Buy and Hold in South Florida

Underwrite the expenses first

• Insurance: get a quote for the specific property before you make an offer, including wind coverage and flood if the zone or lender requires it. Roof age and opening protection drive the number.
• Property taxes: the assessed value resets to market value when ownership changes, so model taxes from just value and current millage, not the seller's bill. Non-homestead property has its own assessment cap.
• Association dues and assessments: for condos and HOA communities, read the budget, reserve study, and any pending special assessments. Milestone inspection results matter for older buildings.
• Vacancy, repairs, capital reserves, and management: use conservative percentages and keep a separate roof and HVAC reserve.

Sources: Florida Dept. of Revenue — Property Tax Exemptions and Caps · Florida DBPR — Condominiums & Milestone Inspections

Landlord rules to know

Residential tenancies in Florida are governed by Chapter 83, Part II of the Florida Statutes, which sets deposit handling, notice periods, and the eviction process. Some municipalities add rental registration or inspection programs, and short-term rentals of a whole unit for transient stays generally require a state vacation-rental license and are regulated locally. Confirm the rules for the specific city before you set a strategy.

Sources: Florida Statutes, Chapter 83 — Landlord and Tenant · Florida DBPR — Vacation Rental licensing

Property types that fit the strategy

• Single-family in inland neighborhoods: simplest to insure and manage; exit to owner-occupants.
• Duplex to fourplex: residential financing with multiple incomes; verify legal unit count against the property appraiser record and permits.
• Condos: lowest entry price, highest exposure to association condition and rental restrictions. Read the rules on minimum lease terms and approvals.
• Small multifamily (5+ units): commercial underwriting and financing; management scale helps with South Florida expense ratios.

How Dispo Pipeline presents a rental opportunity

When we share a buy-and-hold candidate, we give the condition summary, any known rent history as reported to us, and the basis for any rent or expense estimate. We do not publish projected returns. Run your own insurance quote, tax estimate, and rent comps before you commit.

Questions to settle before you offer

• Does the property cash-flow after insurance, reset taxes, dues, reserves, and management, at today's rents rather than hoped-for rents?
• Is the current tenancy documented: lease, deposit, rent roll, and estoppel from any association?
• What is the plan if insurance renewal doubles: raise rent, refinance, or sell?