At a glance
| Milestone inspection | Condo and co-op buildings 3+ habitable stories, at 30 years and every 10 years after |
|---|---|
| SIRS deadline | December 31, 2025 (extended by HB 913) |
| Buyer cancel window | 7 days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) on resales |
| Reserve waivers | Not allowed for SIRS items in budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024 |
| Orlando typical home value | Zillow's typical home value $371,120 (August 2026, all home types) |
What changed in Florida condo law, and why it matters in Orlando
After the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida passed SB 4-D in 2022 and has amended the rules since, most recently with HB 913, which took effect on July 1, 2025. The 2026 session did not rewrite this framework, so these are the rules in force as of September 2026.
The changes land hardest on older mid-rise and high-rise buildings. Associations that underfunded reserves now have to fund them fully or raise the money another way, which is why some Orlando owners have seen fee increases or special assessments. You inherit whatever the association owes the moment you close. For the statewide basics, read our guide to buying a condo in Florida.
Best areas to buy a condo in Orlando
There is no single best area: it depends on whether you want to walk to downtown, be near work on the southwest or southeast side, or keep the monthly fee low. These are the parts of Orlando where condos make up a large share of what is for sale, with the Zillow typical home value (all home types) for August 2026.
Downtown and South Eola
Downtown's Central Business District had a typical value of $262,738, down 6.6% in a year, and South Eola $428,353, down 2.3%. High-rise and mid-rise buildings here are the ones most likely to need milestone inspections and a SIRS, so read both before you offer. See the Thornton Park and Lake Eola Heights guides for the historic streets beside Lake Eola.
MetroWest
As of 2013, MetroWest had about 4,851 condo units against 1,259 single-family homes, and Zillow's typical value was $220,435, down 6.2%. Many buildings date from the 1980s build-out, so ask each association about its inspection and reserve status. Read the MetroWest guide.
Millenia
Zillow's typical value for Millenia was $254,318, down 3.0%, in the 32839 ZIP. Compare buildings on fees and reserves as well as price.
Dr. Phillips and Vizcaya
Vizcaya, a 24-hour guard-gated community in Dr. Phillips, has 172 high-rise condos within its master association of 419 properties. Expect a master fee as well as the condo association fee. See the Dr. Phillips guide.
Hunters Creek
Hunters Creek's 48 named neighborhoods include condo and townhome communities, all inside the mandatory Hunter's Creek Community Association. You pay the master assessment on top of the condo fee.
Vista Lakes
The Central Park and Horizons condos sit inside the Vista Lakes CDD. For FY 2027, the Horizons CDD assessment is $785.15 a year, the lowest in the district, on top of condo dues. Read the Vista Lakes guide.
Lake Nona (55+)
Gatherings of Lake Nona, by Beazer Homes, is an age-restricted condo community listed from the $400,000s. Newer buildings are years away from a milestone inspection, but ask how the developer has set reserves. See 55+ communities in Orlando.
Is it wise to buy a condo in Florida now?
It can be, if the building's paperwork is clean. The 2022 to 2025 condo laws shifted the cost of deferred maintenance onto current owners, and that is what drives both the risk and the opportunity.
Where the risk sits
Older buildings three habitable stories or taller that underfunded reserves face special assessments, loans or sharp fee increases to catch up. Typical values in some condo-heavy areas have also fallen: the Central Business District and MetroWest typical values both fell more than 6% in the year to August 2026.
Where the opportunity sits
A building that has finished its milestone inspection, completed any phase two repairs and funded its SIRS has already absorbed much of that cost. Buying there after prices have softened can mean paying less without inheriting the bill.
Insurance
Citizens' average HO-6 condo unit premium in Orange County was $973 in its 2026 filing, with a recommended 12.9% cut to $847. Get your own quote and confirm what the master policy covers.
