Disclosures, regulatory position & consumer protections

1. About BIC REA

BIC REA is a trade name of BIC REA LLC, a Florida limited liability company headquartered at 4360 Winners Circle, Sarasota, Florida 34238. BIC REA provides two principal services: (a) mineral title research and reports for energy professionals, landmen, attorneys, and rights-owners; and (b) direct cash purchases of Florida residential and commercial real property for our own account.

Throughout these disclosures, "BIC REA," "we," and "us" refer to BIC REA LLC.

2. Mineral title research is not legal advice, a title opinion, or title insurance

Mineral title research conducted by BIC REA is a documented analysis of public records and other available materials. It is not legal advice. It is not a legal title opinion. It is not a title insurance policy and does not guarantee or insure title.

Where a transaction requires a formal legal opinion (such as a drilling title opinion, division-order title opinion, or supplemental title opinion), that opinion must be issued by an attorney admitted to practice in the relevant jurisdiction. BIC REA's research products are commonly used as the foundation for such opinions issued by counsel — but the legal opinion itself, and any reliance placed on it, remains with that counsel.

Where title insurance is required, that insurance must be obtained from a licensed title insurance company. Title research from BIC REA does not substitute for title insurance.

For a detailed description of how BIC REA conducts its research and the specific limits of that work, see our methodology disclosure.

3. Distressed property purchases — explicit regulatory position

Scope of transactions: BIC REA conducts direct cash purchases of Florida real property for its own account, as a principal. We are not real estate brokers or sales associates representing other parties in such transactions; we are the buyer.

Florida Real Estate License Law (Fla. Stat. Chapter 475): A person or entity buying real property for their own account is not engaging in licensed real estate brokerage activity under §475.01(1)(a). BIC REA's distressed property acquisitions fall within that principal-buyer exception. Where any specific transaction would require licensed activity, it is conducted by or coordinated with appropriately licensed Florida real estate professionals.

Florida Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act (Fla. Stat. §501.1377): The Act regulates "foreclosure-rescue transactions" — defined at §501.1377(1)(d) as transactions in which (a) residential real property in foreclosure is conveyed to another party, and (b) the conveying party retains an interest in the property (right to repurchase, right to lease back, equity-stripping arrangement, etc.). The Act also regulates "foreclosure-rescue consultants" at §501.1377(1)(e) who, for compensation, perform foreclosure-related services such as stopping a foreclosure sale.

BIC REA's transactions are clean cash purchases: BIC REA acquires fee simple title at closing and the seller retains no interest in the property. BIC REA does not enter into sale-leaseback arrangements, repurchase options, deed-in-trust structures, or any other arrangement in which the seller continues to occupy the property or holds a right to reacquire it after sale. Such transactions, by definition, fall outside the scope of "foreclosure-rescue transaction" under §501.1377(1)(d). BIC REA does not provide foreclosure-related services for compensation and does not act as a "foreclosure-rescue consultant" under §501.1377(1)(e).

FTC Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Rule (16 CFR Part 322 / Regulation O): The MARS Rule (now Regulation O) prohibits deceptive practices and requires specific disclosures from those who provide mortgage assistance relief services for compensation. BIC REA does not provide mortgage assistance relief services, does not represent itself as able to stop foreclosure or modify mortgages on a consumer's behalf, and does not collect compensation for any such services. BIC REA is a buyer of real property, not a service provider to the consumer.

Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA, Fla. Stat. Chapter 501, Part II): All BIC REA communications and transactions are conducted in accordance with FDUTPA. We do not make material misrepresentations, omit material facts, or engage in unfair practices.

Federal Fair Housing Act and Florida Fair Housing Act: BIC REA does not discriminate in the purchase of property on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or any other protected class.

Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund: Although BIC REA's principal-buyer transactions fall within the §475.01(1)(a) exception, sellers should know that the Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund (Fla. Stat. §475.482 et seq.) provides recovery for certain victims of misconduct by Florida-licensed real estate brokers and sales associates in covered transactions.

4. Cancellation rights and the right to consult counsel

Where Florida law provides a statutory cancellation period applicable to a transaction, that period is honored fully and the cancellation right is stated clearly in the purchase agreement.

For all transactions — whether or not subject to a statutory cancellation right — BIC REA encourages every prospective seller to consult independent legal counsel before signing any agreement. We do not push for same-day signatures. Time spent obtaining independent advice is, from our perspective, time well spent.

If you are facing foreclosure, your most important resources are not BIC REA: they are (a) a HUD-approved housing counselor (free; locate one at consumerfinance.gov), (b) your loan servicer (free), and (c) a Florida-licensed attorney (often free for an initial consultation). We are happy to be the second or third call. We make no representation about being an alternative to those resources.

