For decades, buying a condo in Florida was a leap of faith masked by palm trees and ocean views. But in the new year the veil of secrecy has been lifted.
Between a new mandatory digital transparency law and a landmark court ruling that handed developers a so-called ‘poison pill’, the power dynamics in the Solar State has changed dramatically.
FLORIDA’S OUTDATED WATERFRONT CONDOS BECOME GOLD MINES AS OWNERS CASH IN WITH PURCHASES FROM DEVELOPERS
The first major shift of 2026 includes provisions that went into effect under House Bill 913, which requires associations with 25 units or more to have a dedicated, secure digital portal where potential buyers can view a condo’s bank statements, reserve records and even a building’s structural reports.
A lifeguard tower stands on the beach in front of apartments on a sunny day on August 16, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Getty Images)
“With the click of a button, you can go in and look at all these documents – including the budget – before you make that offer,” Blake said. “We are big supporters of it. It brings transparency and accountability, and we will continue to promote that.”
“It makes the apartment market more predictable. So apartments that have deferred reserves or issues with their building are seeing a lot more ongoing negotiations,” Julian noted, “where buildings that have thought ahead and have fully funded reserves have a competitive advantage in the market.”
In Miami-Dade, 65% of active inventory is older condominiums, and sales between $200,000 and $400,000 are up 21% year over year, despite rising insurance costs and assessments, according to REALTORS data. The experts wondered whether buyers are brave or just longing for a piece of paradise.
“I would say this is all due to our advocacy work. I mean, transparency is very important, but I think it has more to do with market conditions. And in South Florida, it’s a very hot market. Everyone wants to move here. The weather is absolutely beautiful. People want to take advantage of that. And so this is really the last affordable inventory we have, and they’re moving here,” Blake explained.
“I get a lot of buyers who would like to come here in South Florida, but they are very knowledgeable. Usually they already come to me to do their due diligence,” Julian added. “They may already have the buildings they designated. They’ve examined the others and found which ones seem a little weak based on those reserve studies.”
The second major shift in Florida’s condo market is the recent court ruling in Biscayne 21, which set a legal precedent by giving minority holdouts, just 5% to 10% of owners, the power to block major redevelopments if the original declaration requires unanimous consent.
OLDER CONDOS IN SOUTH FLORIDA NOW SELLING FASTER THAN NEW CONSTRUCTION UNITS AT AFFORDABILITY CRUNCH
Julian called the decision a “poison pill” for developers who saw older waterfront buildings in Miami as prime targets for ultra-luxury renovations.
‘The poison pill, that’s what it is [a] A 100% buyout makes it very difficult. So they haven’t been doing that much,” she said. ‘It is too unknown to try that, to change the statutes of the apartments and to tear down a building in that way. So I think this will change in the future, because developers will look at buildings much more critically and patiently.”
Julian got personally involved in buyout wars at Harbor Towers & Marina in West Palm Beach in late 2025, when two developers sued multiple owners caught in a battle for control of the building.
“What they don’t realize, and I see this behind the scenes, is that these developers are scooping up other buildings that are more affordable to them, that make more sense in pencil. And eventually we’re going to become oversaturated.”
“There are a handful of buildings that still have in their apartment bylaws that 75 to 80% can terminate a building… So developers will most likely do their due diligence and look at those buildings first,” Julian said.
“I think this case really underscores the importance of reading government documents,” Blake noted. “It’s very important that developers check that and know what you’re getting into before you include that in your plan.”
With her advocacy role in mind, Blake also offered advice on the solutions real estate agents can push for to ensure one or two residents can’t prevent an entire community from escaping the financial burden of an older building: “Talk to the local government, talk to the state. Everyone needs to be informed so they can come up with the right solution. And we would support that.”
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And while both experts agree that the two major changes in the Florida condo market placed a major emphasis on clarity and communication, Julian did share one cautionary note about the future of the market environment.
“Greed takes place a little bit. So [buyers] hold back until they get many more millions of dollars [from developer offers]. But what they don’t realize, I see behind the scenes, is that these developers are scooping up other buildings that are more affordable to them, that make more sense in pencil. And eventually we will become oversaturated,” she said.
“So if they’re waiting and they think they’re going to get the ultimate payout, they might want to reconsider.”
