Avila Condominiums, Sunny Isles Beach: What Buyers Should Check

Avila is the low-rise, low-cost way into Sunny Isles Beach — four five-story buildings at 17560, 17570 and 17620 Atlantic Boulevard plus 200 177th Drive, built in 1973, with 360 residences of one and two bedrooms from about 536 to 892 square feet, behind a gate with an attendant, half a block from the beach. It is not oceanfront and it is not new: it is a 53-year-old garden-style community of small, affordable homes — one-bedrooms recently closing around $186,000 and two-bedrooms listed around $275,000–$350,000 — with dues in the $400s to $600s a month and a deliberately simple amenity list of a pool, a gym, a clubhouse with barbecue area, laundry rooms, and elevators. Three things a buyer must look into before anything else: the pet rule is absolute — the association's own rules say "No pets allowed!" and name dogs, cats, snakes, lizards, hamsters and turtles as prohibited; the rental rules are strict — new owners cannot rent for the first 12 months, units can be rented only once a year for a minimum of three months, and short-term rentals are not permitted; and the paperwork is the whole story at this age — milestone inspections have been cycling since around 1998 and the structural integrity reserve study is already due, so the latest milestone report, the SIRS, the reserve study and the assessment history are essential reading before signing. One more thing to get right before any comparison: Avila South — a separate complex at 200–210 172nd Street with its own association and its own, stricter rules — is not part of Avila, and rental listings that mix the two names up will give you the wrong rules. Confirm the building address and the association before you rely on anything a listing says about Avila.

The facts

• Address: 17560, 17570 & 17620 Atlantic Blvd + 200 177th Dr, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160 — four five-story buildings under one association. The fourth building's address, 200 177th Dr, is confirmed by MLS records listing units there under "Avila (17560 17570 17620&200)."
• Completed: 1973 (consistent across all sources checked).
• Stories: 5 in each building.
• Residences: 360.
• Developer: not verified in any public source checked.
• Architect: not verified in any public source checked.
• Unit mix: one- and two-bedroom residences, about 536–892 sq ft (1BR about 536–620 sq ft; 2BR about 767 sq ft).
• Waterfront: bayside, half a block from the beach; not oceanfront.
• Parking: assigned parking, garage, and on-street (per listings); renters and owners pay a yearly fee for a second or third vehicle (per association rules).
• Association: Avila Condominium Association, Inc. — 17620-A Atlantic Blvd, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160; tel (305) 937-2585; manager@avilacondofl.net. Note: one directory lists 17560 Atlantic Blvd as the association address; the association's own documents give 17620-A Atlantic Blvd.

Amenities and day-to-day living

Avila runs a deliberately small program: a swimming pool (sunrise to sunset, minors under 18 only with an adult), a gym in the upper clubhouse (no minors under 18), a clubhouse and barbecue area (reservable for a $25 fee plus a $25 deposit), laundry rooms (laundry cards $5), elevators, and a gated entrance with an attendant. There is no restaurant, valet, or beach service here — the amenity list is the pool, the gym, and the clubhouse, and the dues reflect that. The market is the most affordable in the sweep so far and genuinely active: 11 residences were listed for sale (3% of the building) with 9 sales in the 12 months to November 2026 — #419 (620 sq ft) closed at $186,000 in October 2026 — and current listings include #301 (2BR, 767 sq ft) at $275,000 and #118 (2BR, 767 sq ft) at $350,000. One directory gives a value range of about $173,000–$353,000. Rentals are happening at the affordable end: #203 (1BR, 544 sq ft) at $1,850 a month and 200 177th Dr #117 (1BR, 620 sq ft) at $2,250 a month. The building sits in the Sunny Isles Shores neighborhood, within walking distance of the beach, shops, restaurants, and the Norman S. Edelcup K-8 school.

