I am buying a beachfront condo in Hollywood. What do I need to check after the Surfside reforms?

Condo buying in Hollywood changed fundamentally after the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse, and diligence is now essential, especially for the oceanfront and near-coast towers along the Broadwalk and A1A. THE NEW SAFETY-AND-RESERVES REGIME. Florida law (SB 4-D and follow-on legislation) now requires condominium buildings three stories or taller to undergo MILESTONE structural inspections at 30 years of age, or at 25 YEARS if within three miles of the coast, which covers essentially all of Hollywood's beachfront stock, and every 10 years after, and to complete a STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY RESERVE STUDY (SIRS) and FULLY FUND reserves for major structural components (roof, load-bearing walls, foundation, waterproofing, and more). Boards can no longer vote to waive or underfund these reserves. The practical effect on Hollywood Beach has been large SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS and higher monthly dues as older salt-air-exposed buildings catch up. WHAT TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU CLOSE. - Milestone inspection status: has the building completed its milestone inspection, what did it find, are there required repairs, and how will they be paid? - SIRS and reserves: is there a completed reserve study, and are reserves adequately funded, underfunded reserves signal future special assessments. - Budget and special assessments: review the current budget and ask specifically about any pending, approved, or anticipated special assessments, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars per unit for structural or seawall work. - Financials, litigation, and insurance: the association's financial statements, any litigation, and whether the building can obtain adequate and affordable coverage, some older coastal buildings face insurance and financing difficulties. - Meeting minutes: recent board and members' meeting minutes reveal problems the seller may not volunteer. WHY IT MATTERS. A unit that looks like a bargain can carry six-figure assessment exposure in an aging, underfunded oceanfront building exposed to wind, salt, and flooding. A building that has completed its milestone inspection and funded its reserves is far more predictable. Given the stakes, many Hollywood condo buyers use a real-estate attorney and a thorough document review during the contingency period, and walk away from buildings whose finances or structural status are troubling. DON'T SKIP THE DILIGENCE. The statutory right to review governing documents and financials during a cancellation period exists for a reason, use it, and do not waive it to win a bidding war on a coastal tower.

How do the homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap work for my Hollywood property taxes?

Florida's homestead protections are among the strongest in the country and can save a Hollywood homeowner substantial money, but you must claim them. THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. A Florida primary residence qualifies for up to $50,000 in exemptions from assessed value, a base $25,000 (applies to all taxes) plus an additional $25,000 (applies to non-school taxes) for assessed values above $50,000. You must OWN and OCCUPY the property as your permanent residence as of January 1 and FILE for the exemption with the Broward County Property Appraiser by MARCH 1. It is a one-time filing that renews automatically as long as you remain eligible. THE SAVE OUR HOMES CAP, THE BIG ONE. Once your property has homestead status, the annual increase in its ASSESSED value is capped at 3 percent or the change in the CPI, whichever is lower. In an appreciating market like coastal Hollywood, this cap can save enormous amounts over time, because your taxable value grows slowly even as market value climbs. When you sell and buy a new Florida homestead, you can PORT your accumulated benefit, up to $500,000, to the new home. THE RESET ON SALE. When a homesteaded property is sold, the cap resets and the new owner's assessed value returns to market value, which is why a buyer's first-year tax bill is often much higher than the seller was paying. Budget for taxes based on market value, not the seller's capped bill, and file for your own homestead by March 1 after closing to start your own cap. ADDITIONAL EXEMPTIONS. Seniors (with income limits, in participating jurisdictions), veterans and disabled veterans (including up to a full exemption for certain service-connected disabilities), disabled persons, first responders, and surviving spouses may qualify, check with the Property Appraiser (bcpa.net; 954-357-6830). CREDITOR-PROTECTION BONUS. Florida homestead also carries constitutional protection from forced sale by most creditors (up to one-half acre in a city), one of the strongest asset shields in the nation. CHALLENGING YOUR ASSESSMENT. If you think the appraiser over-assessed your property, you can petition the Value Adjustment Board, with the deadline typically in mid-September (25 days after the TRIM notice mails). Bring comparable sales and evidence of condition or flood problems, and many owners contact the appraiser's office informally first. On the beach, where assessed values can jump sharply, keeping the homestead filing and the cap current is worth real money each year.

