Florida Real Estate 2026: Storm Damage, FEMA Red Tape & Why Flips Aren’t Selling

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Show Summary

In this episode of the Real Estate Pros podcast, host Michelle Kesil speaks with Mike Breglio, a general contractor based in Florida. Mike shares insights into his work in general construction, the challenges he faces with permits and regulations, and the current state of the real estate market, particularly in home flipping. He discusses the impact of the economy on the housing market and offers advice for new investors looking to enter the Florida market.

Resources and Links from this show:

• • • Investor Fuel Real Estate Mastermind
    • Investor Machine Real Estate Lead Generation
    • Mike on Facebook
    • Mike on Instagram
    • Mike on LinkedIn
    • Sunny Day Construction’s Website
    • Mike Breglio’s Phone Number: (239) 666-5552

  Listen to the Audio Version of this Episode

  Investor Fuel Show Transcript:

  Mike Breglio (00:00)
  I would say the market The market is definitely one of the most challenging things When it comes to to doing the fix and flips because at the end of the day, it’s a like Scared money that doesn’t make money like With this one with that I have now like I like I’m gonna take a beating but I’ve done well on so many others where like

  It’s just the very strange market I’ve been here for 10 years and seen anything like it.

  I could also say the economy. ⁓ cause like, and like, we’re, we’re kind of like a sneeze away from like going into war. Like, ⁓ so that has like, people who like want to spend money and, and get like second homes and all this other stuff. has them kind of scared where like the economy here is based on economies in other places.

  Michelle Kesil (00:35)
  Yeah, sure.

  Hey everybody, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m your host, Michelle Kesil Today I’m joined by someone I’m looking forward to chatting with, Mike Breglio who is a general contractor in the Florida area. So excited to have you here today, Mike.

  Mike Breglio (02:47)
  Thank you for having me.

  Michelle Kesil (02:48)
  Awesome. Yeah, so first off, for those who are not familiar with you and your work yet, can you share what your main focus is? ⁓

  Mike Breglio (02:57)
  Yeah, my main focus and where I work at is ⁓ general construction, both residential and commercial, and then also property and investments, both rentals and flips.

  Michelle Kesil (03:10)
  Awesome. And is this only in the Florida area or where do you operate?

  Mike Breglio (03:14)
  Yeah, generally down in southwest Florida. ⁓ I have done work on the East Coast, but generally I’m on the Gulf Coast from Lee County, Collier County, ⁓ Charlotte County.

  Michelle Kesil (03:30)
  and what got you into this work.

  Mike Breglio (03:31)
  I don’t know like I’m a son of a realtor broker, so I’ve always been in like housing and sales My mom saw a company with sunny day realty and then I kind of ran out the name sunny day construction I’ve been doing this since I was 21 ⁓ down from New York

  And yeah, I’ve been doing it for 17 years, been in Southwest Florida operating for the last 10 years.

  Michelle Kesil (04:00)
  Awesome. And so what does the general type of work or client that you serve look like?

  Mike Breglio (04:11)
  ⁓ All the different walks of life like most of my clients that they don’t even like actually live here We some of them are interesting like with one of my clients now He actually is the inventor and owns the patent on all of the tolls like all the toll bridges So like anytime like with anybody’s transponder and not a car and everything else he owns ⁓

  that that pattern. Like I’ve I’ve done so many different walks of a life so people we’ve done works for like Diana Ross many years back, people from the Shirelles, the Supremes. But ⁓ yeah, you could you meet characters from everywhere here. Like, I would say more ⁓ Midwestern people on like vacation rental homes and stuff like that.

  in southwest Florida, but there’s some locals here, but most of it is like vacationers.

  Michelle Kesil (05:13)
  Awesome. And so what does the type of work that you support them with look like?

  Mike Breglio (05:17)
  Anything in the general contracting realm. ⁓ I have different divisions like roofing, windows and then my general construction company. So we basically deal with it all. ⁓ Like newer construction, rear models, extensions.

  Residential commercial, we’ve done a lot of local places, like 3 Pepper Burritos, the Sparamax Small Cakes, O’Premont Pizzeria work. So we’re kind of out there with a good name with that.

