Because Miami-Dade County is wedged between the coastline and the protected Everglades, places to build more are becoming scarcer, prompting more interest from developers in points further up the peninsula.

The scarcity is one of the reasons housing has become so expensive in South Florida, but it’s also forcing developers to build horizontally. It’s also creating more interest in places like the Tampa Bay region, which boasts more land, affordability and access to water, as well as Orlando. And this shift in priorities is also being reflected in some law firm personnel and strategy decisions.