Fort Lauderdale Archives

Comfortable condo for an LGBT buyer in Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors or perhaps Miami?

A new client of mine wrote in today to ask…

“I’m looking to consult with a local agent in fort Lauderdale area for a potential investment property or vacation home. For us the most important search criteria is location. I know years ago, Wilton Manors was a good area to invest and live in for the LGBT community, is this still the case? Are there any other neighborhoods that we should be considering?

We are debating between investing in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. What are your thoughts pros and cons for each market if you are familiar with both?

Here is our search criteria

1-2 bedroom(s) condo
At least 1.5 bath
HOA fees less than $400/monthly depending on amenities could pay more
LGBT neighborhood preferred or central location in metro FLL or close to beach
Must include Parking and pool
Max price -$300k

So here’s the deal in South Florida. This is going to hold especially true for southern Broward County and into Miami-Dade.

A tale of Two Markets

The single family home market is healthy and vibrant. In fact, it’s overheated. Prices are increasing. Demand is strong. Broward is an economic engine – not just a vacation destination – and demand for family homes in good school districts is strong.

The condo market is the opposite. Several agents mentioned Dave Gervase. Dave lives in Hollywood and serves greater Broward, but he is willing to work further south than I do. From Hollywood, down into Hallandale, Sunny Isles and Miami, the condo market is struggling. New development is over-built. Developers are scrambling to convert properties already out-of-the-ground into apartments. Seriously scary shit.

Me and the husband (Condo Guru Steve West) settled in Oakland Park (which may as well be Fort Lauderdale) on the north east side. We are 8 minutes to Wilton Manors, too. So I am biased. I’ll push you towards Fort Lauderdale (including Wilton Manors and Oakland Park) because I think it’s the most gay-friendly, relaxed, amazing place to live.

However Fort Lauderdale is a “Tween.” What I mean is that the only reason it exists is because it was a whistle stop on the way south to Miami from the Treasure Coast. So your North Easterners with money will choose West Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast.

Folks who want an international destination with the feel of a big city will choose Miami.

The rest of us think that Fort Lauderdale is “Just Right.” It’s a bit more quiet. It’s not as homogeneous as West Palm Beach. And after the heyday of Spring Break (which BTW is still going strong) gays and lesbians moved in and fixed the place up.

As far as what you can get? I had a fellow agent from Michigan purchase a condo in Pompano Beach for under $100,000. Pompano Beach is farther from Wilton Manors, of course. But Michael and Karl got a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, only a mile to the beach off Atlantic Boulevard, in a community with a pool, near restaurants and bars. The condo itself was gorgeous. The community was on the more basic end of the scale. They won’t lose money, however. Ever.

NOTE: You can NOT Air BNB in most condos. You probably can use your condo as an annual rental. Read this:https://sunshineguru.com/2017/05/18/can-i-use-my-condo-in-south-florida-as-a-short-term-rental-or-vacation-rental-by-owner/

$300,000 will almost get you a whole house. Clients Ed and Jeff close on a house in Oakland Park next week for $330,000. It’s a 2 bed, 2 bath, full 2 car garage, and a pool overlooking a canal. $300,000 will comfortably get you a townhome, almost new townhome in Pompano. A 1970’s or 1980’s townhome in Wilton Manors. Easily a condo. And if you’re near the gayborhood, you’re less susceptible to the vagaries of the market that are plaguing the beachfront in Miami-Dade.

NOTE: You can easily use a townhome or a house as an Air BNB. Heck, I have a pocket listing duplex that would allow you to keep one, and AIR BnB the other. The various villages have inspection and registration requirements. For example, a vacation rental needs a $500 inspection and registration in Fort Lauderdale. On the other hand, Oakland Park is a free-for-all. Similar for Wilton Manors.

Last but not least: You should feel comfortable anyplace in Broward. Just a matter of style of community depending on where you are. You don’t have to be right inside Wilton Manors. I have uber-business lesbians out in Coral Springs because that’s where the good schools are located. There’s a young vibrant gay community in Boca Raton because of several universities. Oakland Park seems to be “Where The Bears Are.”

Fort Lauderdale Housing Market

My Market Insider provides a wealth of information that will help you better understand the factors that impact the real estate market. Consider this page your reference library for resources, tips, and techniques. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, the knowledge you gain will help put you in control of your real estate transactions. Gain valuable insight into a community by looking at household incomes, crime risk, education levels attained, and potential for extreme weather. Use the map to locate points of interest like shopping, restaurants, and healthcare services.

