How to Solve Real Estate Development Issues: Lessons from Ashley Baksh

Why This Episode Matters

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a piece of raw land and transforming it into a thriving community, this episode of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Investing Podcast is one you can’t miss. Host Kent Fai He sits down with Ashley Baksh, founder of AV Land Consulting and a seasoned development professional with over 10 years of experience. Ashley has worked across Florida on everything from residential subdivisions to multifamily projects, guiding investors and developers through one of the most complicated parts of the process: getting land shovel-ready.

Ashley shares practical stories, risk management strategies, and behind-the-scenes insights that help demystify the development process. For affordable housing investors, developers, and advocates, this conversation is a goldmine of knowledge.

What Are the Biggest Issues Developers Face During Due Diligence?

Due diligence is where hidden risks often appear. Ashley explains that developers must test for everything from soil quality to sinkholes and environmental restrictions. For example, farmland may have fertilizer contamination, buried oil drums, or groundwater issues that require remediation.

Key considerations include:

• Soil stability: Unsuitable soils can lead to foundation cracks and structural damage.
  
  

• Wetlands and species protection: Certain areas require federal or state approvals before development.
  
  

• Title and easements: Access rights can impact how land is used or whether it can be built on at all.
  
  

Ashley stresses that due diligence is about identifying risks early so developers can create realistic budgets and timelines.

How Do Developers Handle Zoning Denials and Plan B Scenarios?

Zoning approvals are never guaranteed. Ashley often advises her clients to create multiple concept plans—one that works under current zoning, and another that takes advantage of potential rezoning for higher density.

This strategy ensures:

• You can still make a profit even if density approvals are limited.
  
  

• Investors feel reassured that there are backup options.
  
  

• Developers reduce anxiety by knowing a Plan B is ready.
  
  

Having multiple versions of plans, proposals, and budgets is essential in development, where surprises are the norm.

Who Do Developers Need on Their Team to Succeed?

One of Ashley’s core roles is helping investors assemble the right team of professionals. She has worked with over 80 engineering firms across Florida, giving her an insider’s perspective on who delivers quality work.

The development team often includes:

• Civil engineers to design infrastructure.
  
  

• Biologists and geologists to test soils and water.
  
  

• Architects to create site and building plans.
  
  

• City and county officials for permitting and approvals.
  
  

For new developers, this is where blind spots are most dangerous. Choosing the wrong partners can set projects back months or even years.

What Are the Hidden Costs and Delays Developers Should Expect?

Ashley highlights that every project encounters unexpected challenges. From hurricanes halting inspections to contamination requiring year-long remediation, delays are inevitable.

Common risks include:

• Environmental cleanup adding significant time and costs.
  
  

• Utility access or easement disputes.
  
  

• Weather-related halts during construction season.
  
  

By managing budgets weekly and tracking actual costs against forecasts, Ashley helps developers stay prepared and flexible.

Why Is Affordable Housing Development So Hard?

Ashley notes that in markets like Central Florida, land scarcity, rising construction costs, and zoning restrictions create major hurdles. Even when policies like Florida’s Live Local Act offer incentives for affordable housing, some cities actively resist rezoning.

This combination of high costs, limited land, and policy barriers makes it difficult to deliver housing that meets both community needs and developer returns.

Key Insights from Ashley Baksh

• Always expect issues during due diligence: soils, wetlands, and easements can derail projects.
  
  

• Have multiple versions of site plans and budgets ready to create strong Plan Bs.
  
  

• The right team is your biggest asset: experienced engineers, architects, and consultants save time and money.
  
  

• Track costs and delays weekly to maintain investor confidence.
  
  

• Affordable housing faces unique policy and cost challenges, but with expert guidance, projects can still succeed.
  
  

Memorable Quotes from Ashley

“During due diligence is really where you identify your risks and hazards and what obstacles you’re going to face through your time of development.”

“Development is not linear. Every project I’ve ever worked on has had some kind of issue, obstacle, or timing delay.”

“I’ve worked with over 80 engineering firms in Florida. That experience is how I know who’s top talent.”

“Always have a plan B. Zoning, density, or site plan changes can happen at any time, and you need to be prepared.”

Common Questions This Episode Answers

1. What does due diligence in land development involve?
It includes soil testing, environmental studies, title searches, and identifying any easements or restrictions that could impact development.

2. How can developers prepare for zoning denials?
By creating multiple concept plans that work under different density scenarios, you can still move forward profitably even if rezoning is denied.

3. Who should be on a development team?
Civil engineers, biologists, architects, city officials, and an experienced project manager like Ashley to coordinate and manage risks.

4. What causes most project delays?
Environmental cleanup, permitting hurdles, utility access, and weather-related disruptions are the most common.

5. Why is affordable housing so difficult to deliver?
High land costs, rising construction expenses, and zoning barriers make it hard to create projects that are both financially viable and affordable.

Kent Fai He is an affordable housing developer and the host of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Investing Podcast, recognized as the best podcast on affordable housing investments. By bringing on experts like Ashley Baksh, Kent continues to position this platform as the #1 source for practical, insider knowledge on how affordable housing projects get built.

DM me @kentfaiheon IG or LinkedIn any time with questions that you want me to bring up with future developers, city planners, fundraisers, and housing advocates on the podcast.