Condo Inspection Miami Beach, FL | Deco to Oceanfront Towers

Before you sign

Three Miami Beach Condo Types, Three Sets of Questions

Building age, height and distance from the salt all change what a buyer should ask. Many units here fit one of these, and each has its own weak points.

Local field sheetMiami Beach, FL

Sheet · Condo Inspection

A chain of barrier and man-made islands between the ocean and Biscayne Bay: 1930s apartment buildings in South Beach, MiMo garden buildings and towers in Mid and North Beach, and single-family houses on the islands.

County: Miami-Dade County, FL
Building code zone: High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ)
From our office: 18.2 miles from 3610 N 65th Ave, Hollywood
Typical homes: 1930s apartments turned condos, MiMo garden buildings, towers, and houses on the islands
Roofs: Flat roofs on low-rise Deco and MiMo buildings, clay tile on Mediterranean Revival houses
Condos: Low-rises around Flamingo Park and in North Beach, towers on Collins Ave and at South Pointe
Water and salt: Ocean on one side, Biscayne Bay on the other. King tides still reach some low streets
Building records: County recertification filed with the city, searchable by address on its online permit portal
ZIP codes: 33139 · 33140 · 33141

Neighborhoods we cover

South Beach
South of Fifth
Flamingo/Lummus
West Avenue
Sunset Harbour
Venetian Islands
Star Island
Palm and Hibiscus Islands
Sunset Islands
Mid-Beach
Nautilus
North Beach
La Gorce
North Shore
Normandy Isles
Biscayne Point

1930s and 1940s conversions
Rental apartments around Flamingo Park were being turned into condos by the mid-1980s. Some later conversions gutted the building, and others kept the old bones under new finishes. We check the panel, shutoffs and visible pipe, and you ask the association what was actually replaced.
MiMo garden buildings
The Normandy Isles district is mostly garden apartments built from 1945 to 1963. The state milestone law starts at three habitable stories, so a two-story building can fall outside it. Unless it counts as a minor building, the county's recertification still applies, so check its record.
Oceanfront and South Pointe towers
Collins Avenue has towers dating back to the 1970s, and South Pointe's started in the 1980s. Salt and wind make balconies and sliders the first thing to read. Some towers cool units from a shared system, so ask what you will own and what the association maintains.

Walk the unit with us

From Panel to Balcony in a Miami Beach Condo

Scroll the list or tap a pin to follow the inspection from the electrical panel to the balcony door.

Electrical panel & outlets
The unit's panel, breakers, GFCI protection, outlets and smoke alarms. Conversions may pair a new panel with older wire, so we read what is inside.
Breakers · GFCI · wire
Water heater
Tank age, pan, valves and drain. In a small closet in a stacked building, one failed heater can travel to the floors below.
Age · drain pan
Air conditioning
Air handler, condensate line and whatever cools it: a condenser, or a shared building system in some towers. We run it and note which you have.
Own unit or shared system
Plumbing & leaks
Supply lines, shutoffs, drains and fixtures, with a moisture meter on suspect spots. Shutoffs in older buildings can seize or weep, so we look closely at each.
Leak under sink
Ceilings & shared walls
Stains and damp spots from the unit above or the neighbors, and from flat roofs on top floors. A meter shows what fresh paint may hide.
Stain from above
Windows & sliding doors
How windows and sliders run, lock and seal, plus impact ratings where we can verify them. Salt wears down sliding tracks on oceanfront floors.
Salt · tracks · impact
Balcony & railing
Visible condition of the slab edge, railing and door. Rust stains and cracks can point to corroding steel, so we flag them for the association's engineer.
Visible condition

Oceanfront condominium towers along Hollywood Beach, Florida

Oceanfront condos

Two reports, two questions

A Miami Beach Condo Inspection Covers the Unit. Recertification Covers the Building.

In most associations here, the structure, roof and common areas belong to the association, and what is inside the unit is yours to repair. An A/C near the end of its life or a water heater past its prime lands on your bill after closing, and no lobby renovation changes that. Most units take around two hours.

The building is a different report. Under Miami-Dade's recertification program, engineers or architects file structural and electrical reports with the city's Building Department, and you can look up the record yourself. We do not write those reports, but reading them alongside your unit inspection gives you a fuller picture of what you are buying into.

Access is part of the job here. Many buildings want notice for contractors, an elevator reservation or a parking arrangement, so we coordinate ahead of time with your agent and the manager. That also makes it easy to add a mold check on a unit that has sat closed.

Panel, plumbing, A/C, water heater and appliances
Sliders, windows and visible balcony condition
A 4-point or mold testing can share the visit

Water you did not cause
Stacked plumbing means a stain can start floors above you. We document it before you own it.
Equipment you will pay for
Air handlers and water heaters are usually the owner's cost, so we run them and note their age.
HO-6 questions
If your condo carrier wants a 4-point on an older unit, it can be done on the same trip.
Something to negotiate from
A short list with photos gets further than a general worry about an old building.

Whose job is it?

Unit vs. Association in a Miami Beach Condo

The condo documents decide where the line falls, and an older conversion may draw it differently from a new tower. Ask to see them.

