Free Condo Document Review: Found a Tampa or St. Pete condo you like? Send me the listing and I’ll review the HOA budget, reserve study and inspection reports for you. No cost, no obligation. Call or text (940) 206-1931, or request your free review.

For years, sellers held all the cards in the Tampa Bay housing market. Bidding wars, waived inspections, and offers on homes people had never walked through were normal. That has changed. September pending sales hit some of their lowest levels in more than a decade, and in 2026, Tampa and St. Pete buyers are the ones calling the shots.

What buyer leverage looks like right now

Negotiating a lower price, and actually getting it
Asking the seller to cover closing costs
Getting your mortgage rate bought down. With rates around 7.3%, asking a seller to buy you down into the 6s is completely reasonable.
Taking the time you need for inspections instead of rushing

Want to know how much leverage you’d have on a specific home? Send me the address and I’ll tell you what I’d ask for.

Thinking about a condo? Read the fine print

The Tampa condo market has some of the best opportunities for buyers right now. It also has the most homework. Florida’s newer condo safety rules mean associations need structural inspections and fully funded reserves, and that can show up as higher HOA dues or special assessments. Before you buy, I’ll walk you through the association’s budget, the reserve study and the inspection reports line by line, so you know exactly what you’re getting into.

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