Why are condo fees so high in Florida? What's behind 2026 dues in Hallandale Beach, Hollywood and Aventura

October 31, 2026 · Zach Curtis, REALTOR®, Realty Hub

Short answer: mostly insurance and reserves. The association's insurance premium is paid out of the dues, so when it rises at renewal, dues follow, and Florida's post-Surfside laws now stop many associations from waiving reserves for the structure, roof, plumbing and other key parts. Older buildings that skipped those reserves for years are catching up, and owners pay through higher dues, special assessments or both. How much that affects you depends on the building, not the city.

What dues look like right now

Live right now: monthly HOA dues on condos for sale on zach.homes, by city.

Live from 3,985 active BeachesMLS listings on zach.homes, as of October 31, 2026. Medians, not averages. HOA medians use only listings that state an HOA amount. Numbers change daily; each listing page shows its own facts with source and date.

The spread inside each city is wide. A small garden-style building with no staff and a newer roof can run a fraction of the dues of an oceanfront tower with 24-hour staff, valet, an older concrete structure and a large insurance bill. Compare buildings, not city averages.

1. Insurance

The association insures the building, and that premium is split among the owners through the dues; the association has no other income to pay it. Coastal buildings carry windstorm coverage, and some also carry a flood policy on the building. When premiums rise at renewal, dues follow. During your document review, ask for the association's insurance declarations pages, the current premiums and the renewal date. What the master policy does and doesn't cover is in do you need flood insurance for a condo in Florida.

2. Required structural reserves (SIRS)

After the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, Florida required a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) for condo buildings three stories or higher. Associations that existed on or before July 1, 2022 had to complete one by December 31, 2025; one that must do a milestone inspection by December 31, 2026 may do both together, but "in no event may the structural integrity reserve study be completed after December 31, 2026" (Fla. Stat. §718.112).

The bigger change for dues: for a budget adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners in an association that must have a SIRS "may not determine to provide no reserves or less reserves than required" for the items the study covers (§718.112(2)(f)). Many buildings had voted to waive those reserves for years to keep dues low. Funding them now is a large part of recent increases.

The law does give boards some room. Those reserves can be funded by regular assessments, special assessments, lines of credit or loans, and a special assessment, line of credit or loan for them needs a majority vote of the total voting interests. And for a budget adopted on or before December 31, 2028, a building that finished a milestone inspection in the previous two calendar years can, with the same majority, pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets to pay for the repairs that inspection recommended (§718.112). If a building you're looking at has done that, the reserve catch-up is still coming later.

3. Repairs in older buildings

Condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall need a milestone inspection by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, and every 10 years after; the local building department can move that to 25 years because of conditions such as proximity to salt water (Fla. Stat. §553.899). Check the year built on any listing: a building past 25 or 30 years is in, or near, its inspection cycle, and the report can call for concrete, balcony, garage or waterproofing repairs. A repair that's due now usually comes as a special assessment rather than a dues increase. More in milestone inspections and SIRS for buyers and who pays a special assessment in a sale.

4. Everyday operating costs

Front desk and valet staff, maintenance, management, elevators, shared utilities, pool and gym upkeep, pest control, legal and accounting all add up. A building with round-the-clock staff and a long amenity list will cost more each month than a small walk-up, before any reserve or insurance question. Some dues also include things you'd otherwise pay yourself, such as water, basic cable or internet, so read what's included before comparing two numbers.

Can the board just raise fees?

The board adopts the budget, but Florida law adds a check on big jumps. If a board proposes a budget that requires assessments above 115% of the prior year's, it must also propose a substitute budget without discretionary spending that isn't required, with at least 14 days' notice of the meeting. Owners can adopt the substitute at that meeting with "a majority of all voting interests unless the bylaws require" more; if they don't, the board's budget may be adopted (§718.112(2)(e)).

The catch: the 115% test excludes required reserves, the non-recurring costs of repairing or replacing the SIRS items, and insurance premiums. The very costs driving most increases sit outside that check. Special assessments have their own notice rules: a meeting where a nonemergency special assessment will be considered needs at least 14 days' written notice to owners, posted on the property (§718.112(2)(c)), and the assessment notice must state its specific purpose (Fla. Stat. §718.116).

Higher dues aren't automatically a red flag

A building that funds its reserves and keeps up with repairs may cost more each month but carry less risk of a large surprise assessment. A building with unusually low dues for its age and size may be the one that's underfunded. The questions to ask:

1. What's the current budget, and how much of it goes to reserves?
2. Is the SIRS done, and is the building funding what it recommends, or pausing contributions under the milestone exception?
3. Has the milestone inspection been done, and are repairs finished, under way or still to come?
4. Is a special assessment adopted or under discussion? Read the board minutes for the last 12 months.
5. When does the insurance renew, and what are the wind and flood deductibles?
6. What do the dues include (water, cable, internet, valet)?

On a resale, you're entitled at the seller's expense to the declaration, bylaws and rules, the annual financial statement and budget, the milestone inspection summary if applicable, and the most recent SIRS or a statement that none has been completed. If you didn't get them more than 7 days before signing, Florida law makes the contract voidable by you within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after you receive them (Fla. Stat. §718.503). Use that window to read the numbers.

What it means for price and loans

Dues are part of your monthly cost, and a lender counts them when deciding how much you qualify for, so a $900 fee buys you less house than a $400 one at the same price. Buildings with high dues or a pending assessment often show it in the asking price. Compare total monthly cost, not price alone, with the mortgage calculator and the income needed to buy a condo. Lenders are also looking harder at reserves: Fannie Mae's 15% reserve budget minimum for many condo loans starts with applications on or after January 4, 2027; see how to check if a condo is FHA approved.

Check live listings for Hallandale Beach condos, Hollywood condos, Aventura condos and Dania Beach condos. If you'd like Zach to pull a building's budget, reserve and assessment details before you offer, start at Ready to buy.

Zach Curtis, Realtor, Realty Hub, license SL3664129. General information, not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice. For a specific building's documents, a Florida real estate attorney can review them with you.

Published October 31, 2026 by Zach Curtis, REALTOR®, Realty Hub, license SL3664129. General information for South Florida, not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice. Laws, programs and prices change; check the official sources above, and ask a Florida attorney, CPA, insurance agent or lender about your situation. Listing numbers are asking prices and rents from BeachesMLS on the date shown. Equal Housing Opportunity. Zach Curtis and Realty Hub follow federal, Florida and Broward County fair housing law. Every listing is open to everyone. We never steer anyone by race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected class.