Selling a condo in Orlando isn’t the same conversation it was a few years ago. The state pushed associations toward catching structural problems earlier, and buyers and lenders now ask questions they mostly didn’t ask before. If you’re thinking about listing, it helps to know what’s coming so nothing surprises you mid-contract.

The milestone inspection is the big one people hear about. Depending on the building’s age and height, the association has to get an inspection done, and the report can lead to repairs. What that means for you as a seller is that buyers will want to see what the association has done and what’s still pending. If your building has already completed its inspection and the repairs are funded and scheduled, that’s a much easier story to tell than a report sitting there with open items and no plan.

Reserve studies are the other piece. Associations are supposed to keep a study of what the components will cost to replace and fund reserves accordingly. Buyers and their lenders look at whether reserves are healthy or whether the association has been waiving funding. A weak reserve picture often turns into a conversation about future assessments, and that conversation can slow a deal down or change the price.

Special assessments come up when the association needs money beyond the regular budget, often for roof, plumbing, concrete or structural work tied to the inspection. Sellers need to disclose what they know, and the association’s records are the source of truth. Ask your board or manager for the current assessment schedule in writing. Buyers will ask whether any assessment is approved but unpaid, whether one is being discussed, and whether there’s a lawsuit or insurance issue affecting the building.

Lenders get picky here. Many want to see that the project is structurally sound and that assessments aren’t going to wreck the budget. A condo with a big unfunded assessment can be hard to finance, which narrows your buyer pool. That’s not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to get ahead of it.

If there’s an assessment still unpaid on your unit, how you handle it depends on the situation. Sometimes the cleanest path is to pay it at closing out of proceeds, and the contract can spell that out. Sometimes the buyer agrees to take it on with a credit. Your association may have rules about transferring the obligation, and the title company will need to see it cleared or addressed. This is where a real estate lawyer earns their fee, because the wording matters and the county records matter.

Get the association documents early, including the inspection report, reserve study, budget, and any assessment notices. Keep your own records of what you’ve paid. Talk to your CPA about how an assessment or a credit affects your side of the closing. And be calm about it. Most of this is paperwork and planning, not a deal killer, as long as you know your building’s story before a buyer asks.

There’s a longer local write-up on this: Florida condo law for Orlando sellers.