Founded in 1996, SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate has grown into a nationally-recognized, full-service real estate brokerage firm. With expert advisors throughout Florida and Georgia, they provide clients with the professional knowledge and resources to make sound land and commercial real estate investments. SVN is recognized nationally as an authority on all types of land. Their commercial real estate services include marketing, property management, leasing and tenant representation, valuation, advisory, and counseling services for office, retail, industrial, and multi-family properties. With proven leadership and collaborative expertise, they are backed by the strength of the SVN® global platform.

Founder, Managing Director and Senior Advisor

With a career spanning nearly four decades, Dean Saunders has established himself as a leading authority in Florida land and conservation easements. Since 1985, Dean has specialized in Florida land and conservation easements. He began his career in public service, working in the U.S. Senate as Agricultural Liaison, Special Assistant, and Director of External Affairs for U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles, who later became Governor of Florida. Dean further served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 1996.

Dean’s legislative accomplishments include writing the groundbreaking legislation that established the Green Swamp Land Authority, the first state entity to purchase development rights (PDR) from landowners. This innovative concept of state-owned conservation easements has since evolved and become a widely accepted and effective tool for land preservation by local, state, and federal agencies.

Coming from an eighth-generation Florida agricultural family, Dean earned a BSA from the University of Florida in Fruit Crops, Food, and Resource Economics. He founded Saunders Real Estate, LLC in 1996, and in 2006, the firm affiliated with Coldwell Banker Commercial, gaining national and global presence.

In 2019, Saunders Real Estate affiliated with SVN Shared Value Network®, enhancing its reach and integrating more fully with its sister company, Saunders Ralston Dantzler Realty, to form SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate. This integration has positioned the firm as a comprehensive commercial real estate brokerage.
He is a published authority on land and conservation easements, contributing to respected journals such as The Land Report. He also produces the “Lay of the Land Market Report,” a unique and verified source for Florida land sales and values for specific property types. Dean’s extensive experience and innovative contributions to the field have solidified his reputation as a leading expert in Florida land and conservation real estate.