In This Article
Condos could be the sleeper real estate investment you never thought you needed. If you’re looking to buy a severely discounted asset to capitalize on cash flow, a condo might just be the ticket because nationwide, condos have just experienced their steepest drop in value since 2012, despite house prices continuing to rise.
According to data from financial data and technology company Intercontinental Exchange, as cited by The Wall Street Journal, condo prices plunged in September and October 2025, with the biggest discounts in pricey coastal metros and investor-heavy second-home markets such as Florida.
In Manhattan, a condo-saturated borough, one-third of the condos that changed hands between July 2024 and July 2025 sold at a loss, according to brokerage Brown Harris Stevens.
“The most promising opportunities for condo buying right now are in inner cities and areas with central locations that experienced drastic price adjustments, owing to the trend of remote work. Fairly located properties are available at significant discounts to buyers who do not mind the momentary mood,” real estate expert Andrew Reichek, founder of Bode Builders, told MarketWatch.
A Perfect Storm of Soaring Costs
So what’s the catch? Condos have been caught in a perfect storm of soaring HOA fees and insurance costs stemming from the collapse of Champlain Towers South, a 13-story, 136-unit complex in Surfside, Florida, in June 2021. Additionally, hybrid and remote work has cooled condo demand in urban areas, as workers can move to single-family homes in more affordable areas, dubbed “Zoomtowns” by Business Insider.
Jennifer Roberts, real estate broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg, told MarketWatch:
“Higher HOA and common charge fees and insurance costs are making [some] condos less affordable. Plus, older condo buildings are facing huge assessments and become a money pit. If one has a longer time horizon, it’s a good time to buy where the market is soft to take advantage of negotiating opportunities and being well-positioned for when the market recovers.”
The Condo Malaise Is Nationwide
Condos are also getting hit from the financing side. The Surfside collapse prompted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to increase structural scrutiny of condos, requiring reserve funding for deferred maintenance before approving loans, leading many condo building sponsors and developers to pursue all-cash deals, according to MarketWatch.
And the condo malaise isn’t just limited to Florida and New York. Texas cities Austin and San Antonio are experiencing a supply glut, forcing prices down, according to the Journal. Meanwhile, West Coast cities San Francisco and Portland are still reeling from the pandemic’s damage to their downtowns.
A Golden Opportunity
This delicate situation may encourage deep-pocketed investors, such as Wall Street heavyweights facing a ban by President Trump from buying single-family houses, to purchase condos for cash instead, though it’s too early to speculate. What is not debatable is that deeply discounted condos present a golden opportunity for potential landlord investors, provided they can navigate the additional costs of ownership and offset them with low mortgage payments and high rents.
Former Owner-Occupants Turned Landlords
The first wave of new condo landlords is likely to be former owner-occupants who have rented their residences rather than taking a financial hit by selling at a loss. This is especially worthwhile for owners who have low interest rates, and it’s a strategy that could be employed by all cash buyers who can swoop in and buy low.
For investors seeking financing, it is still possible to get a great condo deal by adhering to strict underwriting guidelines that focus on HOA and insurance costs.
A Seven-Step Condo Cash Flow Strategy for Small Landlords
Step 1: Analyze a prospective condo based on the rent it can generate
Calculate rents after HOA costs, rather than price per square foot. You can use the standard 1% rule to determine cash flow (i.e., if a property costs $300,000, it should generate $3,000 in rent), and adjust it for HOA costs.
Example:
You might also like
Purchase price: $300,000
HOA: $600/month
Target rent: $3,200-$3,600/month
If rents haven’t fallen in line with prices, the deal deserves deeper analysis.
Step 2: Analyze HOA profiles meticulously
All HOA fees are not created equal. Look for those that are about 15%-30% of the gross rent—less is always preferable.
Here’s what else to look for:
It has fully funded reserves (or at least 70% funded)
There is no deferred structural maintenance.
It has clear post-Surfside compliance documentation.
There’s no pending litigation with insurers and contractors
Beware of red flags, such as vague language around “future capital needs,” HOA yearly increases of more than 10%, recent insurance nonrenewals, and high investor concentration (a complex with a majority of owner-occupied condos is always the most stable).
Step 3: Target fixable financial problems, not broken buildings
Examples:
A catch-up plan is in place for underfunded reserves.
Delayed engineering reports are scheduled.
Buildings are transitioning from nonwarrantable to warrantable within one to two years.
Smart financing choices:
You can put down 20%-25% in a conventional loan to minimize interest rate costs.
Target local banks and portfolio lenders with flexible financing options.
Look to purchase with cash (if you are able) and refinance later—BRRRR style.
Step 4: Geography counts, as insurance matters more than ever
Target lower insurance areas such as inland metros.
Northeastern and Midwest urban cores are in high demand.
Step 5: Consider rent demand
Condo values fell because buyers disappeared, not renters. Condos are usually built in urban areas with a high concentration of well-paying jobs.
Look for condos near hospitals, universities, and transit hubs, staying away from luxury cores and instead focusing on secondary downtowns where prices are lower. Focus on cities where single-family rentals are unaffordable.
Target these professionals to ensure premium rents:
Medical personnel
Graduate students
Urban downsizes
Corporate renters
Divorced professionals returning to the city
Step 6: Underwrite conservatively
You are essentially buying a condo for cash flow, so keep appreciation out of the buying rationale. Buy below replacement cost, and invest for the long term. Estimate a stable rent growth of 2%-3% and an HOA creep of 3%-5%.
Step 7: Plan to have a three-pronged exit strategy
Cash flow hold for another investor.
Refinance once a building becomes warrantable.
Retail resale once buyer financing improves.
Final Thoughts
Condos are the deals hiding in plain sight. Because the condo narrative is so negative at the moment, many investors are bypassing them, expecting HOA fees and insurance costs to kill most deals. However, given the deep discounts being offered, they deserve an investigation.
One advantage of a cash-flowing condo is that, as part of an enclosed building, there are no external issues such as snow and leaf removal, roof upkeep, or gutter and downspout concerns to worry about.
For the hands-off investor, condos make a lot of sense. Finding one that checks all the boxes is the all-important first step.
