Selling a condominium, especially a penthouse or a unit in a newer tower, is a different exercise from selling a house, because a condo sale carries a second set of players: the association, its documents, and its rules. Buyers at the premium end will underwrite the building as carefully as the unit, so the seller's preparation is about the paperwork as much as the finishes. This guide walks the resale checklist for Miami's high-rise market.
The documents a Florida condo seller must provide
Under Florida law, the seller of a condominium unit must deliver a defined package once the contract is signed: the declaration of condominium and its amendments, the articles of incorporation, the bylaws and rules, the association's financial report and budget, the structural integrity reserve study and milestone inspection summary where applicable, and the governance form summary (Section 718.503(2), Florida Statutes, verifiable text, verified November 2026). Receipt of the package triggers the buyer's statutory right to cancel the contract within seven business days, a right that cannot be waived.
The estoppel certificate
Before closing, the association issues an estoppel certificate that states what the unit owes and whether the transfer requires board approval or meets a right of first refusal (Section 718.116(8), Florida Statutes, verifiable text, verified November 2026). Ordering it early protects your closing date, because the association has a defined window to respond and lenders in high-rise buildings have come to require it.
Association rules and approval rights
Whether a buyer needs board approval, whether the association holds a right of first refusal, and what rental restrictions exist are all set by the declaration, bylaws, and rules of your particular building. These terms are building-specific, and they sit right next to the unit's own features in a buyer's decision, so they should be assembled and verified before the first showing, not discovered during a contract period.
Positioning a penthouse to premium buyers
A penthouse sells on scarcity, provenance, and proof of services: how many comparable penthouses have traded in the building, what the finishes and views actually deliver, and what the building's management, amenities, and financial health say about lifestyle. Premium buyers compare against new-construction product, so the honest positioning is the one that states exactly what the home is, at a price the building's own sales evidence supports.
New-construction resale is a different playing field
Sellers in newer towers are competing with the developer's own sales desk, which controls the price list for unsold units and often the concierge-level services that define the building. That makes the resale strategy a matter of positioning against current developer inventory: a topic covered for buyers on the new construction guide and the penthouse buyer's guide, and read in reverse by the resale seller. For current developer pricing and availability in your building, contact for current information.
The resale campaign
The full marketing and pricing process is laid out on the seller services page and the home value page, and the strategic brief for a premium property is on the luxury seller valuation page. The sister site's selling guide adds the marketing calendar from the seller's side.
Building-specific questions are exactly what a private conversation is for: contact the practice, read what past clients say on the testimonials page, or book a consultation with Kelby.
Start with a free, confidential read on the building's sales history and your unit's position on the luxury seller valuation page.
Written by Kelby Contreras, Florida Luxury Real Estate.
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