Kaufman & Company, the private investment and holding firm led by founder and CEO Daniel Kaufman, announced a dedicated Florida market initiative across the firm and its affiliated entities, including Florida-based Convivium Living. The firm is deploying its own team members to its existing Orlando office to pursue land and existing asset acquisitions across the state. The move reflects the firm’s view that Florida is entering a period of meaningful dislocation, with expectations of significant declines in both land values and existing asset pricing over the next 24 months. Kaufman & Company intends to be an active buyer throughout that cycle.
“We are seeing tremendous distress in Florida right now, and with it, real opportunity,” said Daniel Kaufman, Founder and CEO of Kaufman & Company. “I believe over the next two years we will see land and existing assets reprice in a significant way. We intend to be buyers. We are not raising capital, we are not setting up a fund, and we are not taking on investors. This is our own money, and that means when we like a deal, we can move.”
The initiative is funded entirely from Kaufman & Company’s own balance sheet. The firm is not raising capital, will not form any investment funds, and will not accept outside investors for this effort. Operating without third-party capital allows the firm to make decisions directly, underwrite on its own timeline, and offer sellers, lenders, and brokers a straightforward path to closing. This proprietary approach could give Kaufman & Company a competitive edge in a market where speed and certainty of execution are critical, particularly as lenders and owners face pressure to dispose of assets.
Rather than hiring externally, Kaufman & Company is relocating and deploying members of its existing team to its Orlando office, which already serves as the firm’s Florida base. The Orlando team will work alongside the firm’s affiliated development, construction, and housing platforms to evaluate, acquire, and reposition assets. The Florida initiative will focus on land, including entitled, partially entitled, and stalled development sites; existing assets facing capital, lender, or ownership pressure; workforce and attainable housing opportunities; and off-market and lender-driven transactions. Kaufman & Company typically evaluates opportunities in the range of $5 million to $250 million.
The announcement signals that Kaufman & Company sees a window of opportunity in Florida’s expected downturn, positioning itself to acquire assets at discounted prices. With more than 25 years of experience across housing markets and over $2 billion in property investments, Kaufman has the track record to act decisively. The firm’s affiliated entities include Convivium Living, DEK Builds, Kaufman Development, Kaufman Real Estate and Consulting, Oldivai, FORGE Development Partners, LoneStar Kaufman Development Partners, and Kaufman Ventures. For market participants, the initiative represents a well-capitalized buyer ready to transact without the delays of fundraising or investor approval. Owners, lenders, special servicers, brokers, and bankers with Florida opportunities are invited to contact the firm directly. As Florida’s real estate market faces potential repricing, Kaufman & Company’s self-funded strategy could allow it to capitalize on distress while others remain sidelined.