  Michelle Kesil (05:52)
  Awesome. And so what do you feel are some of the main keys that allow your business to be able to grow and run smoothly?

  Mike Breglio (06:48)
  The main keys is like properties generally we’re always buying, selling, changing hands. Everybody wants something different. ⁓ Also now there’s a lot of upgrades that we’re doing to homes, especially with like fiber cement siding, impact windows and doors, stuff that generally like strengthens up our structure due to all of the

  canes and damage with that we’ve been suffering because of it.

  Michelle Kesil (07:21)
  Yeah. And what are some like common obstacles that you’ve experienced and overcome doing this work?

  Mike Breglio (07:28)
  The part of the jobs is only a matter for rebuilding anything is like getting the permits the paperwork and not a permission I’m dealing with FEMA guidelines and the regulations There’s Like before you even start the job you have to have everything calculated down to the last screw like a doorknob like any anything like a towel bar and They got to see what every single cost is

  And all of your subcontractor breakdowns and it’s so much paperwork to compile together to put in for the permit. And with the FEMA 5050 is like there’s an assessment on people’s homes like if your house structure is worth like 250,000, you could only do 125,000 worth of work. Well, for people who have 140,000 worth of work like like technically

  The structure would either have to be raised or or like which is brought to current codes or Knocked down in a rebuilt. So then we got to get in a FEMA Adjuster like a certified FEMA adjuster to give us an appraisal so that we could show look like like the number but that you guys have is unrealistic and Here’s an appraisal and then we have to get two of them to prove it and after once when all it has done

  about three months and ⁓ we’re back into planning and re-reviewing so it’s the paperwork and the permission which I understand because if they don’t stay up on FEMA guidelines then FEMA cuts all of the funding for like all of the road cleanups debris cleanups from all of these storms

  So man, it just got Fort Myers Beach that’s getting audited by Femur. So they’re in the whole audit system with that, which is even making the building department operate slower. And I feel bad for all of the building officials who are getting yo-yoed with this.

  Michelle Kesil (09:30)
  Yeah, definitely. That sounds like a challenge that you guys definitely have to face.

  Mike Breglio (09:36)
  Yes.

  Michelle Kesil (09:36)
  And so you mentioned you also flip homes. Can you share a little bit about that?

  Mike Breglio (09:41)
  Yeah, like the flipping homes like it was going well. I still have one property left. The old burn store road and I like we started off at like 1.7 and change and now we’re down to like 1.375. House has been on the market for over a year. It’s it’s like too much.

  Inventory in Northwest Cape because there’s a lot of new builds Then ⁓ I also purchased this before the last two storms Haleen and Milton so like having that happen it didn’t Then know the market kind of went sideways sideways even more when the New York Times put out that Cape Coral has the worst housing market so For flips like it’s definitely a buyer’s market My wife is a realtor agent

  And they’re starting to see more pickup now since I think like the rate dropped and then the rates also gonna drop more supposedly but ⁓ yeah, it’s it’s been slow like I’ve had that house on another market where there’s no reason why I shouldn’t have sold It’s never been flooded but anyway, yeah, like I haven’t had an offer in a year and some change I got rid of like some other properties, but

  I feel more in the average like home range. Stuff is really picking up. With the million plus, it’s dead.

  Michelle Kesil (11:12)
  Yeah, and are you still looking to continue fixing and flipping and carry on with that?

  Mike Breglio (11:51)
  Yeah, like, at this point in time, like, no, because it’s a very iffy market, like, think more of like, going into commercial buy is a good because commercial is also down, where like everything is sold like off of a cap rate where if you get one of these old older places with that, like didn’t flood, and you just give it an uplift and a facelift.

  like it’ll attract more more people coming in. like, and those are really easy, like real models for Rami. So when this one does sell, I’m going to be moving more into a commercial setting and then see how the residential plays out.

  Michelle Kesil (12:36)
  Yeah, awesome. And what’s been the most challenging part of doing fix and flips?

