Buy · Contract to closing
HOA and condo documents in Florida: what to look for before you buy
You found the home. Then someone emails you a 120-page PDF of HOA documents. Don’t skim it! In a lot of Central Florida communities, those pages decide what you’ll pay every month and what you’re allowed to do with the house.
Here’s how I’d read them.
Your Florida rights, side by side
| HOA (single-family, townhome) | Condo (resale) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A short disclosure summary | The governing documents: declaration, bylaws, rules, budget and more |
| Your window to cancel | If you didn’t get the summary before signing: 3 days after you receive it, or before closing, whichever comes first | 7 days after you’ve signed and received the documents (weekends and holidays don’t count) |
| How to cancel | In writing | In writing |
The condo window grew from 3 days to 7 for contracts signed on or after July 1, 2025. These rules change often, so I check the current version on every deal.
Read these pages first
The money
- Dues, and how fast they’ve gone up
- Special assessments, a one-time bill for big projects, approved or being discussed
- The budget and reserves (is the association saving for roofs, roads and pools?)
- Fees due at closing, like a capital contribution or transfer fee
Some newer communities also have a CDD on the tax bill, separate from the HOA. Here’s what a CDD really costs.
The rules that could change your plans
- Rentals: minimum lease terms, caps, waiting periods. A deal breaker if you’re thinking STR (how to check).
- Pets: number, size and type
- Parking: work trucks, boats, RVs
- Exterior changes: fences, pools, paint, solar
- Home businesses
The association’s health
- Recent meeting minutes. My favorite pages. They show what’s coming before it hits the budget.
- Pending lawsuits
- Condos: the inspections and reserve studies required under Florida’s newer condo safety laws
Red flags (and the other side)
| You see | It could mean | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| A big project in the minutes | A special assessment is coming | Has it been voted on? How much, and when? |
| Low reserves, aging roofs or pool | Future assessments or higher dues | Is there a reserve study or a plan? |
| Lots of owners behind on dues | Less money for upkeep | How many, and is it getting better? |
| A lawsuit | Legal costs, harder financing | What’s it about? |
A red flag isn’t an automatic no. A community that just raised dues to fully fund its reserves can be in better shape than one with low dues and no savings.
Do this during your inspection period
- Ask early for the full documents, budget and recent minutes, not just the summary.
- Read your deal breakers first: rentals, pets, parking.
- Call the association about planned assessments.
- Decide before the deadline, in writing.
Need more time? Get an extension signed. Found a deal breaker? Cancel before the clock runs out. Here’s how your deposit stays protected.
Buying in an HOA or condo?
I’ll help you get the documents early and flag what matters, so you’re never reading 120 pages alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can the HOA change the rental rules after I buy?
Sometimes. Under Florida law, a new rental restriction generally applies only to owners who buy after it passes or who agree to it. The big exception for investors is that an HOA can still limit rentals shorter than 6 months, or more than three a year, for every owner.
What if I don't understand something in the documents?
Send it my way and I'll help you figure out the right question to ask. If it's a legal question about what a document means or whether it's enforceable, that's outside the scope of a real estate license (and I'm not one), so a Florida community association attorney is the right call.
Sources
- Florida Statutes §720.401 (2024): HOA disclosure summary and cancellation right
- Fla. Stat. §720.401 summary: right to cancel cannot be waived
- Florida Realtors (June 2025): Realtor-supported condo bill becomes law (HB 913, 7-day cancellation)
- Florida Realtors (June 2025): Condo law changes, 7-day review not including weekends and holidays
- Florida Realtors: Condominium and homeowners associations
- Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog (2022): HOA rental amendments under §720.306(1)(h)
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