Fort Lauderdale home prices and market speed
The typical Fort Lauderdale home is worth about $511,500, down 1.3% on a year ago. Across the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach metro, for-sale inventory is 14.3% lower than a year earlier. Prices are flat to slightly down and most homes sell below list price, so buyers have room to negotiate. Sellers do best pricing from recent closed sales rather than from older list prices.
| ZIP code | Typical home value | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|
| 33301 | $863,100 | +1.2% |
| 33316 | $728,700 | +0.6% |
| 33305 | $680,800 | +1.1% |
| 33304 | $595,900 | −1.0% |
| 33306 | $585,500 | −1.0% |
| 33315 | $545,500 | −1.4% |
| 33308 | $520,600 | +0.3% |
| 33312 | $483,300 | −2.2% |
| 33311 | $365,900 | −1.9% |
Sources: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, all homes, August 2026); Zillow metro market data (days to pending, inventory and price cuts, August 2026; sale-to-list ratio, July 2026). Metro figures cover the wider region, not the city alone.
What a Fort Lauderdale agent should help you work out
Across the Miami metro, which includes Fort Lauderdale, Zillow shows homes taking about 98 days on average to go under contract in August 2026, and 18.9% of listings had a price cut. In a market that slow, the agent's job is less about speed and more about pricing, due diligence and knowing which costs come with a particular address. These are the questions a good Fort Lauderdale agent should help you answer early.
Condo, single-family or waterfront: which market are you in?
Fort Lauderdale is close to an even split between two kinds of property. The Broward County Property Appraiser counted 36,156 single-family homes in the city in July 2025, with a median market value of $566,425, and 27,878 condominium units, with a median of $413,310. Condo pricing now depends heavily on the building's reserves and inspection history, while single-family pricing on the isles and canals depends on water access. An agent should tell you which comparable sales actually apply.
What the millage code and flat fees add
Two homes with the same price can carry different tax bills. A parcel in the city's main millage code paid 18.4464 mills in 2025, while one inside the Downtown Development Authority district paid 19.4143, and the bill also carries a fire assessment and a stormwater fee. Ask for the last tax bill, front and back, on every home you shortlist. Our Broward County property tax guide shows how to read it.
Whether the price reflects the flood and insurance picture
The City of Fort Lauderdale says a majority of residents live in or close to a FEMA special flood hazard area. Insurance and flood premiums can change what a home is worth to you, so a useful agent gets quotes and the elevation certificate early rather than after you are under contract.
Buying in Fort Lauderdale: checks before you commit
Buying in Fort Lauderdale is mostly about checking the things a listing does not show. Work through these before your inspection period ends.
Look up the flood zone and elevation certificate
Enter the address in the city's online GIS map to see the FEMA flood zone, and ask the city's sustainable development staff for a copy of the elevation certificate if the seller does not have one. Fort Lauderdale takes part in FEMA's Community Rating System, which the city says currently gives residents a 20% discount on flood insurance premiums. Our Florida flood zones guide explains what each zone letter means.
For a condo, read the building's finances
Ask for the budget, the reserve study, the latest milestone inspection and any special assessment notices before you sign. The milestone inspection guide explains the state rules behind many recent fee increases and what to look for in the reports.
Budget your own tax bill, not the seller's
The appraiser's 2025 figures show the median single-family home in the city was assessed at $367,860 against a market value of $566,425, because the seller's Save Our Homes cap resets when you buy. Estimate your bill on the price you pay, then subtract the homestead exemption if you will live there.
Know the new rule on utility accounts
Since March 1, 2026, only property owners can open a new City of Fort Lauderdale utility account. Tenants can still receive bills in care of the owner. If you are buying a rental, plan to hold the water and sewer account in your own name.
Check historic district and permit history
Sailboat Bend, with more than 550 buildings, is the largest of the city's three locally designated historic districts. If you are buying there or near Himmarshee Street downtown, ask the city's Urban Design and Planning staff what review applies before you plan exterior changes, and pull the permit history for any renovation the seller mentions.
Selling in Fort Lauderdale in a slower market
Selling in Fort Lauderdale in 2026 means competing with more listings than a year or two ago, even though metro inventory has eased. Zillow counted 48,328 homes for sale across the Miami metro in August 2026, down 14.3% from 56,417 a year earlier.
