Miami, Florida: Canadian buyer & snowbird guide.

1. Identity card

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 2024, Florida Realtors county reports 2026, Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser certified millage 2025, Florida Department of Revenue.

2. Who this city suits

The decision to buy in Miami is not interchangeable with the decision to buy in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, or Naples. The price points, the lifestyle, and the regulatory regime are different enough that confusing the markets costs Canadian buyers real money. The four blocks below state who this city is for, who it is not for, what is at stake, and what to retain.

This city suits

A Canadian who wants the highest level of urban density in Florida, with restaurants, culture, business amenities, and international air connectivity at the level of New York or Toronto rather than at the level of a coastal town. The classic Miami buyer is an urban professional or semi-retired executive who values walkability over beach access, who is comfortable spending 600,000 to 1,500,000 USD on a Brickell or Edgewater condo, and who accepts that this market is institutional, competitive, and dollarized. A Canadian investor who wants exposure to a globally-traded real estate market with international tenant demand belongs here. A Canadian who explicitly wants neighbourhood-grade urban living (Coral Gables, Coconut Grove) with privacy, mature trees, and ranking schools also belongs here, at higher price points (single-family homes routinely above 1,200,000 USD in those neighbourhoods).

This city does not suit

A snowbird who specifically wants to winter in a French-Canadian community. The historic French-speaking Quebec community in South Florida is concentrated in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, and Dania Beach, which are in Broward County, north of Miami-Dade. The City of Miami proper has international diversity, not Quebec community density. A buyer looking for budget snowbird inventory below 350,000 USD will find a thin and aging supply in Miami compared with Hollywood, Pompano Beach, or Cape Coral. A buyer who plans to operate short-term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO) without verifying zoning will likely buy an unrentable unit: the City of Miami restricts STR to specific transit zones (T5, T6) and Miami Beach effectively bans them in most single-family residential zones.

Why this matters for Canadians

Three financial consequences flow from these distinctions. First, Miami-Dade has the highest effective property tax rate of any major Florida county, with a combined millage rate of approximately 20.03 mills for the City of Miami, which translates to roughly 2.0 percent of fair market value per year (Miami-Dade Property Appraiser, 2025 adopted rates). A Canadian non-resident does not benefit from the homestead exemption (50,000 USD off taxable value) or from the Save Our Homes 3 percent cap, so the effective tax burden is materially higher than for a Floridian neighbour in the same building. Second, Miami sits inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which adds approximately 10 to 15 percent to construction costs and to insurance premiums versus inland Florida (Florida Building Code Section 1609). Third, the short-term rental regime is fragmented across three layers (state DBPR license, Miami-Dade Certificate of Use, City of Miami zoning and Business Tax Receipt), with fines that start at 20,000 USD for first violations in some zoning categories. None of these costs is visible in the listing price.

What to retain

Miami is a serious urban real estate market with serious carrying costs. For a Canadian buyer, the entry ticket starts around 400,000 USD for a downtown condo with high HOA fees, around 650,000 USD for a single-family home in a working-class neighbourhood, and well above 1,000,000 USD for anything in Brickell, Coconut Grove, or Coral Gables. The market is dollar-denominated, internationally bid, and structurally more expensive to hold than the snowbird belt in Broward County. Buy here if you want the city. Buy further north if you want winter housing for the lowest cost per month.

3. Climate and seasonality

Miami has a tropical monsoon climate with a wet season running roughly from May through October and a dry season from November through April. The dry season is when Canadians arrive. Average daily highs sit around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in January and around 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) in July and August, with night-time lows rarely below 15 degrees Celsius in winter (NOAA climate normals, Miami International Airport station). Relative humidity averages 70 to 75 percent year-round. Annual rainfall is approximately 1,600 mm (63 inches), concentrated in the wet season.

Hurricane exposure

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with peak risk concentrated in August, September, and October. Miami sits on the southeast Atlantic coast of Florida, directly exposed to systems tracking westward across the Atlantic basin.

Verified fact: Hurricane Andrew made landfall on August 24, 1992, on Elliott Key and then near Homestead, approximately 40 km south of downtown Miami, as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 165 mph (NOAA reanalysis 2004; National Hurricane Center). Andrew destroyed roughly 25,000 homes in southern Miami-Dade and triggered the post-1992 rewrite of the Florida Building Code that established the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Hurricane Wilma in October 2005 crossed South Florida as a Category 3 and caused widespread damage from wind and tornadoes. Hurricane Irma in September 2017 brushed Miami as a tropical storm at the coast and caused 4 to 6 feet of surge-driven flooding in the Brickell area. Source: NOAA Historical Hurricane Tracks; Miami-Dade Local Mitigation Strategy.