How milestone inspections work
Under section 553.899, Florida Statutes, condo and co-op buildings three habitable stories or more must have a milestone inspection when they reach 30 years of age and every 10 years after. A local building department can require the first one at 25 years if local conditions justify it. A licensed architect or engineer performs it.
- Phase one is a visual assessment of the structure. It must be completed within 180 days of the owner receiving written notice.
- Phase two only happens if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration. It can involve destructive testing and must produce a repair plan.
- The association must send owners a summary of the report within 45 days of receiving it.
In the city, the City of Orlando mails certified letters to associations when an inspection is due and gives owners 365 days after a report to pull repair permits. If the building is in unincorporated Orange County, ask the association which building department it reports to.
What to check: the building's certificate of occupancy year, whether a milestone inspection was required, whether it stopped at phase one, and whether any phase two repairs are finished or still waiting on permits.
What the structural integrity reserve study tells you
A SIRS is a reserve study focused on the parts of a building that keep it standing and dry. Section 718.112 requires one at least every 10 years for each building three habitable stories or higher. It must cover the roof, structure, fireproofing and fire protection, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing and exterior painting, windows and exterior doors, and any other item with a deferred maintenance or replacement cost over $25,000 (adjusted for inflation).
Three rules matter most to a buyer:
No waiving
For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners in an association that needs a SIRS cannot vote to fund less than the study requires for those items.
Some breathing room
HB 913 lets an association that has completed a milestone inspection pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets (for budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028) to pay for repairs, with a majority vote of all owners. It can also delay the SIRS for two budget years after a milestone inspection.
Other funding routes
Associations can fund required reserves with a special assessment, a line of credit or a loan, with majority owner approval.
A pause is not free money. It means the reserve gap still has to be closed later, so read the budget for the next two or three years, not just this one.
Documents you are entitled to, and your 7-day window
On a resale, section 718.503 requires the seller to give you, at the seller's cost: the declaration, articles, bylaws and rules, the annual budget and financial statement, the milestone inspection summary (if one applies), the most recent SIRS or a statement that none exists, the turnover inspection report where applicable, the frequently asked questions sheet and the governance summary.
You can cancel within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after signing the contract and receiving those documents. HB 913 lengthened this from 3 days. Use that week. It is the cheapest time to walk away.
The state also requires associations to report their SIRS to the Division of Condominiums within 45 days of receiving it, and associations with 25 or more units must post key records on a website by January 1, 2026. Ask for the website login if the association has one.
Why some Orlando condos are hard to finance
A lender approves the building as well as you. Fannie Mae treats a project as ineligible if it needs critical repairs, including unfunded repairs costing more than $10,000 per unit that are needed within 12 months, or if a special assessment pays for critical repairs that are not finished. Pending litigation about structural soundness or habitability also blocks many loans, and so does one entity owning more than 20% of units in a project of 21 or more units.
Buildings that operate like hotels, with rental pools or shared rental income, are ineligible for Fannie Mae loans.
For FHA loans, check the project on HUD's FHA condominium search. If a complex is not approved, a single-unit approval may still be possible for a completed project with at least five units.
Practical step: send the condo questionnaire to your lender early, before inspections, so a project problem shows up while you can still cancel.
How to check an association before you offer
| Check | Where to find it | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve funding | SIRS and current budget | Budget line lower than the SIRS schedule, or a vote to pause |
| Structural findings | Milestone inspection summary | Phase two required, repairs not yet permitted |
| Special assessments | Board minutes (last 12 months), estoppel | Assessments approved but not yet billed |
| Loans and credit lines | Financial statement, minutes | New debt repaid through higher fees |
| Insurance | Master policy declarations | Coverage below replacement cost, high deductibles |
| Litigation | Questionnaire, minutes | Suits over construction defects or structure |
Associations must keep 12 months of approved minutes on their website where one is required. Read them in date order. They usually show a fee increase coming months before the budget does.
Still get your own unit inspection (see our Florida home inspection checklist), and read the Florida closing costs guide for estoppel and title charges.
