Hughes Real Estate Law · Broward County, Florida
From purchase contracts and closings to title disputes, foreclosure defense, and landlord-tenant conflicts — Fort Lauderdale real estate attorney Joseph Hughes handles the full spectrum of Florida property and real estate law personally, for every client, throughout Broward County.
Why It Matters Who You Hire
Florida Real Estate Law Is Specific. Your Attorney Should Be Too.
Florida real estate law has rules that exist nowhere else in the country. Florida is a judicial foreclosure state — lenders must sue in court to foreclose, creating legal defenses that non-judicial states don’t offer. Florida’s seller disclosure obligations under Johnson v. Davis apply to every residential sale, including as-is transactions. The Florida Landlord-Tenant Act (Chapter 83) sets precise notice and procedure requirements that cannot be approximated. And Florida’s Condominium Act (Chapter 718) gives unit owners rights that associations routinely violate.
At Hughes Real Estate Law, Joseph Hughes personally handles every client matter from start to finish. No associates, no delegation, no handoffs. Whether your issue is a residential closing, a title dispute, a landlord-tenant conflict, or contested real estate litigation — the attorney you meet in consultation is the attorney working your file.
The firm serves all of Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Davie, Coral Springs, Dania Beach, Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Sunrise, Margate and more.
Practice Area
Real Estate Transactions & Closings
Buying or selling property in Broward County involves more legal complexity than most buyers and sellers realize. Florida real estate law does not require an attorney at closing but the reality is that only a licensed attorney can advise you on the legal implications of the documents you sign. A contract that looks standard can contain contingency clauses, liquidated damages provisions, or title exceptions that significantly affect your rights and exposure.
Joseph Hughes handles residential and commercial purchase and sale transactions, contract review and drafting, closing coordination, and title insurance from commitment through closing. He works with buyers, sellers, investors, and developers on both straightforward and complex transactions throughout Broward County.
Transaction services include:
✓ Purchase & sale agreements
✓ Contract review, revision & drafting
✓ Residential & commercial closings
✓ Title searches & title insurance
✓ Escrow services
✓ Deed conveyances
✓ Buyer & seller representation
✓ 1031 exchange transactions
Practice Area
Landlord & Tenant Law in Broward County
Florida’s Landlord-Tenant Act under Chapter 83 is procedurally strict. A landlord who serves the wrong notice, uses the wrong form, or skips a required step can lose an otherwise valid eviction case. A tenant who misses a response deadline or fails to invoke the right statutory defense can lose significant legal protections.
Joseph Hughes represents both landlords and tenants throughout Broward County in lease disputes, evictions, security deposit conflicts, habitability claims, and wrongful eviction defense. He also drafts and reviews residential and commercial lease agreements to prevent disputes before they begin.
Landlord-tenant services include:
✓ Residential & commercial evictions
✓ Lease drafting & review
✓ Security deposit disputes
✓ Wrongful eviction defense
✓ Habitability & repair claims
✓ FDCPA & FCCPA violations
✓ Holdover tenant matters
✓ Subleases & assignments
Practice Area
Real Estate Litigation in Broward County
Not every real estate dispute resolves through negotiation. When a transaction falls apart, a title defect surfaces, or a counterparty refuses to perform, litigation in Broward County Circuit Court may be the only path to a resolution. Joseph Hughes has handled real estate litigation through trial — from pre-suit demand letters through verdict and appeal.
Hughes Real Estate Law handles the full litigation lifecycle: pre-suit strategy, pleadings, motion practice, discovery, settlement conferences, trial, and appellate work in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit when needed.
Litigation services include:
✓ Breach of contract claims
✓ Quiet title actions
✓ Partition actions
✓ Fraudulent conveyance claims
✓ Title defect & lien disputes
✓ Specific performance actions
✓ Injunctions & declaratory relief
✓ Property fraud & misrepresentation
Practice Area
Foreclosure Defense in Broward County
Because Florida is a judicial foreclosure state, every lender must file a lawsuit to foreclose on a property. That requirement creates legal defenses — standing challenges, procedural errors, improper notice — that do not exist in states where foreclosure happens outside of court.
Joseph Hughes represents Broward County homeowners facing foreclosure at every stage of the process, from the initial filing through auction and deficiency proceedings.
Foreclosure defense services include:
✓ Standing challenges
✓ Loan modification negotiations
✓ Short sale representation
✓ Deed in lieu of foreclosure
✓ Deficiency defense
✓ Foreclosure sale cancellations
Practice Area
HOA & Condominium Association Disputes
Florida’s Condominium Act under Chapter 718 gives unit owners specific rights that homeowner and condo associations frequently violate — including improper assessment increases, selective enforcement of rules, and procedural failures in lien and fine processes.
Joseph Hughes represents both property owners and associations in HOA and condo disputes throughout Broward County, including lien challenges, assessment disputes, governance conflicts, and breach of fiduciary duty claims against board members.
✓ HOA & condo lien disputes
✓ Assessment & fine challenges
✓ Selective enforcement claims
✓ Breach of fiduciary duty
✓ Bylaw & governance disputes
✓ Association compliance matters
Practice Area
Commercial Real Estate Law & 1031 Exchanges
Commercial real estate transactions in Broward County involve additional layers of legal complexity: zoning compliance, environmental review, regulatory and code obligations, and financing structures that range from conventional mortgages to EB-5 foreign investor funding and mezzanine financing.
For real estate investors, a properly structured 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on the sale of investment property — but the IRS rules are strict. The 45-day identification window and 180-day closing deadline are absolute.
✓ Commercial acquisitions & sales
✓ Commercial lease negotiation
✓ Zoning & code compliance
✓ Fix & flip transactions
✓ 1031 exchange structuring
✓ Replacement property closings
✓ Investment property transactions
✓ Section 8 & REIT matters
Broward County Real Estate Law Resources
Resources for Broward County Property Owners
| Resource | What It Provides |
|---|---|
| Broward County Property Appraiser | Property ownership records, assessed values, and tax history for Broward County properties |
| Broward County Clerk of Courts | Deed recordings, lien searches, foreclosure filings, and litigation records |
| Florida Landlord-Tenant Act | Florida’s landlord-tenant statute governing notice, procedure, and tenant rights |
| Florida Condominium Act | Unit owner rights, association obligations, assessment rules, and governance requirements |
| Florida Bar Real Estate Consumer Guide | Consumer guidance on Florida real estate transactions and when an attorney is needed |
Service Area
Serving All of Broward County
Hughes Real Estate Law serves property owners, investors, landlords, tenants, buyers, and sellers throughout Broward County from the Fort Lauderdale office, with appointments also available in Hollywood.
Talk to Joseph Hughes Directly
Get a Case Evaluation for Your Broward County Real Estate Law Matter
Every consultation is with Joseph Hughes personally. No intake forms routed to a paralegal. Call or submit the contact form to get started.
1141 SE 2nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 · Also by appointment: Hollywood, FL · Mon–Fri 9AM–5PM