High season vs low season

For real estate, the buying season concentrates from October through April when Canadian and Northeast US capital is on the ground. Summer is slower but not dormant: Latin American buyers, who account for a significant share of the international market, do not follow the same seasonality. For rental yields, the high season for short-term and seasonal rentals runs from December through April, with peak rates in February and March around Art Basel, the Miami Open, and Spring Break.

Seasonal vs permanent population

The City of Miami's resident population is largely permanent. The seasonal swing in Miami is more pronounced in beach municipalities (Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Surfside) and in the snowbird belt north of Miami-Dade. Miami-Dade County is the largest county in Florida with approximately 2.9 million residents (Census 2024 estimates), and the metropolitan area is projected to reach 7.5 million by 2040.

4. Canadian presence

The City of Miami proper does not have a dense French-Canadian enclave comparable to Hollywood or Hallandale Beach. Miami's international community is overwhelmingly Latin American and European, with Cuban, Venezuelan, Colombian, Argentine, French, and Italian populations all in the tens of thousands. The Canadian presence in Miami exists but is distributed across the urban core and the upscale residential neighbourhoods, not concentrated in identifiable buildings or districts.

Typical range: The French consulate in Miami has estimated approximately 35,000 French citizens in Florida, with more than 10,000 French-born residents and nearly 70,000 people of French heritage across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties combined (French consulate Miami; Census data). These figures include French nationals from France, not Quebec or other French-Canadian origins specifically.

The Quebec snowbird community of approximately 500,000 to 700,000 winter visitors per year to Florida (Statistics Canada, tourism studies cited in academic work on Floribec) overwhelmingly winters in Broward and Palm Beach counties, not in Miami proper. The historic destination of choice in the 1970s and 1980s, Sunny Isles Beach and Surfside, lost most of its budget motel inventory to luxury high-rise development through the 1990s and 2000s, pushing the French-Canadian community northward to Hollywood and Hallandale Beach.

Where Canadians do concentrate in greater Miami

The most established Canadian snowbird buildings are not in the City of Miami but in adjacent municipalities. Sunny Isles Beach hosts the largest established Canadian community in the immediate Miami area, with several oceanfront buildings (Trump-branded towers, Acqualina, Porto Vita area) carrying significant Canadian ownership shares. Aventura, north of the city, has notable Canadian families particularly in its country club communities (Turnberry Isle, Williams Island).

Opinion: For a Canadian buyer specifically looking for a Quebec-speaking community with French-language services, daily proximity to other Quebec snowbirds, and the cultural references of "Petit Québec", the City of Miami is not the right destination. The closest neighbourhood that fits that brief is Hollywood Beach in Broward County, approximately 20 to 30 minutes by car north of downtown Miami. For a Canadian buyer who wants Florida exposure with international cosmopolitan amenities and is comfortable operating in English or Spanish, Miami offers depth that Hollywood does not.

French-language media and services

Le Courrier des Amériques (founded 2013 as Le Courrier de Floride, renamed 2020) is the principal French-language newspaper in Florida and distributes through French consulates, French stores, and schools, with operations covering the Miami area. Le Soleil de la Floride and Le Journal de la Floride serve the Quebec snowbird community concentrated north of Miami. The Facebook group "Les Snowbirds de Québec en Floride" reports approximately 90,000 members (The Walrus, 2025 reporting). The Canadian Consulate General in Miami operates at 200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 1600, and serves the entire State of Florida.

Bilingual healthcare

Major hospitals in Miami-Dade routinely employ bilingual staff in English-Spanish, less consistently in English-French. Jackson Memorial Hospital, Baptist Health South Florida, and the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) operate the largest networks. For French-speaking Canadians, the most reliable approach is to seek physicians through the Canadian Snowbird Association's referral network or through the French consulate's list of registered francophone medical professionals.

5. Real estate market

5a. Current snapshot (March 2026)

Verified fact: For Miami-Dade County in March 2026, the median single-family home sale price was 674,000 USD, up 10.61 percent year-over-year, and the median condominium sale price was 445,000 USD, up 1.73 percent year-over-year (MIAMI Association of Realtors, March 2026 statistics). For the City of Miami specifically, the median home sale price was 680,000 USD, with homes selling after a median 108 days on market and a median sale-price-per-square-foot of 537 USD (Redfin, City of Miami market data, March 2026).

Total active listings in Miami-Dade declined 7.9 percent year-over-year in March 2026, the second consecutive monthly decline since September 2023. Single-family inventory dropped 7.44 percent year-over-year to 4,902 active listings. Condo inventory declined for the second consecutive month. Months' supply indicates a balanced single-family market at approximately 6.2 months and a buyer's market for condos at approximately 13.4 months (MIAMI Association of Realtors, February 2026).

