Site and Lot Snapshot

• Tell us about the types of lots and pads you are actively acquiring and the primary market geographies you target Options: Single-family detached, Townhome or attached product, Multifamily podium, Commercial pads, Mixed-use parcels, Other
• How many finished lots do you expect to need in the next 12 months and in the next 24 months Options: 0-25, 26-100, 101-300, 301-600, 600+
• In your last acquisition, what were the top deal-breaker site issues that changed your bid or caused you to walk away Options: Entitlement uncertainty, Insufficient utility capacity, Wetlands or habitat restrictions, Unexpected grading or rock work, Impact fee exposure, Unworkable access or right of way, Other
• Who on your team must sign off to commit to a lot purchase, and who typically raises the strongest entitlement or schedule objections Options: Land acquisition director, Head of land/VP, Finance/CFO, Construction VP, Municipal affairs or planning lead, Environmental lead, Legal
• Estimate the latest acceptable lot delivery window relative to your forward sales pace, for example within 6 months, 12 months, or 18 months Options: Within 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months, 18 to 24 months, Longer than 24 months
• What single site or scheduling issue would make you withdraw from a purchase immediately

When Timing Slips, What Breaks First

• If a municipal review or permit delay pushed delivery past your committed sales window, what are the immediate commercial consequences for your business Options: Missed model lots, slowed closings, Reduced sales margins, Reallocation of home production, Covenant or lender covenant breach, We would absorb cost but delay starts, Other
• How often in your target markets do entitlement or permit approvals run longer than your original internal schedule Options: Rarely, Occasionally, Often, Almost always
• Which part of the approval or entitlement process has caused the biggest calendar risk in your recent deals Options: Planning commission or zoning hearings, Environmental surveys and mitigation, Utility capacity agreements, Traffic and transportation studies, Impact fee negotiations, Other
• Walk me through the last time an entitlement delay pushed a delivery date, what mitigation you tried, and what ultimately failed or worked
• Who ultimately bears the commercial cost if delivery misses your sales window, and under what contract condition would you refuse to accept delayed lots Options: Buyer absorbs cost, Seller absorbs cost, Shared per negotiated terms, Would refuse under material delay clause, Depends on escrow or credit

Who Signs and Who Flags Risk

• What internal KPI or threshold would cause your executive team to veto a lot purchase even when the site otherwise appears deliverable
• Who in procurement, finance, or operations runs your absorption, NPV, or build-cost sensitivity models and should be involved in early feasibility calls Options: Land acquisitions, Finance or treasury, Construction planning, Strategy/portfolio team, Other
• List the external stakeholders who most influence entitlements for you, for example municipal planners, HOA boards, utility districts, or environmental agencies Options: Municipal planning department, County or regional agencies, HOA or master association, Water or sewer districts, State environmental agency, Utility providers
• How do you prefer to receive entitlement and schedule risk updates, for example weekly schedule snapshots, exception alerts, or milestone confirmations Options: Weekly schedule snapshots, Exception-based alerts, Milestone confirmations only, Monthly executive summaries, Portal access to live schedule
• If a key stakeholder signals they will oppose approval at a hearing, what decision would you make that week about proceeding Options: Pause and re-evaluate, Renegotiate price or terms, Proceed with mitigation plan, Withdraw from the transaction

Constraints That Change Price or Timing

• Which single environmental finding or infrastructure gap would force you to demand a price reduction or to walk away Options: Wetlands requiring mitigation, Endangered species habitat, Insufficient sewer capacity, High rock or grading cost, Major off-site road improvements, Other
• How many acres of a typical parcel do you expect to be buildable after accounting for buffers, easements, and environmental set asides Options: Less than 25%, 25% to 50%, 50% to 75%, More than 75%
• What level of geotechnical uncertainty, expressed as potential additional grading cost per lot, would you consider unacceptable Options: Under $5k/lot, $5k to $15k/lot, $15k to $30k/lot, Over $30k/lot
• Tell me about environmental findings you discovered after closing and the downstream schedule or cost impacts they created
• Which utilities in your target markets routinely require third-party agreements or capacity upgrades, and who on your side manages those vendor relationships Options: Water and sewer, Electricity and transformers, Gas service, Telecom/fiber, Stormwater conveyance
• Estimate the probability that a parcel in your preferred submarket will require off-site improvements beyond typical frontage work Options: Less than 10%, 10% to 30%, 30% to 60%, Over 60%

