Buying a Naples Condo in 2026: Milestone Inspections, SIRS & Special Assessments Explained

Florida’s response to the 2021 Surfside collapse changed how anyone should buy an older condo — and Naples, with its coastal high-rises, is squarely affected. The good news: the same laws that raise costs also give buyers much better information. Here’s a plain-English 2026 guide. (General information, not legal advice — confirm with a Florida attorney.)

Milestone inspections

For condo/co-op buildings three habitable stories or taller, Florida requires a milestone structural inspection — generally by the time the building turns 30 (a local enforcement agency may require 25 years in some coastal areas; the automatic statewide 25-year/3-mile rule was removed in 2024), then every 10 years. It runs in two phases:

• Phase One — a visual assessment by a licensed engineer/architect. If no substantial structural deterioration is found, that’s it.
• Phase Two — required only if Phase One finds substantial deterioration; may involve testing and a repair timeline.

Associations must share the inspector’s summary with owners. Read it before you buy.

The SIRS (reserves)

A Structural Integrity Reserve Study identifies major components — roof, load-bearing structure, waterproofing, plumbing, electrical, windows/exterior doors, and more — and the reserves to maintain them, on at least a 10-year cadence. The pivotal change: for budgets adopted from January 1, 2025 onward, associations generally can no longer vote to waive or underfund those reserve components. In older, under-reserved buildings, that often means higher monthly fees or special assessments to catch up.

What HB 913 (2025) changed

The 2025 law adjusted the framework with some flexibility:

• SIRS deadline extended (generally end of 2025, or end of 2026 if completed alongside a milestone inspection due by then).
• Reserve-item threshold raised from $10,000 to $25,000.
• Funding options broadened — associations may use loans, lines of credit, or special assessments, and pause reserves in limited, milestone-related circumstances.
• Resale rescission period extended from 3 to 7 days for non-developer sales, and stronger record/website access for owners.

The buyer’s due-diligence checklist

Before you’re committed to an older Naples condo, review:

• the milestone inspection report (and any Phase Two findings/repair status),
• the SIRS and current reserve balances/funding plan,
• the annual budget and recent financial statements,
• recent board meeting minutes (where assessments and repairs surface first),
• and ask, in writing, whether any special assessment is pending or contemplated.

This is exactly the kind of review that separates a great-value coastal condo from an expensive surprise. For the broader process, see our Naples condo buyer’s guide and cost of owning in Naples.

Buying a condo in a beachfront tower (think Park Shore or Pelican Bay)? Reach out — I’ll help you pull and read these documents, and bring in a Florida attorney where it counts.

This is general information about Florida law as of 2026, not legal advice. Condo statutes change and specifics vary by building — verify current requirements with a licensed Florida attorney and the association.

Sources: Florida Statutes 553.899 (milestone inspections) and 718.112 (SIRS), HB 913 (2025) / Chapter 2025-175 and HB 1021 (2024), and Florida legal/industry summaries. Confirm current law and building-specific status with a Florida attorney and the association. Independent guide by The Nicholas Nolan Team at Realty ONE Group MVP.