If your condo building in Broward, Miami-Dade or Palm Beach is due for a milestone inspection, or your association has just released its structural integrity reserve study (SIRS), you have probably noticed that selling a condo in Florida has become more complicated. The state’s post-Surfside condo laws changed what sellers must disclose, how associations fund repairs and which buyers can get a loan. This guide explains how the milestone inspection and SIRS affect your sale, what buyers are entitled to see, and how to choose the right moment and method to sell.
Quick answer: You can sell a Florida condo before, during or after a milestone inspection. The law does not stop a sale, but it changes the paperwork and the pool of buyers. On a resale, the buyer is entitled to the inspector’s milestone summary (if one applies), the association’s most recent SIRS (or a statement that none has been completed) and the turnover inspection report, and then has 7 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, to cancel. When the reports point to major repairs or underfunded reserves, many lenders will not finance units in the building, which makes a cash sale the most practical route for many owners.
What the Milestone Inspection and SIRS Actually Are
The milestone inspection
Florida requires a milestone inspection for condominium and cooperative buildings that are three habitable stories or more. The first is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, and another follows every 10 years. Local building officials can set an earlier date for buildings exposed to harsh conditions such as salt air. Phase 1 is a visual review by a licensed architect or engineer. If that inspector finds substantial structural deterioration, a more detailed Phase 2 follows, with testing and a repair plan. Miami-Dade and Broward ran their own building recertification programs for decades before the state law, so many South Florida owners still call this process “recertification.”
The structural integrity reserve study
A SIRS is a separate report, and a completed milestone inspection does not replace it. It reviews the building’s critical components, including the roof, structure and load-bearing walls, fireproofing and fire protection, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing and exterior painting, and windows and exterior doors, then calculates how much the association must set aside each year to repair or replace them. It must be updated at least every 10 years. Associations had until December 31, 2025, to complete their first SIRS, and owners can no longer vote to waive or reduce reserves for these items. That is why so many South Florida owners have seen monthly fees climb, often alongside a special assessment.
How the Inspection and SIRS Affect Selling Your Condo
Buyers must receive the reports
For a resale, section 718.503 of the Florida Statutes entitles the buyer to a set of documents at the seller’s expense, including the inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report, the association’s most recent SIRS or a statement that one has not been completed, and the turnover inspection report where one applies. After signing and receiving those documents, the buyer may cancel within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, and any waiver of that right has no effect. Request the documents from your association early so the review period starts as soon as possible.
Financing becomes harder
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac review condo projects before they back a loan, and buildings with critical repairs, significant deferred maintenance or weak reserves can be ruled ineligible. When that happens, buyers who need a conventional mortgage generally cannot purchase in the building, no matter how well the individual unit has been kept. Insurance adds to the pressure; our guide to selling a Florida property you can’t insure explains why.
Fees and assessments change the math
Buyers compare the total monthly cost, not just the price. Higher reserve contributions and any special assessment reduce what a financed buyer can afford, which is why condos in older buildings often sit on the market longer. Our guide to selling a condo with a special assessment covers who pays at closing and how seller credits work, and our article on falling behind on HOA or condo fees explains what happens if payments slip.
When to Sell: Before, During or After the Inspection
| Timing | What buyers see | Main advantage | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the inspection | No report yet | Fewer known problems on paper | Buyers and lenders price in the uncertainty |
| After a clean Phase 1 | A summary with no major findings | Easier to finance and market | Reserve increases may still follow from the SIRS |
| After Phase 2 or a large assessment | A repair plan with real costs | Clear numbers to negotiate around | Many lenders step back; assessment payments come due |
| After repairs are finished | Completed work and funded reserves | The widest pool of buyers | You pay for the work and wait, often for months or longer |
A 2025 law (HB 913) also lets an association pause reserve contributions for up to two years after a milestone inspection, with a majority vote of the owners, so the money can go toward the repairs the inspection identified. Ask whether your board plans to use that option, because it affects both your monthly fees and how a buyer reads the budget.
Questions to Ask Your Association Before You List
- Has the milestone inspection been completed, and was a Phase 2 required?
- When was the SIRS completed, and what annual reserve contribution does it recommend?
- Has the board adopted, or does it plan, a special assessment, and when are payments due?
- Is the building currently eligible for conventional and FHA financing?
- Are there open building department violations or major insurance changes?
- How long does the association take to issue an estoppel certificate?
Your Options for Selling a Condo Facing Major Repairs
1. List with a real estate agent
This works best when the reports are clean and the building is still eligible for conventional financing. Expect the 7-day review period and detailed questions about reserves and assessments.
2. Pay the assessment first, then list
Paying in advance removes one objection, but you carry the cost, and the building may still face financing limits until the repairs are complete.
3. Wait until the repairs are complete
In a well-run building, waiting can bring the best price. Concrete restoration projects often stretch for months or longer, however, and your fees, taxes and assessment payments continue in the meantime.
4. Sell as-is to a cash buyer
A cash buyer does not need lender approval of the building, so financing restrictions and pending repairs matter far less. The price reflects the building’s condition and the costs ahead, but you avoid repairs, showings and failed financing, and you choose the closing date. Compare the routes side by side in our guide to cash buyers, agents and iBuyers, and see how net proceeds compare.
How Property Solution Services Helps Condo Owners
Property Solution Services has purchased more than 900 homes in South Florida since 2016. We review the association documents with you, including the milestone summary, the SIRS and the estoppel figures, and make a written cash offer on the condo as-is. There are no commissions, we pay the closing costs, and we can close in as little as 7 days or on the date that suits you. Hablamos español.
We work throughout Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County, including the coastal condo markets of Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, North Miami and Miami (en español), and the 55+ communities of Tamarac and Pembroke Pines. If the condo is part of an estate, our guides to probate and selling with siblings explain the extra steps. For other difficult situations, start with Sell Your House Fast in Any Situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell my condo before the milestone inspection is done?
Yes. Nothing in Florida law prevents a sale before the inspection. The buyer is still entitled to the association documents, including the milestone summary if one exists and the most recent SIRS or a statement that none has been completed, and most buyers will ask when the inspection is scheduled.
Do I have to give the buyer the structural integrity reserve study?
Yes, on a resale. Section 718.503 of the Florida Statutes lists the association’s most recent structural integrity reserve study, or a statement that one has not been completed, among the documents the buyer is entitled to receive at the seller’s expense.
How long does a buyer have to cancel a Florida condo contract after receiving the documents?
Seven days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after signing the contract and receiving the required documents. Florida law makes any waiver of that right ineffective.
Which Florida buildings need a milestone inspection?
Condominium and cooperative buildings that are three habitable stories or more. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, with another every 10 years. Local building officials can require it sooner for buildings exposed to harsh conditions such as salt water.
Who pays a special assessment when a Florida condo is sold?
It depends on when the assessment was adopted and what the contract says. Standard Florida contract forms address assessments adopted before and after signing, and the association’s estoppel certificate shows exactly what is owed at closing.
Will a cash buyer purchase a condo in a building lenders won’t approve?
Often, yes. A cash purchase does not depend on the building meeting lender guidelines, so pending repairs or reserve shortfalls matter less. Property Solution Services reviews condos in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties as-is.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Florida condo laws change often, so confirm the rules that apply to your building with a Florida real estate attorney or your association’s counsel.
Written by the Property Solution Services team, Plantation, FL.