Late rent, midnight repair calls, rising insurance and property taxes — owning rentals in Tampa Bay isn’t as easy as it used to be. If you’re ready to sell, the tenants don’t have to stop you. Here’s what Florida landlords should know.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Review your lease and talk with a Florida real estate attorney before giving any notices.
Selling doesn’t cancel the lease
In Florida, a sale does not automatically end a tenant’s lease. If your tenant has a lease for a fixed term, the new owner generally takes the property subject to that lease — same rent, same end date — unless the lease itself says otherwise.
That leaves you three choices:
- Wait for the lease to end and sell the house vacant.
- Offer the tenant “cash for keys” — money to move out early by an agreed date.
- Sell with the tenant in place to an investor who’s happy to take over the lease.
Month-to-month tenants
If your tenant is on a month-to-month rental, Florida changed the rules in 2023: either side now has to give at least 30 days’ written notice before the end of a monthly rental period to end the tenancy (it used to be 15 days). The 30 days are calendar days, and they’re counted back from the end of the rental period — so if rent is due on the 15th, the timing shifts accordingly.
Don’t forget the security deposit
When you sell, the tenant’s security deposit has to be handled properly — either transferred to the new owner at closing or returned to the tenant under Florida’s deposit rules. Make sure your closing paperwork accounts for it.
Getting the house ready (or not)
Selling a vacant, repaired rental on the open market can bring top dollar, but it means turnover costs, repairs, showings and months of empty-house expenses. If the property has deferred maintenance or a tenant who isn’t cooperative, that cost adds up fast.
Selling to a cash buyer with tenants in place
At All Florida Home Buyer, we buy rentals in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater and across Tampa Bay — occupied or vacant, in any condition:
- We can take over the existing lease, so your tenant isn’t forced out.
- No repairs, no turnover, no showings to coordinate.
- No commissions, and we pay the closing costs.
- Close in as little as 7 days, or on the date you choose.
We’re a family-owned company in Tampa with 227+ deals since 2008, and we’ve been landlords ourselves — we know the headaches.
Call or text 813.400.0163 or get your free cash offer. ¡Hablamos español!