Mortgage Broker in Brickell, Miami

Short answer

QMS Lending is an independent Miami mortgage broker that finances Brickell condos through 100+ lenders, including non-warrantable, condotel, DSCR and foreign national lenders that many banks do not offer. Brickell is part of the City of Miami, where the Q2 2026 condo median was $595,000 and property taxes run about 2.0% of taxable value (as of October 2026).

Buying in Brickell: what the numbers look like

Brickell is a neighborhood inside the City of Miami, not its own city, so the MIAMI REALTORS city report does not list a Brickell median. Citywide, the City of Miami recorded 714 townhouse and condo sales in Q2 2026 at a median of $595,000 and 335 single-family sales at a median of $799,000 (as of October 2026). Brickell is almost entirely high-rise condos, and units there commonly run above the citywide condo median.

Brickell buyers fall into three groups: owner-occupants, investors who rent units long term, and international buyers who use the unit part of the year. Each group finances differently, and the tower's rules on rentals and its owner mix often matter more than the price.

Two quick examples: a $700,000 unit with 20% down is a $560,000 loan, inside the conforming limit. A $1,200,000 unit with 20% down is a $960,000 jumbo loan.

Loan limits and property taxes in Brickell

The 2026 FHA limit for a 1-unit home in Miami-Dade County is $667,000 and the 2026 conforming limit is $832,750 (as of October 2026). Above $832,750 the loan is jumbo. Details: conforming loan limits in Florida.

Brickell is taxed as City of Miami. The 2025 adopted total millage is 19.9878 mills, about 2.0% of taxable value, including a city operating rate of 7.1080 and 0.2536 for debt, per the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser (as of October 2026). A $600,000 condo without homestead pays roughly $12,000 a year.

Investors and second-home owners have no homestead exemption, so taxes follow market value. Add HOA dues, which in full-service towers can be a large share of the payment, and an HO-6 policy when you run the DTI or DSCR.

Why Brickell towers fail condo review, and what to do

Conventional and FHA loans need the building to pass project review. Brickell towers trip on tests that suburban buildings rarely face. Fannie Mae rules (as of October 2026) include:

• Commercial space: generally no more than 35% of the project or building. Mixed-use towers with retail, offices or hotel floors can exceed it.
• Non-incidental income: the association cannot get more than 10% of its budgeted income from businesses like restaurants, spas or health clubs.
• Hotel operation: projects managed and operated as a hotel, or marketed as an investment opportunity, are ineligible. Those need a condotel loan.
• Reserves and delinquency: at least 10% of the budget to reserves; no more than 15% of units 60+ days late on dues.
• Repairs and litigation: unfunded critical repairs over $10,000 per unit, or HOA litigation over structural safety, make the project ineligible.

Fail any of these and the unit is non-warrantable. That is a pricing and down payment question, not a dead end. See our non-warrantable condo loans in Brickell guide.

New towers bring their own issues: presale levels and developer control can keep a building from approval at first. New construction condo loans are built for that window.

Milestone inspections and flood risk in Brickell

Florida Statute 553.899 requires a milestone inspection for condo buildings three habitable stories or taller by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, then every 10 years; the local building official may require it at 25 years near salt water. Brickell's older bayfront towers along Brickell Avenue are in this group, while most of the post-2000 towers are not yet. Ask for the inspection report and any special assessment before you sign.

Brickell sits on Biscayne Bay, and flood zones change block by block between the bayfront and the blocks near the Metrorail. Check the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. If the building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the association's master flood policy must meet lender rules; see what is a flood zone.

Loan programs for Brickell buyers

• Owner-occupants: conventional in warrantable towers; jumbo above $832,750.
• Investors: DSCR loans qualify on the rent; DSCR is a business-purpose loan. Read the DSCR guide for Miami investors.
• International buyers: foreign national loans without U.S. credit; see the foreign national mortgage guide.
• Self-employed professionals: bank statement loans based on deposits.

First-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income may also look at the City of Miami First-Time Homebuyer Program, which covers condos inside city limits, plus county programs listed below.

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker in the Miami area, founded in 2018 (NMLS #1781090). Michael Fernandez (NMLS #1491775) and the team compare 100+ lenders, which matters most when the building or the borrower does not fit a bank's box. We are rated 4.9 stars on 200+ Google reviews and work in English and Spanish.

Call QMS Lending at 305-425-1990 for a free quote. Rates vary daily; call for today's pricing. All loans are subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Down payment help for Brickell buyers

• City of Miami First-Time Homebuyer Program 0% deferred loan for buyers at or below 80% AMI purchasing inside City of Miami limits (folio starts with 01); no ownership in the past 3 years, $500 minimum own funds, homebuyer class; sales price cap applies, confirm with the city. ↗
• Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Up to $35,000, 0% deferred up to 30 years, no monthly payment; income under $95,620 (1 person) to $136,500 (4 people); buyer puts in 1% of the price. ↗
• MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP) Up to $28,500 (80% AMI or below) or $14,500 (above 80% up to 140% AMI); 0%, forgiven after 20 years of owner occupancy; no purchase price cap; condos eligible. ↗
• Florida Hometown Heroes Up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 minimum and $35,000 maximum; 0%, 30-year deferred second, not forgivable. First-time buyers in eligible occupations (health care, school staff, first responders, child care, military, veterans). Check current funding. ↗

Nearby cities

MiamiCoconut GroveKey BiscayneMiami BeachCoral Gables