Solving sales tax complexities for a growing real estate company

Real estate companies are broadening their approach to leasable assets, moving beyond traditional residential and commercial properties and expanding to sales of ancillary goods and services. With this shift comes increased sales tax complexity. New revenue streams introduce new tax implications, especially when leases involve common areas or amenities rented to third parties.

As real estate portfolios grow across multiple states and asset types, maintaining compliance requires a more sophisticated, proactive approach to managing sales tax obligations.

The Challenge: Managing Multi-State Sales Tax Liabilities

A full-service specialty real estate company was rapidly expanding through acquisitions and development. With a growing presence across multiple states and newly diversified revenue streams, the company needed to maintain compliance with new and changing sales tax regulations.

Their concerns included:

• Monitoring changes in state-specific sales tax laws related to retail operations.
• Verifying accuracy in sales tax collection across multiple locations.
• Avoiding costly penalties due to inconsistent tax practices.
• Reducing the internal burden of tracking tax obligations while maintaining compliance in-house.

Given the complexity of sales tax requirements, the company sought external guidance to streamline its approach.

The Solution: A Comprehensive, Scalable Compliance Strategy

The Elliott Davis state and local tax (SALT) team worked with the Vice President of Accounting to conduct an in-depth, state-by-state sales tax analysis. This analysis identified specific taxability requirements, exemptions, and rate structures for each jurisdiction.

Key findings revealed that inconsistent sales tax compliance at individual locations led to confusion and dysregulation among internal teams. To promote uniformity and accuracy, Elliott Davis developed a customized taxability matrix—a clear, repeatable guide covering:

• Taxability of different transactions by state.
• Applicable tax rates and exemptions.
• Compliance deadlines and collection requirements.

The Results: A Simple, Scalable Approach to Sales Tax Compliance

By implementing Elliott Davis’s recommendations, the real estate company transformed its sales tax process from fragmented and uncertain to structured and compliant. The benefits included:

• A Fully Operational Sales Tax Matrix – A repeatable, scalable tool to guide compliance across all locations.
• Elimination of Costly Software – Streamlined processes reduced reliance on expensive tax compliance software.
• Lower Administrative Burden – Internal teams could now manage sales tax compliance efficiently without additional resources.
• Risk Mitigation – A proactive compliance framework minimized exposure to future tax liabilities.
• Long-Term Tax Strategy – The company now had a structured approach to handle ongoing sales tax complexities with confidence.

With a clear, systematic process in place, the company was able to improve compliance across all revenue streams while reducing financial risks and administrative burdens.

We Can Help

Sales tax compliance in real estate can be overwhelming, but with the right strategy, businesses can avoid unnecessary liabilities and stay compliant.

The Elliott Davis SALT team specializes in simplifying tax obligations with a structured, phased approach tailored to each client’s needs. Contact us today to reduce financial risk, improve audit-readiness, and streamline your compliance process.

The information provided in this communication is of a general nature and should not be considered professional advice. You should not act upon the information provided without obtaining specific professional advice. The information above is subject to change.