Ari Pregen on Defending Your Properties: Code Violations, Lien Negotiations, and South Florida's Enforcement Landscape

Tony Stern, co-founder of PropertyOnion.com, interviews Ari Pregen, founder of The Code Clinic, a South Florida law firm exclusively dedicated to defending property owners, landlords, and investors against municipal and county code violations across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.

Ari explains why he left general civil litigation to build a hyper-focused, flat-fee code enforcement defense practice, what gap he identified in the South Florida legal market, and why the billable hour model is a conflict of interest in this space.

They discuss the most common violations hitting investors today, unpermitted construction, open and expired permits, property maintenance issues, and the rise of short-term rental crackdowns, and walk through the anatomy of a code violation from the initial notice all the way through special magistrate hearings and lien recordation.

Ari also shares the real math behind daily fines, how municipalities are using drones and AI to identify violations, why you should never pay a lien before negotiating, and how his firm has achieved reductions of over 90% on fines as high as four million dollars.

Landlords and portfolio investors will also get Ari's top three proactive steps to keep properties off code enforcement radar, plus what to expect as enforcement budgets and technology continue to grow across Florida in the years ahead.

Connect with Ari Pregen:

Ari Pregen, Esq.

The Code Clinic, PLLC

1160 NW 163rd Dr., Miami Gardens, FL 33169

Direct: (305) 396-1495

Website: TheCodeClinicPA.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/thecodeclinicfl

Instagram: Instagram.com/thecodeclinicfl

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ari-pregen

Master Florida Code Enforcement & Fine Mitigation

For South Florida real estate investors, navigating municipal rules can be a financial minefield. In this episode of Property Unpeeled, Tony Stern and Ari Pregen look behind the curtain of Florida code enforcement defense. With cities increasingly leveraging advanced technology like drones and AI to spot infractions, landlords must understand how to protect their portfolios. Ari breaks down how to handle unpermitted construction, open or expired permits, and strict short-term rental regulations before they escalate into compounding daily fines and recorded property liens.

• Lien Negotiation Strategies: How to successfully negotiate with local municipalities to achieve up to 90% reductions on massive code enforcement fines.

• The Special Magistrate Process: What actually happens at a hearing and how property owners should present their defense.

• Common Investor Pitfalls: Managing unpermitted additions, property maintenance notices, and local ordinances across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

• Proactive Property Protection: Ari’s top legal strategies to audit your real estate portfolio and keep your properties off the municipal radar.

Protect Your Real Estate Portfolio

Don't let municipal fines erase your cash flow or stall your next property flip. Subscribe to Property Unpeeled on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube for more insider legal and real estate investment strategies. Learn more and safeguard your investments at PropertyOnion.com.

Scott Carson on Becoming the Bank: Distressed Note Investing, Strategy, and Opportunities in 2026

Tony Stern, co-founder of PropertyOnion.com, interviews Scott Carson, CEO of weclosenotes.com and widely known as “the note guy,” about distressed mortgage debt, note investing, and what it really means to “become the bank.”

Scott explains why he transitioned from traditional banking and landlording into buying distressed notes, how investors can source deals from smaller lenders, and where he sees major opportunities in 2026 as defaults continue to rise.

They discuss foreclosure timelines, due diligence, working with servicers and attorneys, using LinkedIn and AI to source deals, and why note investing can offer a more scalable alternative to traditional real estate investing.

Scott also shares insights into passive investing opportunities, common mistakes new investors make, and the upcoming PropertyOnion Academy masterclass focused on distressed debt and note investing.

00:00 Welcome to Property Unpeeled

01:00 Meet Scott Carson

02:11 Hardware Store Lessons

04:07 From Small Town to Big Banks

07:52 Going Entrepreneur Full Time

09:27 Why Notes Beat Rentals

12:28 Negotiating With Banks

14:29 Solo Investor Playbook

17:44 Best Markets for 2026

20:06 2008 Crash Note Deals

22:00 Building Your Vendor Team

24:46 Due Diligence on New States

25:54 Weirdest Notes Stories

26:34 Shocking Property Stories

27:31 Helping Borrowers Stay Home

28:05 Forbearance And Forgiveness

29:51 How Investors Work With Us

31:13 Passive Partners And Funds

32:39 Why Small Banks Win

33:25 Academy Masterclass Plans

34:32 Analyze Notes Like A Bank

37:49 Avoid Bad Note Deals

39:22 How Competitive Is Notes

41:49 Networking And Associations

43:32 LinkedIn And AI Outreach

44:54 Software For Note Portfolios

45:51 Next Steps And Free Training

47:01 Closing Thanks And Outro

Why Note Investing is the Ultimate Real Estate Strategy for 2026

As the 2026 real estate market shifts, distressed note investing has emerged as a lucrative, scalable alternative to traditional landlording. When you buy a non-performing mortgage note, you "become the bank," managing the financial asset instead of dealing with tenants and maintenance. In this episode of Property Unpeeled, Tony Stern and Scott Carson break down how rising default rates create unique opportunities to buy distressed debt from regional banks at a steep discount. Sourcing these high-yield deals requires modern strategies, from AI outreach and LinkedIn networking to navigating foreclosure timelines and executing state-specific due diligence.

• Notes vs. Rentals: Why mortgage debt beats traditional physical real estate for cash flow.

• Sourcing Distressed Debt: How to target small local lenders to bypass institutional competition.

• Real Estate Due Diligence: Analyzing non-performing loans (NPLs) and auditing mortgage files.

• AI & LinkedIn Sourcing: Modern digital tools for automated outreach and building a vendor team.

• Passive Note Investing: Leveraging note funds and joint ventures for hands-off wealth.

Ready to transition from landlord to lienholder? Check out the upcoming PropertyOnion Academy Masterclass on advanced distressed debt strategies. Subscribe to Property Unpeeled on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, and learn more at PropertyOnion.com.