Why is homeowners insurance so expensive in Hollywood, and what should buyers know?

Hollywood sits at the center of Florida's property-insurance crisis, and for buyers, insurance is now a make-or-break part of the deal. WHY IT IS SO EXPENSIVE. Hollywood's oceanfront and Intracoastal geography, dense aging condo and roof stock, and severe hurricane and flood exposure make it one of the highest-risk insurance markets in the country. A turbulent Florida market (carrier insolvencies, reinsurance costs, and litigation history) has driven premiums sharply higher and pushed many owners to CITIZENS PROPERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION, the state insurer of last resort, when private coverage is unavailable or unaffordable. KEY FEATURES OF FLORIDA HOMEOWNERS' POLICIES. - Hurricane deductible: separate from your standard deductible, a percentage-based HURRICANE deductible (commonly 2 percent of the dwelling's insured value) applies to hurricane losses, on a $500,000 home that is a $10,000 out-of-pocket before coverage kicks in, and it generally applies once per hurricane season under Florida law. - Flood is EXCLUDED: homeowners' policies do NOT cover flood. In Hollywood, where king-tide and rainfall flooding regularly reach beyond mapped high-risk zones, separate flood insurance (NFIP or private) is essential, and lenders require it in special flood hazard areas. Check the FEMA flood zone and any elevation certificate for the property. - Roof age and condition: insurers scrutinize roof age; an older roof can make a home difficult or expensive to insure or force actual-cash-value-only roof coverage, a major factor in Hollywood's older housing stock. THE 2022-2023 REFORMS (SB 2A) THAT AFFECT CLAIMS. The Legislature ELIMINATED one-way attorney-fee awards and assignment-of-benefits arrangements for property claims, tightened bad-faith rules, and SHORTENED claim deadlines, a new hurricane or windstorm claim generally must be reported within ONE YEAR of the loss, and supplemental claims within 18 months. These changes make prompt, well-documented claims, and when needed retained counsel, more important. WIND-MITIGATION CREDITS. A wind-mitigation inspection can earn premium credits for roof-to-wall straps or clips, impact-resistant windows and doors, a hip roof shape, and secondary water barriers, and getting one done can meaningfully reduce premiums on a coastal home. BUYER'S TAKEAWAY. Get an insurance quote DURING your inspection period, not after, a home's insurability and premium (especially for older roofs, oceanfront locations, and condos with troubled associations) can be the deciding factor, and a property that is cheap to buy can be unaffordable to insure. For condos, also confirm the association's master policy and any assessment exposure for insurance shortfalls.

I am a tenant (or landlord) in Hollywood. What are the key rules under Florida law?

Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. Ch. 83) governs, and it differs from many states in important ways. NO RENT CONTROL. Florida law PREEMPTS local rent control, so no Broward city, including Hollywood, can cap rent, landlords may set and raise rent freely at renewal with proper notice per the lease. Rapid rent increases are a major issue in Hollywood's tight, beach-adjacent housing market, but they are generally legal. NOTICE AND EVICTION BASICS. - Nonpayment of rent: the landlord gives a 3-DAY notice (excluding weekends and legal holidays) to pay or vacate before filing eviction. - Other lease violations: a 7-DAY notice, either to cure or, for serious or repeat violations, an unconditional quit. - Month-to-month termination: 30 days' notice (increased in some situations by recent law and local ordinance). Evictions proceed through the COUNTY COURT: the landlord files suit, the tenant is served and must respond in writing (generally within 5 days), and, critically, a tenant contesting on non-rent grounds must DEPOSIT the disputed rent into the COURT REGISTRY to be heard. Only the sheriff executes a writ of possession; self-help lockouts, removing a tenant's belongings, and shutting off utilities are ILLEGAL and expose the landlord to statutory damages (up to three months' rent plus damages). SECURITY DEPOSITS (Fla. Stat. §83.49). The landlord must handle the deposit as prescribed and, after move-out, has 15 days to return it (no deductions) or 30 days to send a written notice of intended deductions by certified mail; a tenant who objects has 15 days to respond. A landlord who fails to give proper notice forfeits the right to keep the deposit. REPAIRS AND HABITABILITY. Landlords must comply with building and housing codes and maintain the premises; tenants can, after a 7-day written notice, withhold rent or terminate for material failures affecting habitability, but the procedure must be followed exactly, and paying rent into the registry is required to contest an eviction. RETALIATION. A landlord may not retaliate (evict, raise rent, or harass) for complaining to a government agency about code violations or for exercising legal rights. HELP. Legal Aid Service of Broward County (954-765-8950) and Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (954-736-2400) defend qualifying tenants; the county's housing programs and 211 connect residents to rental assistance. The single most important tenant move is to RESPOND to an eviction in writing and deposit the rent into the registry, failing to do so usually forfeits the case.

