Realtors Win Key Policy Changes in Session
Florida Realtors secured condo, flood, and rental reforms, among other things, as lawmakers extended the session to finalize the state budget.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers voted late Friday to extend the 2025 legislative session until June 6 to finalize the state budget, but even with a temporary pause on some issues, Florida Realtors® marked the close of the regular session with a series of hard-fought victories on priorities affecting real estate professionals and property owners.
Some of the highlights from the session include:
Additional transparency in condominium transactions: HB 913 intends to ensure a smooth transition to safer buildings and increased financial health. One provision in the bill is a Realtor® priority designed to improve street address transparency — condominium associations must include approved BOD meeting minutes for the preceding 12 months on their website. This additional information will help prospective purchasers learn of special assessments that have not been formally adopted. The bill also extends a buyer’s right to cancel the contract to seven days after receipt of the governing documents. This increased transparency will help reduce post-closing litigation. Effective: July 1, 2025.
Eliminating negative consequences of lookback periods: SB 180 requires cities and counties to have a webpage dedicated to a hurricane and storm recovery permitting guide for residential and commercial property owners. This guide must include elevation requirements following substantial damage and substantial improvement in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The bill also prohibits local governments participating in the NFIP from adopting or enforcing lookback periods. Effective: July 1, 2025.
Preserve and protect Florida’s state parks: HB 209 updates Florida’s management of state lands by prioritizing conservation-based recreational use, restricting environmentally harmful construction in state parks, and permitting camping cabins only if they do not harm natural resources. Also establishes new timelines for public hearings. Effective: July 1, 2025.
Helping vacation rental owners remove squatters: SB 606 would make it easier for public lodging establishment operators (hotels and vacation rental owners) to remove problem guests by clarifying when a stay is temporary, setting clear removal rules, and allowing police to arrest guests who refuse to leave. Effective: July 1, 2025.
Faster removal of squatters from commercial properties: SB 322 helps commercial property owners remove illegal squatters more easily by letting owners file complaints with the sheriff, allowing immediate evictions, increasing penalties for property damage, and preventing fake property listings. Effective: July 1, 2025.
Making it easier for landlords and tenants to communicate: HB 615 allows landlords and tenants to send notices electronically via email if both parties agree through an addendum to the rental agreement. Either party with written notice may revoke this agreement at any time. Notices are considered delivered when sent unless they are returned as undeliverable. The bill requires the sender to maintain a copy of the electronic notice and evidence of its transmission. Effective: July 1, 2025.
Increasing transparency of flood risk: SB 948 requires landlords to provide the existing seller flood disclosure to tenants at or before they sign a lease for one year or longer. Condominium developers, cooperative developers, and mobile home park owners must also provide the disclosure to prospective purchasers. This disclosure will help renters and buyers make more informed decisions about a property and reduce the number of legal disputes that occur. Effective October 1, 2025.
In addition, in the Legislature’s call for an extension of the 2025 session, lawmakers included SB 110 in the list of bills that can be considered.
SB 110 originally contained Senate President Ben Albritton’s “Rural Renaissance” priority. The House amended the bill last week to eliminate the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) boards and commissions and the continuing education and post-licensing education requirements of numerous DBPR professions. This amendment included the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board (FREAB), and the continuing education and post-licensing education requirements for real estate licensees.
“Florida Realtors will continue to work with lawmakers to discuss the impacts these deregulation actions would have on consumers and the state’s real estate industry,” said 2025 Florida Realtors President Tim Weisheyer, broker-owner, Dream Builders Realty and dbrCommercial Real Estate Services in Central Florida.
For a full recap of the regular 2025 legislative session, including other bills of interest and bills that did not pass, visit our 2025 Legislative Final Report.
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