October 31, 2025

Strong Planning, Upgrades, and now Sales are protecting property Values

Eventhough the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate market faced tough times over the last five years many condominiums and neighborhoods throughout the South Florida area approached the challenges knowing exactly what was needed to make sure as the next cycle of real estate began with property values of their homes particpating at the start of the rebound.

Neighborhoods that aggressively went after banks that were not taking care of properties whcih were in or heading to foreclosure, were protecting the value of their entire community. Cities that placed liens and refused to back down on poorly care fored properties saw banks pay attention and neglected pools were closed down properly and lawns were mowed. Condominium and homeowners associations who budgeted for unpaid maintance, foreclosed on property (when appropriate) and refused to give in on high amounts owed at closing simply because the system was slow, today are seeing the benefits of a well run property.

As these properties do proceed through the foreclosure system many well runned communitues will see nice returns back into the funds they created for “unpaid HOA dues” often in large lump sums at closing. Sometimes other, not so well runned communites, will get lucky when a realtor gets involved after many missteps by a property and gets the community a check far larger than they legally were entitled to with a large piece of it going to their own legal fees, luckily creating a surprise win for the community.

One property where Eric Miller of Keller Williams Fort Lauderdale has been very involved, as a former board member and a current property owner is the Tides at Bridgeside Square. This condominium has stayed the course throughout the real estate downtown with a great board, management company, and building staff that has risen to occasion. The building has funded reserves in a responsible fashion, worked through the process of foreclosures and short sales consistantly and is a well funded property that is watching their efforts pay off.

In 2012 the building at 10 years old completed an exterior painting of the building, there was no accessment done to complete this project. Currently the unit owners are voting on final design presenations for the new hallways, which will be upgraded beyond the level of the original construction, inlcuding marble elevator lobbies, and a new more elegant feel throughout. This huge project is also fully funded through reserves.

Just a few weeks ago numerous sales were recorded at the Tides of Bridgeside Square. In 2011 the highest recored sale was $290,000 so far in 2012 sales have been recorded at $315,000, $359,000, and with only 8 units available for sale in a building of 246 great Fort Lauderdale Beach Area Condos 2012 is certainly going be seen as the turn around year for this and many other Fort Lauderdale Beach Properties. Eric Miller and Associates were involved in everyone of the sales mention above and are always here to help you with your needs at the Tides at Bridgeside Square and every east Fort Lauderdale Property.

If you are just starting your search for real estate in the Fort Lauderdale area, and know that you like the beach area close to Oakland Park Boulvard and the Tides Fort Lauderdale, here are some other great proeprties we will be happy to show to you. That are selling to today at prices that we thing repreent very close tothe bottom of Fort Lauderale Real Estate market.  Some featured properties worth a look are below.

L’Hemitage is concerned to be one of Fort Lauderdale’s finest residential condominums, sitting on 12 acres of beachfront property. Built in 1997 the timeless architecture of the these two white tower on Fort Lauderdale Beach make it one the most desired resort style propeties in the area.  A pool side cafe and the fact that the buildings are pet freindly add to the appeal of L’ Hermitage. Today there are L’Hermitage Condos available starting at $699,000 range to just under $4,000,000.

 

At the classic Vantage View Condominium in most cases an odd numbered unit is featuring a beautiful intracostal and downtown view and an evn number is facring the ocean. At just a block form the beach this beautful building has received a new lobby and numerous upgrades over the years. One of the properties claims to fame is a roof toop swimming pool which provides from some of the most amazing views of the entire South Florida area and the beach. There are only 5 units listed for sale and they are ranging from $199,000 to $309,000 a great place to call your first Fort Lauderale home.

Curious about Fort Lauderdale Real Estate we are here to answer all your area real estate questions and may even use your question as a feature in an upcoming article.

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Sees New Tower Proposal

Nothing can mark the start of a new Ft Lauderdale Real Estate cycyle for a community better that an application for a great project being placed infront of the city by a great local developer. It shows confidence in Fort Lauderdale Real Estate. A well known South Florida residential developer, Jorge Perez of the Related Group, has proposed a 26-story rental tower on the south bank of the New River.

The south side of the river, which is the area between downtown and the airport has always been less developed but often appeared in a holding pattern that was about to change. La Preserve a community of Glenn Wright Homes, is a south side community that got caught in the market downtown and is now very much alive. An investor has finished the remaining luxury homes, and rented them out, showing convidence in a Fort Lauderdale Real Estate turnaround. The goal now is for a Related Group subsidiary to add a 256 luxury rental building called the New River Yacht Club to the south side of the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate market at a site just west of Andrews Avenue.