I am facing foreclosure in Hollywood. How does Florida's process work and what can I do?

Florida is a JUDICIAL foreclosure state, which gives homeowners more process and more time than the non-judicial states, every stage is an opportunity. THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. A lender cannot simply auction your home. It must FILE A LAWSUIT (a foreclosure complaint) in the circuit court and record a lis pendens (notice of the pending suit) against the property. You are served and have 20 days to file a written response. The case then proceeds through litigation, the lender must prove it owns the note and has standing, that you defaulted, and the amount owed, before a court enters a FORECLOSURE JUDGMENT and sets a public auction. This typically takes many months and can exceed a year, especially if you defend. YOUR OPTIONS AND DEFENSES. - Respond, do not default: filing an answer and asserting defenses forces the lender to prove its case and buys time. Common defenses include lack of standing (the lender cannot prove it holds the note), defects in the required notices, payment or accounting errors, and failure to comply with loss-mitigation or contractual pre-suit requirements. - Loss mitigation: apply for a loan modification, forbearance, or repayment plan; federal servicing rules require the servicer to review a complete application, and many judges refer foreclosure cases to MEDIATION. - Reinstatement and payoff: you generally have the right to reinstate by paying the arrears (plus fees) up to a point, or to pay off the loan and stop the sale. - Bankruptcy: a Chapter 13 filing's automatic stay stops a sale and lets you cure arrears over 3 to 5 years; Chapter 7 can discharge personal liability, and Florida's unlimited homestead exemption often protects the equity. - Sell or short-sell: in Hollywood's generally strong coastal market, many owners have equity worth capturing through a sale before the auction rather than losing it. DEFICIENCY JUDGMENTS. If the sale does not cover the debt, the lender can seek a deficiency judgment, but Florida limits the amount (generally the difference between the judgment and fair market value) and has a shortened statute of limitations for residential deficiencies. AFTER THE SALE. There is a period before the certificate of title issues; surplus funds from a sale that exceeds the debt belong to the former owner, and predatory surplus-recovery schemes should be avoided, the clerk's process and legal aid can help you claim surplus. BEWARE SCAMS. Foreclosure-rescue operations that ask you to deed them your home or pay large upfront fees are typically fraud, report them to the Florida Attorney General. HELP. Legal Aid Service of Broward County (954-765-8950) represents qualifying homeowners, and HUD-approved housing counselors assist with loss mitigation; because Florida's process is judicial, getting a defense on file early materially improves your options.

Real Estate Law in Hollywood, Florida

Hollywood real estate is shaped by its Atlantic coastline, its dense stock of beachfront and Intracoastal condominiums, and serious hurricane and flood exposure. The oceanfront towers lining the Broadwalk and A1A, the Intracoastal properties near the marinas, the historic bungalows of Hollywood Lakes, and the family neighborhoods of Emerald Hills and Hollywood Hills all sit within a low-lying coastal city where insurance and association governance can decide whether a property is affordable to own. Property records, deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats, are recorded with the Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division and are searchable online, and title transfers through Florida's title-insurance-and-closing system; Florida is an attorney-optional closing state, but many Hollywood transactions use an attorney given the prevalence of condos and complex coastal title. Purchases run on standard Florida forms (the FR/BAR As Is residential contract is common), with an inspection period, escrowed deposits, and a title commitment whose exceptions the buyer must review. Two features shape nearly every Hollywood deal: association governance (condominium associations under Fla. Stat. Ch. 718 and homeowners' associations under Ch. 720) and the insurance and flood exposure that comes with a coastal address.

