How to Sell a Condo in South Florida
The Short Answer
Selling a South Florida condo starts with the building, not the unit: buyers and their lenders now look first at the association's inspections, reserves and any special assessments. Gather those documents before you list, price the unit against recent sales in the same building and similar buildings, and allow for the association's approval of the buyer when you set the closing date.
The Building Comes First
Since Florida tightened its condominium safety laws, buildings three stories and taller need periodic milestone structural inspections once they reach a certain age, and structural integrity reserve studies, and associations can no longer waive reserves for structural items. Buyers ask for these reports, lenders review them, and a building with a large repair program ahead of it sells differently from one that has finished its work. Knowing where your building stands lets you price honestly and answer questions before they stall a contract.
Documents to Gather
The declaration, bylaws, rules and budget; the latest financial statements and reserve information; the milestone inspection and reserve study reports where the building has them; any special assessment already levied or proposed; the insurance summary; and the association's rules on leasing, pets and buyer approval. Florida requires sellers to give buyers the association's governing documents and, now, more of its inspection and reserve records, and the resale contract gives the buyer a review period once they have them. At closing the association issues an estoppel certificate showing what is owed.
Special Assessments
An assessment that has been levied is normally the seller's to pay or credit, and one under discussion has to be disclosed. Large assessments for structural work are common in older coastal buildings. Buyers discount them heavily when they are vague and much less when the scope, the amount and the payment schedule are documented, so the more you can show, the more of the price you keep.
Financing and Who Can Buy
A lender reviews the building as well as the buyer. Buildings with pending litigation, low reserves, deferred maintenance, a high share of rentals or a single owner holding many units can be ineligible for conventional loans, which leaves cash buyers and portfolio lenders. Find out early whether your building is financeable, because it decides who your buyer is and how you price.
Buyer Approval and Timing
Many South Florida associations must approve a buyer, and some hold a right of first refusal. Approval can take from days to several weeks and may involve an application, a background check and an interview. Build it into the contract dates so a closing does not slip.
Pricing Against the Building
The best comparables are recent sales in your own building, adjusted for floor, line, view and renovation, then sales in similar buildings nearby. BreakThru's condo building pages show units for sale, for rent and sold in the last year for many towers, and each city's market report splits condo prices and days on market from single-family homes.
Talk It Through With a Broker
Every sale is its own set of numbers. Request a free valuation built from the closed sales that match your home, or read the market figures for your county on BreakThru Realty Research.
How do I sell a condo: Questions
- How do I sell a condo in South Florida?
- Selling a South Florida condo starts with the building, not the unit: buyers and their lenders now look first at the association's inspections, reserves and any special assessments. Gather those documents before you list, price the unit against recent sales in the same building and similar buildings, and allow for the association's approval of the buyer when you set the closing date.
- Do I have to pay a special assessment before I sell?
- Usually an assessment already levied is the seller's responsibility or is credited to the buyer at closing, but the contract decides. Assessments under discussion should be disclosed. Your agent and the closing agent confirm how the contract allocates them.
- Why are condos taking longer to sell than houses?
- In much of South Florida, condo inventory has risen faster than sales while buyers weigh new inspection and reserve requirements, insurance and association fees. The market reports on this site show months of inventory and days on market for condos and single-family homes separately in every county.
- Can I sell my condo to an investor who will rent it out?
- It depends on the association's leasing rules: minimum lease terms, a waiting period before a new owner can rent, or a cap on rented units. Check the rules before you market to investors.