Some buyers of Fort Lauderdale Condos are surprised to hear that there is very little inventory available in the Ft Lauderdale Market. Lack of new construction and high demand for rental units have kept the beach and downtown areas of Ft Lauderdale Condo market a prime target for investors. Low inventory and stablizing prices in Ft Lauderdale Real Estate often appear to be the story that the media forgot to report. Recently we spoke to a buyer who told us that “the Fountains and Sapphire on the beach had both closed their sales offices because nobody was buying”. She was right, both sales offices are now closed, but she was wrong about why, the last two buildings in the Fort Lauderdale Central Beach area are sold out.

It is great to see projects in the planning stage again, it is great to see some in fill projects that have been stalled starting to be worked on again, and it is very clear that lower inventory, stabilized prices and strong demand will allow the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate market to work through any inventory that the banks continue to work through their “system”.

FEMA’s NEW FLOOD MAP EXCLUDES PARTS OF BROWARD COUNTY

It was announced recently that a new FEMA map has indicated that more than half of Broward County properties including parts of the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate market will no longer be required to carry flood insurance. We sincerely suggest that Fort Lauderdale and Broward County Homeowners do not run out to cancel their flood insurance policy, based on FEMA’s new guidelines.

Property owners in the Ft Lauderdale Real Estate market currently carry three insurance polices, windstorm, flood, and homeowners or liability. The flood policy has always been the least expensive. Should we ever have another weather related disaster it is not hard to visualize insurance companies as they have done in the past arguing if the water in your home came from wind related issues, or rising water? By maintaining both policies you are covered and can allow the insurance companies to argue the issue.

Prior to this change there have already been parts of east Fort Lauderdale that were in what is referred to as X zones, areas that did not require flood insurance. There are areas of Victoria Park, and even areas east of the intracoastal near the beach that were not included as flood zones. Prudent property owners in these areas have always carried flood insurance, and some condos in these areas have been forced to purchase insurance by prudent lenders.

If you are in one of the areas where flood insurance is no longer required we would suggest you think twice and keep the policy and hopefully by calling your insurance agent the policy can be rerated to even a lower cost. Any questions, give your insurance company a few weeks to receive the new guidelines and give them a call.

Oakland Park Community Redevelopment Area

The Oakland Park Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) has recently completed many infrastructures and landscaping projects near N.E. 12 Av and N. Dixie Hwy! These improvements affect the surrounding Oakland Park Real Estate market and adjacent Ft Lauderdale Real Estate market.
For those of us who live here in South East Florida, this CRA is good news as Oakland Park’s “Main Street” turns into “Wilton Drive” and continues south via 4th Ave into downtown Ft Lauderdale. By improving the infrastructures on this route and accomplishing visual improvements along this heavily traveled South East Corridor, the Oakland Park Real Estate market, the Wilton Manors Real Estate market, and Ft Lauderdale Real Estate can only benefit.
The progress of this CRA is a welcome sight and yet just another example of exciting things happening in both Oakland Park and Wiltons. For all your local realstate needs contact Eric Miller and Associates, ask us  “Why it’s a great time to buy Ft Lauderdale Real Estate?”

Fort Lauderdale Foreclosure Bargain

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Foreclosurer – Reduced to $289,900 on July 18th, 2011

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate shoppers are finding out that there not Ft Lauderdael foreclosed homes on every corner in the Ft Lauderdale Real Estate market waiting for buyers to arrive in Fort Lauderdale and make an offer. In fact, the real story of the Ft Lauderdale Real Estate market is a market where the local Ft Lauderdale newpaper recently reported that tightening inventory is leading to a sellers market in certain neighborhoods of Ft Lauderdale.

Ft Lauderdale Real Estate is just like any real estate market in the country when it comes to the rules of real estate, “location, location, location”. In Fort Lauderale Real Estate a choice location for most people is about being close to Ft Lauderale Beach, or close to the Fort Lauderdale Downtown area of Las Olas Boulevard. These are the, “certain neighborhoods”, that the tightening market is talking about. In addition to these choice areas, you can add to it the criteria of great schools, and in-turn the areas of Weston, is seeing a tightening market, along with the neighboring city of Cooper City. Great schools, and choice attractions such as Fort Lauderdale Beach lead to great real estate markets that are all ready showing the signs of tightening.

