our in-house legal and permitting specialists immediately began engaging with the City of Fort Myers Code Enforcement. This proactive communication helped us get a temporary freeze on the daily fines once our offer was accepted, providing Sarah with immediate relief.

We handled all the paperwork, coordinated with the City, and ensured Sarah understood every step, even from afar. Our goal was to provide an offer, but a complete solution to her code enforcement nightmare.

Just 21 days after Sarah first contacted us, we successfully closed on the Lincoln Avenue property at Lee County Title Company in Fort Myers. Sarah received her cash payment, free and clear of the property's real burdens, the code violations, and the threat of demolition.

"Max made this entire process incredibly easy. Living out of state, I had no idea how I was going to deal with the City of Fort Myers and all those fines and the condemnation notice. FL Home Buyers handled everything, and I finally have relief. It was such a relief."

This case study shows our approach to solving complex real estate problems in Fort Myers and across Florida. We don't buy houses; we buy problems, giving sellers like Sarah a straightforward, smooth path forward.

We can't promise every deal is exactly like this, but we promise the same transparency, professionalism, and ability to handle even the most complex situations. If you're overwhelmed by code enforcement, unpermitted work, or structural issues in Fort Myers, we're ready to help.

See our Fort Myers service area →

Selling a Hurricane-Damaged Home in Cape Coral

Cape Coral, FL | Closed in 21 Days

See our Cape Coral service area →