$400K saved on a single land evaluation.
Pre-purchase due diligence on a Central Florida parcel flagged a zoning constraint that would have cost the buyer mid-six figures at closing. The buyer renegotiated basis on the strength of the flag.
Pre-purchase due diligence consultant
Apice engaged before closing, during the diligence window, to provide independent technical review of the parcel.
Central Florida parcel
Vacant land marketed as developable for the buyer's intended use. Listed by a respected commercial broker.
Zoning overlay missed
A specific zoning overlay restricted the parcel's intended use in ways that weren't disclosed in the marketing package or the seller's broker correspondence.
Buyer renegotiated basis
The technical flag, documented in writing, supported a six-figure basis reduction at closing. The buyer captured the entire value the engineering work created.
Two hours of analysis. Six figures of value.
The strongest argument for pre-purchase due diligence is the asymmetry of the math. The cost of an early technical review is small. The cost of finding a zoning, code, environmental, or entitlement issue post-closing is large -- and often non-recoverable.
Most buyers do legal-level title work and financial-level analysis. Far fewer do a real technical review of the property they're buying. The deals where that gap matters most are the ones where the issue isn't obvious from the listing.