Condominium law has been transformed by the Surfside tragedy, and Hollywood's beachfront high-rises are squarely affected. After the 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in neighboring Miami-Dade, the Legislature enacted sweeping condo-safety reforms (Senate Bill 4-D and follow-on legislation): buildings three stories or higher must undergo milestone structural inspections at 30 years of age, or at 25 YEARS if within three miles of the coast, which captures essentially every oceanfront and near-coast Hollywood tower, and every 10 years thereafter, and associations must complete a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) and FULLY FUND reserves for major structural components, reserves boards can no longer waive. The practical result across Hollywood Beach has been large special assessments, sharply higher monthly dues, and difficult financial choices for some older buildings. Any Hollywood condo purchase now requires careful review of the association's milestone-inspection status, the SIRS and reserve funding, the budget and any pending or looming special assessments, litigation and insurance status, and the meeting minutes, because a bargain unit in an underfunded, aging beachfront building can carry six-figure assessment exposure. The statutory buyer's right to review condo documents during the cancellation period matters more than ever.

Property taxes and homestead protection are central to Florida ownership. Florida has no state income tax and funds local government largely through property taxes; the Broward County Property Appraiser (115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale FL 33301; 954-357-6830; bcpa.net) assesses value each year, and combined millage (county, City of Hollywood, school, and special districts) produces the tax bill. Florida's homestead exemption gives a primary residence up to $50,000 in exemptions (a base $25,000 plus an additional $25,000 that does not apply to school taxes), and the Save Our Homes cap limits annual increases in a homestead's assessed value to 3 percent or the CPI, whichever is lower, a powerful protection in appreciating coastal Hollywood that can be PORTED to a new Florida homestead. Additional exemptions exist for seniors, veterans, disabled persons, and surviving spouses. Homestead status also carries Florida's strong CONSTITUTIONAL creditor protection, a homestead up to one-half acre in a municipality is shielded from forced sale by most creditors without dollar limit. Owners who think their assessment is too high can petition the Value Adjustment Board, typically by a mid-September deadline, and should file for homestead by March 1 to secure the exemption and the Save Our Homes cap.

Insurance is the defining ownership challenge in Hollywood, and it has become a crisis. Coastal hurricane and windstorm exposure, flood-prone geography that reaches beyond mapped high-risk zones, aging condo and roof stock, and a turbulent carrier market have driven premiums sharply higher and pushed many owners to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state insurer of last resort. Florida homeowners' policies carry percentage-based HURRICANE deductibles (commonly 2 percent of the dwelling's insured value) separate from the standard deductible, and they exclude FLOOD, which in a beach city means separate National Flood Insurance Program or private flood coverage is essential, not optional, and lenders require it in special flood hazard areas. The 2022-2023 reforms (notably Senate Bill 2A) reshaped property claims: they eliminated one-way attorney-fee awards and assignment-of-benefits arrangements for property claims, tightened bad-faith rules, and SHORTENED the deadline to report a hurricane or windstorm claim to generally ONE YEAR from the loss (18 months for a supplemental claim). Wind-mitigation inspections earn premium credits for hurricane-resistant features such as roof straps, impact windows, and roof shape. For a Hollywood buyer, obtaining an insurance quote during the inspection period is now a make-or-break diligence step, because a home can be unaffordable to insure regardless of its price.

Landlord-tenant law, foreclosure, and association disputes round out Hollywood's real-estate landscape. Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. Ch. 83) governs rentals: there is NO rent control (it is preempted by state law), a landlord must give a 3-day notice for nonpayment and a 7-day notice for other lease violations, security-deposit handling and return are regulated on a 15/30-day framework, and evictions proceed through the county court, where a tenant contesting on non-rent grounds must deposit the disputed rent into the court registry, and self-help lockouts and utility shutoffs by landlords are illegal with statutory penalties. Foreclosure in Florida is JUDICIAL, a lender must file a lawsuit with a lis pendens and obtain a court judgment before any public auction (Fla. Stat. Ch. 702), a process that takes many months and gives homeowners real chances to respond, contest standing, seek loss mitigation, or pursue mediation. Association disputes over assessments, liens, fines, architectural rules, and the powerful association lien-and-foreclosure remedy are a large part of the docket, with many condo and HOA matters channeled to mandatory arbitration or pre-suit mediation through the state's Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes. Legal Aid Service of Broward County (954-765-8950) assists income-qualifying tenants and homeowners, and the Broward County Bar Association (954-764-8040) refers to real-estate and community-association specialists.

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