The Other Paths You Are Considering

• Who are the alternatives you are actively evaluating for finished lots, including internal development, other developers, and brokerage channels Options: Internal development team, Other regional or national developers, Lot brokers or marketplaces, Forward-sale programs with builders, Joint ventures
• Which of those alternatives currently gives you the best mix of price and delivery certainty Options: Internal development, Other developer with guarantees, Brokered lots with known schedule, Incremental in-house entitlement, No clear best option
• What would have to be true about your current internal option for you to keep building inventory without engaging an outside development partner
• Have any internal stakeholders proposed solving entitlement and site work internally and, if yes, what headcount or budget did they commit Options: Yes, dedicated headcount committed, Yes, partial resources committed, No formal proposal yet, Not sure
• If one alternative promised guaranteed delivery within your target window at a modestly higher price, what would still prevent you from switching to that option Options: Capital constraints, Preference for existing vendor relationships, Concerns about quality, Contractual complexity, Other

Readiness Gates That Stop a Project

• Which missing document, permit, or internal approval would immediately prevent you from moving forward with a purchase Options: Clean title and ALTA survey, Recent soils/geotechnical report, Permitted grading plan, Utility capacity letters, Board or executive approval
• Do you have a dedicated point person for coordinating utility capacity letters, bond procurement, and inspection scheduling Options: Yes, single point of contact, Yes, but team-based, No, responsibilities shared ad hoc, We would need support
• Who owns the files for site surveys, soils reports, and prior environmental studies, and are those files stored in a place your team can share quickly Options: Owned by our land team and available digitally, Owned by outside consultant and available, Scattered across parties and not readily available, We do not have recent files
• Estimate your headcount in full-time equivalents dedicated to closing and onboarding new lots across procurement, legal, and construction coordination Options: 0-1 FTE, 2-4 FTE, 5-9 FTE, 10+ FTE
• Which third-party systems must integrate for title, permitting, or schedule tracking, and do you have API access or are processes manual today Options: Title systems, Permitting portals, ERP or financial system, Project scheduling tool, Mostly manual processes
• If required, can your team provide clean digital survey and soils files within 7 days of a term sheet, and if not what would block that turnaround Options: Yes, we can deliver in 7 days, We can deliver in 2 to 3 weeks, No, would take longer than 3 weeks, Blocked by third-party access or procurement

Conditions That Make You Sign or Walk

• What single contractual condition or commercial term would cause you to sign in the same week we verify schedule and capacity
• Which payment milestone cadence is acceptable to your treasury team for lot purchases Options: Full at close, Deposit plus balance at close, Staged payments tied to milestones, Deferred payment with security
• Describe the minimum acceptance criteria you require at lot handoff, including permits, inspections, and final documentation
• How quickly does your legal team usually turn around a purchase and sale agreement after receiving full technical exhibits Options: Under 3 business days, 3 to 7 business days, 1 to 3 weeks, Longer than 3 weeks
• If the seller provided a mortgageable deferred payment or a named performance security, would that remove your primary barrier to proceeding now Options: Yes, that would remove the barrier, Partially, would need additional terms, No, other issues remain, Unsure
• When would you like to schedule a follow up to review a site feasibility memo and sample purchase and sale terms Options: Immediately, Within 1 week, Within 2 to 4 weeks, Later, need more time

• Solution Experience Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm the restated current state and the quantified cost of missed lot delivery to your sales plan.
• Provide your target lot delivery window, forward sales pace assumptions, and any municipal timing constraints to inform the site-specific schedule scenarios.
• You confirm that at least one comparable project achieved on-time lot delivery and acceptable per-lot cost outcomes using the same mitigation approach.
• Walk through comparable completed projects
• Deliver two comparable project case studies including original risks, schedules, mitigation steps taken, and final delivery and cost outcomes before the follow-up review.
• Prepare a site-specific schedule scenario and entitlement risk register with assumptions and contingency budget for review at the next meeting.
• You agree that the presented mitigation plan would keep lot delivery within your target window and limit per-lot cost variance to an acceptable level.
• Run site-specific schedule scenarios
• Confirm internal decision criteria, including maximum acceptable per-lot cost variance and the latest date you can accept delayed delivery without harming your sales plan.
• You agree on the specific site-level evidence and decision criteria needed before a commercial commitment.
• Demonstrate mitigation mechanics for entitlement, environmental, and cost risk
• Validate that this maps to your priorities
• Schedule a follow-up review within two weeks to review the site-specific scenario and finalize the evidence needed for a mutual commit.
• Agree next evidence and decision criteria

• Solution Experience Session
• Solution Experience Deck
• Solution Brief — Schedule Scenarios and Risk Mitigation

