Land Use Traps

Land Use Traps

OVERVIEW A simple variance can turn into a costly appeal when the board, staff, or neighbors do not want the project. Kelley Morris Salvatore joins Eugene Gershman to explain where developers get into trouble with land-use approvals, why the right application strategy matters before anything is filed, and how municipal relationships can shape the outcome of a project. The conversation covers neighbor opposition, zoning analysis, planning-board dynamics, peer reviews, AI-assisted code research, affordable-housing density tradeoffs, and the practical difference between saving money and creating avoidable risk. GUEST BIO Kelley Morris Salvatore is a partner at DarrowEverett and works in land use, municipal law, administrative appeals, business litigation, and energy and infrastructure matters. She is licensed to practice in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and has practiced for about 30 years, mostly in Rhode Island. Kelley also serves as a municipal attorney and town solicitor, and she has worked as special counsel in land-use matters. Her experience gives her perspective from multiple sides of the land-use process, including developers, municipal staff, boards, neighbors, and public officials. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS AND CHAPTERS 00:00 Eugene introduces the conversation around land use, laws, regulations, and the issues developers can face during the approval process. 00:38 Kelley introduces her legal background, municipal work, and experience on multiple sides of land-use matters. 02:37 Kelley explains when a developer may need land-use counsel and why early involvement can prevent a weak application from becoming an expensive problem. 04:49 The conversation turns to why calling a lawyer only after there is a problem can cost more than getting the application right at the beginning. 05:23 Kelley explains why the type of application matters, including special use permits, variances, waivers, and zoning analysis. 06:22 Eugene describes why a general call to the city is often less effective than researching the code and asking a specific, routed question. 08:46 Kelley shares examples of projects that became harder because of local opposition, board behavior, or a town's resistance to the applicant. 11:05 Eugene describes a Bellevue project where early neighbor outreach still turned into a costly appeal and prescriptive-easement claim. 14:12 Kelley explains why she still recommends early neighbor engagement on larger projects and why reasonable comments can sometimes be solved before they become appeals. 15:28 Kelley discusses peer reviews and why traffic and drainage studies can help developers answer common public objections. 18:18 Eugene and Kelley discuss how AI is changing code research, legal research, and document review while still requiring professional judgment. 22:32 The conversation covers the risk of relying on outdated or incomplete online codes, especially when local ordinances are not fully codified. 25:29 Kelley explains why housing work has increased in New England and why affordable-housing requirements can create financial pressure for developers. 29:51 Eugene explains why rising costs, high interest rates, and weaker resale values are forcing developers to make harder choices on consultant budgets. 30:22 Kelley explains why planner support can matter even when a developer is trying to save money. 31:48 Kelley closes with advice on administrative approvals and avoiding unnecessary public-meeting risk when a project can qualify for staff-level review. CONTACT INFORMATION Kelley Morris Salvatore DarrowEverett Email: ksalvatore@darroweverett.com [ksalvatore@darroweverett.com] Website: https://darroweverett.com/ [https://darroweverett.com/] Profile: https://darroweverett.com/lawyers/kelley-morris-salvatore/ [https://darroweverett.com/lawyers/kelley-morris-salvatore/] Host: Eugene Gershman / GIS Companies GIS Companies: https://giscompanies.co/ [https://giscompanies.co/] Download the Feasibility Study Checklist to assess your project's potential: https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/ [https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/] Interested in being a guest on the podcast: https://giscompanies.co/podcast/ [https://giscompanies.co/podcast/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One Deal Changes Everything

Overview One disciplined opportunity can change everything, but forcing ten years of progress into one deal is how developers get hurt. Forth Heffner joins Eugene Gershman to talk about the business lessons behind real estate execution: why failures are often the tuition, why collecting 100 no's can make outreach less fragile, how culture and operating systems shape a company, and why leaders need to understand their own highest and best use before piling more complexity onto the business. Guest Bio Forth Heffner is an Executive Leadership Team Guide and business coach behind Heffner Leadership Coach and The Faculty Resource. His public bio describes a path into coaching shaped by firsthand experience in a family business, where he and his brother stepped into leadership after their father's sudden passing, learned through consultants and coaches, and later recognized culture, vision, values, and communication as critical ingredients for sustainable growth. His site describes his earlier work helping grow the family business before selling his majority position, and his current work guiding leadership teams through operating systems, strategy, culture, and execution. Episode Highlights and Chapters 00:00 Opening highlights: failure as a lesson, one opportunity changing everything, highest and best use, and the danger of cramming ten years of progress into one deal. 01:19 Land to Legacy intro. 