5b. Historical price trends

Verified fact: Miami-Dade single-family home prices have risen 290.3 percent since 2011, from a median of 172,700 USD to 674,000 USD in March 2026. Single-family prices have increased in 170 of the last 172 months as of March 2026. Condo prices in Miami-Dade have stayed even or increased in 164 of the last 178 months covering 14.8 years. Source: MIAMI Association of Realtors, March 2026 statistics.

Over a ten-year window, Miami-Dade single-family median prices have risen approximately 154 percent (from approximately 269,000 USD in February 2016 to 685,000 USD in February 2026). Source: Miami Association of Realtors, February 2026 housing report.

5c. External shocks and how to read the numbers

Opinion, to flag as opinion: A 10-year price chart on its own is misleading without the external shocks that drove it. Four events shaped today's Miami numbers, and a Canadian buyer who reads only the trend line without the context will overpay.

The 2020 to 2022 COVID-era boom drove approximately 35 to 50 percent price appreciation in 24 months across Miami-Dade, fuelled by wealth migration from California, New York, and Illinois, and by a generationally low mortgage rate environment. Miami absorbed an unusually large share of high-net-worth refugees from high-tax states, and the inventory pressure compressed transaction timing to days, not months. That phase ended in 2022.

The 2022 to 2024 mortgage rate hike (Federal Funds Rate from 0.25 percent to 5.50 percent) cut affordability materially. Buyers requiring financing lost approximately 30 to 40 percent of purchasing power in 18 months. Cash buyers, who represent more than half of Miami-Dade transactions in some segments, absorbed the gap. Cash sales accounted for 62.8 percent of all Palm Beach County existing condo sales in 2026 and similar shares of Miami condo activity (MIAMI Realtors). The result is a market where prices held while transaction volumes contracted, particularly in the financing-dependent segments.

The Florida insurance crisis since 2022 increased homeowners' insurance premiums materially across the state, with HVHZ counties (Miami-Dade, Broward) hit hardest. The combined effect of the insurance reset and the rate hikes is a higher carrying cost than a 2020-vintage buyer modelled, which feeds back into resale pricing.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida in September 2022, not in Miami, and did not directly damage Miami real estate. However, the post-Ian insurance market repricing extended statewide and increased Miami premiums regardless of Miami's lack of direct damage. Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 likewise made landfall on the Gulf Coast and did not directly affect Miami.

Practical conclusion: The raw price chart for Miami over five years overstates the underlying appreciation if read literally. A meaningful share of the 60 to 75 percent appreciation reflects a one-time wealth-migration event during COVID and the parallel compression of cap rates. Going forward, the rate environment, insurance reset, and post-2022 inventory normalization argue for substantially slower appreciation. Do not extrapolate the 2020-2022 slope.

5d. Local fault lines

Miami's neighbourhoods change character sharply at named geographic frontiers. Understanding where the lines are matters for both lifestyle and resale value.

US-1 (South Dixie Highway) running south from downtown is the historic spine of Miami's pre-war development and separates inland working-class neighbourhoods from the bayfront upscale corridor running through Coconut Grove. East of US-1 toward the bay, prices rise sharply. West of US-1, prices drop materially.

The Miami River and the Dolphin Expressway (SR-836) cut the city into a south (Brickell, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables) and a north (Wynwood, Edgewater, Design District, Little Haiti, Liberty City) that have different price trajectories and different demographic profiles. The southern half is more established and more expensive. The northern half has higher gentrification velocity but also higher floodplain exposure in some sub-zones.

Biscayne Boulevard (US-1 / Biscayne Bay corridor) is the spine of the bayfront and concentrates the highest-density and highest-priced new condo construction. East of Biscayne Boulevard, the next blocks are bay-facing condos with significant flood exposure. West of Biscayne, the city transitions into older, mid-rise inventory.

The Brickell/Downtown boundary at the Miami River separates the financial-district condo market (Brickell) from the lower-priced legacy condo and conversion inventory of downtown Miami. Within Brickell, the boundary between Brickell Key (a small island east of the mainland) and the rest of Brickell isolates a premium-priced niche market with limited supply.

5e. Neighbourhoods to know

Brickell: Miami's financial district and the city's densest high-rise condo market. Walkable urban core with restaurants, retail (Brickell City Centre, Mary Brickell Village), and offices. Median condo prices in Brickell are higher than the City of Miami average, typically 600,000 to 1,200,000 USD for one-bedrooms in newer buildings and well above for two-bedrooms with bay views. Best suited to Canadian buyers comfortable with urban density who want city living over beach living. HOA fees are high (typically 1.00 to 1.50 USD per square foot per month).

