Jean Francois Roy, Founder & CEO, OceanLand Investments, Inc.

May 2026 — Invest: spoke with Jean Francois Roy, founder and CEO of OceanLand Investments, Inc., about the current dynamics shaping South Florida real estate, from buyer hesitation and rising costs to the long-term opportunities emerging in prime and overlooked locations. “Bad is good, it’s a bad time that you have the great opportunities,” Roy said, underscoring his view that market uncertainty can create the best entry points for disciplined investors.

How would you describe the current real estate landscape in South Florida, and how is it affecting your business and the opportunities you are pursuing?

I believe the current real estate market is a bit challenging because of insecurity surrounding war and interest rates. But it is an amazing time to get into real estate. 

What I have always taught to my team and my kids is that bad is good — it’s in bad times that you have the great opportunities. You should not be discouraged about a situation like that. So, as much as it is a challenging time to sell, it is a great time to get in real estate. For young people, I think there are tons of opportunities.

I love the South Florida market, from Miami and Palm Beach. This has been our specialty since 1990, and I think it is only becoming more attractive with three international airports, tax advantages, and the opportunities in the region. The proof is in the pudding as people moving from California and New York have brought up prices in most sectors, which have more than doubled in just a few years.

We still have challenges with the cost of doing new projects. At the end of the day, all those new costs are transferred to the consumer. Building materials are expensive, labor is expensive, insurance is very hard to get, and financing is extremely hard. Many projects are trying to get to presale because of the high cost of construction, and the banks have been more disciplined since 2008. So even if the market is challenging, what is being built right now will be well positioned when the market turns.

What are you seeing today in buyer demand, and how has it changed from a year ago?

There is a lot of buyer demand, but people are insecure about making a move. 

One day we are talking about a major war, the next day it is the price of oil, and the day after that it is something else.

That is why we are looking to buy more land. Our business is buying land, and at least land is becoming more available. In the past, you had to pay a major premium. You still pay a premium, but at least it’s available.

What is the market telling you about what people are looking for today?

There are many different factors, and they are all different. You have the affordable segment, the middle market, the larger units, and the luxury units, and they are very independent from one another.

At the very high end, the expensive market is still active. People coming from New York or California who sold their company or are doing very well in the stock market do not mind buying houses for $20 million or $30 million. In some areas in South Florida, the price of a house has doubled in the last few years. But that is not everywhere. In the more average market, it is not as aggressive.

At the affordable end, the problem is that there is not enough product, so that market is still very good. Where the biggest challenge is right now is in the middle. The very low and very high ends are active, but the middle 80% are really struggling right now to make decisions.

There is still demand for smaller luxury units in the $3 million to $5 million range, as there are a lot of new projects coming. People want the new product, but the problem is the taxes, the condo fees, and the insurance. When it is time to pull the trigger, they hesitate. They want the new kitchen and the new finishes, and that is why smaller units in prime locations are still a good product. It is a temporary situation, but right now the insecurity is strong and people are waiting.

What makes a site compelling in this market?

It is a big challenge every time you start a development. Since the cost of construction is the same, that is the reason why we always go into the high end. The concrete is the same, the plumbing is the same, and the margin is the same, so we prefer specializing in prime locations.

For us, prime location is mainly oceanfront and waterfront. Most of the time, we buy something that was built 50 or 60 years ago, demolish it, and start over. Usually, they are old condominiums or motels, and we are recycling the site. Most of the time, they are just a couple of stories, and we are building high-rise towers. If you look at the motels we did on the beach, they were all two- or three-story motels, and now they are 40-story buildings.

It is good for everyone. You create amazing housing, people get a beautiful place, and it is amazing for the city because you create a huge tax base. It helps the schools, and it helps the city.

How is transportation access influencing development potential, particularly around areas like the Brightline corridor?

It is becoming more important. People like to be able to walk around, and that is the kind of project we are building now. You want to be walking distance from restaurants, grocery stores, and services. The Brightline is the best example.

When you look at Miami, Boca Raton, and Palm Beach, it is all walkable around those stations. Fort Lauderdale took a little bit longer, but all that area and all the sites around it have big potential. Within five years, many of those projects will have started construction.

Where do you see the strongest opportunities over the next few years?

I always like to look at the bad neighborhoods of today. You need to have the courage to go there and try to determine the market of tomorrow. Twenty-some years ago, when we did projects on the beach in Hallandale, Hollywood, Singer Island, and Pompano, those areas were not seen the same way they are today. People said no one would buy condominiums there. But today, all those buildings have been built, sold, and now everyone is building there.

Someone has to break the ice. When we did one of our first projects in Hallandale, there had been no construction on the ocean there for 23 years. Now they all build there. The same thing happened in Hollywood as well as West Palm Beach. In 1990, it was scary to go there, and today West Palm Beach is one of the hottest places in the U.S. to build. You have to buy for the future.

Looking ahead, what will be the most important priorities for OceanLand Investments’ development strategy?

The most important thing is not changing what we are good at. We are very good at what we are doing, and it is tempting to try to change your formula. We are not builders, and we are not condominium managers. Those are things we can do, but that is not our specialty.

We focus on buying sites, finding the best location or the best potential, changing the zoning, and sometimes building it ourselves, and sometimes teaming up with people whose specialty is construction. You have to understand what you are good at and have discipline.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are always in the market looking for opportunities or joint ventures. If people have challenges, they can come see us. We like to help young people as well, so we keep the door open. We want to help the community and are really committed for the long term. We have an amazing team, and we want to do the right thing not just for the money, but because it needs to be done properly for the community.