Your Complete Guide to Buying a Condo in Tampa Bay
Every step of the condo buying process — including SB 4-D structural requirements, association document review, and Florida's 3-day rescission right.
Buying a Condo in Florida · What’s Different
Your Complete Florida Condo Buyer Checklist
This Florida condo buyer checklist covers the additional steps that separate a condo purchase from a standard resale transaction. Using this condo buyer checklist for Florida ensures you complete that second layer of due diligence — the association’s financial health, governing documents, insurance adequacy, and since Florida’s SB 4-D law took effect in December 2024, new structural safety requirements for buildings 3 stories or taller.
As your Tampa condo buyer’s agent, I walk you through every association document, explain what the SIRS reserve study means for your future costs, and ensure your 3-day right of rescission under Florida Statute 718.503 is protected. Call (813) 803-0040 before making any offer on a condo.
Florida Condo Buyer Checklist · 6 Phases
What This Condo Buyer Checklist Covers
The Florida condo buyer checklist follows the B.R.I.D.G.E. framework with condo-specific milestones at every phase — from using a condo-aware lender at Blueprint through association registration at Exchange.
Your first step in this Florida condo buyer checklist is choosing a lender experienced with Florida condo financing — warrantability issues affect loan options and must be identified early. Sign the Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Agreement before viewing any condo. Pre-Approval Letter required with every offer.
Request the full association document package — declaration, bylaws, financials, reserve study, board meeting minutes, and insurance certificate. For buildings 3+ stories and 30+ years old, review the Milestone Inspection Report and SIRS reserve study. Underfunded reserves mean higher future fees or special assessments on your unit.
Condos use the same AS-IS FAR/BAR contract as resale. Four condo-specific documents are required at signing: Condo Association Disclosure, Condo Structural Notice, Flood Disclosure (FD-2), and — after acceptance — the condo version of the Seller’s Property Disclosure. Include 10–14 days for the inspection period.
Florida Statute 718.503 gives you 3 business days to cancel after receiving all required association documents — at no penalty. This right cannot be waived. The lender also orders a condo questionnaire from the association to verify occupancy rates, litigation status, and reserve adequacy for conventional loan approval.
Obtain an HO-6 condo unit owner policy — not a standard homeowner’s policy. Confirm whether the master association policy is all-in, bare walls, or single-entity, which determines how much your HO-6 must cover. The lender must approve both you and the building. Non-warrantable condos require portfolio loans at higher rates.
The final phase of your Florida condo buyer checklist covers closing at the title company and immediate association registration for key fobs, parking, and move-in credentials. File for the Florida Homestead Exemption by March 1 of the following year if this is your primary residence.
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Buyer alert — SB 4-D & reserve funding: Florida’s SB 4-D law (effective December 2024) requires condo associations of 3+ stories to fully fund structural reserves based on the SIRS report — associations can no longer vote to waive them. Buildings that previously waived reserves now face higher monthly fees or special assessments. I review SIRS reports for every condo buyer to model the true cost of ownership before we make an offer. Source: Florida Realtors.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions — Florida Condo Buyer Checklist
Joshua Patterson · REALTOR® · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group · FL License #SL3632100 · FAA Certified Remote Pilot · U.S. Air Force Veteran
This Florida condo buyer checklist covers resale condo transactions. Steps differ for new construction condos, single-family resale, vacant land, and REO purchases. Source: Hillsborough County MLS, March 2026.