Price against recent sales, not last year's peak
Zillow's typical Fort Lauderdale home value was $511,473 in August 2026, down 1.3% over the year and about 6% below the August 2024 figure of $544,965. Homes in the metro sold for about 95.7% of their final list price in July 2026. Pricing from 2024 comparables is the most common reason listings sit.
Plan for about three months to a contract
With an average of 98 days to pending across the metro, add closing time on top and plan your next move accordingly. Condos with pending assessments or insurance issues can take longer, so have the association documents ready before you list.
Work out your net proceeds
Documentary stamp tax on the deed, title costs, any agreed commission and prorated property tax all come out of the sale price. Use our seller net proceeds calculator, and read the Florida doc stamps guide for how the deed tax is worked out.
Disclose what you know
Buyers here ask about flooding, roof age, insurance claims and condo assessments early. The Florida seller disclosure guide explains what the law requires you to share; gather repair records and claim history before you list.
Fort Lauderdale areas in brief
Fort Lauderdale is not one market. Zillow's August 2026 values for the city's ZIP codes ranged from $365,913 in 33311 to $863,144 in 33301. Our Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods guide profiles each area in detail; here is the short version.
Downtown, Las Olas and Flagler Village
High-rise condos and new towers near Las Olas Boulevard and the Brightline station at 101 NW 2nd Avenue. Most new construction in the city is here; see the new construction guide.
Victoria Park, Colee Hammock and Rio Vista
Older single-family neighborhoods around downtown. Victoria Park's civic association says it holds more than a quarter of the city's surviving pre-1945 homes, and Rio Vista has over 1,000 homes near the New River.
The isles and Harbor Beach
Waterfront single-family streets off Las Olas and in the city's southeast corner, with the highest Zillow values in the city, from about $2.2 million in Harbor Beach to $4.7 million in Seven Isles.
Coral Ridge, the Galt Mile and the northeast
Post-war neighborhoods between the Middle River and the Intracoastal, oceanfront condo towers on the Galt Ocean Mile, and 1960s ranch homes in Imperial Point.
West and southwest Fort Lauderdale
Lower entry prices, including ZIP 33311 at $365,913 and 33312 at $483,310. Values in these ZIPs fell 1.9% and 2.2% over the year, a little more than the city overall.
Insurance, storm and fee checks on any address
Insurance and wind mitigation
Get a homeowners quote before you make an offer, and ask whether the home has a wind mitigation report. The state's My Safe Florida Home program offers free wind mitigation inspections and grants of up to $10,000 for eligible upgrades such as roofs and impact windows. Our Florida homeowners insurance guide explains how premiums are set.
Hurricane evacuation planning
Broward County orders evacuations by plan, and its hurricane site says all mobile home residents must evacuate under Plan A and Plan B. Low-lying and waterfront homes are the most exposed, so know what an evacuation order would mean for the address.
HOA, condo and CDD costs
The CDDs on the Broward tax collector's 2025 contact list, such as Solterra in Sunrise and Monterra in Cooper City, are outside the city, but condo and HOA fees are common in Fort Lauderdale. Get the current fee, what it covers and any approved assessments in writing.
Flat charges on the tax bill
Fort Lauderdale's stormwater charge was $318.17 per residential unit in 2025, and the city's fire assessment is added on top. Some streets also pay an assessment for burying power lines, $1,712.75 per parcel in 2025.
Choosing a real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale
Bright Florida Homes is an information and referral service, not a brokerage, and it does not rank agents. Use these checks to judge one yourself.
What to ask in the first conversation
- How many homes have you sold or bought in this ZIP code or building in the past year, and at what share of list price?
- Which of your recent Fort Lauderdale deals involved a condo with a special assessment, and how was it handled?
- Who do you use for insurance quotes, wind mitigation and elevation certificates?
- How will you price my home against the 2024 peak and today's sales?
How agent pay works since August 2024
Under the National Association of Realtors settlement, since August 17, 2024 buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. NAR's consumer guide says compensation is negotiable and not set by law, and must be stated clearly as a flat fee, a percentage or another fixed basis, not a range. Buyers can still ask the seller to pay some or all of it. See our Florida real estate commission guide.