01:31 Forth explains how he came into commercial real estate from the vendor side and why that gave him a different view of developers, owners, and leadership teams. 02:42 Forth reframes failure as part of the learning process and compares business development to cold calling: collecting 100 no's can reset the pressure around every attempt. 04:20 Eugene explains why he often talks about what went wrong in development, because preventing expensive mistakes is more useful than pretending the business is easy. 07:10 Forth describes the importance of slowing down, clarifying who the business serves, defining shared vision and values, and staying disciplined about the chosen path. 11:31 Forth explains why one out of 100 opportunities may hit, but one disciplined and strategic deal can change the entire business. 13:31 The conversation shifts to coaching, why it can be hard to sell as a service, and why the real value is helping leaders pursue the endgame they actually want. 17:36 Eugene and Forth discuss highest and best use, not just for assets, but for people, leadership teams, and the roles founders should or should not keep carrying themselves. 18:55 Eugene explains why GIS shut down its construction company and how development plus construction can create too much operational and risk complexity for a growing business. 28:56 Forth and Eugene talk about building a legacy instead of only building an asset, including the pride that comes from pointing to real projects in a community. 30:19 Forth names one of the biggest mistakes developers make: trying to cram ten years of progress into one deal instead of committing to a path, mastering a niche, and building repeatable discipline. 32:32 Forth explains why even strong leaders need coaches, how outside accountability can push people past self-imposed limits, and what a prospective client should ask before choosing a coach. 34:00 Forth shares where listeners can find him and connect after the episode. Contact Information Forth Heffner Website: https://heffneriv.com/ [https://heffneriv.com/] The Faculty Resource: https://www.thefacultyresource.com/ [https://www.thefacultyresource.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forthheffner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/forthheffner] Host: Eugene Gershman GIS Companies: https://giscompanies.co/ [https://giscompanies.co/] Download the free Feasibility Study Checklist to pressure-test a development opportunity before committing serious time and capital: https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/ [https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/] Interested in being a guest on Real Estate Development: Land to Legacy? Visit: https://giscompanies.co/podcast/ [https://giscompanies.co/podcast/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Cash Flow Trap

Accounting may be boring, but Richard Boyd makes the case that boring is exactly where developers get protected. A growing real estate business can look profitable and still run into trouble if the owner does not understand cash flow, capital structure, debt service, work-in-progress accounting, and worst-case planning before the market changes.   Guest Bio   Richard Boyd started an accounting practice in 2021 to help small businesses and real estate developers get clarity around their books, cash flow, payroll planning, debt, and financial forecasting. His work focuses on helping owners understand the health of the business, build better reporting, and put financial controls in place as the business scales.   Episode Highlights and Chapters   00:00 Eugene introduces Richard Boyd and frames accounting as the boring topic developers still need to understand.   00:54 Richard explains why owners avoid accounting, and why clean books reduce stress by making payroll, debt, and cash-flow questions clear.   02:49 Richard breaks down the difference between rear-view accounting and forward-looking financial forecasting.   03:41 Eugene and Richard discuss why starting entrepreneurs and developers often focus too much on profit and not enough on cash flow.   05:10 Richard explains why developers need accurate numbers to present a compelling story to lenders and support a viable development plan.   07:32 Richard describes what developers overlook as they scale from a small operation into a more complex business.   09:54 Richard shares the cautionary story of a $16M real estate investor who grew quickly, lacked visibility into cash flow and DSCR, and was forced to sell inventory at a discount after the market shifted.   