Selling a Home in Virginia Beach › Selling a condo
Selling a condo in Virginia Beach? Start with the association.
A condo sale depends on more than your unit. Buyers and their lenders look at the association’s dues, reserves, insurance and rules, and Virginia requires a resale certificate. Know what to order, what buyers will see and how it affects your price and what you keep.
Local guidance for Virginia Beach sellers. Straight answers, no pressure to list.
The short answer
When you sell a condo, buyers are also evaluating the association. Know your dues, reserves, special assessments, insurance and rental rules, and request the resale certificate once you are under contract. Price from recent condo sales in your building and similar buildings, not from houses nearby. Financed buyers also depend on the building meeting FHA, VA or conventional lender standards, so the building can shape who is able to buy.
Want to know what your condo could sell for? Request a comparative market analysis based on recent condo sales.
The resale certificate
What Virginia requires when you sell a condo.
Under Virginia’s Resale Disclosure Act, the seller or the seller’s agent must obtain the resale certificate from the association and deliver it to the buyer or the buyer’s agent. That duty can’t be waived by agreement.
Ordering it
Once you are under contract, send a written request to the association or its managing agent. The preparer has 14 days to deliver, and if it misses the deadline the certificate is treated as unavailable and you can give the buyer a notice of unavailability. The seller generally pays the fees, which the Common Interest Community Board caps. If the certificate is more than 30 days old at settlement, an update may be requested.
What buyers see
The certificate includes the governing documents and rules, assessments and any special assessments, reserve amounts and the reserve study or a summary, financial statements and budget, insurance and deductibles, pending lawsuits and violations, recent board minutes, and rental and occupancy restrictions.
The buyer’s right to cancel
If the certificate is delivered before the contract is ratified, the buyer can cancel within the contract’s period, and the default is three days from ratification. If it comes later, the clock runs from delivery. If it is never delivered, the buyer can cancel any time before settlement. Your contract controls the details.
Source: Code of Virginia, Resale Disclosure Act. Certain transfers are exempt. General information, not legal advice. Ask an attorney or your title company how it applies to your sale.
What buyers and lenders check
Your building is part of the price.
| Item | Why it matters to a buyer |
|---|---|
| Dues and what they cover | Dues count toward a buyer’s monthly costs, and what they include (utilities, insurance, amenities) changes how they compare buildings. |
| Reserves and special assessments | Low reserves or approved assessments can mean future costs, and both appear in the certificate. |
| Master insurance and deductibles | The certificate states the association’s coverage and whether owners pay deductibles, and buyers still need their own policy. |
| Flood zone and insurance | Flood risk and coverage affect costs and lender requirements. See the flood zone guide. |
| Rental and occupancy rules | Rules on renting, pets, parking and signs affect investors and owner-occupants differently. |
| Lawsuits, violations and owner mix | Pending litigation, violations and the share of owner-occupied units can affect lender and loan-program approval. |
Price from condo sales, not houses. Look at recent closed sales in your building and in similar buildings, and consider the floor, view, parking and condition. The home value guide explains why assessed value is not market value.
Virginia Beach has about 25,500 condominium units, roughly 17% of the city’s residences: 22,417 low-rise and 3,098 high-rise condos or co-ops. Source: Virginia Beach Real Estate Assessor, FY27 Annual Report.
Who can buy
Your building can shape your buyer pool.
FHA buyers
FHA insures loans for units in approved condominium projects. Where a project is not approved, single-unit approval may be available if the project meets certain standards, such as being complete, having at least five units and meeting requirements on owner-occupancy and finances.
VA buyers
For a unit to be eligible for a VA loan guaranty, the condominium must be approved by VA, and the buyer’s lender checks that status. If your building is not approved, VA buyers may not be able to use that benefit for your unit. See also how VA appraisals and repairs work.
Conventional and cash buyers
Conventional lenders typically review the project too, so a building with weak finances or heavy investor ownership can limit financing. Cash buyers are not affected by loan-program approval, but they still read the certificate. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac updated their condo project rules in 2026. Here is what changed.
Sources: HUD, FHA condominiums and VA condo approval guide for lenders. Ask a lender whether your building qualifies, because it affects who can buy.
If you sell a condo
A condo seller’s checklist.
Check items off as you go. Your checks stay on this device.
Go deeper
More on condo financing, pricing and proceeds.
Related guides: home value and assessments • closing costs and proceeds • flood zones • selling by owner • selling as-is • selling on PCS orders
Questions
Selling a condo: common questions.
What is a resale certificate and who orders it?
It is the association’s disclosure package for a condo or HOA sale. Under Virginia’s Resale Disclosure Act, the seller or the seller’s agent must request it from the association and deliver it to the buyer or the buyer’s agent. That duty cannot be waived by agreement.
How long does the association have to deliver it?
The association, its managing agent or a third-party preparer has 14 days after a written request. If it misses the deadline, the certificate is treated as unavailable and the seller or agent can give the buyer a notice of unavailability. Request it once you are under contract, and keep your request in writing.
Who pays for the resale certificate?
In general the seller pays the certificate and inspection fees. The Common Interest Community Board sets the maximum fees an association may charge. Ask the association or its management company for the current amount and turnaround.
Can the buyer cancel after reading it?
Often yes, for a limited time. If the certificate is delivered before the contract is ratified, the buyer can cancel within the period in the contract, and if the contract is silent the default is three days from ratification. If it is delivered later, the clock runs from delivery. If it is never delivered, the buyer can cancel any time before settlement. Your contract controls the details, so have it reviewed.
Will FHA or VA buyers be able to buy my condo?
Only if the building meets the loan program’s requirements. FHA insures loans in approved projects, or through single-unit approval for projects that are not approved but meet certain standards. VA requires condominium approval for a unit to be eligible for a VA loan. Ask a lender whether your building qualifies, because it affects your buyer pool.
Do high dues or a special assessment hurt my sale?
They can. Dues count toward a buyer’s monthly costs, and approved or unpaid special assessments appear in the resale certificate, so buyers see them. Price from recent sales in your building and similar ones, and ask your agent how your building’s dues and finances compare.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last reviewed October 16, 2026. Association rules, fee caps and loan-program standards change, so confirm current details with the association, an attorney and the buyer’s lender.
Your plan
Selling a condo? Start with your building and your numbers.
Whether you are ordering the resale certificate, checking whether buyers can finance your building or deciding on a price, we can start with recent sales in your building and similar ones. No obligation.
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