Shopping for a Miami condo should feel exciting, not risky. Yet new Florida rules around building safety and reserves can change your budget, your timeline, and your financing. You want a home you love with no surprise assessments or last‑minute lender issues. This guide shows you what to ask for, how to read it, and the red flags to watch so you can buy with confidence. Let’s dive in.
What changed in Florida
After the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida passed reforms that created recurring milestone inspections and required Structural Integrity Reserve Studies, or SIRS. The goal is to find problems early and make sure there is money set aside for major repairs. News coverage of the reforms traces the safety focus and market impacts.
Lawmakers first passed SB 4‑D, then refined it with SB 154. These bills set who does the work, how often, and how associations must fund reserves. For a clearer overview of SB 154’s clarifications, see this plain‑language summary.
If your building existed on or before July 1, 2022, the initial SIRS was due by December 31, 2024, with limited cases allowed to complete no later than December 31, 2026. Associations must follow milestone timelines based on a building’s original certificate of occupancy. A helpful deadlines recap is available here.
Miami‑Dade recertification at a glance
Miami‑Dade’s program now lines up with a 30‑year schedule, then every 10 years. For properties within 3 miles of the coast, the first recertification can be required at 25 years. The county sends a Notice of Required Recertification, and associations generally must submit signed reports within 90 days. See the county’s recertification program page for local rules and timelines.
Milestone vs. SIRS: what they mean for you
Milestone inspection
A milestone inspection is a visual review by a licensed engineer or architect to identify structural deterioration, water intrusion, and life‑safety issues. If Phase I finds substantial structural deterioration, a more in‑depth Phase II follows with testing as needed. Learn more about the scope of Phase I and Phase II in this milestone overview.
Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)
A SIRS combines a visual inspection with long‑term cost planning for safety‑critical components. The study lists components, remaining useful life, replacement costs, and a funding schedule. Typical components include the roof, load‑bearing elements, waterproofing, exterior finishes, windows and exterior doors, and fire protection systems. Read a clear summary of SIRS scope and components here.
How this hits your monthly costs
For budgets adopted on or after the statutory dates, associations must fund reserves for SIRS items. They cannot waive or divert these reserves through a simple member vote. See the updated buyer disclosure and reserve rules in this legislative summary.
Expect higher monthly dues or special assessments in older buildings that are catching up on funding and repairs. Lenders are also scrutinizing reserves, special assessments, and pending structural work, which can affect mortgage approvals. Recent news reports detail these trends across South Florida.
Your Miami buyer checklist
Use this list when you write your offer and during your inspection period. Build document delivery into your contingencies so your clock to cancel starts when you receive everything.
Ask for these documents
- Most recent SIRS, including the date and any updates. If not completed, get a written statement and schedule. See the deadlines overview here.
- Milestone inspection report. If a Phase II was triggered, request the full Phase II report and repair plan. A short scope explainer is available here.
- Association budgets and reserve schedules for the last 3 years, plus minutes from meetings where SIRS, milestones, or assessments were discussed. Guidance on what to ask for is summarized here.
- Recent financial statements and current reserve balances, including how SIRS components are tracked.
- Records of any special assessments, association loans, contractor bids, and engineer scopes for planned structural repairs.
- Permits, code enforcement notices, and any Notice of Required Recertification with proof of report submission within 90 days. See county process notes here.
- Insurance master policy declarations and claim history. Confirm seller disclosures include SIRS and milestone summaries along with any buyer cancellation rights. See buyer disclosure rules here.
Ask the board or manager
- Has the association completed both the SIRS and the milestone inspection? When, and by which licensed firm?
- Did the milestone trigger a Phase II? What were the findings, repair timeline, and cost estimates?
- What percent of SIRS reserves is funded today, and how will the association meet funding requirements?
- Are permits, contracts, or financing already in place for recommended structural work? Any related liens or lawsuits?
Red flags to pause your deal
- Reports show major structural repairs with no clear financing plan in place. Market coverage highlights how widespread this issue can be in Florida condos. See a representative discussion in this podcast summary.
- Immediate or overdue Miami‑Dade recertification with no evidence of an engaged engineer or submitted report. Check county guidance here.
- Suspended or insufficient master insurance, or exclusions that leave structural repairs uncovered. Recent news analysis shows how insurance pressures add to costs.
Build smart contingencies
Write your contract to require timely delivery of the SIRS and milestone reports, including any Phase II. Tie your inspection period or a separate review period to the date you receive these documents. If large assessments or repairs are identified, require disclosure and consider a credit, escrow holdback, or the right to cancel within the applicable rescission window. A buyer‑focused summary of these rights is available here.
Timing and enforcement in practice
After an association receives a SIRS, it must provide a copy to each owner or make it available within 45 days and notify the Division that the SIRS was completed. Missing required inspections or studies can create liability for the board. See this timing overview here.
Local building departments, along with the state, enforce these rules. SB 154 allows some deadline flexibility, but the key cutoffs still apply. For context on adjustments and enforcement levers, review this SB 154 explainer.
The bottom line for Miami buyers
SIRS and milestone rules are about safety and planning, but they also affect what you pay and how you finance. If you gather the right documents, ask direct questions, and write smart contingencies, you can protect your budget and still land the right condo. If you want a calm, step‑by‑step approach tailored to your goals, connect with Marius Stoia to start a focused condo search.
FAQs
Do Miami condo buyers receive SIRS and milestone reports before closing?
- Yes. Sellers must provide the most recent SIRS and milestone reports, or a statement if they do not exist, and buyers often have a short cancellation window after receipt.
What if a Miami building’s SIRS is not finished yet?
- Ask for the completion timeline, who was hired, and interim findings. Some associations had extended time in limited cases, but you should treat missing studies as a key risk factor.
Can an association waive SIRS reserves to keep dues low?
- No. For budgets adopted on or after the statutory dates, SIRS reserves cannot be waived or diverted by a simple vote.
How do Miami‑Dade recertification notices work for condos?
- The county sends a Notice of Required Recertification and the association must submit sealed reports, typically within 90 days, prepared by a Florida‑licensed professional.
If a Phase II finds big repairs, how fast must work start and who pays?
- The association is responsible for arranging and funding repairs, often using reserves, special assessments, or loans. Local rules and report timelines drive how quickly work must begin.