Included in your condo inspection

Electrical panel, outlets, GFCI protection and smoke alarms
Plumbing fixtures, supply lines, shutoffs and drains
Water heater and its drain pan
A/C air handler, condensate drain and the unit's condenser
Windows, sliding doors, locks and seals
Visible balcony and railing condition
Ceilings and shared walls for leaks from other units
Kitchen appliances, cabinets, doors and finishes

Usually handled by the association

Roof and building structure
Exterior walls, foundation and parking garage
Elevators, hallways, pools and other common areas
Milestone structural inspections and structural integrity reserve studies (SIRS)
Building-wide plumbing, electrical and fire systems

Before you buy, ask the association for the latest milestone inspection, reserve study and any planned special assessments.

Simple from start to finish

How a Miami Beach Condo Inspection Works

Book and clear access
We set a time with your agent and the manager, including elevator reservations, parking and any notice the building requires.
Inspect the unit
Peter works through the panel, plumbing, A/C, water heater, appliances, windows, sliders and balcony.
Check for outside water
Ceilings, shared walls and floors get a moisture meter, since a leak can start above or beside you.
Get the report
Photos and plain findings within 24 hours, while your inspection period is still running.

Peter Lemos, certified home inspector in South Florida

Your inspector

Peter Lemos, Certified Master Inspector®

Locally owned in Hollywood, FL and serving South Florida since 2008. Peter holds InterNACHI certifications in wind mitigation, 4-point and mold inspection, and clients rate Global Home Inspectors 5 stars on Google.

Meet Peter

2008Since

4.9★Google

3Counties

24hReports

Client notes · Google reviews

What South Florida Homeowners Say

4.9 Based on 82 Google reviews

“I called Global Home Inspectors to conduct a 4 point inspection and wind mitigation inspection. Peter arrived on time and was very professional. He started the inspection process immediately and took pictures. I received my report the same day and I am very pleased with the service. …”

Monique M.4-point & wind mitigation

“From start to finish, Peter was prompt, professional, and incredibly thorough. He took the time to explain every detail, answer our questions, and provide a clear and comprehensive report.”

Kendry A.Home inspection

“He was able to come out and complete the inspection within 24 hours and send me the report the same day. Most companies would have taken a week to come out and another week to send the report.”

R. Mast4-point inspection

“After a few upgrades to our home, we needed to provide our insurance company with an updated 4 point & wind mitigation inspection. I’m so glad I went with Peter because he was fantastic! He arrived on time, was a great communicator, and sent the reports very quickly. …”

Mari H.4-point & wind mitigation

“Peter visited my place as scheduled and came prepared with a good understanding of my house's historical record. … I received the report 20 minutes right after his leave. Super fast! … p.s. the drone is really cool; used to take a full view of the roof.”

NeilInsurance inspection

“Mr. Lemos is very responsive, attentive, customer friendly. Working with him and mutual customer was an absolute breath of fresh air. …”

Angela C.Insurance agent, State Farm

Read all 82 reviews on Google Leave a review See all client reviews

Good questions

Miami Beach Condo Inspection FAQs

What condo buyers here ask most. Don't see yours? Call (954) 297-0317.

How do I look up a Miami Beach building's recertification record?

On the city's Citizen Self Service portal, choose Permit in the search dropdown, click Advanced, pick Existing Building Recertification as the permit type and enter the address. If corrections were needed, the city requires a permit and then a final report, so an open permit suggests work may still be under way. Ask how it is being paid for.

When does a condo building here have to recertify?

Miami-Dade's schedule depends on the build year. Condo and co-op buildings three stories or taller within three miles of the coast, which describes this island, had a December 31, 2024 date if built from 1983 to 1997, and reach it at 25 years if built in 1998 or later. Repeats come every 10 years. Older buildings stay on their existing cycle. Confirm dates with the Building Department.

What is the difference between a milestone inspection and recertification?

The state's milestone law covers condo and co-op buildings of three or more habitable stories. Miami-Dade's recertification reaches most multifamily buildings and requires structural and electrical reports, and the county calls its requirements more stringent. Both are done by engineers or architects for the building, so ask for whichever applies.

Do you inspect co-ops and converted apartment buildings in Miami Beach?

Yes. A co-op or a converted 1930s or 1950s building is inspected the same way as any unit, with more attention to panels, visible pipe and what has been replaced. Ownership documents may differ, so ask the association or your attorney who handles what.

Does a unit near the bay need anything extra?

Ask about high water. King tides reach low streets on Miami Beach, and a garage or hallway that took water can leave damp walls behind. We scan what is accessible in your unit. Flood history, drains and the garage itself are questions for the association.

Can you evaluate a balcony or the building's concrete?

We report visible condition: rust stains, cracks, loose railings and the door. Whether that concrete is safe is a call for the association's engineer. Salt-driven corrosion of embedded steel is a known issue in coastal concrete, so take any finding to the association in writing.

Will my insurer want a 4-point on an older Miami Beach unit?

Some HO-6 carriers ask for one, and your agent will know. If yours does, a 4-point inspection can be completed on the same visit, so you only arrange access once.

Often booked together