  Mike Breglio (12:41)
  I would say the market The market is definitely one of the most challenging things When it comes to to doing the fix and flips because at the end of the day, it’s a like Scared money that doesn’t make money like With this one with that I have now like I like I’m gonna take a beating but I’ve done well on so many others where like

  It’s just the very strange market I’ve been here for 10 years and seen anything like it.

  I could also say the economy. ⁓ cause like, and like, we’re, we’re kind of like a sneeze away from like going into war. Like, ⁓ so that has like, people who like want to spend money and, and get like second homes and all this other stuff. has them kind of scared where like the economy here is based on economies in other places.

  Michelle Kesil (13:17)
  Yeah, sure.

  Mike Breglio (13:41)
  So like everybody, like a lot of people who live here like or who own property here, but they don’t really live here. So the economy is bad in like other places, especially like Germany now, Canada. We had a lot of Canadian people. ⁓ There’s been like, I also speak to a lot of

  realtors because I meet them for referrals of other jobs and stuff like that and ⁓ One very popular Realtor was that was telling me she’s like my Canadian market is dead and now it was like like one of her strongest markets so like economical stuff, but that goes on between like to a country is like the real state is actually a ripple effect of that

  So, like, and she’s not the only realtor with that, said that, but they’re not getting any, like, Canadian buyers, but they’re getting a lot of Canadian sellers.

  Michelle Kesil (14:41)
  Yeah, definitely there’s a lot of things out of the control.

  Mike Breglio (14:44)
  Yes.

  Michelle Kesil (14:44)
  And so what are you most focused on solving or scaling to next?

  Mike Breglio (15:29)
  It’s so hard to say like I’ve been doing this construction stuff for 18 years. ⁓ It’s not fun anymore. ⁓ But like the construction company, it’s very lucrative for me. So I’m going to continue to do with that. I’m scared to invest in property at the moment, especially in southwest Florida. So.

  Like, let’s say when I finally get rid of the other property, I’m going to move that money into a CD and kind of just like watch the markets and like do like a safe play.

  So, like, I’ll still continue to do the general construction. Like, the window and door division, I’m gonna be pushing that a lot harder now. Do like showroom for that. And I’m becoming a dealer for like, not just like one manufacturer, but I’m a dealer now for like multiple. Where I think that that’s a really good market to harp on.

  Michelle Kesil (16:30)
  Yeah, definitely. And what are you looking forward to for this year? Are there any investments or real estate projects that you are looking forward to getting started with?

  Mike Breglio (16:43)
  Like for investment wise, like in real estate projects, like I always said with the showroom, it’s either I’m going to be buying or leasing. It depends on what I find. like I would look for like maybe like two or three or four units in one part to get that extra income on the other side.

  Michelle Kesil (17:07)
  Yeah, awesome. And what advice would you have for people that are looking to get into the Florida market?

  Mike Breglio (17:14)
  If you’re looking to buy it, it’s a buyer’s market. ⁓ Definitely check on if ⁓ homes were redone correctly by a licensed general contractor with permits, especially ones in flood zones. There was a lot of people who came in here from the storm, from everywhere else, did a bunch of hack jobs and like we’re fixing stuff now. Like we’re actually ripping

  brand new roofs that weren’t even done right. had people spend 50, 60, 70, 80 thousand on.

  But yeah, like I would just be careful of what you buy. Like always get a good home inspector. ⁓ It is a buyer’s market. Everything is going to rebuild, but it’s going to take time. like there’s just too much tourism here and the beaches are beautiful for people not to really give in to like the risk is worth the reward.

  Alright.

  Michelle Kesil (18:18)
  Yeah, definitely. Awesome. Well, before we wrap up here, if someone wants to reach out, connect, learn more, where can people find you and connect with you?

  Mike Breglio (18:29)
  I have my website sunnydaycontractors.com and my office number is 239-666-5552. ⁓

  Michelle Kesil (18:40)
  Okay, well, thank you for your time and your story. Appreciate you coming on here.

  Mike Breglio (18:45)
  Alright.

  Michelle Kesil (18:45)
  Awesome. And for the listeners tuning into the show, if you got value, make sure you’ve subscribed. We’ve got more conversations with operators like Mike who are building real businesses and we’ll see you on the next episode.