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Sharon Zuccaro

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Sharon represents developers, sellers, and buyers in commercial and residential real estate transactions. More specifically, Sharon concentrates her practice in matters involving finance, contracts, leases, closings, title insurance, and homeowner and condominium associations.

In years 2019-2023, Naples Illustrated listed Sharon on their “Top Lawyer” list for her work in real estate law.

Sharon received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her law degree from Vanderbilt University. She may be reached at sharon.zuccaro@henlaw.com.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented impacts on the residential real estate market. The warning signs for Phase I were not easily detected, and almost overnight, the parties to such transactions, as well as those essential to closing such transactions, had to re-evaluate their means and methods of conducting business. Below are some tips for those buying or selling real estate in a pandemic:

Tips for Buyers

  • Add a specific contract amendment addressing potential coronavirus-related delays. Many state realtor associations have provided a coronavirus addendum for use by agents. For example, the Florida Association of Realtors has set forth a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Extension Addendum to Contract to address coronavirus-related delays. This particular Addendum may be utilized with all existing Florida Association of Realtors contracts, inclusive of the various FAR/BAR contracts.
  • In Collier County, Florida, the Naples Area Board of Realtors (“NABOR”), have both a coronavirus addendum and amendment for use with its NABOR existing form contracts. Both the State and local coronavirus addenda provide for time period extensions for the closing date, financing period, inspection period, title cure period, and due diligence periods, as well as allowing the Buyer to receive an escrow deposit refund under select circumstances of lender loan disapproval.
  • Notwithstanding the benefit of these new addenda, buyers should seek legal counsel to review and/or customize a coronavirus addendum or amendment to maximize the buyer’s protection.

Tips for Sellers

Continue Reading Tips for Buying and Selling Residential Real Estate in a Pandemic

Have you decided to sell your home? Perhaps you are considering to go it alone without the assistance of a realtor to potentially save thousands of dollars in commissions. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  1. Price Your Home Competitively. You may utilize online pricing calculators like Zillow’s Zestimate, or websites like Trulia, to assist you with determining what comparable homes sold for in your community. They are only estimates so you may want to obtain a competitive market analysis from a real estate agent, usually free, or hire a local home appraiser.
  2. Prepare Your Home. Make your home look great on both the exterior and interior. De-clutter and brighten up your home, clean it from top to bottom, and ensure it smells good.
  3. Draft Your Listing Ad. Your ad should be thorough, yet concise. Be sure to include important home facts such as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and any upgrades and/or improvements. The photos of the home should be as appealing as possible. Considering hiring a professional photographer.
  4. Advertisement. Since so many buyers begin their search online, you should consider some popular websites such as Zillow, Trulia, HomeFinder, FSBO and Craigslist.
  5. Host an Open House. Once your home is listed for sale, host an open house. To prepare, visit a few open houses in the community and take notes. Create an information sheet with photos of your home for potential buyers or print copies of your ad from Zillow or the like. Schedule your open house on the weekend in the early afternoon.

Continue Reading 5 Tips for Selling Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent

Typical Troublesome Scenariohome inspection magnified.jpg

You have just found the perfect home and you are ready to sign the purchase offer. Either you failed to fully read the contract or your home state’s laws allow you the right to terminate the contract if you are dissatisfied with the home inspection, so you assume you have the same rights in Florida and happily sign the contract. The home inspection report later reveals problematic issues that prompt you to want to immediately terminate the contract, but you soon learn that the form contract you signed does not afford you with such right. Instead, you are now forced to proceed under a contract to purchase a home you no longer desire.

Florida LawContinue Reading Buyer Beware: How To Avoid Purchasing An Unwanted Home After the Home Inspection

Michael Burke.JPGD. Michael Burke left his career of 15 years in Ohio as the owner of a computer hardware servicing company, to grow into one of the top producing real estate agents in Southwest Florida. Michael has become the “voice of real estate” in Lee County, Florida through his weekly featured column in the Fort Myers News-Press Saturday’s Home Finder section, and his own publication with 20,000 subscribers “The Coconut Point Press” which features local real estate market trends in Southwest Florida. D. Michael Burke is a licensed real estate agent with Keller Williams Elite in Bonita Springs.

Michael believes that there is no reason why homes should not sell in the current real estate market.  In the last couple of years, the market in Southwest Florida has shown clear signs of stabilizing with the number of closed sales rising each month and lower inventory levels. So, as we conclude 2011, we would like to share D. Michael Burke’s top home selling tips for sellers to effectively sell their properties. The following are Michael’s best home selling tips, listed in the order of priority from highest to lowest:Continue Reading The Best Home Selling Tips of 2011: Q&A With Realtor D. Michael Burke

Contracts.jpgNon-compliance with Florida Statute §720.401 can be fatal to the closing of a purchase and sale contract. Given the current real estate climate, sellers of residential property cannot afford to lose a sale, or become involved in a lawsuit due to mistakes associated with the required homeowner’s association disclosure (“Disclosure”) specified in such statute. By understanding the law and being aware of the mistakes, a seller and his/her agent can increase the odds of closing a sale without an adverse surprise.

The Law

Florida Statute Section 720.401, requires owners of real property subject to a homeowner’s association(s), to deliver to a potential purchaser the Disclosure prior to contract execution. The form of the Disclosure must be substantially in the same form as identified in the statute.

Non-Compliance

As a practical matter, the Disclosure is seldom signed before contract execution because the selling agent does not typically know of all the required assessment information to be included in Continue Reading Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes on Florida HOA Disclosures