Advise RE, a Los Angeles-based firm, has launched real estate construction advisory services for property owners and developers, built on the hands-on development record of its founder, Stephen Morris, who has developed more than 50 multifamily units in Los Angeles. According to the firm, its advisory approach is shaped by this direct experience and provides owners with guidance that integrates financial, tax, and construction considerations.

Morris holds CPA, MBT, and CCIM credentials and has worked as a property owner, developer, and licensed real estate broker. Advise RE Developers holds a California general contractor license, CSLB #1142184. Together, these credentials allow the firm to advise clients from the owner's perspective, with a focus on the economic and tax implications of construction decisions. That combination spans the accounting, brokerage, and licensed construction sides of a project — the disciplines where construction choices carry financial and tax consequences for an owner.

The advisory process begins before construction starts. Advise RE reviews feasibility assumptions, construction budgets, financing structure, and projected carrying costs, which the firm says helps owners determine whether a project's numbers reflect realistic rents, construction schedules, and potential delays. In practical terms, this is a check on the project's underlying math while it can still be adjusted, before budgets, loan terms, and rent assumptions are fixed for the duration of construction. The service is designed for first-time developers, owners adding units or accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and investors renovating or converting existing buildings.

During construction, the firm helps owners organize project costs and understand their tax treatment, including capitalization planning and cost tracking that supports lender reporting and tax preparation. Capitalization planning matters because construction-period costs are generally added to a property's tax basis rather than deducted as they are paid, which shapes both the records lenders see and the deductions available once the project is operating. As a project nears completion, Advise RE advises on placed-in-service timing — the point at which a completed property is ready and available for its intended use — and the tax implications of holding or selling the property, including dealer-versus-investor treatment, the distinction between a property sold as part of a dealer's business and one sold as an investment holding. These construction accounting advisory functions are integrated directly into the firm's broader tax and development work.

The firm emphasized that its construction advisory services support the owner's decision-making and do not replace the project's general contractor. Advise RE reviews the financial and tax implications of budgets, schedules, and change orders, while attorneys remain responsible for legal advice and contract terms. This delineation, according to the firm, ensures owners receive specialized financial and tax guidance without overstepping into areas that require other professionals.

The launch addresses a common gap for real estate owners: the need for financial and tax expertise that understands the construction process from an owner's standpoint. By drawing on Morris's development experience, Advise RE aims to help owners avoid costly mistakes and improve their projects' financial outcomes. For owners weighing their own projects, the practical checkpoints to watch are how budgets and change orders are screened for financial and tax effects, how cost records line up with lender reporting, and when a property reaches placed-in-service status relative to hold-or-sell decisions. Owners can describe their project through the inquiry form on the Advise RE website; the team reviews submissions before arranging an initial conversation.

Advise RE is based in Los Angeles and serves real estate investors and developers across the United States, connecting tax planning and preparation with practical property ownership and development experience. CPA services are provided through Advise RE, PC, and Advise RE Developers holds California general contractor license #1142184.