1. Does the space fit the brand's rules?
Your franchisor has site criteria: square footage, frontage, parking, utilities, sometimes a drive-thru. Get the current version and check the space against every line. The listing agent's description is a starting point, not the franchisor's approval.
If the franchisor's numbers don't match what you see on the ground, ask them in writing before you go any further.
2. What does the landlord actually hand over?
Ask for the floor plans, the permitted use, the equipment that stays, the electrical and gas capacity, and past permits. Then get the delivery condition in writing.
"Second generation" only means someone was there before you. A former sandwich shop can still need a new hood, grease trap or electrical service before it works for your concept.
3. What will you really pay each month?
Base rent is only part of it. Add common-area charges (CAM), property taxes, insurance and the yearly increase. For scale, average retail asking rent in Broward was $27.65 per square foot per year in Q3 2026, before those extras (Colliers). Have a real-estate attorney read the actual lease.
A tenant-improvement allowance usually isn't cash up front. It's often paid after you open and hand over lien releases, so plan to fund the build yourself first.
4. Can you get it permitted, and how long will it take?
Confirm zoning for your use with the city or county first. Then list the approvals you'll need: building, fire, health and signs. For a commercial space under 25,000 square feet, Florida law gives the building department up to 60 business days to decide on a complete application, and the clock only starts once the application is complete.
Timing matters this year: permit applications submitted on or after December 31, 2026 fall under the new 9th Edition Florida Building Code. ClearBuild's Permit Check shows which edition applies to your date.
5. What will it cost to open?
Build one budget with four kinds of numbers: quoted, the brand's benchmark, your own allowance, and unknown. Include design, permits, construction, equipment, signs, deposits, a contingency, and the rent you pay before you open.
Compare contractor bids on the same scope. The lowest number often just leaves something out. Construction input prices were up 11.2% year over year in September 2026, so ask how long each price holds.
6. Who's responsible for what?
Write down who draws the plans, who approves them, who files each permit, who orders long-lead equipment and who calls for inspections. Most delays happen in the gap between two people who each thought the other had it.
If your lease deadline depends on a permit or a franchisor approval you don't control, ask your attorney what happens if it runs late.
7. What's still a guess?
Before you sign, list everything you haven't confirmed. Next to each item, write where the answer will come from and who's getting it. If the list is long, you're not ready to sign yet.