Miami-Dade Real Estate Attorney Representing Buyers, Sellers, and Property Owners
Miami-Dade is one of the most active and complex real estate markets in the country. Between the international buyer pool, the dense condominium stock, the post-Surfside structural and insurance reforms, and the sophistication of the commercial market, transactions here demand careful legal attention from the moment a contract is signed. I’m Eric J. Goldman, a Fort Lauderdale-based real estate attorney with more than twenty years of experience representing clients across South Florida — including buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and investors in Miami, Coral Gables, Aventura, Doral, Hialeah, and surrounding Miami-Dade communities.
My practice is small by design. You work directly with me throughout the transaction or dispute. To get started, call (954) 536-7557 for a free consultation.
Miami-Dade Real Estate Services
- Residential Transactions — Single-family home and condominium purchases and sales, including high-rise condos in Brickell, Edgewater, Sunny Isles Beach, and Aventura.
- Commercial Transactions — Office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use purchases, sales, and ground leases throughout Miami-Dade.
- Contract Review — Purchase agreements, FAR/BAR contracts, builder contracts for new construction high-rises, and lease documents.
- Landlord-Tenant — Evictions, security deposit disputes, lease enforcement, and habitability claims under Chapter 83 of the Florida Statutes.
- Property Disputes — Boundary disputes, quiet title actions, partition suits, HOA enforcement matters, and easement conflicts.
What Makes Miami-Dade Real Estate Different
Miami-Dade real estate runs on different rails than most of Florida. International buyers, foreign-source funds, FIRPTA withholding obligations, and the prevalence of LLC and trust ownership structures all create complexity that doesn’t appear in many other transactions. The condominium market — particularly the older high-rises in Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, and Brickell — has been transformed by the 2022 condo reform legislation requiring milestone inspections, structural integrity reserve studies, and proper reserve funding. Buyers and sellers ignore these requirements at significant financial risk.
The commercial market in Miami-Dade is similarly sophisticated. Class A office in Brickell and downtown, the warehouse and logistics corridor near Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami, retail along Lincoln Road and in Coral Gables, and the explosion of mixed-use development around Wynwood, the Design District, and Coconut Grove all involve nuanced lease and purchase considerations.
Florida Real Estate Law and the Miami-Dade Specifics
Florida is a title theory state, and the closing process centers on delivering clear, marketable title. Miami-Dade County’s records are maintained by the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, with searches conducted by underwriters before each closing. I review title commitments, address any exceptions or clouds, and ensure that the closing documents accurately reflect the deal. For condominium purchases in particular, I review the condominium documents, financial statements, milestone inspection and structural integrity reserve study reports, any pending special assessments, and the rules and regulations governing the property.
FIRPTA and Foreign Sellers
The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) requires withholding when a foreign person sells U.S. real estate. The buyer is typically required to withhold 15% of the gross sales price and remit it to the IRS. Miami-Dade transactions frequently involve foreign sellers, and getting FIRPTA right — including evaluating exemptions, withholding certificates, and timing — is essential.
Post-Surfside Condominium Reforms
Florida’s 2022 condo reform legislation, prompted by the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, fundamentally changed the diligence required to buy older condominiums. Buildings three stories or higher must complete milestone inspections at 30 years (or 25 years for buildings within three miles of the coast). Structural integrity reserve studies must be completed every ten years, and associations are now required to fully fund reserves for major structural components. Many Miami-Dade condos now face significant special assessments. I review every relevant disclosure before you commit.
Miami-Dade Real Estate Disputes
When transactions break down or property disputes arise, litigation typically proceeds in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse on Flagler Street. I handle breach of contract claims arising from FAR/BAR purchase agreements, quiet title actions, partition suits, HOA enforcement disputes, and landlord-tenant proceedings. Where it makes sense, I pursue early resolution through demand letters, settlement negotiations, or mediation.
Miami-Dade Communities I Serve
I represent clients in Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Aventura, Doral, Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Bay Harbor Islands, Sunny Isles Beach, Key Biscayne, South Miami, West Miami, Bal Harbour, Surfside, and surrounding communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an attorney for a Miami-Dade real estate closing?
Florida does not legally require a closing attorney for every transaction, but having an attorney specifically representing you — rather than relying on the title company, which is neutral — is one of the most valuable protections in any deal. The difference matters most when something unexpected arises.
I’m buying a Brickell or Sunny Isles condo. What should I look at carefully?
Milestone inspection reports, structural integrity reserve studies, current reserve funding levels, pending special assessments, the past three years of association financials, and the rules and bylaws. Older buildings — particularly those near the coast — are facing meaningful reforms-driven costs that need to be priced into your decision.
I’m a foreign buyer purchasing through an LLC. Does that change anything?
It affects FIRPTA exposure, ongoing tax reporting, and the structure of the closing. I work with foreign buyers regularly and can coordinate with your tax advisor to structure the purchase properly.
What if there’s a title issue on the property I’m buying?
Most title issues can be cured before closing — through payoffs, satisfactions, quiet title actions, or curative documents. Some require more work than others. I evaluate the issue and recommend the right path.
Talk to a Miami-Dade Real Estate Attorney
Whether you’re buying, selling, leasing, investing, or facing a real estate dispute anywhere in Miami-Dade County, call (954) 536-7557 or reach out through my contact page for a free consultation.