5. What BIC REA does not do

• BIC REA is not your attorney. We do not provide legal advice. We strongly recommend you consult independent legal counsel for any legal questions related to your situation.
• BIC REA is not your accountant or tax advisor. Tax consequences of a property sale or mineral title matter vary by individual circumstance and should be discussed with your own tax professional.
• BIC REA is not a registered investment advisor. We do not provide investment advice, manage securities, or solicit investment in any registered or unregistered offering.
• BIC REA does not promise to "save" any property from foreclosure, restore credit, prevent foreclosure sales, modify any mortgage, or guarantee outcomes that depend on third parties (lenders, courts, code enforcement officers) or future events.
• BIC REA does not perform formal legal title opinions. Those must come from licensed counsel.
• BIC REA does not issue title insurance. Title insurance is issued by licensed title insurance underwriters.
• BIC REA does not provide mortgage assistance relief services as defined under 16 CFR Part 322 / Regulation O.
• BIC REA does not act as a "foreclosure-rescue consultant" as defined under Fla. Stat. §501.1377(1)(e).
• BIC REA does not engage in wholesaling, assignment of contracts, or sale-leasebacks. When BIC REA closes on a property, BIC REA takes title and addresses the property's issues from its own balance sheet.

6. Reasonable expectations on offers and timelines

Cash offers from BIC REA on distressed properties reflect the property's as-is value minus the cost and risk of resolving the issues we are taking on as part of the transaction. Such offers are typically below the retail market value the property might achieve if fully repaired and sold through a traditional listing. Whether this trade-off is appropriate depends on the seller's specific circumstances. We strongly encourage sellers to obtain independent valuation opinions and to compare alternatives before deciding.

Closing timelines stated in any BIC REA communication are estimates only, based on typical transactions of similar type. Timelines for transactions involving probate, quiet title actions, active code enforcement cases, or other litigation are governed by the underlying legal process and may extend significantly. We commit to providing you our best-faith estimate at the outset; we do not guarantee specific dates that depend on third-party schedules outside our control.

7. Mineral title turnaround, pricing, and substantiation

Standard mineral title reports are typically delivered in 7–14 business days from confirmed engagement, for single-tract reports of normal complexity. Multi-tract assemblies, complex chains, drilling-unit work, and curative-heavy projects take longer and are scoped at engagement.

Standard report fees, for single-tract reports of normal complexity, typically fall in a range of $1,500–$5,000. Complex projects are quoted on the specific facts. All quotes are stated in writing in an engagement letter before any work begins, with scope, price, and committed delivery date.

Quantitative claims displayed elsewhere on this site (e.g., aggregate years of professional experience, number of states researched) reflect cumulative figures across BIC REA principals' careers and engagements. Substantiation records supporting those figures are maintained internally and available for review upon legitimate request from regulators, prospective institutional clients, or counsel.

8. Testimonials, reviews, and case studies

Testimonials and case studies displayed on this site are from actual prior BIC REA clients or are anonymized and generalized representations of actual prior engagements. Where testimonials are anonymized, the underlying source is documented internally and references are available to qualified prospective clients on request, subject to existing client confidentiality.

Specific outcomes described in case studies are particular to the facts of those engagements and are not predictive of results in other engagements. Real estate, mineral title, and distressed-property work are inherently fact-specific. Past results do not guarantee or imply similar future results.

BIC REA does not pay for, solicit on a quid-pro-quo basis, or otherwise compensate testimonial authors. Where any material connection exists between BIC REA and an endorser, that connection is disclosed in accordance with the FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255).

9. Confidentiality and information practices

Information you share with BIC REA in connection with a service inquiry or active engagement is treated as confidential and used only for purposes of evaluating, performing, and concluding the engagement. We do not sell prospect lists, share contact information with marketing networks, or disclose engagement details to unrelated third parties. Where we publish case studies or other promotional content referencing prior work, identifying details are generalized to protect client confidentiality.

For complete information on collection, use, and your rights under applicable privacy law (including the Florida Digital Bill of Rights), see our privacy policy.

10. Communications consent

By submitting a contact form on this site, you consent to BIC REA contacting you about your inquiry through the methods you have selected. We honor email-only, phone-only, and SMS-included consent preferences as you indicate them. You may withdraw consent at any time by replying STOP to any text message, clicking unsubscribe in any email, or contacting us at [email].

Marketing communications, where opted into, are sent in accordance with the federal CAN-SPAM Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and applicable state consumer law including the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act (Fla. Stat. §501.059) where applicable.

11. Complaints, questions, and regulatory contacts

If you have a question or concern about a service we have performed or are performing, the first and fastest path is to contact us directly: [email] or +1 (310) 963-1569. We take all client concerns seriously and respond promptly.

For matters that you believe rise to a regulatory level, the appropriate Florida and federal authorities include:

• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — primary state regulator for real estate licensure matters: myfloridalicense.com
• Florida Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division — handles consumer protection complaints, including FDUTPA matters: myfloridalegal.com
• Federal Trade Commission — federal consumer protection authority, including MARS Rule / Regulation O: reportfraud.ftc.gov
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — federal authority on mortgage and financial products: consumerfinance.gov
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — fair housing complaints: hud.gov

BIC REA cooperates fully with any inquiry from a regulatory authority.

12. Updates and effective date

These disclosures are reviewed periodically and may be revised. The effective date of the current version is shown below. Material changes will be reflected in updated language and a revised effective date.