Edgewater: Between downtown and the Design District, with new high-rise condo construction over the past decade. Walkability is improving but still less than Brickell. Bayfront views in newer buildings (Missoni Baia, Biscayne Beach, Aria on the Bay). Prices typically 500,000 to 900,000 USD for new-construction one and two-bedrooms, with luxury penthouses pushing well above. Significant flood exposure on the bay side.

Coconut Grove: South of Brickell along Biscayne Bay. Mature trees, low-density single-family homes, walkable village core, top private schools, and access to the Coral Reef Yacht Club and Dinner Key Marina. Median single-family home prices typically 1,200,000 USD and well above for waterfront. The neighbourhood is preferred by Canadian families and semi-retired professionals who want suburban privacy with urban access.

Coral Gables: West of Coconut Grove, master-planned in the 1920s with Mediterranean Revival architecture. Home to the University of Miami, multiple consulates, and the Biltmore Hotel. Family-oriented, top schools, gated and non-gated single-family inventory. Median home prices typically 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 USD with waterfront properties materially higher. Preferred by Canadian buyers seeking established suburban living with strong school assignments.

Wynwood: North of downtown, formerly a warehouse district, now Miami's art-and-design hub. Loft conversions, new mixed-use development, and the Wynwood Walls public art. Primarily a rental and small-condo market with limited single-family inventory. Best suited to younger Canadian investors or part-time owners comfortable with urban grittiness.

Design District: North of Wynwood, anchored by luxury retail (Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Cartier) and high-end restaurants. New residential development is high-priced (typically 1,000,000 USD and above). A niche market for buyers wanting walking-distance access to luxury retail.

Little Havana: West of Brickell, historic Cuban-American neighbourhood with traditional retail, restaurants, and Calle Ocho. Median single-family prices are materially lower than in Coconut Grove or Coral Gables, typically 500,000 to 700,000 USD, but the housing stock is older and the gentrification curve is still in early phases.

Key Biscayne: Island connected to mainland Miami by a toll causeway, with low-rise residential, Crandon Park, and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Materially less Canadian presence than the snowbird belt in Broward, more local Floridian families and Latin American buyers. Single-family home prices typically well above 2,000,000 USD with waterfront materially higher.

5f. Special mentions

Senate Bill 4-D (SB-4D) and condo milestone inspections: Florida's post-Surfside reform of condo safety law applies to all condominium buildings three or more stories tall once they reach 30 years of age (or 25 years within 3 miles of saltwater). Miami and Miami-Dade have a very large inventory of condo buildings exceeding the 30-year threshold, particularly in Brickell legacy buildings, downtown, and the older parts of Edgewater. Canadian buyers considering condos older than 30 years should obtain the milestone inspection report, the structural integrity reserve study, and the most recent reserve schedule before signing. Special assessments tied to milestone repairs in older Miami condo buildings have ranged from 20,000 USD to well over 100,000 USD per unit in known cases. See SB-4D condo milestone inspections for the full mechanism.

International buyer concentration: Miami is the leading metro for international buyers of US residential real estate. The MIAMI Realtors November 2025 Global Sales Report documented buyers from 73 countries. International buyers purchased 49 percent of new South Florida construction over an 18-month period ending July 2025. This international demand cushions price floors in downturns and competes with Canadian buyers in the same price segments.

6. Total cost of ownership

6a. Worked example, single-family home and condo

Verified fact and Typical range: The following two scenarios use the March 2026 median sale prices and the 2025 adopted City of Miami millage rate.

Scenario A: Single-family home at 680,000 USD (Coconut Grove or western Coral Gables comparable)

• Purchase price: 680,000 USD
• Estimated assessed value (year 1, non-homestead): approximately 578,000 USD (assuming 85 percent assessed-to-market ratio per Florida just-value practice; varies by parcel)
• Taxable value (no homestead exemption available to Canadian non-resident): 578,000 USD
• Property tax at 20.0332 mills: approximately 11,580 USD per year
• Homeowners insurance HO-3, HVHZ rated: 6,000 to 10,000 USD per year (Typical range, varies significantly by build year, roof age, impact rating, claims history)
• Flood insurance NFIP, AE zone (likely for inland Coconut Grove): 1,500 to 3,500 USD per year (Typical range)
• Pool service: 1,200 to 2,160 USD per year (100 to 180 USD per month)
• Lawn service: 1,200 to 2,400 USD per year
• Pest control: 360 to 960 USD per year
• HVAC bi-annual service: 200 USD per year
• Hurricane preparation (shutters, supplies): 300 to 600 USD per year amortized
• Approximate annualized total: 22,000 to 32,000 USD per year, or approximately 30,000 to 43,500 CAD per year at a 1 USD = 1.36 CAD rate (Typical range, rate varies)