13:02 Richard explains how deal assumptions can change, and why developers need contingency planning, exit strategies, and controls before the downside scenario arrives.   15:46 Richard describes how accounting support can scale from basic back-office bookkeeping into scenario modeling and financial planning.   18:39 Richard explains how early startup costs should be tracked when a landowner and partners are still testing whether a project is viable.   21:09 Richard discusses revenue recognition, project-cost capitalization, and why development costs belong on the balance sheet until the project is complete.   23:53 Richard explains why many owners misclassify development costs, then have to fix their books during tax season.   25:38 Eugene asks how AI is changing accounting, and Richard explains where AI helps with task-oriented work but still falls short on strategic CFO-level judgment.   30:07 Richard shares his core advice: it costs nothing to plan, and developers should pressure-test worst-case scenarios before they become real.   33:07 Richard shares how listeners can contact Atlantic Business Advisors.   Contact Information   Richard Boyd / Atlantic Business Advisors   Website: https://atlbusinessadvisors.com/   Email: richard.boyd@atlbusinessadvisors.com   Host: Eugene Gershman / GIS Companies   https://giscompanies.co/   GIS Companies has a free Feasibility Study Checklist available here:   https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/   To be a guest on the podcast, visit https://giscompanies.co/podcast/. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Hidden Housing Edge

Mobile home parks are not really mobile, and the best operators are not just collecting rent from a row of trailers. Leo Young breaks down why manufactured housing communities can be a recession-resilient, infrastructure-heavy, relationship-driven asset class, and why the biggest fear is not sewer, roads, insurance, or resident issues. It is the problem no one budgeted for. Guest Bio Leo Young is the founder and managing partner of Cornell Communities, a company focused on acquiring, operating, and turning around manufactured housing communities across eight states. Cornell Communities focuses on providing affordable housing to hardworking Americans while targeting risk-adjusted returns for investors. Before building the company, Leo worked at Tesla during a high-pressure period in the company's history, an experience he says shaped his work ethic, mission-driven mindset, and approach to entrepreneurship. Episode Highlights and Chapters 00:00 Eugene introduces Leo Young, founder and managing partner of Cornell Communities, and sets up the conversation around manufactured housing communities. 00:30 Leo explains Cornell Communities' two-part mission: provide affordable housing and generate strong risk-adjusted returns for investors. 01:04 Leo talks about moving from Tesla to trailer parks, including how Tesla's intense environment and near-bankruptcy period influenced the way he approaches entrepreneurship. 02:13 Leo explains how he found real estate, why passive cash flow caught his attention, and how a friend's investment thesis led him into mobile home parks. 04:49 The conversation turns to acquisition, underwriting, diligence, and what actually happens after closing when a new operator takes over a community. 07:31 Eugene and Leo compare land development feasibility work with manufactured housing due diligence, including utilities, public water connections, and business-plan assumptions. 08:07 Leo describes the biggest operational fear for investors and operators: an unaccounted-for event that blows up the budget. 08:57 Leo walks through resident management, road conditions, utility issues, collections, violations, and the day-to-day work behind operating manufactured housing communities. 10:29 Leo explains the diligence process, including municipal records, test ads, vendor checks, and a detailed checklist before closing. 12:01 Leo describes a cost-control approach to due diligence: start with the free or low-cost items, then move into more expensive third-party studies only when the deal still makes sense. 13:25 Leo explains how seller renegotiations happen when new information changes the economics of a deal. 14:07 The discussion covers the wide range of mobile home park pricing, from small properties to large institutional assets. 15:13 Leo explains why Cornell Communities prefers long-term holds, including the role of depreciation and tax consequences when selling. 16:10 Leo describes how deals are sourced, why brokered deals have become more competitive, and why proprietary outreach matters. 17:26 Eugene challenges the return profile, and Leo explains why the asset class can offer strong risk-adjusted returns compared with new development. 19:23 Leo talks about local contractor networks, small-market relationships, and why good vendors are often found through referrals rather than Google. 20:49 Leo explains the regions Cornell Communities likes, including the Southeast and Midwest, and how tornado risk interacts with a land-lease business model. 23:25 Leo describes typical deal financing, including fixed-rate loans, investor equity, reserves, capex budgets, and depreciation benefits. 