Tyson E. Sam's Guide to Buying a Home in Broward County
The Short Answer
Decide first between a single-family home and a condo or townhome, because in Broward they are two different markets with different prices, inventory and risks. Get pre-approved with insurance, flood, taxes and association fees in the budget, not just the mortgage payment. Then let the closed sales, the inspections and, for a condo, the association's documents decide what you offer.
Broward County Right Now
These are the county's figures from BeachesMLS, recalculated September 22, 2026. The full Broward County housing market report has twelve months of trends and every city in the county.
- Single-family homes: median sale $657,500 over the last 90 days (+3.8% on a year ago), 81 days on market on average; 4.2 months of inventory, a balanced market, so neither side holds much leverage, so price and condition decide.
- Condos and townhomes: median sale $243,950 (-5.5% on a year ago), 119 days on market on average; 10.7 months of inventory, a buyer's market, so buyers hold the leverage.
Two Markets in One County
Broward's single-family homes and its condos and townhomes behave like two separate markets. Houses, especially east of I-95 and on the water, tend to have less inventory and firmer prices. Condos, particularly in older buildings, carry more inventory and give buyers more room to negotiate, but they come with a second thing to evaluate: the building and the association that runs it.
Decide which market you are in before you start touring. It changes the budget, the financing, the inspections and how hard you can negotiate.
Where to Look
Fort Lauderdale is the county's center, with downtown, the beach and miles of navigable canals in neighborhoods such as Las Olas Isles, Harbor Beach and Rio Vista. Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach offer beach condos and inlet access for boaters. Hollywood has its beach and Broadwalk. Lighthouse Point is built around the water. West of I-95, Plantation, Davie, Weston, Coral Springs, Parkland and Pembroke Pines offer larger lots and suburban neighborhoods, and Davie keeps a horse-country side of its own.
Each city page shows what is for sale today and the city's own housing market report.
Budget for More Than the Mortgage
In South Florida the payment is only part of the cost. Get a homeowners insurance quote before you make an offer, not after: the roof's age, the wind-mitigation features and the four-point inspection move the premium. If the home is in a flood zone, a federally backed lender will require flood insurance, and it is worth pricing even where it is optional.
Property taxes reset when you buy. Florida caps how fast a homesteaded owner's assessed value can rise, and that cap ends with the sale, so the seller's tax bill can understate yours by a wide margin. Apply for your own homestead exemption with the Broward County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the year after you buy, and ask the property appraiser to estimate the tax on your purchase price.
Add association dues and any special assessment, and plan on roughly 2 to 5 percent of the price for closing costs, including Florida's documentary stamp and intangible taxes on a new mortgage.
Condos: Read the Building Before the Unit
A cheap condo in a building with a failed milestone inspection or a large special assessment is not cheap. Before an offer, we pull the association's budget, reserve information, milestone inspection and structural integrity reserve study where the building has them, any special assessment already levied or proposed, the insurance summary and the rules on leasing, pets and buyer approval.
Lenders judge the building too: an association with critical repairs pending or thin reserves can make a unit ineligible for many mortgages. And most associations must approve the buyer, which can take two to four weeks, so we start that process the day your offer is accepted.
Inspections That Matter Here
Order a general home inspection, a four-point and wind-mitigation inspection for the insurer, and a wood-destroying organism (termite) inspection. Add a sewer or septic inspection where it applies, and on the water, have the seawall and dock looked at by someone who does that work. On Florida's widely used 'AS IS' contract, the inspection period is your chance to cancel or renegotiate, so use every day of it.
Making an Offer That Wins Without Overpaying
Start from the closed sales, not the asking price. In a segment where sellers hold the leverage, a clean offer (full pre-approval, a solid escrow deposit, a reasonable inspection period and a flexible closing date) often beats a higher price with conditions. Where buyers hold the leverage, which in Broward has mostly meant condos, negotiate on price, ask for credits after inspection and take the time to read the association's paperwork.
How I Work With Buyers
At BreakThru we match you with the agent who knows the neighborhood and the property type you want, and I read every offer and contract before it goes out. For condos, we check the building's fees, reserves, milestone inspection and rental rules before you make an offer, not after.