Scenario B: Brickell condo at 600,000 USD

• Purchase price: 600,000 USD
• Estimated assessed value (year 1, non-homestead): approximately 510,000 USD
• Property tax at 20.0332 mills (Brickell is inside City of Miami): approximately 10,220 USD per year
• HO-6 condo unit-owner insurance: 1,500 to 3,500 USD per year (Typical range)
• Flood insurance: if mid- or high-floor in HVHZ-rated building, often not required; if required, NFIP rate depends on zone
• HOA fees: typically 1,200 to 2,000 USD per month for newer Brickell buildings with amenities, so 14,400 to 24,000 USD per year
• Reserve assessments (post-SB4D): variable, plan for 2,000 to 5,000 USD per year contingency on older buildings
• Approximate annualized total: 28,000 to 45,000 USD per year, or approximately 38,000 to 61,200 CAD per year

The condo carrying cost rivals or exceeds the single-family carrying cost despite the lower purchase price, driven by HOA fees and reserve contributions.

6b. Calculator inputs

The interactive Total Cost of Ownership Calculator on this page accepts the following inputs: purchase price (USD), property type (single-family, condo, townhouse), resident status (Florida resident eligible for homestead, Florida resident not eligible, non-resident Canadian). It applies the following Miami-specific data:

• Total millage rate, City of Miami: 20.0332 mills (2025 adopted)
• Miami-Dade County operating millage portion: see Miami-Dade Property Appraiser breakdown
• Miami-Dade Public Schools portion: included in the 20.03 total
• Assessed-to-market ratio: 0.85 default (year 1, non-homesteaded)
• Non-Homestead Cap: 10 percent maximum annual assessed-value increase after year 1 (Florida Statute 193.155)
• Total sales tax rate: 7.0 percent (6 percent Florida state + 1 percent Miami-Dade discretionary surtax, Florida Department of Revenue 2026)

For neighbouring municipalities within Miami-Dade (Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Doral, Aventura, Hialeah, Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour), the millage rate differs and must be looked up separately on the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser portal.

6c. Homestead exemption and Save Our Homes

This calculation assumes the buyer is a Canadian non-resident of Florida and does not qualify for either the homestead exemption (which reduces taxable value by 50,000 USD and is reserved for Florida primary residents) or for the Save Our Homes 3 percent annual cap on homestead-property assessment increases. A Canadian non-resident benefits only from the Non-Homestead 10 percent annual cap on assessed-value increases after year 1, which is materially weaker than the homestead 3 percent cap. The practical result: the same Brickell condo carries a roughly 30 to 50 percent higher effective property tax burden for a Canadian non-resident than for a Floridian neighbour who has held the same unit under homestead and Save Our Homes for more than ten years. See Florida Homestead exemption and Save Our Homes 3 % cap for the full comparison.

7. Physical risks

Hurricane risk

Verified fact: Miami is rated under Florida Building Code Section 1609 as part of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which covers only Miami-Dade and Broward counties. HVHZ buildings must be designed for ultimate design wind speeds of 175 mph or higher (Risk Category II). All windows, doors, garage doors, roofing systems, and exterior products must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA), which certifies compliance with the Large Missile Impact Test (TAS 201/202/203). HVHZ construction adds approximately 10 to 15 percent to building cost compared with the same home in inland Florida, but also reduces insurance premiums materially compared with non-compliant inventory. Source: Florida Building Code 2023, Section 1609; Miami-Dade NOA system.

Verified fact: The maximum recorded hurricane to make landfall in Miami-Dade County is Hurricane Andrew, August 24, 1992, Category 5 at landfall on Elliott Key and at Homestead with sustained winds of 165 mph (NOAA reanalysis 2004). Andrew destroyed roughly 25,000 homes in southern Miami-Dade. Hurricane Wilma, October 24, 2005, crossed Miami-Dade as a Category 3 with sustained winds of approximately 105 mph at peak inland. Hurricane Irma, September 2017, brushed the Miami coast at tropical storm intensity, with maximum landfall further south in the Keys at Category 4. Source: NOAA Historical Hurricane Tracks; National Hurricane Center.

Storm surge zones

Miami's bayfront and oceanfront sub-zones face storm surge risk in stronger hurricanes. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, the Brickell area experienced 4 to 6 feet of surge-driven flooding, and storm surge of 3 to 5 feet travelled 1 to 2 blocks inland along the Biscayne Bay shoreline from Homestead to downtown Miami and Brickell. Isolated spots in Coconut Grove and Brickell registered storm surge inundation greater than 6 feet (Miami-Dade Local Mitigation Strategy, NFIP/CRS report).

FEMA flood zones

Miami has substantial coverage by FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). Designations range from AE zones (1 percent annual flood probability with base flood elevations) and VE zones (coastal flood with wave hazards) in waterfront sub-areas to X zones (moderate to low risk) inland. Specific zones must be looked up by address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov) or via the Miami-Dade Flood Zone Maps Application.