Oaktree Drive Foreclosed Home

Are there still bargains out there ? Absolutely and my goal here is to bring your attention to one such bargain. Just west of 95, about 4 miles from the beach is a community of 56 homes that built just over 10 years ago on the back of the Oak Tree Golf Course in Oakland Park, Florida, the city which borders Ft. Lauderdale to the North and West. [Read more…]

News in Fort Lauderdale Real Estate

La Preserve

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate has some big news on the horizon as we approach the next cycle of stablization of the the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market. Tightening inventory in Ft Lauderdale Real Estate is leading to prices that are starting to hold. Steady prices give builders visability to what they can afford to pay for land and building costs and still make a profit, while selling at totadys discounted prices. With the visability, come plans for Ft Lauderdale new construction, and activity on projects that long been sitting idle. Short on details we will not go into full disclosurer mode at this point, but lets just leave it as this homeowner, and local realtor is happy hear that one of the largest pieces of developable single family homes East of 95 in Broward County now has plans swirling around. A well respected builder is currently working on plans for approxiamtely 36 new construction homes East of 95 in Ft Lauderdale. In Fort Lauderdale Real Estate today this will be Browards only brand new planned community east of 95. If you have been thinking about purchasing Fort Lauderdale Real Estate but a new home such as the ones built at La Preserve is on your wish list now is the time to contact Eric Miller, execute a buyers representation agreement and be the first to here about these new single family homes to be build in Fort Lauderdale. Curious about details and want to be the first to hear Contact Eric Miller today and lets meet personally to discuss this great potential opportunity in Fort Lauderdale Real Estate.

Ft Lauderdale Real Estate Auction Proves Demand for Ft Lauderdale Real Estate

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate demand proved to be the exact opposite of what national reports keep saying about the real estate market in general. A few weeks back as we discussed in an earlier blog post the Fountains on Ocean Blvd. conducted a real estate auction for the remaining unsold inventory. The auction drew a huge crowd of buyers to the Fort Lauderdale Hilton on a beautiful sunny day in Ft. Lauderdale, to buy their own piece of Fort Lauderdale Real Estate.

Fort Lauderdale Condominiums were sold in an orderly fashion of aggressive bidding, and in just over an hour the last remaining Ft Lauderdale Condominium units at the Fountains on Ocean Boulevard were under contract and called for by lucky buyers who will get to close on one the last remaining unsold developer Fort Lauderdale Condominiums.

Ft Lauderdale Condos were sold at about 40% off of the original asking prices, with unit selling from just under $300,000 into the mid $500,000 range. The demand was strong and the prices are a true indication of market value of Ft Lauderdale Condos.

Fort Lauderdale Condominiums near the beach are part of a Ft Lauderdale Real Estate market where location is everything and has not been plagued with an endless supply of foreclosures and short sales. The bargains are out there, but if you have been waiting to purchase a Fort Lauderdale Condo near Ft. Lauderdale Beach, now is the time to plan your shopping trip, as the good inventory is clearly being sold to the highest bidder, as inventory continues to shrink when it comes to Fort Lauderdale Condominiums.

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Trends

When it comes to the most basic number which effects the Fort Lauderdale Real estate market;  in Fort Lauderdale the trend is very differant than the trend the media speaks about throughout the country. That number is simply the number of residential units available for sale, and in  Fort Lauderdale Real Estate, that number is declining.   In Ft. Lauderdale and in the entre Broward County area, Fort Lauderdale Realtors have been complaining that there is nothing to sell. It is not quite that dramatic. But the saleable inventory is actually even lower than this graph shows. If you remove from the inventory the Ft. Lauderdale over priced unmotivated seller, the Ft. Lauderdale Short Sales which certain banks have caused many buyers to stay away from,  the numerous Ft. Laudedale Foreclosurers that banks have frozen simply by leaving them on the market but are not responding to offers, and the area short sales that are being left on the market in “active” status because of fear that the first buyer will back out by time the bank responds, the truely sellable inventory in the Fort Lauderale area is even lower than this graph indicates.

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Trends

Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Trends

When it comes to Fort Lauderale Real Estate the graph indicates some very clear trends. Inventory in the last year has droppd 45%, sales have increased 20% and pending sales (possibly scewed because of the numer of short sales sitting in pending which will nevr happen) are up 82%. When it comes to Fort Lauderdale Real Estate, and especially Fort Lauderdale Condos and Fort Lauderdale Waterfront Homes the widely used statistic of “housing starts” becomes meaningless as we are basically out of land; out of land means out of housing starts.

In summation with inventories back at the level of pre-housing boom in the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Market, its a great time to be a buyer in Fort Lauderdale, and the team at Eric Miller and Associates is here to help with all your needs in Fort Lauderdale Real Estate.