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Close Land Acquisition and Title Transfer
• Secure Municipal Entitlements and Permits
• Prepare and Record Final Subdivision Maps
• Perform Site Grading and Earthworks
• Prepare Building Pads and Rough Grading
• Install Lot-Level Utilities (water, sewer, gas, electric)
• Commission and Test Utilities Infrastructure
• Construct Roads, Curbs, and Sidewalks
• Build Stormwater Management Systems and Drainage
• Execute Off-Site Improvements and Right-of-Way Work
• Construct Retaining Walls and Erosion Controls
• Implement Environmental Remediation and Mitigation Measures
• Negotiate and Execute Impact Fee Agreements
• Convey Finished Lots and Transfer Handover Documents

Close Land Acquisition and Title Transfer

• Provide the current title commitment or preliminary title report number and the effective date.
• Which ALTA (American Land Title Association) or local survey exhibits are available (for example: ALTA/NSPS 2011, record of survey, topographic overlay)? Options: ALTA/NSPS survey, Record of survey, Topographic survey overlay, No survey available, Other
• Who on your team will be the authorized signer for closing and provide the executed deed and closing packages?
• List any outstanding title exceptions, liens, or covenant conditions shown on the title that must be cleared before recording.
• Do you require a specific form of owner s title insurance policy (example: ALTA Owner Policy with specific endorsements)? Options: Standard ALTA owner policy, ALTA owner with survey endorsement, Require custom endorsements - will specify, No preference
• When is the planned escrow closing date and what conditions must be satisfied in escrow (for example: diligence release, vesting, proof of funds)?

Secure Municipal Entitlements and Permits

• Which entitlements are required for the project per the municipal code (for example: zoning change, general plan amendment, tentative map, conditional use permit)? Options: Zoning amendment, General plan amendment, Tentative subdivision map, Conditional use permit, Grading permit, Other
• What is the current status of the entitlement applications and the last action date from the planning commission or city/county staff report?
• Identify key municipal reviews that drive schedule risk (for example: environmental review checklist, traffic impact study sign-off, public works improvement plan approval).
• Are there adopted design standards or local improvement standards we must follow (for example: municipal roadway section, parkland dedication formula, street tree species list)? Options: Yes - will provide standards, No formal standards, Unknown - please advise
• Which environmental clearance path applies (for example: categorical exemption, Mitigated Negative Declaration, Environmental Impact Report)? Options: Categorical exemption, Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Other/Unknown
• Estimate the expected entitlement decision milestone dates (planning hearing, board approval, final conditions issuance).

Prepare and Record Final Subdivision Maps

• Do you have a draft final map and improvement plans stamped by the civil engineer that match the approved tentative map condition set? Options: Yes - final map and plans available, Draft only, No - need preparation
• Which exhibits must be attached to the final map submittal (for example: legal descriptions, easement exhibits, sewer and storm drain alignment plans)?
• What survey control or monumentation requirements must be met prior to recordation (for example: corner monuments, bench marks per county recorder standards)?
• Who will prepare and execute the subdivision guarantee and final map checklists required by the county recorder?
• What acceptance criteria will confirm the final subdivision map and associated improvements are record-ready (for example: county engineering sign-offs, executed easement deeds, title company requirements)?
• Are any off-site easement exhibits or dedication documents required and available for recordation with the final map? Options: Yes - exhibits available, Yes - exhibits to be prepared, No off-site easements required

Perform Site Grading and Earthworks

• Provide the geotechnical report controlling cut/fill limits, compaction criteria, and import/export soil estimates.
• What are the projected earthwork volumes (cut and fill in cubic yards) and will over-excavation areas be required per the geotechnical recommendations? Options: Less than 10,000 cy, 10,000-50,000 cy, More than 50,000 cy, Unknown - estimate needed
• Which permits govern grading and erosion control for the site (for example: grading permit, NPDES stormwater permit, local erosion control ordinance)? Options: Grading permit, NPDES permit, Local erosion control permit, None/Unknown
• How will cut/fill balance be handled: on-site redistribution, import of structural fill, or export to a soil disposal site? Options: On-site balance, Import structural fill, Export off-site, Combination
• Which compaction and density testing thresholds must be met and who will provide compaction reports per section (for example: 95% relative compaction at 2-3 ft lifts)?
• Are there mapped geologic hazards or slope stability areas on the site that require engineered retaining or slope mitigation per the geotechnical report? Options: Yes - mapped hazards present, No known hazards, Unknown - need geotech clarification

