Commercial real estate services in Gainesville, FL
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Downtown Gainesville, looking southwest from SE 1st Avenue, November 2021.
Commercial real estate services in Gainesville, FL cover seven kinds of work: valuing a building, leasing it, selling it, finding space for a tenant, representing a landlord, handling land, and searching for 1031 exchange property. I work across Gainesville and Alachua County. Below is what each service means and what I look at for each one.
Here is the market behind these services. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 162.6 thousand nonfarm jobs in the Gainesville metro area in August 2026, and unemployment was 5.4 percent. The University of Florida reported total enrollment of 63,148 as of fall 2025, and 33,516 employees. UF Health Shands reported 12,938 employees in fiscal year 2025.
Broker opinion of value in Gainesville
A broker opinion of value is my written read on what a commercial building should sell or lease for. It is not an appraisal. I build it from sold comparables, the rent roll and the operating expenses, and you use it to set an asking price or decide whether to sell at all.
Market averages give context but not an answer. One building can sit well above or below an average. So ask me which sold comparables the opinion rests on, and why each one fits your building.
Commercial leasing in Gainesville
Commercial leasing means finding a tenant for vacant space, or finding space for a tenant, and negotiating the lease to signature. For a landlord, the work is pricing, marketing, screening and negotiating. For a tenant, it is the search, the tour and the terms.
Before I price a space, I look at what similar space nearby is listed for, what has actually leased and how long it took. Ask me for current asking rents, vacancy or recent leases for your property or the area you want, and I'll pull what I can find.
Tenants should also know that the Florida Department of Revenue says the state sales tax on commercial rent was repealed effective October 1, 2025. If you own a building, read the lease my building page.
Investment sales in Gainesville
An investment sale is the marketing and closing of a commercial building to a buyer who values it for its income. I prepare the numbers, market the property and run the sale from offer to closing.
Sellers should check who pays Florida's documentary stamp tax, which is 70 cents on each $100 of consideration on a deed. The contract decides that. To start a sale, see the sell my building page. Buyers can read what I check before an offer in commercial property for sale in Gainesville.
Tenant representation in Gainesville
Tenant representation means I help the company that needs space. I define the need, survey the available buildings, tour them with you and negotiate the letter of intent and the lease. The brokerage relationship is set in writing; Florida presumes a transaction broker relationship unless another is established in writing.
Compare total occupancy cost across buildings, not only the asking rent. Ask each landlord what the rent covers, who pays taxes, insurance and repairs, and what the build-out allowance is. Start with the find space page.
Landlord representation in Gainesville
Landlord representation means I price, market and lease your building and negotiate each lease for you. Florida law presumes every licensee is a transaction broker unless a single agent or no brokerage relationship is established in writing, under section 475.278, Florida Statutes. The listing agreement sets the relationship in writing before marketing starts.
For the long version, read why commercial buildings sit vacant in Gainesville.
Land and development in Gainesville
Land and development work covers buying or selling vacant land, studying sites, and leasing or selling the finished project. It overlaps with my site selection work, which I describe on the developer services page. The land use, zoning, utility and approval rules that decide what a parcel can become are on the commercial land page.
One Alachua County project shows what is being planned. San Felasco Tech City lists 2,500 up to 210,000 square feet of tech space, with light manufacturing, wet labs and dry labs. It also plans 252 single-family homes next to the 7,200-acre San Felasco Hammock preserve.
1031 exchange property in Gainesville
A 1031 exchange is a like-kind exchange of business or investment real estate under the federal tax code. I can help you search for replacement property or list the property you are giving up. I don't give tax or legal advice. Take the rules, the deadlines and the structure to your tax adviser, your attorney and a qualified intermediary before you sign anything.
For a replacement search, bring a price range, the asset types you will consider and your timeline. Judge each candidate on its actual income and expenses, not on a market average.
What to bring to our first call
- The property address, or the type and size of space you need.
- Your timing and any hard dates, such as a lease expiration.
- The rent roll and expenses, if the building has tenants.
- Your budget or asking price range.
Our first conversation covers the property or the space you need, your timing and what you want to happen next. Contact me to start.
Frequently asked questions
What commercial real estate services are available in Gainesville, FL?
I cover broker opinions of value, commercial leasing, investment sales, tenant representation, landlord representation, land and development work, and property searches for 1031 exchange buyers. I explain each service on this page, with Gainesville figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the University of Florida.
Is a broker opinion of value the same as an appraisal?
No. A broker opinion of value is not an appraisal. It is my market read, built from sold comparables, the rent roll and the operating expenses, and it is meant to help set an asking price or a bid. If a lender or a court needs an appraisal, that is a separate report from a licensed appraiser.
Do you give tax or legal advice on a 1031 exchange?
No. I help you search for property that fits your timing and criteria. The exchange rules, the deadlines and the structure are tax and legal questions, so take them to your tax adviser, your attorney and a qualified intermediary before you list or buy.
What should I bring to the first call?
Bring the property address, or the type and size of space you need. Add your timing and any hard dates, such as a lease expiration, the rent roll and expenses if the building has tenants, and your budget or asking price range.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed 2026-10-06
- University of Florida News, accessed 2026-10-06
- UF Health Shands, accessed 2026-10-06
- Florida Department of Revenue, accessed 2026-10-06
- Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), accessed 2026-10-06
- San Felasco Tech City, accessed 2026-10-06
- Florida Legislature, Online Sunshine (2026 Florida Statutes), accessed 2026-10-06