24:19 Leo explains that Cornell Communities is primarily an operator, with in-house property management, asset management, and acquisitions. 24:58 Eugene and Leo discuss whether it is still feasible to build a new manufactured housing community from raw land, and why infrastructure costs and municipal resistance can make the numbers difficult. 27:05 Leo compares manufactured homes, park models, tiny homes, and container homes, and explains why manufactured homes are often the easiest for municipalities to understand and approve. 29:10 Leo gives his core lesson for landowners and operators: measure twice, cut once, get more bids than you think you need, and do the diligence before committing. 30:31 Leo shares how listeners can learn more about Cornell Communities, connect with him, and request his free mini-course on manufactured housing communities. Contact Information Leo Young / Cornell Communities https://cornellcommunities.com [https://cornellcommunities.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-young [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-young] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leoyoung.realestate [https://www.instagram.com/leoyoung.realestate] Free mini-course: message Leo the word MHC on LinkedIn or Instagram. Host: Eugene Gershman / GIS Companies https://giscompanies.co/ [https://giscompanies.co/] GIS Companies has a free Feasibility Study Checklist available here: https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/ [https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/] To be a guest on the podcast, visit https://giscompanies.co/podcast/ [https://giscompanies.co/podcast/]. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Land Development Tips

A failed motivational blog, a risky early move with retirement money, and a career setback all became part of the path that led Brandon Cobb into one of real estate’s most overlooked value-creation plays: land entitlement. In this conversation with Eugene Gershman, Brandon breaks down how raw land can be taken from a simple parcel to a 50-, 100-, or 200-home community, why builders often prefer buying finished lots instead of taking on development risk themselves, and what landowners should understand before selling too early and leaving serious money on the table. Guest Bio Brandon Cobb is a real estate entrepreneur focused on land development, paper development, affordable housing, and selling individual lots to builders. Eugene introduces him as someone who has completed more than 180 transactions. In the episode, Brandon shares how he moved from a successful career in medical device sales into entrepreneurship, then into flipping houses, building homes, and eventually developing land after national homebuilders began approaching him to buy projects he was working on. Episode Highlights and Chapters 01:29 Eugene sets up the conversation around how value is actually created in land development, with a focus on paper development, affordable housing, and the real leverage behind entitlement work. 02:50 Brandon shares how losing his medical device sales job became the turning point that pushed him toward entrepreneurship and real estate. 05:44 After getting inspired by a Shark Tank pitch, Brandon experiments with several failed business ideas before discovering real estate, flipping his first house, and learning through costly mistakes. 21:33 Brandon explains the layered value creation in land deals, from entitlement to infrastructure to vertical construction, and why multiple exit strategies make the model so attractive. 24:16 The conversation turns to why national builders often prefer entitled or finished lots over raw land, especially when speed, timing, and return on capital matter more than taking development risk themselves. 26:31 Brandon breaks down what builders typically want in a project, why around 50 lots can be a meaningful threshold in his market, and how smaller communities can still work when they fit a builder’s pipeline. 28:25 One of Brandon’s biggest lessons for landowners is to understand what their land could be worth after entitlement, instead of selling as-is and potentially leaving major upside behind. 29:42 Eugene adds the owner’s perspective, explaining the tradeoff between certainty and upside, since developers often take on the work and risk but also delay the seller’s payoff until approvals are complete. 32:08 Brandon shares the two main ways people can work with him: education and coaching for people who want to learn land development, and passive investment opportunities for those who want exposure to the strategy without operating deals themselves. Contact Information Brandon Cobb https://learnlanddevelopment.com [https://learnlanddevelopment.com] Investment opportunities: https://hbgcapital.net/waitlist [https://hbgcapital.net/waitlist] Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Contact us at: https://giscompanies.co/podcast/ [https://giscompanies.co/podcast/] Download the Feasibility Study Checklist to assess your project’s potential https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/ [https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.