Prepare Building Pads and Rough Grading

• How many building pads or lots require pad grading and what are their typical pad size footprints (square feet or acres)? Options: Less than 10 pads, 10-50 pads, More than 50 pads, Specify exact number
• Which pad finish elevations and setbacks are specified on the civil plans and how will they reference finished floor elevations for foundation layout?
• Do any lots require engineered pad sections, over-excavation, or import of select structural fill per the geotechnical recommendations? Options: Yes - engineered sections required, No - standard compaction, Unknown - need geotechnical input
• Who will provide the pad verification sign-off (for example: geotechnical engineer sign-off letter with compaction and density results)?
• Which erosion control measures must remain in place during rough grading and prior to vertical construction (for example: silt fences, sediment basins)? Options: Silt fences, Sediment basins, Straw wattles, Erosion control blanket, Other
• Estimate the target pad readiness date for vertical construction start per lot or pad group.

Install Lot-Level Utilities (water, sewer, gas, electric)

• Which utility service providers must be coordinated with and what are their required submittals (for example: water district service application, sewer connection permit, gas service design)?
• What trenching and backfill specifications will the utility companies require (for example: bedding material, compaction lifts, tracer wire, conduit depth)?
• Do any lots require private service laterals versus public main extensions, and how many curbside meter sets are planned? Options: Private laterals only, Public main extensions, Combination, Unknown
• Provide the utility coordination constraints such as live utilities to avoid, required phasing for live service tie-ins, or lockout/tagout procedures.
• Are as-built and record drawings required at milestone handover, and in what format does the municipality accept them (for example: PDF + CAD, electronic civil as-built)? Options: PDF only, PDF + CAD (DWG), GIS deliverable required, Other/Unknown
• When do you need meter installation and service activation scheduled relative to lot delivery (for example: prior to lot acceptance, at time of sale)?

Commission and Test Utilities Infrastructure

• Which utility systems require formal commissioning tests (for example: potable water pressure test, sewer CCTV inspection, gas pressure test, electrical transformer energization)? Options: Water pressure test, Sewer CCTV and mandrel test, Gas pressure test, Electrical energization, All of the above
• Who will coordinate witnessing of acceptance tests with the utility districts or municipal inspectors and provide test scheduling windows?
• What instrumentation or reports are required to document commissioning (for example: pressure test logs, CCTV video files, meter calibration certificates)?
• Are pre-commissioning tasks required such as chlorination and bacteriological testing for potable water mains? Options: Yes - chlorination and bact tests required, No, Unknown - confirm with water district
• How will contractors provide as-built utility tie sheets showing service locations, offsets, and meter numbers for each lot?
• What acceptance criteria will confirm utilities are commissioned and turned over (for example: district acceptance letter, recorded meter set tags, uploaded test reports)?

Construct Roads, Curbs, and Sidewalks

• Which pavement section and materials are specified on the plans (for example: asphalt structural section thickness, aggregate base, Portland cement concrete curb and gutter specification)?
• Do sidewalks require ADA ramp details, detectable warning surfaces, and city-approved regularity alignment checks? Options: Yes - full ADA compliance required, No ADA ramps required, Partial - some intersections only
• What testing and acceptance are required for pave-in-place operations (for example: gradation tests, asphalt binder percent, nuclear density tests on base)?
• Provide the proposed road construction phasing and temporary traffic control measures required during operations.
• Are bus turnouts, fire truck load checks, or heavy haul access required by the municipality on any frontage roads? Options: Bus turnout required, Fire truck load checks required, Heavy haul access required, None required
• Who will prepare and sign the curb-to-curb pavement management and final surface inspection report for municipal acceptance?

Build Stormwater Management Systems and Drainage

• Which stormwater control measures are required by the approved drainage report (for example: detention basins, infiltration trenches, hydromodification measures)? Options: Detention basin, Infiltration trench, Bio-retention basin, Hydromodification control, Other
• Provide the hydraulic modeling or drainage calculations that define basin sizes, outlet control details, and required freeboard.
• Are water quality Best Management Practices required and which inspection schedule will the municipality enforce (for example: monthly inspection, post-storm inspection)? Options: Water quality BMPs required, No BMPs required, Unknown - need municipal confirmation
• Which testing or verification must be completed for inlets, pipe slope, and outlet structures (for example: CCTV of storm lines, as-built topographic survey of basin invert)?
• Do any drainage facilities require long-term maintenance agreements or easements to be recorded with the final map? Options: Yes - maintenance agreement required, No maintenance agreement, Unknown
• Estimate the schedule for stormwater system completion relative to lot delivery and final map recordation.