Where Orlando condo prices fit
Zillow's typical home value for Orlando was $371,120 in August 2026, 1.4% lower than a year earlier. That figure covers all home types, so a given condo can sit well above or below it. See the Orlando housing market page for the trend and the Orlando neighborhoods guide for where condo buildings cluster.
To compare two condos, add the monthly fee, any approved special assessment and your HO-6 insurance quote. A cheaper unit in an underfunded building can cost more over five years than a pricier one with full reserves.
Common questions
Do all Orlando condos need a milestone inspection?+
No. Florida's milestone inspection applies to condo and co-op buildings that are three or more habitable stories tall, once they reach 30 years of age and every 10 years after. A local building department can set the first inspection at 25 years if local conditions justify it. Low-rise buildings under three habitable stories are not covered, though the association still has to maintain them and keep reserves.
What is a SIRS in Florida?+
A structural integrity reserve study is a reserve study required at least every 10 years for condo buildings three habitable stories or higher. It covers the roof, structure, fire protection, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, windows and exterior doors, plus other items over $25,000. It sets how much the association must save, and owners cannot vote to fund less for those items in budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024.
How long do I have to cancel a Florida condo resale contract?+
Under section 718.503, you can cancel within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after you sign the contract and receive the required documents, including the milestone inspection summary and the SIRS if they exist. HB 913 lengthened this window from 3 days in 2025. Deliver your cancellation in writing and keep proof of the date you sent it.
Why would a lender refuse to finance an Orlando condo?+
Lenders review the building as well as the buyer. Fannie Mae treats a project as ineligible if it needs critical repairs, has a special assessment for unfinished critical repairs, faces litigation about structural safety, or operates like a hotel. Concentrated ownership by one entity can also disqualify it. Ask your lender to review the condo questionnaire early so any problem appears during your cancellation window.
What is the best area to buy a condo in Orlando?+
It depends on your priorities. Downtown and South Eola put you near Lake Eola and offices, MetroWest and Millenia offer lower typical values on the southwest side, Vista Lakes and Hunters Creek have condos inside larger planned communities, and Gatherings of Lake Nona is a 55+ option. In every area, the building's milestone inspection, SIRS and fees matter more than the neighborhood.
Is it a good time to buy a condo in Orlando?+
It can be for a careful buyer. Zillow's typical values fell more than 6% in the year to August 2026 in condo-heavy areas such as the Central Business District and MetroWest, partly as associations raised fees to meet Florida's reserve rules. Buildings that have completed milestone repairs and funded their structural reserves carry less risk of a large special assessment after you buy.
Sources
- Florida Legislature: Section 553.899, Mandatory structural inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings
- Florida Legislature: Section 718.112, Bylaws (reserves and structural integrity reserve study)
- Florida Legislature: Section 718.503, Disclosure prior to sale
- The Florida Senate: CS/CS/HB 913 (2025) bill summary
- Florida DBPR: Condominium inspections
- Florida DBPR: Condominium FAQs
- City of Orlando: Complete your milestone inspection
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide: Ineligible projects
- HUD: FHA condominiums
- CICSC: Florida 2026 community association legal landscape
- Citizens Property Insurance: 2026 Recommended Rate Filing Executive Summary
- Zillow Research: Zillow Home Value Index (August 2026)
- Vizcaya Master Homeowners Association: Home
- Vista Lakes CDD: FY 2027 Adopted Budget
- Lake Nona: Gatherings of Lake Nona
- Wikipedia: MetroWest (Orlando)
- Hunter's Creek Community Association: Neighborhoods
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Antonio Roberts
Antonio Roberts has spent five years helping more than 500 Florida buyers and sellers choose the right real estate agent. He is not a real estate agent himself: he researches what matters in a Florida move and connects people with licensed local agents, free of charge.
Reviewed by a licensed Florida real estate agent. Before publication, this guide was checked for accuracy by a licensed Florida real estate agent on our team. It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
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