Real Estate Bookkeeping In Florida
Florida runs on community associations and seasonal occupancy. Reserve fund accounting under Chapter 720 is a first-class requirement here, not an afterthought, and Orlando's master-planned and build-to-rent growth compounds the entity count.
Locate the city nearest to you and select your software below to learn more. Don’t see your city? Schedule a meeting with us to learn more about how REA can help your property management accounting needs.
Florida at a glance
- Security deposit return
- 30 days for notice
- Governing statute
- Florida Statutes Ch. 83
- Cities we publish
- Jacksonville · Miami · Orlando
What Florida Law Changes About Your Books
Deposit Handling and Trust Requirements
Trust and deposit rules are set state by state, and they change the accounting itself, not just the paperwork around it. A deadline is a ledger requirement: you cannot return a deposit inside a statutory window if the ledger cannot say what is owed.
Security deposits
Florida Statutes Chapter 83 requires deposits to be held in a separate Florida bank account or covered by a surety bond, with written notice to the tenant within 30 days of receipt and strict timelines for return or itemized claim.
Trust and segregation
Chapter 83 makes the separate account an explicit statutory requirement rather than a best practice, and Chapter 720 governs HOA reserve fund accounting.
What we do about it
- Deposit liabilities tracked per tenant, so a 30 days for notice deadline is answerable from the ledger
- Trust accounts reconciled three ways, including every beneficiary balance
- Deduction documentation recorded against the correct ledger, not filed separately
- Aging deposits flagged before the statutory window closes
Summary of statutory requirements provided for orientation. It is not legal advice, and local ordinances can impose stricter rules than the state minimum.
Cities We Cover in Florida
Market by Market
We work with property managers and investors across all of Florida, all 534 cities and towns of it. The markets below are the ones we publish Florida-specific detail for. If yours is not listed, the same team and the same Florida Statutes Ch. 83 rules still apply.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville’s rental market is one of Florida’s most active, shaped by its status as the state’s fastest-growing major city and its proximity to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, which sustains consistent demand across both single-family and multifamily properties. Property managers here handle a diverse portfolio mix that requires precise, well-organized books to stay competitive and compliant.
Bookkeeping by platform
Miami
Miami’s property management market is defined by high-value condominium associations, foreign investor portfolios, and the compliance demands of Florida Statute 718, the Florida Condominium Act. Managing the books for these asset types requires more than general accounting fluency.
Bookkeeping by platform
Orlando
Orlando’s property management market spans a uniquely complex mix of long-term multifamily, short-term vacation rentals, and rapidly expanding build-to-rent communities driven by one of the fastest-growing metro populations in Florida. Managing the books across these portfolio types requires more than generic accounting software proficiency.
Bookkeeping by platform
Select Your Software
We Work Inside Your Platform, From Anywhere in Florida
Services Available in This State
Every back-office function below is available on its own or as part of a full monthly close, anywhere in the state.
Experts In All Property Types
Residential, commercial and everything in between. The asset class changes what the books have to prove, and our teams are staffed accordingly.
- Single-Family
- Multifamily
- Student Housing
- Affordable Housing
- Community AssociationsSee the page
- CommercialSee the page
Check Out What Our Clients Have To Say About Us
Property Managers, Investors & Owner Operators
Day-to-day financial operations
REA and team have been nothing but excellent helping our firm with its day to day financial needs. Their expertise, professionalism, and timeliness have made our lives so much easier. We foresee a long relationship with REA and team.
Onboarding and responsiveness
Real Estate Accounting truly is a special company. They helped as if they were a part of our company, with the concern and caution as an employee would have, but even more. They quickly ascertained our needs and developed an effective team to help with our accounting needs. They were extremely responsive and always accurate. I would recommend their services to anyone who needs help with their property management accounting.
Smaller portfolio, still looked after
Adam the owner took a personal interest in my situation and was willing to work with me to see if his company was a good fit. I may be too small for them but I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a bookkeeper for their property management business.
230+
Property Accountants
30M+
Commercial Sq. Ft.
Up to 50%
Saved vs In-House
Every month
On-Time Close
Property Accounting for Florida Portfolios
Schedule a call and we will walk your Florida deposit and trust setup, tell you whether it reconciles today, and scope the monthly work.