Typical range: Flood insurance premiums for AE-zone properties under NFIP typically run from 1,500 to 4,000 USD per year for single-family homes, scaling materially higher for VE-zone oceanfront and for high-value coverage. For low-floor condos in AE/VE zones, NFIP premiums of 2,000 to 6,000 USD per year are common.

HVHZ status

Miami-Dade County is fully inside the HVHZ. Wind-Borne Debris Region (WBDR) is irrelevant here because the HVHZ requirements supersede and exceed the WBDR baseline.

Pre-FBC housing stock

Typical range: A material share of Miami's single-family housing stock predates the 2002 post-Andrew Florida Building Code rewrite, particularly in Little Havana, Allapattah, Liberty City, Overtown, and the older parts of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove. Pre-FBC homes carry materially higher hurricane risk and insurance premiums regardless of construction material. A Canadian buyer should obtain a four-point inspection, a wind mitigation inspection, and a roof age verification on any home built before 2002, and should expect insurance quotes 30 to 70 percent higher than for FBC-compliant inventory.

Sinkholes

Sinkholes are not a meaningful risk in Miami. Sinkhole-prone karst geology in Florida is concentrated in central and west-central Florida (Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Marion counties). Miami-Dade's limestone bedrock is stable.

8. Rental investment

The short-term rental regulatory regime in Miami is fragmented across three layers, and Canadian investors who skip the verification step often buy unrentable units.

Short-term rental rules (under 30 days)

1. Does the city ban, restrict, or allow STR?

Verified fact: The City of Miami permits short-term rentals only in specific Miami 21 transit zones (primarily T4, T5, T6, and Civic Institutional CI-HD zones). STR is not permitted in standard single-family residential zones (T3) regardless of homeowner intent. The city maintains a "Apartment Hotel" category for units operating in T4, T5, and CI-HD zones. Source: City of Miami zoning code (Miami 21).

1. Is a municipal STR license required and what does it cost?

The City of Miami requires a Business Tax Receipt (BTR) and a Certificate of Use (CU) before listing. Miami-Dade County also requires its own Certificate of Use (approximately 36.70 USD plus a property inspection at approximately 89.97 USD plus a 9.50 USD surcharge). The Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license is also required (170 USD annual full-year fee plus 50 USD application fee). All three layers are independent.

1. Are there neighbourhood or zoning limits?

Yes. STR is permitted in specific transit zones only. In Estate or Low Density Residential zones, the responsible party must reside in the property for more than six months per calendar year. Verification by Miami-Dade County zoning permits section: (786) 315-2660.

1. Tourist Development Tax (TDT) applicable and rate

Verified fact: For City of Miami short-term rentals, the Miami-Dade County tax stack on transient rental amounts is 6 percent total: 3 percent Convention Development Tax plus 3 percent Tourist Development Tax (or equivalent county levies, varying by municipality within the county). Bal Harbour, Surfside, and Miami Beach impose different rate structures, with Miami Beach at 7 percent county portion plus a 4 percent Resort Tax. Source: Miami-Dade County Tourist and Restaurant Taxes; Florida Department of Revenue Form DR-15TDT.

1. Florida Sales Tax plus surtax

Verified fact: 6 percent Florida state sales tax plus 1 percent Miami-Dade discretionary sales surtax (which applies only to the first 5,000 USD of any single transaction) applies on top of the county tourist development taxes. Platforms (Airbnb, VRBO) collect the state and county taxes for most listings under platform agreements. The host remains responsible for any taxes not collected by the platform.

Total Miami STR tax burden on rental amount: typically 13 percent (6 percent FL state + 1 percent surtax + 6 percent county TDT/CDT). Miami Beach STR tax burden: typically 14 percent (6 + 1 + 3 county CDT + 4 Resort Tax). Last verified: May 2026.

1. Do HOAs and condos add restrictions?

Yes. Almost all Miami condominium associations have their own STR rules in their declaration of condominium or in board rules. Many Brickell, Edgewater, and downtown buildings prohibit rentals shorter than 6 or 12 months. A unit owner with all city, county, and state STR licenses can still be in violation of the condominium documents and face HOA fines or injunction. Always verify the condo's STR rule in writing before purchase.

Long-term rental rules

Long-term rentals (12 months or longer with written lease) are not subject to the STR regulatory stack. They are governed by Florida Statutes Chapter 83 (Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), which is materially landlord-friendlier than Quebec's Tribunal administratif du logement framework. Rent is uncapped. Eviction timelines are shorter (typically 21 to 45 days from non-payment to eviction order). Security deposits are commonly one month's rent for non-furnished and higher for furnished.

