Broward County

Bordering Palm Beach County to the north and Miami-Dade to the south sits Broward County. As of 2005 the population of Broward County is 1,789,916 and is expected to hit 2,548,303 by 2030. Broward is not large in physical size however with just 438 square miles of usable land. Most of Broward’s land is part of the Everglades and can not be built on. In fact even if you lived at the most western developed edge you would still be only 20-25 miles from the beach.

Central Eastern Broward    

Downtown

Downtown Fort Lauderdale is becoming the hot, hip, and social talk of the town.  Here high rise condos are the rage with many new buildings open, opening soon, or under construction.  Most are high rises of 20+ stories with a few under 15 near by.  Prices vary widely with luxury buildings selling for $600,000 to several million for large penthouses.  Near luxury can be found from $250,000 to $500,000 with nice views and amenities.  The buildings are close to, or on, the river and all are steps from the famed Las Olas Blvd and Riverwalk. Downtown is filled with museums, art galleries, theaters, historical sites, shops, river side walking paths, and all kinds of things for the urban lifestyle. 

 

Flagler Village

Heading north from downtown, but still in the urban core, smaller buildings of 4-10 stories are just starting to break ground.  This area from Broward Blvd to Sears Town and bordering US 1 (Federal Hwy) to the east is known as Flagler Village.  The feel here is definitely an urban village with many Live/Work buildings where the bottom floor is office space the top floors are living space.  There are also a large number of lofts coming that truly embrace the urban feel.  Some of these, like the Avenue Lofts, are almost complete.  The city and developers are working together to create a true village feel with all new walkways, boardwalks, parks, and trees encouraging a pedestrian setting with everything you need just around the corner.  -See additional article-

 

Victoria Park and Colee Hammock

Just to the east and north of downtown, covering the large area from Las Olas Blvd all the way to Sunrise Blvd, is Victoria Park and its little sister Colee Hammock.  Victoria Park is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city.  Originally built as a subdivision in the 1940’s, Victoria Park is known for its tree lined streets filled with character and younger, hip residents.  Here you will find an eclectic mix of quaint original single family homes form the 40’s, larger new construction homes, and a wide variety of upscale town homes.  Victoria Parks’s beauty, close proximity to downtown and Las Olas, and its large Holiday Park have propelled it to the hottest area in town.  Prices have keep pace with popularity bringing single family 1940’s homes to around $400,000 in original condition and the $600,000’s for restored or added on to homes.  These homes are valued for their character not there size with most in the 1000 to 1700 sq ft range.  Lots are also smaller with most being around 6,000 sq ft (typically 50x125).  Many new high-end construction homes are taking the place of the homes that have not handled the years as well.  These new homes attempt to satisfy the need for more space with 2,800 to 3,800 sq ft and run from $900,000 to 1.4 million.  Town homes are extremely popular in Victoria Park with their high-end features, large size (2,200 to 3,400 sq ft), ease of maintenance, wide variety of styles, competitive price, and the fact they are brand new.  Town homes average in the mid to high $500’s during pre-construction pricing and $650-$850,000 completed. 

 

Las Olas Isles, Harbor Beach, Idlewyld, Rio Vista

Just east of downtown and the shops at Las Olas all the way to the Intracoastal Waterway are a number of small predominately waterfront neighborhoods.  These neighborhoods were created through dredging and “island building” in the late 20’s and late 50’s land booms.  Canals were dug and strips of land were laid to create a very extensive waterway, giving Fort Lauderdale its title as the “Venice of America”.  These neighborhoods are now a boater’s paradise allowing deepwater, no fixed bridge access to the Intracoastal Waterway and on to the Atlantic Ocean.  Boats of 80 to 100 feet or more are common and can be parked right in your backyard to be used all year round. 

These waterfront neighborhoods now consist mainly of newer, luxurious, sometimes massive “mansions”.  Lot values are over 1 million with most new, larger homes (4,500-7,000 sq ft), from 3 to 4 million.  The sky is the limit with massive 10,000 sq ft+ homes in gated communities listed from 7 to 15 million.

