John Werstler, SIOR turned entitlement research from a two-day phone tree into a two-minute answer.
Until recently, the slowest step in any deal was the same: getting accurate entitlement information on a parcel. Typically that meant calls to zoning and entitlement attorneys, pulls of public reports, and bureaucratic delays. It took a day or two for the broker to get an accurate picture.
Maricopa County’s portal used to be the shortcut. It became unreliable, then disappeared. That sent everyone back to attorneys, planning departments, and the slow pull of recorded documents.
A ChatAEC entitlement summary now ships with every listing John brings to market, alongside the building specs, CAD files, and marketing brochures. Beyond his land business, the same workflow runs on existing inventory. Questions about allowable height, outside storage, and approved uses get answered in minutes.
A Taiwanese development company unfamiliar with U.S. zoning law wanted to develop apartments and retail. They needed to know exactly what was already entitled on the parcel, what was allowable, and whether multifamily was on the table before committing.
John didn’t pick up the phone. He opened ChatAEC, pulled every recorded entitlement and allowable use in minutes, and walked the buyer through the findings the same day.
The buyer moved forward.
That’s the consistent reaction when existing clients receive a marketing package with full entitlement data already attached. The value runs both ways, John says. It saves time on his end. It saves time for the client.
It also surfaces problems before they become deal-killers. “Many times entitlements are not what they should be,” John says. “We can now provide that as part of the package. We’ve already answered the question before they ask it.”