Buying commercial property is a major decision. Whether you are evaluating a warehouse, retail space, office building, or mixed-use asset in Miami-Dade or Broward County, a disciplined due-diligence process can help you understand the property before your contract deadlines arrive.
This general checklist is designed to help buyers organize the questions to ask. It is not legal, tax, lending, environmental, or engineering advice. Work with qualified professionals for the issues that apply to your transaction.
1. Define the business plan for the property
Start with the intended use: owner-occupancy, leasing, redevelopment, or a combination. Identify the location, size, loading, parking, visibility, access, and timing that matter to the plan. For warehouse buyers, compare available options through our Miami-Dade and Broward warehouse listings.
2. Confirm permitted use and zoning
Do not rely on a listing description alone to confirm that a proposed use is allowed. Review zoning, land-use designation, setbacks, parking requirements, signage rules, and any special approvals with the appropriate municipality or county. Ask whether the current use is permitted, legally nonconforming, or subject to conditions. If the plan involves a change of use, allow time to understand the approval path before removing contingencies.
3. Review the contract, title, and survey
Have a Florida real-estate attorney review the purchase agreement and title commitment. Important questions include the legal description, access, easements, recorded restrictions, liens, leases, service agreements, and any exceptions to title. A current survey can help identify boundary, encroachment, and access issues. Match the survey and title documents to the property you inspected.
4. Inspect the building and site
Use appropriate licensed inspectors and specialists. Depending on the asset, this may include the roof, structure, HVAC, electrical service, plumbing, fire and life-safety systems, elevators, loading areas, parking, drainage, and visible deferred maintenance. Ask for repair records, warranties, permits, certificates of occupancy, and recent capital-improvement information.
5. Evaluate environmental questions early
Environmental review is especially important for properties with industrial, automotive, dry-cleaning, fuel, manufacturing, or other higher-risk histories. Buyers commonly discuss a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment with an environmental professional and lender. Do not assume a clean-looking site has no environmental issues; let the scope of work follow the property history and the professional advice you receive.
6. Verify income and operating costs
For an occupied investment property, review leases, amendments, rent rolls, deposits, delinquency history, tenant options, expense recoveries, and service contracts. Compare operating statements with tax bills, insurance, utilities, repairs, association fees, and capital needs. For a vacant or owner-user property, model realistic holding costs and a reserve for improvements rather than assuming immediate occupancy or lease-up.
7. Coordinate financing, insurance, and closing timing
Discuss property type, condition, borrower information, appraisal, and environmental requirements with the lender early. Get insurance guidance for the specific building and location, including any flood-related questions that may apply. Track every inspection, financing, title, and closing date in writing so the team can request information and make decisions before a deadline passes.
8. Build the right local team
A commercial transaction often benefits from coordination among the buyer, broker, attorney, lender, inspector, environmental consultant, contractor, accountant, and insurance professional. Clear responsibilities and a shared timeline reduce the chance that a key question is overlooked.
Next step
Ricardo Herrera, PA and Herrera Business Group can help buyers identify commercial opportunities in Miami-Dade and Broward and organize property information for their professional team. Contact Herrera Business Group to discuss your commercial property search.