MIAMI RENTALS
Renting in Miami
Most renters do not use an agent because they assume it costs them money. In Miami it usually does not. Here is how the process actually works, who pays, and what an agent is genuinely useful for.
Who pays
In most Miami rentals the landlord pays the agent, not the tenant. It is typically one month’s rent on an annual lease, or a percentage of the total on a seasonal one.
I only share listings where the landlord pays my fee. That means nothing I send you carries a cost to you, and you do not need to ask about it or check for it. If a property does not work that way, it does not go on your list.
You should never be surprised by a broker fee. Removing that possibility entirely is simpler than explaining it, so that is how I run it.
What an agent is actually for
Anyone can scroll listings. The value is in the parts you cannot see from a listing photo.
Which listings are actually available
Rental inventory goes stale quickly and a good portion of what you find online is already gone or was never quite as advertised. Knowing what is genuinely on the market right now saves most of the wasted time in a rental search.
Minimum lease terms
Buildings set their own minimums and many require six months or longer. If you want a shorter stay, the list of options is short and specific. More on short-term rentals here.
What the building is actually like
Whether the elevators work, whether there is an assessment underway, how the management responds, what the neighbours are like. None of that is in the listing.
Negotiating more than price
Term length, furnishing, parking, pet approval, and move-in dates are all negotiable and often matter more than shaving a hundred dollars off the rent.
Speed
Good inventory in Miami moves quickly, particularly ahead of season. Having someone watching for it and able to move the same day is most of the advantage.
What you will need
Miami is more paperwork-heavy than most rental markets, largely because of condo associations.
For the landlord: proof of income, credit and background check, references, and usually first month, last month and a security deposit. Requirements tighten at higher price points rather than loosening.
For the association: a separate application, a non-refundable fee, and an approval window that can run from a few days to a few weeks. Build this into your timeline. People routinely give notice on their current place assuming they can move in immediately and discover the building needs two weeks.
If you are arriving from abroad: expect additional documentation and possibly a larger deposit in place of US credit history. It is workable, it just needs planning.
Renting before buying
A good share of the people I work with rent first, and I think it is usually the right call if you are new to Miami.
Neighborhoods here vary more than the map suggests, and a year in one tells you things no amount of touring will. Whether you use the beach. Whether the commute works. Whether you want walkable or quiet. Whether summer is a problem for you.
It also means that when you do buy, you are deciding from knowledge rather than from a weekend of showings. If you are relocating, the relocation guide covers the rest of it.
Where I work
About Jack
Jack Mintz is a real estate agent with Compass, based at 1212 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. He works across Miami Beach, Brickell, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Bal Harbour and Edgewater.
A good share of the people he works with rent first and buy later, and he treats the rental as the start of that rather than a transaction on its own.
Looking for a rental?
Tell me the area, the budget, the timing, and whether you need furnished. I will tell you what is realistic and what is not.
Off-market search · Short-term and seasonal rentals · Relocating to Miami