Aja Duke Works a South Florida Market Shaped by New Condo Laws
The Fort Lauderdale Realtor with Douglas Elliman sells in a region where Florida’s condo safety rules now set inspection and reserve deadlines.
Aja Duke is a Realtor with Douglas Elliman in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, working with buyers and sellers across Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Since 2022, Florida’s condo safety laws have changed what condominium owners pay for and what buyers are handed before they sign.
Inspections at 30, or 25 near the coast
Under SB 4-D, passed in 2022, condo buildings three or more stories tall need a milestone inspection once they turn 30, or 25 if they sit within three miles of the coastline, and again every 10 years. The association pays for it, and owners selling a unit must give buyers a copy of the inspector’s summary.
Reserves that can’t be voted away
The same law requires a structural integrity reserve study every 10 years for those buildings, and since the end of 2024 owners can no longer vote to skip or shrink reserves for structural items. In 2025, HB 913 eased the timeline: it moved the first study’s deadline to the end of 2025, lets owners pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two budgets adopted through 2028 as long as a new study follows, and gives people buying a condo from its owner 7 days instead of 3 to cancel.
General information, not legal or financial advice.
Who she is
Aja started in real estate in Metro Atlanta in 2017 and now works out of Douglas Elliman’s Fort Lauderdale office. Her lifestyle account, @loveeaja, reaches about 110,000 followers, and @sellingwithaja is where she posts listings.
Quick answers
Who is Aja Duke?
Aja Duke is a Realtor with Douglas Elliman in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, working with buyers and sellers across Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and a lifestyle creator with about 110,000 Instagram followers as @loveeaja.
When do Florida condo buildings need a milestone inspection?
Buildings three or more stories tall need one at 30 years old, or 25 within three miles of the coastline, then every 10 years, under SB 4-D (Florida Senate).
Can Florida condo owners skip structural reserves?
Not since the end of 2024. HB 913 (2025) allows a temporary pause or reduction for up to two budgets adopted through 2028, followed by a structural integrity reserve study (Florida Senate).
Sources: Douglas Elliman: Zieaja (Aja) Duke, Florida Senate: SB 4-D (2022), Building Safety, Florida Senate: SB 4-D summary, Florida Senate: HB 913 (2025), Florida Senate: HB 913 summary, @loveeaja on Instagram, @sellingwithaja on Instagram