Stephen Rees, a shareholder in Gunster's new Sarasota office, recently wrote an article for the October 2026 issue of ELEVATE, published through the Realtor® Attorney Joint Committee. His article, "Beyond the Home Inspection: The Importance of Specialized Waterfront Due Diligence in Florida Residential Transactions," explains why buyers of waterfront property need specialized due diligence. Rees wrote the piece before he joined Gunster from Icard Merrill.
In the article, Rees explains why buyers should bring in the right professionals, such as marine contractors, engineers and environmental consultants, before closing on waterfront property. As he notes, "waterfront ownership also presents risks and complexities that will not be identified in a standard home inspection."
Stephen Rees practices in the areas of land use, zoning, municipal law, and real estate. He brings many years of experience to his representation of developers, landowners, and others in rezoning matters, development approvals, and issues arising in the development and use of real estate. He represents national, regional and local developers in quasi-judicial proceedings and contested matters before governing authorities, agencies, boards and commissions in Florida.
