Should I Buy a Condo in Brevard County After Florida's New Condo Laws?

Should I Buy a Condo in Brevard County After Florida's New Condo Laws?

The short answer: a condo can still be a great fit, especially for lock-and-leave living near the beach. Florida's condo safety laws, passed after the 2021 Surfside collapse, now require many older buildings to complete structural inspections and fully fund reserves for major items like roofs and structure. In some buildings, that has meant higher monthly fees or special assessments. The buildings that did the work are in a stronger position. Before you buy, read the milestone inspection report, the structural integrity reserve study, the budget, and recent board minutes, and use your review period to walk away if the numbers don't work.

Pamela Myers Realty is a real estate brokerage on Florida's Space Coast, helping retirees, relocators, and downsizers buy and sell homes in Brevard County, Florida. We walk condo buyers through the building's documents and costs before they commit. That's part of the Florida Ownership Review in our Florida Freedom Blueprint™.

Why do people choose a condo on the Space Coast?

• Lock-and-leave. Close the door and travel, or head north for the summer.
• Less upkeep. The association handles the exterior, roof, and grounds.
• Beach access. Many condos are on the barrier island, some right on the sand.
• Amenities. Pools, fitness rooms, and social areas.
• Community. Neighbors close by, and often an active social calendar.

Those benefits are real. The trade-off is that you share the building's costs, and its decisions, with everyone else who owns there.

What did Florida's condo laws change?

In plain terms, the laws passed since 2022 require:

• Milestone inspections. Condo buildings three stories or taller must have structural inspections once they reach a certain age, and periodically after that. Buildings near the coast may have had an earlier deadline.
• Structural integrity reserve studies (SIRS). Associations must study and plan for the cost of repairing or replacing key parts of the building, including the roof, structure, fireproofing, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, and windows and doors.
• Full funding of those reserves. Associations generally can no longer vote to skip or reduce reserve funding for those key items.
• More disclosure to buyers. Sellers and associations must share certain inspection and reserve documents with buyers.

Lawmakers have adjusted deadlines and details since the first law passed, so ask us or a Florida real estate attorney for the current rules on any building you're considering.

Why did some condo fees go up?

For years, many associations kept monthly fees low by underfunding reserves or waiving them entirely. The new laws require them to catch up. Buildings that had put off major repairs now face those costs, too.

That can show up as:

• Higher monthly fees to fund reserves
• Special assessments, one-time charges to owners for major repairs
• Loans taken by the association, paid back through fees

Higher insurance premiums for the building have also pushed fees up in many associations.

None of this makes condos a bad choice. It makes reading the documents essential.

What documents should I read before buying a condo?

Ask for these early, and read them during your review period:

1. The milestone inspection report, if the building has had one. What did the engineer find, and what repairs are needed?
2. The structural integrity reserve study (SIRS). What major items are due soon, and how much will they cost?
3. The current budget. Are reserves fully funded? What share of the fee goes to insurance?
4. Board meeting minutes from the last 12 to 24 months. This is where you'll hear about leaks, repairs, disputes, and upcoming assessments.
5. Any current or planned special assessments. Who pays if one is approved after you buy?
6. The master insurance policy. What does it cover, and what is the deductible? A big hurricane deductible can turn into an assessment after a storm.
7. The rules. Rental restrictions, pet rules, age requirements, parking, and renovation rules.
8. The financial statements. How much cash does the association have?

Your review period. Florida law gives buyers of a resale condo a short window to cancel after receiving the association's key documents. Use it. Don't wait until the last day to start reading.

What questions should I ask about a specific building?

• When was the building built, and how many stories is it?
• Has the milestone inspection been done? What did it find?
• Is the SIRS complete, and are reserves fully funded?
• Are there special assessments approved, pending, or being discussed?
• Has the monthly fee gone up recently, and by how much?
• What does the fee include? Many cover building insurance, exterior upkeep, reserves, and sometimes cable, water, sewer, pest control, and lawn care.
• What's the master insurance deductible?
• Can I rent my unit? If so, how often and for how long?
• Are pets allowed?
• Is it a 55+ building?

If you're financing, also ask your lender early whether the building qualifies. Some lenders have stricter rules for condos with safety or reserve issues.

Step by step: buying a condo in Brevard County

1. Decide if condo living fits your lifestyle and how often you'll be there.
2. Set a full monthly budget, including the condo fee, your HO-6 insurance, taxes, and a cushion for possible assessments. See What Does It Really Cost to Own a Home in Brevard County, Florida?
3. Narrow to buildings that fit your location and rules, like rentals or pets.
4. Ask for the milestone report, SIRS, budget, and minutes early.
5. Make an offer, then read every document during your review period.
6. Check lender approval for the building if you're financing.
7. Get your HO-6 insurance quote and review the master policy. See What Should I Know About Homeowners and Flood Insurance Before Buying on the Space Coast?

What mistakes do condo buyers make?

• Looking only at the monthly fee. A low fee can mean underfunded reserves.
• Skipping the board minutes. They're where the real story is.
• Not asking about pending assessments.
• Missing the rental rules if you plan to rent part of the year.
• Ignoring the master policy deductible.
• Waiting until the end of the review period to read documents.

What does this look like in real life?

These are made-up examples, not client stories.

Two buildings on the same beach. A retired couple compared two oceanfront condos at similar prices. One had a lower monthly fee but no completed reserve study and board minutes full of talk about a roof. The other had a higher fee, a finished SIRS, fully funded reserves, and completed repairs. They chose the second one and slept better for it.

The snowbird who wanted to rent. She found a condo she loved, then read the rules during her review period. Rentals were limited to once a year for at least a few months. It didn't fit her plan to rent in the winter, so she moved on to a building with different rules.

Frequently asked questions

Are condos in Brevard County still a good buy?
They can be, depending on the building. A building with completed inspections and fully funded reserves is in a much stronger position than one that has put off repairs.

What is a SIRS?
A structural integrity reserve study. It plans for repairing or replacing major parts of a condo building, like the roof and structure.

What is a milestone inspection?
A structural inspection required for many Florida condo buildings of three stories or more once they reach a certain age.

Can I back out if I don't like the condo documents?
Florida gives resale condo buyers a short window to cancel after receiving the association's documents. Confirm the exact rules with your agent or attorney.

What does an HO-6 policy cover?
The inside of your unit, your belongings, and your liability. The association's master policy covers the building.

Who can help me review a condo before I buy?
Pamela Myers Realty is a real estate brokerage on Florida's Space Coast, helping retirees, relocators, and downsizers buy and sell homes in Brevard County, Florida. We help condo buyers gather and understand the building's documents before they commit.

Your next step

A condo can give you the easy, beach-close life you're looking for, as long as you know what you're buying into. In a Next Chapter Planning Session, we'll talk through whether condo living fits your plans and what to look for in a building.

There's no pressure to be ready now. The goal is clarity.

Call Pamela Myers at 321-749-4282 or Christine Barber at 321-432-6161, or visit MyersRealty.org.

Pamela Myers Realty. Live Where You Play.