 

Coral Ridge, The Landings, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Bay Colony

The area known as Coral Ridge spans from Sunrise Blvd to Commercial Blvd and from the Intracoastal Waterway to US 1.  Originally started as a subdivision in the 1960’s, Coral Ridge as become a peaceful oasis as the city has grown up all around it.  The main roads surrounding the area are now home to every store and other convenience you may need from Target to Whole Foods, the Galleria Mall, bars, and restaurants.  There are also two large parks, one at Sunrise Blvd with boat launch facilities and tennis courts, the other just across the Intracoastal Waterway know as John Birch State Park - a preserve offering a glimpse at the South Florida coast of old.  This blend of easy to access businesses and quiet streets, with more people taking a stroll then driving cars, have made Coral Ridge a highly desirable address.

There are a wide variety of housing options available in Coral Ridge including single family homes, new town homes, and some multifamily units, all on both waterfront and dry lots.  Lots are larger here averaging around 10,000 sq ft and allowing for 80-100 foot yachts.  Homes are built on canals that branch directly off the Intracoastal Waterway allowing for no fixed bridge access to the ocean.  There are also a few homes available on Middle River where the bridges are fixed so the boats are smaller.  There are even golf course lots available surrounding the Coral Ridge Country Club private course.  Golf course homes have large ½ acre lots with large homes, typically 3,000 sq ft +, perched on them.

A majority of the homes in Coral Ridge still have their original design from the 1960’s.  The 60’s designs were 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes with 2 car garages usually totaling around 2,200 sq ft under air.  But a number of these homes have been replaced, and are continuing to be replaced, as the demand for larger homes changes Fort Lauderdale.  Most of this new construction is taking place on the waterfront lots.  Homes from 4,000 to over 7,000 sq ft are now becoming the norm as the yachting crowd moves in.  Homes of this size are in the 2 to 3 million range on the water, with a few coming up on dry lots around 1.5 million.  Original homes on dry lots start at $550,000 and go up to $900,000 depending mostly the street and on the amount of remodeling that has been done.  Original waterfront homes range from 1 to 2 million.

Town homes are just starting to come up in Coral Ridge.  Most are on dry lots but a few can be found on the water with docks and wonderful views.  Town homes are popular for there large size (2,500 to 3,000 sq ft), ease of maintenance, solid new construction, and brand new high-end features.  Dry lot town homes start around $600,000 during preconstruction and get as high as $850,000 for larger ready to move in models.  Waterfront town homes are available from $700,000 to over 1.7 million.  Coral Ridge also has a few older condo buildings with units as low as $200,000. 

The areas just north of Coral Ridge including The Landings, Lauderdale by the Sea, and Bay Colony (a gated community) are similar in price and housing to Coral Ridge.

 

The Beach in Fort Lauderdale

The beach area is usually considered to be anything east of the Intracoastal Waterway.  Condos and Hotels reign supreme here but there are some single family neighborhoods as well.  The Fort Lauderdale beach area has been undergoing massive changes in the last few years.  Small 2-4 story hotels are disappearing and being replaced by luxury high-rise Condotels (part hotel, part condo).  Big names such as the St Regis and the W are setting up shop and forever changing the area.  Most of these large complexes have just started breaking ground but they are already selling at a blistering pace.  Spectacular ocean and waterway views along with 5 star amenities are the draw.  Many of these condos are being bought as second homes for retirees, Europeans, and celebrities looking for there place in the sun.  Prices vary widely depending on the building and the floor.  Lower floor one bedroom units are as low $300-$450,000.  Most high floor units can fetch $500,000 to $800,000 but there is no shortage of places demanding 1 to 2 million or more. 

Besides the new construction there are a number of established condo buildings from older to newer.  Prices vary widely from $200,000 to 1 million depending on age of the building, the size of the unit, and, of course, the view.

Original single family homes can be found as low as $600,000 but you can easily spend 2 million or more for a large home with an ocean view or water frontage.  There are even some gated communities like Sea Ranch Lakes with private amenities and private beach access.

