Kaufman & Company, the private investment and holding firm led by founder and CEO Daniel Kaufman, announced a dedicated Florida market initiative that will see the firm and its affiliated entities, including Florida-based Convivium Living, pursue land and existing asset acquisitions across the state. The firm is bringing its own team members into its existing Orlando office, a move that reflects its view that Florida is entering a period of meaningful dislocation. Kaufman & Company expects significant declines in both land values and existing asset pricing over the next 24 months and 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 being 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 distressed opportunities emerge.
Rather than hiring out the effort, 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. This integration of internal resources suggests the firm is positioning itself to act quickly on opportunities that align with its existing expertise in housing and development.
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. Owners, lenders, special servicers, brokers, and bankers with Florida opportunities are invited to contact the firm directly.
The implications of this announcement are significant for the Florida real estate market. Kaufman & Company’s decision to deploy its own capital at a time when it anticipates further price declines signals a contrarian bet on the state’s long-term fundamentals. By avoiding the need to raise a fund, the firm can move more nimbly than institutional players that require investor approval. This could accelerate the resolution of distressed assets and provide liquidity to sellers facing pressure. Moreover, the firm’s focus on workforce and attainable housing addresses a critical need in Florida, where housing affordability has become a growing concern. If Kaufman & Company’s thesis proves correct, it could acquire assets at attractive basis and play a role in reshaping Florida’s real estate landscape over the next several years.
Kaufman & Company is a private investment and holding firm spanning real estate development, venture investment, and infrastructure. Its 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. Founder and CEO Daniel Kaufman has more than 25 years of experience building, lending, and investing across housing markets in Florida, Texas, the Mountain West, Vermont, and the Northeast, and has led investments resulting in over $2 billion in property investments and the financing and development of more than 10,000 housing units.