Typical rental yields

Typical range: Gross long-term rental yields in Miami sit at approximately 4 to 6 percent on Brickell and Edgewater condos at current price levels, before HOA, insurance, taxes, and management. Net yields after all carrying costs are commonly 1.5 to 3.0 percent. Short-term rental gross yields in compliant zones can reach 8 to 12 percent, but net yields after professional management (typically 20 to 25 percent of gross), STR taxes, and operational costs are typically in the 3 to 5 percent range.

Seasonal vs annual demand

Long-term rental demand in Miami is year-round and stable, driven by the local employment base. Short-term rental demand peaks December through April with secondary peaks around Art Basel (early December) and the Miami Open (late March). Summer occupancy is materially weaker.

9. Daily life

9a. Healthcare

Major hospitals serving Miami include Jackson Memorial Hospital (the largest public hospital in Florida and the principal academic medical centre, affiliated with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine), Baptist Health South Florida (a large nonprofit network with Baptist Hospital and South Miami Hospital), and the University of Miami Health System (UHealth, with academic specialty care).

For urgent (non-emergency) care, MD Now Urgent Care and CareSpot operate multiple locations across Miami-Dade. For non-emergency walk-in primary care, Publix Healthcare clinics and CVS MinuteClinic offer basic services. Use of any of these as a Canadian snowbird requires upfront cash payment or US-issued insurance, with reimbursement claimed against Canadian travel insurance separately. See [LIEN-CHAP-SANTE] for the cross-border health framework.

Bilingual French providers are not concentrated in any one network in Miami. The French consulate maintains a list of registered francophone medical professionals serving Miami-Dade.

9b. Canadian banks

RBC Bank (US subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada), TD Bank, and BMO operate physical branches in the Miami metro. RBC Bank's primary Miami presence is concentrated through its cross-border banking division for Canadian snowbirds. TD Bank has multiple branches across Miami-Dade. BMO operates in select Miami locations. See [LIEN-BANQUES-CANADIENNES] for the full cross-border banking framework.

9c. Walkability

Brickell and downtown Miami are the most walkable parts of the City of Miami, with WalkScore ratings in the 80 to 95 range and access to the free Metromover transit loop and the Metrorail south to Coral Gables, the airport, and Dadeland. Most of the city outside the urban core is car-dependent (WalkScore typically 30 to 50). Suburban neighbourhoods like Coconut Grove and Coral Gables have walkable village cores within larger car-dependent areas.

9d. Access from Canada

Miami International Airport (MIA) is the primary airport, located 13 to 25 minutes from most Miami neighbourhoods depending on traffic. MIA is a global hub with direct flights to dozens of Canadian destinations.

Verified fact: As of May 2026, weekly direct flight counts from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to MIA include approximately 35 Air Canada, 14 American Airlines, 10 Porter Airlines, 6 Flair Airlines, and 5 WestJet flights, for a total of approximately 70 direct flights per week (Google Flights data, May 2026). Air Transat operates direct YUL-MIA service in high season. Direct flights operate year-round from YYZ, YUL, and seasonally from YOW (Ottawa). Source: Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, Air Transat, and Flair scheduled service.

Alternative airports for the Miami area:

• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL): approximately 45 minutes north of downtown Miami in light traffic, often 60 to 90 minutes in rush hour. Multiple direct flights from YYZ, YUL, and YOW. WestJet operates 5 direct FLL-YYZ flights weekly.
• Palm Beach International (PBI): approximately 90 minutes north of Miami in normal traffic. Direct flights from YYZ, YUL, and YOW in high season via Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat.

9e. Major highways and regional access

I-95 runs north-south along the Atlantic side of South Florida from Miami to Maine. From downtown Miami: north to Fort Lauderdale 35 km, north to Palm Beach 110 km. The Florida Turnpike (toll road) parallels I-95 inland and continues north through Orlando. The Dolphin Expressway (SR-836, toll) connects the airport to downtown. The Palmetto Expressway (SR-826, toll) provides the inner ring around Miami-Dade.

I-75 runs west from Miami across Alligator Alley (a toll segment) to Naples and Fort Myers (approximately 2 hours from Miami).

US-1 (Biscayne Boulevard / South Dixie Highway) runs south through the city, into the Keys (Key Largo approximately 1.5 hours from Miami, Key West approximately 4 hours).

Public transit within Miami is limited compared with Canadian peer cities. Metrorail and Metromover serve a narrow corridor through Brickell, downtown, and southern Miami-Dade. Buses cover broader areas but are not commuter-grade. Most residents drive.

10. City-specific traps

1. Buying a Brickell condo over 30 years old without reading the milestone inspection report (SB-4D). Many of these buildings face special assessments of 30,000 to 100,000 USD per unit or more for structural repairs identified during the inspection. The seller is required to disclose, but the report is not always available or recent. Insist on the structural integrity reserve study and the latest reserve schedule before signing.