 

Wilton Manors

Known as the Island City because it is surrounded by water filled canals, Wilton Manors is quickly becoming a very hip place to be.  This wide city lies on the northern border of Fort Lauderdale and stretches from US 1 in the east all the way to I-95 in the west.  There are single family homes, new town homes, loft style condos, and even whole urban communities such as Wilton Station to choose from.  Wilton Station is a new concept the whole country is watching.  The station covers 10 acres on the water that will contain town homes, condos, retail shops, restaurants, and a health club all connected together with private boardwalks creating a city within a city.  This new urban village concept has been getting a lot of national press.  The idea is to move away from the sprawling suburban developments that require driving everywhere to the urban centers of the old days where walking place to place is the name of the game. 

Single family homes in Wilton Manors range from $300,000 to $500,000 for original homes with a few new large homes being built for around $900,000.  New construction town homes are available from $370,000 to $850,000 with older ones as low as $250,000.  New condos are $350,000 to $650,000 with a few older units from $140,000.

Western Broward

Starting at I-95 and moving west all the way to the Everglades is Western Broward County.  There are a number of communities here from your traditional suburbs to gated communities with all the amenities to large equestrian estates.  You can find large multi-acre lots, man-made lake front homes, 55+ housing, golf course homes, and just about anything else you could want.  There are also office and industrial parks for relocating businesses of all types.  Single family homes range from $100,000 for starter homes all the way to massive 3 million dollar homes on multi-acre lots.  Most homes however can be found from $200,000 to $500,000, and will be larger compared to East Broward homes of the same price.  One of the big areas out west is Weston.  Weston is a large gated community with community pools, parks, sports, strict codes, schools, and more.  Weston prices range from $400,000 up.  There are also many condo and townhouse communities starting as low as $40,000 in 55+ areas and $80-100,000 for all age areas.

Northern Broward

The Northern Broward communities consist of Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, and Deerfield Beach to the east and Coconut Creek, Parkland, Margate, and Coral Springs to the west.

 

Pompano Beach

begins just north of Fort Lauderdale and runs from the ocean all the way to the Florida Turnpike.  Pompano is changing rapidly with new condos, new large waterfront homes, and new faces.  Covering such a large area allows for many different types of communities.  Traditional suburban working class neighborhoods are found west of US 1 with most homes from $200,000 to $450,000.  East of US 1 holds coveted waterfront property and larger homes ranging from $500,000 to 2.5 million.  A wide variety of condos and town homes are also available and are usually less than in Fort Lauderdale.  Pompano Beach has consistently been on CNN’s list of hot zip codes the last few years.

 

Lighthouse Point

is known as a boating community with most of the homes on the water along with several marinas.  Access to the beach is limited though as it sits just to the west of the famous private beach on Hillsboro Mile.  Homes here are large and range from $500,000 all the way to 6 million.

 

Hillsboro Beach

is often called the Hillsboro Mile.  It is also referred to as Millionaire’s Mile but nowadays is more appropriately considered Billionaire’s mile.  The location is so coveted because it is one of the very few places where you can buy private beachfront land.  Also it is the only place where you can purchase a lot that stretches from the beach all the way to the Intracoastal Waterway giving you a private beach and a place to park your yacht.  Hillsboro is of course not cheap.  The six homes currently on the market range from 7 to 20 million.

 

Deerfield Beach

staring to the north of Pompano and extending all the way to the Palm Beach Country line sits Deerfield Beach.  Deerfield Beach is considered one the few remaining sleepy ocean side cities from the Florida of yesteryear.  Homes are less expensive here with homes near the beach as low as $350,000 and homes further west as low as $160,000. 

To the west of the Turnpike are the cities of Coconut Creek, Parkland, Margate, and Coral Springs.  Parkland is a new area known for its large lots and new homes.  Here you can find large 4,000 to 6,000+ sq ft homes for 1.2 to 1.5 million on .5 to 3 acre lots.

 

To the West

The northwestern cities are also new but are more traditional suburbs like you would find across the US.  Homes are new or newer allowing for larger homes for the same price, or often less than, in the east.  Several communities have man-made lakes, canals, and golf courses.

Southern Broward