Miami Real Estate Buyer Guides
24 deep-dive guides on buying, financing, owning, and selling Miami real estate. Written by Gerardo Gonzalez (Licensed Agent at Compass) and updated for 2026.
24 Guides · 3 Languages · Updated 2026Watch: Your Decision Map for Miami Real Estate
Buying Pre-Construction 7 Guides
Best Miami Pre-Construction Condos 2026
My agent-ranked pick list of the 12 active towers, by goal: trophy, best value, fastest delivery, and best waterfront, with pricing and delivery dates.
See the Ranking
The Complete Pre-Construction Buyer's Guide
Master pillar. Reservation through closing in 2026, with deposit structures, developer vetting, and contract red flags.
Read the Pillar
Miami Foreign Buyer Flow Report 2026
Which countries buy Miami, how much they spend, and where, with verified NAR and Miami Realtors data. Colombia leads 2025.
Read the Report
Buying Process, Step by Step
From reservation agreement to closing day. Every milestone, every document, every wire.
Read the Guide
Pre-Construction vs Resale
Data-driven 2026 analysis. Appreciation, holding costs, deposits, taxes, exit options.
Compare
Developer Due Diligence
How to research a Miami developer before wiring a deposit. Track record, financials, partners, lawsuits.
Vet a Developer
Related Group Miami: Track Record
The developer behind more Miami condos than anyone: 60,000+ units since 1979 and a 2026 pipeline led by Baccarat, Casa Bella, and St. Regis Brickell.
Read the Profile
Terra Group Miami: Track Record
David Martin's Terra has built 8M+ sq ft with Bjarke Ingels, Renzo Piano, and Rem Koolhaas. Villa Miami, South Beach, and the Seaquarium site lead 2026.
Read the Profile
Fortune International: Track Record
The Sunny Isles oceanfront specialist: $532.1M closed on St. Regis, plus Faena on the Miami River and Ora by Casa Tua in Brickell.
Read the Profile
Swire Properties: Brickell City Centre
The developer of Brickell City Centre scrapped its office supertall in 2025 and is breaking ground on the Residences at Mandarin Oriental in 2026.
Read the Profile
If You Default on a Deposit
What happens when a buyer walks away. Liquidated damages, exit clauses, recovery options.
Read
New Construction Miami-Dade 2026
A dated, sourced directory of the major towers by neighborhood: Cipriani, Waldorf Astoria, Baccarat, Villa Miami, Bentley, with verified status on each.
See the Directory
International Buyers 9 Guides
Foreign National Master Guide
The complete playbook for non-U.S. buyers in 2026. ITIN, banking, financing, FIRPTA, structuring.
Read the Master Guide
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Canadian Buyers Guide
CRA reporting, snowbird tax tests, CAD/USD conversion, RBC/TD cross-border financing.
Read
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British Buyers Guide
US-UK estate tax treaty, non-dom abolition, GBP/USD strategy, HSBC and Barclays financing.
Read
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German Buyers Guide
US-Germany estate tax treaty, EUR/USD strategy, Finanzamt obligations, LLC vs personal ownership, FIRPTA.
Read
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French Buyers Guide
1978 US-France estate treaty, EUR/USD strategy, IFI wealth tax, DGFiP obligations, BNP Lombard financing, LLC vs SCI.
Read
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Italian Buyers Guide
No US-Italy estate tax treaty, EUR/USD strategy, Agenzia delle Entrate obligations, LLC mandatory, FIRPTA.
Read
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Swiss Buyers Guide
1951 US-Switzerland estate tax treaty, CHF/USD strategy, ESTV obligations, UBS Lombard financing, LLC structure.
Read
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Russian Buyers Guide
OFAC SDN compliance, no US-Russia estate treaty, foreign grantor trust + LLC structure, USD routing via UAE/Turkey/Armenia, cash-only purchases.
Read
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Mexican Buyers Guide
CFE residency status, peso volatility, HSBC Mexico cross-border banking, SAT reporting.
Read
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Brazilian Buyers Guide
CBE Banco Central declaration, real volatility, Itau/Bradesco USD accounts, dual taxation.
Read
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Argentine Buyers Guide
Capital controls, blue dollar dynamics, AFIP reporting, structuring through Uruguay or US LLC.
Read
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Colombian Buyers Guide
Bancolombia USD financing, COP/USD strategy, DIAN tax reporting, Investment Visa qualification.
Read
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Venezuelan Buyers Guide
Sanctions navigation, OFAC compliance, third-country structuring, Doral and Weston enclaves.
Read
Tax Guide by Country
Side-by-side tax outcomes for buyers from 12 countries. Treaties, withholding, and structuring.
Compare Tax Outcomes
Financing, Tax & Visas 4 Guides
DSCR Loans for Foreign Buyers
Debt Service Coverage Ratio financing without US tax returns or W-2s. Rate sheets, lenders, term ranges.
Read
EB-5 Visa via Miami Real Estate
$800K Targeted Employment Area structuring, regional centers, processing timelines for 2026.
Read
FIRPTA Withholding Explained
15% sale-price withholding for foreign sellers. Reduction certificates, exemptions, refunds.
Read
Moving to Miami for Taxes: Domicile Guide
The 183-day rule, Florida domicile steps, homestead + Save Our Homes, and the real savings math.
Read
LLC Structuring for Foreign Buyers
When a US LLC saves estate tax, when it costs more, single-member vs disregarded vs C-corp.
Read
Condo Ownership & Compliance 5 Guides
Evaluate a Building's Financial Health
Reserve study, SIRS, milestone inspection, board minutes, special-assessment risk for any Miami condo.
Read
Special Assessments & SB 4-D
The full Surfside reform overlay. SIRS deadlines, reserve funding rules, 2026 enforcement.
Read
Milestone Inspection Law 2026
Florida Statute 553.899 explained: the 30 and 25-year coastal triggers, Phase 1 vs Phase 2, HB 913 changes, what to verify before closing.
Read
Condo Insurance Complete Guide
HO-6, windstorm, flood, master policy gaps. 2026 carrier landscape and pricing reality.
Read
True Cost of Ownership
All-in monthly carrying cost: HOA, taxes, insurance, reserves, special assessments, utilities.
Read
Miami Condo HOA Fees 2026
The median Miami-Dade HOA fee hit $900 a month in 2024, 59% above 2019. What it covers, ranges by building type, and why it rose.
Read
Specialty & Lifestyle 3 Guides
Are Branded Residences Worth It?
St Regis, Waldorf, Cipriani, Mercedes-Benz: 2026 premium analysis vs unbranded comparable.
Read
Buildings That Allow Short-Term Rentals
Live STR-friendly building list with Airbnb/Vrbo rules, minimum nights, condo bylaws.
Read
Buying at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
The resale and condo-hotel buyer's guide to the Fontainebleau: Tresor, Sorrento, and Skyline units, HOA structure, and rental-program rules.
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