1. Confusing the City of Miami with Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Aventura, or Coral Gables. These are independent municipalities with different millage rates, different STR rules, and different building codes. A property in Sunny Isles Beach is not subject to City of Miami zoning. A budget Brickell quote does not apply to a Miami Beach property.

1. Assuming the homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap will apply. A Canadian non-resident cannot claim either. The effective annual property tax burden on a Brickell condo is materially higher for a Canadian owner than for a long-tenured homestead-owning Florida resident neighbour in the same building.

1. Underestimating the HOA in Brickell, Edgewater, and downtown condos. Newer luxury Brickell buildings carry HOA fees of 1,200 to 2,500 USD per month before any reserve assessment. Combined with insurance, taxes, and the post-SB4D reserve contributions, the all-in monthly carry on a 600,000 USD condo can exceed 4,000 USD.

1. Trying to short-term rent without verifying transit zone classification. The City of Miami restricts STR to T4, T5, T6, and CI-HD zones. Operating in T3 single-family residential zones triggers fines starting at high levels. Always verify the property's transect zone on the Miami 21 zoning map before relying on STR cash flow projections.

1. Buying a pre-FBC home (built before 2002) without a wind mitigation inspection. Pre-FBC inventory carries insurance premiums 30 to 70 percent higher than FBC-compliant homes. Insurers may decline coverage outright on older roofs (typically over 15 years).

1. Operating in Miami Beach assuming Miami's zoning rules apply. Miami Beach has its own Resiliency Code prohibiting STR for periods of less than six months and one day in single-family homes and in many multi-family buildings in designated areas. Fines for unlicensed operation start at 20,000 USD for first violations in some zones.

1. Overestimating English-French bilingual service availability. Miami's bilingual service infrastructure is overwhelmingly English-Spanish. A Canadian who specifically needs French-language daily services (groceries, medical, real estate, financial) will find materially better coverage 30 minutes north in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, and Dania Beach.

11. Owner's toolkit

Permits and construction

City of Miami permitting portal: https://www.miami.gov/My-Government/Departments/Building. Permits are required for roof replacement, electrical changes, plumbing changes, structural changes, pools, fences, and exterior work. Typical approval timelines for routine residential permits run 4 to 12 weeks. Miami-Dade County issues the underlying contractor licenses through its Construction Trades Qualifying Board.

Property taxes

Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser: https://www.miamidadepa.gov/ (assessed values, exemptions, market estimates). Miami-Dade County Tax Collector: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/taxcollector/home.page (bills, payment).

Florida annual property tax calendar: notice mailed approximately November 1, payment with discount of 4 percent if paid in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January, 1 percent in February, full amount by March 31, delinquent April 1.

Code enforcement

City of Miami Code Compliance: 311 (within city) or (305) 416-2087. Online violation lookup via the city's Code Compliance portal.

Utilities

Water and sewer: Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD), https://www.miamidade.gov/water/. Account opening requires proof of ownership or tenancy. Electricity: Florida Power & Light (FPL), https://www.fpl.com. Garbage: City of Miami Solid Waste Department, https://www.miami.gov/services/solid-waste-collection.

Hurricane preparation

Miami-Dade hurricane evacuation zones: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/emergency/zones-evacuation.page (look up by address). Sandbag distribution: Miami-Dade Emergency Management coordinates pre-storm sandbag distribution through municipal sites. Locations announced via Miami-Dade Alerts.

Emergency numbers

• All emergencies (police, fire, medical): 911
• Miami-Dade Non-Emergency Police: (305) 476-5423
• Miami Fire Rescue Non-Emergency: (305) 416-1700
• Jackson Memorial Hospital Emergency: (305) 585-1111

12. Further reading

For Canadian-specific cross-border topics tied to a Miami purchase or sale, see FIRPTA, 15 % withholding on US property sales by foreign persons (15 percent withholding on Canadian sellers), Florida Homestead exemption (full homestead exemption mechanics and why Canadians are ineligible), Save Our Homes 3 % cap (the 3 percent annual cap), SB-4D condo milestone inspections (condo milestone inspections), East vs West vs Central Florida, Florida's three zones for Canadians (east coast vs west coast vs central Florida market comparison), and Choosing a Florida city as a Canadian, 7-step journey (the Canadian buyer's decision framework across Florida cities).

For the cross-jurisdictional tax and legal frame, see [LIEN-CHAPITRE-ACQUISITION], [LIEN-CHAPITRE-POSSESSION], [LIEN-CHAPITRE-VENTE], and [LIEN-CHAPITRE-IMMIGRATION].

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