Miami condo buyer due-diligence checklist

Buyer disclosures versus owner records

Two different regimes are easy to mix up:

• Prospective purchasers who have entered a contract are entitled to a statutory disclosure package from the seller under § 718.503. That is the buyer’s primary document path.
• Unit owners (and people they authorize) have official-record inspection rights under § 718.111(12). A buyer who is not yet an owner should not assume those inspection rights already apply.

What a nondeveloper (resale) seller must provide

Under § 718.503(2)(a) (2025 compilation), a prospective purchaser who has entered a contract is entitled, at the seller’s expense, to a current copy of:

1. The declaration of condominium
2. Articles of incorporation of the association
3. Bylaws and rules of the association
4. An annual financial statement and annual budget
5. The inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report described in § 553.899, if applicable
6. The association’s most recent structural integrity reserve study, or a statement that the association has not completed one
7. The turnover inspection report described in § 718.301(4)(p) and (q) for a turnover inspection performed on or after July 1, 2023
8. The “Frequently Asked Questions and Answers” document required by § 718.504

The purchaser is also entitled to a governance form from the Division (§ 718.503(2)(b)). Developer sales use a different, longer list and a different voidability period in § 718.503(1). Read the statute for the contract you have.

The resale contract must contain statutory conspicuous-type language about document delivery and cancellation. In the 2025 compilation, that resale language uses a 7-day period excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays (see § 718.503(2)(d) and (2)(e)). Developer language in § 718.503(1) uses a 15-day period. Do not treat a blog summary as the clock on your contract.

Milestone inspection overview

Section 553.899 (2025) requires a “milestone inspection” — a structural inspection of load-bearing elements and primary structural systems — for residential condominium or cooperative buildings that are three habitable stories or more, performed by a Florida-licensed architect or engineer. The statute states the purpose is life safety and structural adequacy, not to determine Florida Building Code or firesafety-code compliance.

Timing in the 2025 text: generally by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age based on the certificate of occupancy, and every 10 years thereafter, with transitional deadlines for buildings that already were 30 before July 1, 2022. A local enforcement agency may require the first inspection at 25 years where local circumstances, including proximity to salt water as defined in the statute, warrant it. The statute excludes certain one- to four-family dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories.

Phase one is a visual examination. Phase two is required if substantial structural deterioration is identified. Associations must distribute an inspector-prepared summary to unit owners within 45 days after receiving the report (see § 553.899(9)). Confirm whether a summary exists for the building you are buying and read it with qualified help.

Structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) overview

A SIRS is a reserve-planning study for structural elements, distinct from the milestone inspection. DBPR’s SIRS reporting page lists eight element groups: roof; structural systems; fireproofing and fire protection; plumbing; electrical; waterproofing and exterior painting; windows and exterior doors; and other elements over an adjusted dollar threshold that affect structural integrity.

DBPR states that associations existing on or before July 1, 2022 that are unit-owner controlled must have a SIRS completed by December 31, 2025, with a coordination path involving milestone inspections through December 31, 2026 in the Division’s materials. Those dates are operational guidance from the Division as of this review — verify them on the DBPR page and in current § 718.112 before you treat them as the last word on a specific association.

Ask for the most recent SIRS or the statutory statement that one has not been completed. Ask how reserve funding relates to upcoming assessments. We do not estimate assessment amounts.

Before hiring an inspector or contractor

Milestone inspections must be performed by a licensed architect or engineer as defined in § 553.899. Ordinary unit inspections, roofing, and renovations are different jobs. Verify licenses at the appropriate Florida authority. The statute also addresses bidding conflicts after a milestone inspection (§ 553.899(12)) — read it if the same firm would inspect and then bid repairs.

Storm readiness (Miami-specific, not a substitute for association rules)

Ask how the association prepares common elements, who deploys shutters if they are association-controlled, and where generator or evacuation rules are written. For household preparedness, use the hurricane preparation hub and official Miami-Dade Emergency Management guidance.

Local directory starting points

These are discovery links, not recommended providers: Real estate (658 listings) · Lawyers (641 listings) · Accountants (255 listings) · Contractors (300 listings) · Roofing (23 listings).

Neighborhood context (office- and tower-heavy listing mix, not a quality ranking): Brickell · Downtown Miami.