# Investment Properties on Florida's Space Coast

> Long-term rentals, seasonal coastal income, and small multifamily — bought on math.

Canonical page: https://7wavesrealestate.com/specialties/investment-properties
Published by 7 Waves Real Estate (https://7wavesrealestate.com) · (321) 775-5515

## The short answer
Space Coast rentals sit on an unusual demand stack: aerospace payrolls, university and hospital staff, snowbird seasons, and launch tourism. We help investors buy long-term rentals, seasonal beach income, and small multifamily on actual math — realistic rents, coastal insurance, taxes without homestead protection, and management costs — then connect the diligence habits that keep year one boring.

## How we work this specialty
- **Underwrite before touring:** Realistic rent comps, insurance quotes at investor rates, non-homestead taxes, and management fees — in the spreadsheet before the showing.
- **Strategy-to-town matching:** Long-term cash flow inland, seasonal and vacation demand at the beach, corridor appreciation near the Cape — different towns, different jobs.
- **Rules before returns:** Short-term rental ordinances, condo lease minimums, and HOA restrictions checked before you model a single nightly rate.
- **1031-aware timing:** Exchanging in or out, we plan calendars around identification windows with your intermediary and CPA.

## Straight talk (the honest local knowledge)
- **Non-homestead math is different:** Investment property loses the homestead exemption and its 3% cap — assessments can move up to 10% a year, so we model taxes at investor reality, not the seller’s bill.
- **Insurance decides coastal cash flow:** Tier-5 beach exposure can eat a gross rent premium; tier-1 and tier-2 inland towns often out-cash-flow the coast on paper. The quote belongs in the underwrite.
- **Short-term is a zoning question:** Kissimmee’s resort corridors are built for STR; many beach condos require multi-month minimums; city rules vary block by block. The ordinance is step one.

## Best-fit towns
- **Palm Bay** (https://7wavesrealestate.com/service-areas/palm-bay): Workforce-rental demand with ~$320K entry and tier-2 insurance — cash-flow country.
- **Melbourne** (https://7wavesrealestate.com/service-areas/melbourne): The deepest tenant pool on the Space Coast — aerospace, hospital, and university demand.
- **Kissimmee & St. Cloud** (https://7wavesrealestate.com/service-areas/kissimmee-st-cloud): Purpose-zoned short-term-rental corridors near the parks.
- **Cape Canaveral** (https://7wavesrealestate.com/service-areas/cape-canaveral): Cruise and launch tourism next to the port for seasonal strategies (~$390K typical).

## Frequently asked questions
### Where do rentals cash flow best in your markets?
On our numbers, inland towns like Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville pair sub-$350K typical prices with tier 1–3 insurance exposure — the friendliest spread for long-term cash flow. Beach towns trade higher insurance for premium seasonal rents; it is a strategy choice, and we model both.

### Can I run a short-term rental?
Depends on the jurisdiction and, for condos, the building: Kissimmee and parts of Osceola County have zoned STR corridors, while many coastal cities and associations require longer minimums. We verify the ordinance and the HOA documents before you underwrite nightly rates.

### How do taxes change on an investment property?
No homestead exemption and no 3% cap — non-homestead assessments can rise up to 10% per year, and sales often trigger reassessment. Budget from the millage and purchase price, not the previous owner’s protected bill.