Execute Off-Site Improvements and Right-of-Way Work

• List required off-site improvements called out in condition letters or improvement plans (for example: frontage widening, traffic signal installation, utility relocations).
• Which right-of-way dedications or temporary construction easements must be acquired and are exhibits prepared for recordation? Options: Permanent R/W dedications, Temporary construction easements, Both, None
• Who is responsible for third-party agreements such as Caltrans encroachment permits or county road encroachment permits?
• Are traffic control plans and stamped engineer traffic studies required for off-site work and who will prepare them? Options: Traffic control plan required, Engineer traffic study required, Both, None
• Provide any existing utility conflict reports or potholing results that affect off-site tie-in locations.
• What acceptance or municipal sign-off is required to close out off-site work (for example: encroachment permit closeout, as-built exhibits recorded)?

• Master Development Agreement (MDA)
• Statement of Work (SOW) — Development & Delivery
• Lot Purchase Agreement (LPA) / Purchase and Sale
• Payment Milestones & Escrow Instructions
• Risk Allocation Addendum
• Conditions Precedent to Construction
• Performance Security & Bonds Agreement
• Environmental Indemnity & Remediation Agreement
• Change Order Agreement
• Insurance & Liability Schedule
• Closing & Conveyance Instructions
• Lot Delivery Acceptance Criteria

• Receive recorded final plat or map
• Obtain municipal acceptance of public improvements
• Obtain final permits and site completion certificates
• Receive final inspection sign-offs from authorities having jurisdiction
• Obtain written permission to operate/energize from utilities
• Close punchlist with signed acceptance
• Deliver as-built/record drawings and receive acceptance
• Record stormwater O&M agreements and deliver maintenance plan
• Obtain final lien waivers and contractor releases
• Confirm bonds, warranties, and insurance are in place and assignable
• Obtain written buyer acceptance to trigger final invoicing

• Post-handoff Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Measurement Review (weeks 4-10)
• 90-Day Realization Review
• Quarterly Success Operational Review (ongoing)

• Update the handoff checklist and as-built documentation template with agreed improvements for future projects.
• Confirm whether 90-day outcomes meet the Solution Scope targets or have documented remediation paths.
• Close or assign action plans for all high-severity warranty items with target close dates.
• Identify any process or design changes needed to prevent recurrence and schedule follow-up work.
• Publish a consolidated closure plan for all remaining high- and medium-severity warranty items with timelines.
• Open a prevent-recurrence workstream for recurring defect types and assign deliverables and milestones.
• Confirm the shared channel escalation path and update contact points if needed.
• Trend review of key metrics
• Maintain or improve the trend for open punchlist items and days-to-close warranty items toward Solution Scope targets.
• Agree the quarter's prioritized backlog and schedule for remediation and enhancements.
• Capture concrete handoff and process improvements to reduce future warranty volume.
• Publish the prioritized quarterly backlog with scheduling decisions and expected delivery windows.
• Assign SLA corrective actions for any response or resolution misses and set target remediation dates.
• Re-confirm handoff package and responsibilities
• Handoff package is confirmed complete and accessible to both parties.
• Punchlist and warranty register is opened, shared, and populated with initial items.
• Top 3 blockers for buyer mobilization are documented with remediation actions and target dates.
• Distribute the validated handoff package and archive location to the shared channel.
• Publish the punchlist and warranty tracker with item severity, target close dates, and an initial owner for each item.
• Create a 30-day remediation plan for the top 3 blockers and circulate for comment.
• Present first outcome data
• Determine whether measured outcomes meet the numeric targets recorded in Solution Scope or require remediation.
• Agree a time-bound remediation plan for metric shortfalls with explicit actions and target close dates.
• Establish the reporting cadence and owner for metric updates until the next review.
• Produce a remediation plan for lots failing acceptance criteria, including tasks, target dates, and expected impact on percent accepted.
• Update the punchlist tracker with owners and target close dates and push the first status update to the shared channel.
• Reconcile per-lot infrastructure cost variances and publish a variance report with proposed corrective steps if over threshold.
• Outcome vs Solution Scope targets
• Validate initial punchlist and warranty register
• Warranty and punchlist burn-down review
• Backlog triage and prioritization
• Diagnose root causes for any gaps
• Operational service-level review
• Cost and schedule variance summary
• Early schedule and access issues
• Persistent defects and systemic findings
• Agree corrective actions and owners
• Agree closure and escalation actions
• Lessons learned and handoff improvements
• Communications and escalation path check
• Open issues and immediate remediation actions