A practical guide to property taxes, mansion tax, transfer taxes, and ownership-cost considerations for buyers comparing Manhattan and Miami real estate.
The ongoing cost of owning U.S. real estate is shaped mainly by property tax (assessed locally and recurring annually), state and city income tax exposure (very different in New York vs Florida), and one-time transaction taxes at purchase and sale — including New York's mansion tax and transfer taxes. Florida has no state income tax and generally lower closing costs; New York has more layers (mansion tax, transfer tax, mortgage recording tax) but deeper inventory and stronger long-term liquidity. Foreign owners face additional considerations at resale (FIRPTA) and at death (U.S. estate-tax exposure).
Tax rates, tiers, and abatement programs change. The items above are intended for orientation, not as a substitute for current advice from a U.S. tax attorney or CPA.
Florida's no-state-income-tax framework is a recurring annual variable, not a one-time benefit.
NYC's stacked transfer taxes (mansion + state + city) materially shape closing-cost math at higher prices.
New development purchases often carry the sponsor's transfer taxes — read the offering plan line by line.
Abatements (421-a, 421-g) can change ongoing cost dramatically — verify remaining years before committing.
FIRPTA is a foreign-seller issue at exit. It should be modeled at purchase, not discovered at sale.
Ownership structure (individual / LLC / trust) interacts with estate-tax exposure for non-resident owners.
Primary residence, pied-à-terre, family use, rental, or pure investment hold — each path changes which taxes matter and how to model them.
Property tax, common charges, insurance, and (for residents) state / city income tax exposure are recurring. Mansion tax, transfer tax, and mortgage recording tax are one-time. Mixing the two distorts the comparison.
It is common for the buyer to pay the sponsor's transfer taxes on new construction in NYC. Get the line-by-line schedule from the offering plan before bidding.
A 421-a or 421-g abatement that's already partway through its phase-out behaves very differently from one with full term remaining. The abatement schedule belongs in the underwriting model, not in marketing materials.
Transfer taxes at sale, FIRPTA for foreign owners, and any capital-gains exposure should be modeled now — not when the closing statement arrives.
Manhattan Miami is not a tax advisor. We help align the broker, attorney, and CPA so the right questions are asked while the structure is still flexible.
The two markets behave very differently from a real-estate-tax standpoint, both at closing and across the ownership cycle.
Related: NYC vs Miami closing costs · Luxury condos in NYC · Luxury apartments in Miami
For non-U.S. owners, U.S. real-estate tax exposure is not limited to property tax. The two items that most often surprise foreign owners are FIRPTA at sale and U.S. estate tax on directly held U.S.-situs property.
The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act generally requires a 15% withholding on the gross sale price when a foreign owner sells U.S. real property. It is a withholding mechanism, not a separate tax, and is reconciled when the seller files. It does not affect a foreign buyer at purchase.
Directly held U.S.-situs assets, including real estate, can create estate-tax exposure for non-resident owners at relatively low thresholds. For many international buyers, this is the dominant reason to review ownership structure with counsel before signing.
Individual ownership, a U.S. LLC, a foreign holding entity, or a trust each have trade-offs in privacy, liability, income-tax treatment, estate-tax exposure, and resale flexibility. The right answer depends on residency, family structure, and long-term plans.
Manhattan Miami is a real estate advisory and brokerage firm and does not provide legal or tax advice. The points above are intended to prepare buyers and owners for the right conversations with their attorney, CPA, and estate planner.
Tax exposure, abatement timing, transfer-tax structure, and FIRPTA planning are easier to coordinate before contract signing than after. Manhattan Miami advises buyers, sellers, and international investors across New York and South Florida — and helps align the right attorney, CPA, and lender for your situation.
Request a Private ConsultationThe NYC mansion tax is a tiered transfer tax on residential purchases at $1 million and above, scaling through multiple tiers at higher prices. It is paid by the buyer at closing. The exact tier rates and thresholds are set by statute and should be checked against current law before underwriting any deal.
In NYC resale transactions, state and city transfer taxes are typically the seller's obligation. In new development purchases, it is common for the buyer to pay the sponsor's portion of transfer tax, materially increasing the buyer's closing cost. Always confirm against the contract and offering plan.
Florida property tax is generally more uniform and lower per dollar of value than comparable NYC condo positions, especially in buildings without an active NYC abatement. The Florida homestead exemption and assessment caps also matter for owners who establish Florida residency, while NYC property tax can vary widely by building class and abatement status.
An abatement — commonly 421-a or 421-g in NYC — reduces a building's property-tax assessment for a defined period. The remaining years and any phase-out schedule should be verified before signing, since they materially change ongoing carry and resale narrative.
FIRPTA generally affects foreign sellers at exit, not buyers at purchase. It requires the buyer to withhold a portion of the gross sale price (commonly 15%) and remit it to the IRS as a prepayment against the foreign seller's tax liability. A foreign owner planning to sell should model FIRPTA reconciliation at purchase.
Often, but not always. A U.S. LLC — sometimes owned by a non-U.S. holding entity or trust — can offer liability separation, privacy at the deed level, and a structure more compatible with estate planning. The right answer depends on residency, family situation, financing plan, and long-term resale strategy. This belongs with U.S. counsel and a tax advisor before contract signing.
For buyers establishing Florida residency, no Florida state income tax is a recurring annual factor that compounds with the property's carrying cost picture. For non-residents who own a Florida property only as a second home, the absence of Florida state income tax does not change federal exposure on U.S.-source income.
No. Manhattan Miami is a real estate advisory and brokerage firm, not a law firm or tax advisor. We help buyers understand the real-estate implications and coordinate the right questions with their legal, tax, estate, and financing advisors. We can introduce attorneys and CPAs who routinely work with NYC and Miami real-estate buyers.
Every engagement begins with a private discussion — objectives, timing, tax posture.
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