What to check before you buy

1. Monthly cost — the dues are low, but confirm them per unit and what they include. One directory gives a monthly HOA range of $408–$680, including common areas, ground maintenance, sewer, trash, and water; a per-unit example is #215 (620 sq ft) at $501 a month. Confirm the dues for the specific unit against the adopted budget, including whether any special assessment is running — low dues in a 1973 building are a question, not just a bargain, if reserves are thin.
2. Milestone inspections and SIRS — cycles began decades ago; ask for the latest reports. Built in 1973, Avila's milestone inspections began around 1998 on the 25-year coastal rule and now run every ten years, with the latest cycle falling around 2028 — derived dates, not confirmed. The structural integrity reserve study is already due for a building of this age. Ask the association for its most recent completed milestone report, its SIRS, the reserve study, and the last three years of board minutes before signing — and ask what work, if any, the reports recommended and whether it has been done or assessed.
3. Subsidence — not on the study's list, which is a real positive. Avila does not appear on the published list of 35 barrier-island buildings the University of Miami's 2024 InSAR study found settling between 2 and 8 centimeters from 2016 to 2023. The study's authors said no building was found unsafe, and the absence of Avila from the list is a point in its favour, not a guarantee: ask the association whether any engineering review or monitoring has been done.
4. Reserves and assessments — unverified. No building-wide reserve figure or assessment history was found in public sources. Given the building's age and the low dues, the reserve study and the last three years of board minutes are essential reading — the question is whether the low monthly cost is funded by adequate reserves or by deferring work.
5. Owner-occupancy — unverified. No owner-occupancy ratio was found in public sources. If you are financing, your lender will check it — confirm it before you are under contract, not after. One flag to chase: one directory describes the association as "Active Adult" — whether that means an age restriction was not verified, and it should be confirmed with the association before buying.
6. Rentals — strict, and short-term rentals are not permitted. The Avila Condominium Association's own rules are explicit: new owners cannot rent the unit for the first 12 months of ownership (enforced with a $1,000 penalty); a unit can be rented only once a year for a period of no less than three months; renters cannot sub-lease; timeshares are not allowed; renters must be screened and registered with the association before moving in (screening fee $100 per person 18 and older; renters pay a $500 deposit); occupancy before board approval is prohibited. This is a long-term-rental-only building. Do not buy Avila for short-term income.
7. Pets — an absolute ban, from the association's own rules. Rule 8 of the association's rules states: "No pets allowed! All pets, including but not limited to dogs, cats, snakes, lizards, hamsters, and turtles are prohibited in or on the premises." Violating owners are fined $100 per occurrence. One directory independently lists the pet policy as "No Pets Allowed." If a pet is part of the plan, this is not the building.
8. Avila South is a different building — do not mix them up. Avila South Condominium Association, Inc. is a separate complex at 200–210 172nd Street with its own, stricter rules: a two-year waiting period before renting, leases of three months to one year only, and "absolutely no pets of any kind." Rental listings that label 200/210 172nd St units as "Avila South Condo" and show "Pets Allowed: 1" contradict that association's own no-pets rule — listing data, not association documents. When you see an "Avila" listing, confirm the street address and the association before relying on any rental or pet claim.

Who this building suits

Avila suits a buyer who wants the lowest-cost way into Sunny Isles Beach and is buying to live there — a one- or two-bedroom from the $180,000s, with a pool, a gym, a clubhouse, and gated entry half a block from the beach, at dues in the $400s to $600s — and who is comfortable doing the diligence a 1973 building demands: read the milestone report, the reserve study, and the assessment history before signing, and confirm the tower address and the dues for the specific unit. It is a poor fit for a buyer who wants a pet, short-term rental income, a quick rental start, direct oceanfront, a full amenity program, or a newer tower: pets are banned outright, rentals are long-term only after a 12-month wait, the beach is a walk away, there is no gym beyond the small clubhouse setup, and the building is 53 years old. If you are choosing between this and another tower, send Mike the buildings you are comparing and he will walk through the finances with you, building by building.

Next step

If Avila is on your shortlist, start with the free Sunny Isles Beach Buyer's Building Guide. It walks through the checks that matter before you sign — milestone inspections, reserves, assessments, owner-occupancy, and the questions to ask any association. Download the free guide: https://ultraluxrealty.com/sunny-isles-beach-buyers-guide — Book a call with Mike: https://calendar.app.google/YHekwSmZ7dWttvSu8