Starwood Land Ventures, a Bradenton-based real estate development and investment firm, has made a $61 million stalking-horse bid for 5,499 home lots and 36 finished model homes owned in Florida by bankrupt homebuilder TOUSA.

Hollywood-based TOUSA has been working through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy since January 2008. Its Florida projects were mostly under the Engle Homes brand.

According to bidding procedures proposed in a bankruptcy court motion, the Starwood bid serves as the floor bid for an auction to be held at 10 a.m., Jan. 22, at TOUSA’s bankruptcy law firm, Berger Singerman, in Miami.

Lazard Freres, a financial advisory and asset management firm, is handling the auction.

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