Check the license
Look up any agent's Florida license and any discipline with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation before you sign an agreement.
Fort Lauderdale real estate questions
Are home prices dropping in Fort Lauderdale?
Slowly. Zillow's typical value fell 1.3% in the year to August 2026 and is about 6% below its August 2024 level, while it is still 23.9% higher than five years earlier. The picture varies by area: Zillow shows the Seven Isles and Lauderdale Harbours neighborhoods up more than 10% over the year while others fell, such as Sailboat Bend, down 5.4%, and Middle River Terrace, down 6.1%. Our Fort Lauderdale housing market report has the detail.
Why are people moving out of Broward County?
The Census Bureau's estimates show more people moving out of Broward to other parts of the US than moving in: net domestic migration was minus 29,517 in the year to July 2025. Moves from abroad added 24,944, and the county's population was essentially flat at 2,013,317. The city of Fort Lauderdale was estimated at 188,677, about the same as a year earlier. The Census data does not give reasons, but housing and insurance costs are the obvious factors to weigh; see the cost of living guide.
What does an agent earn on a sale?
There is no standard figure. On a $300,000 sale, a 2.5% fee to one side would be $7,500 before the agent's brokerage takes its share, but fees are negotiated deal by deal. For typical annual pay, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the Fort Lauderdale metropolitan division.
Common questions
How do I find a good real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale?+
Interview two or three agents who have closed recent sales in the exact ZIP code or building you want. Ask for their list-to-sale price ratios, how they handle condo documents and insurance quotes, and what they charge. Check each license with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation before signing a written agreement.
Who is the best realtor in Fort Lauderdale?+
There is no official ranking, and review sites measure different things. The right agent is the one with recent, verifiable sales in your part of the city and property type, such as waterfront homes, older single-family neighborhoods or high-rise condos. Bright Florida Homes can introduce you to a local agent, but it does not rank agents.
Is Fort Lauderdale a buyer's or seller's market?+
In 2026 it leans toward buyers. Across the Miami metro, Zillow shows about 98 days on average to go under contract, homes selling for about 95.7% of list price and 18.9% of listings cutting their price. Inventory is 14.3% lower than a year earlier, which is helping steady prices.
How much is a typical home in Fort Lauderdale?+
Zillow's typical home value for Fort Lauderdale was $511,473 in August 2026, down 1.3% over the year. By ZIP code it ranged from $365,913 in 33311 to $863,144 in 33301. The typical rent was $2,736 a month.
How much does it cost to hire a real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale?+
Commission is negotiable and not set by law. Since August 2024, buyers agree their agent's pay in a written agreement before touring homes, and sellers decide separately whether to offer anything toward it. Get the fee in writing as a fixed amount or percentage, and compare two or three agents.
How long does it take to sell a house in Fort Lauderdale?+
Across the Miami metro, Zillow shows an average of 98 days from listing to an accepted contract in August 2026, compared with 97 days a year earlier. Add about a month or more for closing. Well-priced single-family homes can go faster, and condos with open assessments slower.
Sources
- Zillow Research: Home Value Index, rent index and metro market data
- Broward County Property Appraiser: 2025 July average and median values of single family homes (archived copy)
- Broward County Property Appraiser: 2025 July average and median values of condominiums (archived copy)
- Broward County Property Appraiser: 2025 Final Millage Rates (archived copy)
- Broward County Property Appraiser: 2025 Final Non-Ad Valorem Recap (archived copy)
- City of Fort Lauderdale: Flood and flood insurance
- City of Fort Lauderdale: Utility Billing and Collections
- City of Fort Lauderdale: Historic Districts
- Broward County: Evacuation information
- My Safe Florida Home
- National Association of Realtors: Consumer guide to written buyer agreements
- Broward County Tax Collector: 2025 property tax bill and payment information (special district contacts)
- Florida DBPR: License search
- Brightline: Fort Lauderdale station
- Victoria Park Civic Association: History
- Wikipedia: Rio Vista (Fort Lauderdale)
- U.S. Census Bureau: County population totals and components of change, Vintage 2025
- U.S. Census Bureau: City and town population totals, Vintage 2025