Buyer Representation in Miami: What I Do for You

I represent buyers exclusively—no dual agency, no split loyalty. Before we walk into a single building together, you sign a buyer representation agreement, and that agreement is the starting point for everything I do on your behalf.

Published September 11, 2026

The agreement, and what it actually means

The NAR settlement that took effect in August 2024 requires every buyer's agent to have a signed representation agreement on file before showing a property. Most agents treat this as paperwork. I treat it as the foundation of what I owe you.

The agreement spells out exactly what I do, what my compensation is, and what happens if the seller offers less than that toward buyer-agent fees. In Miami's luxury market, sellers still frequently offer buyer-agent compensation as a concession — but it moves through private negotiation rather than MLS display now. My agreement with you clarifies all of this before you see a single unit, so there are no surprises at the closing table.

The downside of working without a signed agreement: you have no defined relationship, no defined duties, and no protection if a listing agent starts acting for both sides. That is dual agency, and in Florida it is legal — but it is not how I work.

What I read before we make an offer

Most buyers tour a building, like the views, and make an offer. The offer is the easy part. What happens in the ten days between signed contract and the end of the inspection period is where representation actually matters.

Under s. 718.503(2), a condo seller must hand over a specific package: the declaration, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules, the most recent annual financial statement, the current budget, the milestone inspection summary where one applies, and the most recent structural integrity reserve study — or a statement that none exists. Your seven-day cancellation window (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) runs from the date of contract execution or from the date you receive the package, whichever is later.

I read everything in that package. I also request two years of board minutes separately under s. 718.111(12), because minutes are not on the seller's required list and most buyers never think to ask for them. What I am looking for in those minutes is a specific pattern: reserve waiver votes, special assessment discussions, and insurance renewal surprises — in that order. A building that has paused reserve contributions for two consecutive years under the HB 913 post-inspection provision is not necessarily in trouble, but I want to know before you do.

I also check the building's status on Fannie Mae's condo approval list. Several Edgewater towers — including some that are beautifully maintained and fully operational — carry restricted or non-warrantable status, which limits your financing options and, by extension, your eventual resale pool. Fannie Mae condo approval in Edgewater is one of the most underestimated variables in this market. A buyer who discovers the financing restriction after going under contract loses time and sometimes the unit.

What I negotiate

Price is one lever. In Miami's luxury condo market, it is rarely the only one.

Closing cost credits: a seller can contribute toward your closing costs, which in Miami-Dade run 2–4% of the purchase price depending on whether you are financing. On a $700,000 unit, a $14,000–$28,000 credit is meaningful. Sellers often accept a credit request more readily than an equivalent price reduction, because their recorded sale price matters to them — and to their neighbors, who will eventually sell too.

On new construction, I look for assignment of developer warranties — on appliances, HVAC, plumbing, and the building envelope — and for a final walk-through clause before you sign off at closing. Developers routinely push back on both. I push back harder on the walk-through, because a punch-list item the developer controls before closing is easier to resolve than the same item afterward.

The HOA estoppel letter — the document showing outstanding fees, pending assessments, and approval status — is a seller cost capped at $299 by Florida statute for standard delivery. If the estoppel comes back showing a pending special assessment not previously disclosed, I want written confirmation of the outstanding amount before we close, not a verbal assurance from the listing agent.

What the timeline looks like

Cash offers in Miami's luxury condo market typically close in 30–45 days. Financed purchases run 45–60 days for conventional financing and 60–90 days for a foreign national loan product. I build the timeline backward from your target close date and flag every date that can trip the contract: inspection deadline, financing contingency expiration, and the s. 718.503 package delivery date.

The area where buyers consistently lose leverage is the financing contingency. A cash buyer with a proof-of-funds letter closes faster and negotiates more effectively than a buyer whose contingency sellers have seen fall through before. If you are bringing financing, I will tell you honestly where that positions you relative to any competing interest on the unit you want.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay your commission directly?

Not directly, in most cases. In Miami's luxury market, sellers still frequently offer buyer-agent compensation as part of their net consideration. My agreement with you defines what happens in any scenario — including one where the seller offers nothing. You will know the answer to this question before we walk into a building together.

Can you represent me on a new-construction purchase?

Yes. The developer's sales office represents the developer. I represent you. On pre-construction I review the purchase agreement — written by the developer's attorneys, for the developer's benefit — and flag the clauses that shift risk onto you: delivery timeline flexibility, material change provisions, and deposit structure on a construction delay.

What if I have already found a unit before we sign an agreement?

Tell me, and we can structure the agreement to cover that property specifically, or on a broader basis. The important thing is to have the representation relationship defined before we negotiate — not after you have already decided you want the unit.

How long does the due diligence period last?

Standard Miami condo contracts give buyers ten days for inspection and due diligence. That is enough time to receive and read the s. 718.503 package, request the board minutes separately, schedule a physical inspection, and confirm your financing terms with your lender. I work the first 48 hours hard so the remaining eight days are for decisions, not document-chasing.

Do you work outside Edgewater?

Yes — across Miami's high-rise and condo market: Brickell, Wynwood, Miami Beach, Sunny Isles. Edgewater is where I live and where I have done the most transactions, which means I know those buildings at the level of their individual floor plans, their association boards, and their management offices. Brickell versus Edgewater is a comparison I walk buyers through regularly when they are deciding which corridor fits their life.

What do buyers most often underestimate?

The association approval process. Some Edgewater towers turn applications in two weeks; others take six and require a board interview. That window affects when you can close, and it is nowhere in the listing. I know the process at the buildings where I work. That knowledge saves time and, occasionally, it saves the deal.

Stefania Riverin, Licensed Real Estate Sales Associate · FL SL3620067 · Brokered by NB Elite Realty · 1101 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131 · Equal Housing Opportunity