These reports are updated in real time and broken down by neighborhood throughout Fort Lauderdale and surrounding communities.

I can provide a more in-depth analysis for a particular neighborhood. Contact me if I can share anything with you.

Downtown Fort Lauderdale and the Las Olas Isles – zip code 33301

Near North, Victoria Park, Middle River, Central Beach – zip code 33304

Wilton Manors to the southern Corals – zip code 33305

Southeast Oakland Park – zip code 33306

Coral Ridge Country Club, Bay Club, the northern Corals and Imperial Point – zip code 33308

North Fort Lauderdale and Central Oakland Park – zip code 33334

West Fort Lauderdale and West Wilton Manors – zip code 33311

Lauderdale West, South Fort Lauderdale, Riverside, Lauderdale Isles – zip code 33312

Downtown South, Marina Mile and Fort Lauderdale Airport – zip code 33315

Rio Vista, Lauderdale Harbours, Harbor Beach – zip code 33316

Winterfest Boat Parade 2016 is this Saturday, December 10

The Winterfest Boat Parade – officially The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade – is this Saturday evening in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. The parade kicks off around 6:30 pm near down-town Fort Lauderdale and heads east to the Intracoastal Waterway, then north into Pompano Beach.

(Check out local bridge closings if you are driving in the area)

Hundreds of boats are decorated with lights and music – from small private boats to large party yachts. The sight is truly spectacular! Viewing parties are planned along the New River in down-town Fort Lauderdale and along the Intracoastal Waterway. One of the best places to view is from the banks of the Intracoastal inside Hugh Taylor Birch State Park where the entry fee is only a few dollars. For big spenders, nearly all the venues along the waterway have special events planned. Check out the websites for Shooters, Flip-Flops, North Beach Village, and Bokampers.

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Dog parks in and around Fort Lauderdale

South Florida can be a wonderful place to share with your four legged family members. Dog parks and beaches can be found in every corner of Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding communities.

Keep in mind that along the main beach in Fort Lauderdale, there are limited areas that dogs are permitted on the beach, and when walking along the beach, dogs are restricted to the west side of the street.

Some of my favorites

Canine Corner in Pompano Beach: Along Federal Highway at 10th Street (near the large park and small airport) is a well kept park featuring separate areas for large dogs and small dogs. The park district also has several areas that can be taken offline or put into use letting parts of the park recover from excessive use – a nice feature to keep the pups out of the mud.

Snyder Park in Fort Lauderdale: On the north side of Fort Lauderdale Airport and I595 (accessible from SR84) is a sprawling park with a large dog play area and a lake that’s accessible to dogs that may enjoy a swim.

Performance Pups in Hollywood: Located on the south end of Tiger Tail Lake, Performance Pups offers a dock and beach normally used for advanced dog training but is open for play sometimes. This facility is privately owned and there’s a fee to play on the beach and use the dock.

Hurricane Matthew and preparation in Fort Lauderdale

Hello local neighbors and South Florida readers. We have an unfortunately good chance of getting at least some part of a Category 3 or 4 hurricane. South Florida will see the effects late on Wednesday and all day Thursday.

A few things:

Do not empty your pool. I don’t know where this horrible piece of advice started but if you don’t have water holding your pool down, then the groundwater will pop it up out of the ground. This is a fact. Plus, in an emergency, you can use pool water to flush your toilet.

Do not put tape on your windows. It ultimately doesn’t do enough to help and you have a big mess to scrape off the windows when they don’t get broken.

Yes, shutters or plywood is good for your windows. You do not need to get 3/4″ plywood. 1/2″ is fine, save the extra money. But if you don’t or can’t shutter your windows, stay in a room that is either on the north or west side of the house because the wind will be coming from the southeast corner. Or even better, a room that has cbs (concrete) walls or a room in the middle of the house.

If you have rechargeable batteries, charge them even if you don’t think you need them. If you have a chargeable battery for a boat, charge it. You might be able to use the battery for something. If you take prescription meds, make sure you have at least enough for a few weeks or more.

If you have pets, make sure you have their food, treats and meds for at least a couple weeks.

Do your laundry now if you have been letting the dirty clothes pile up. These minor household chores are some of the things that folks forget about.

We all know about food and water, but make sure you are prepared.

Take some cash out of the ATM. When there’s no power or internet, CASH is king. Fill the car up with gas now. Gas stations in South Florida are all required to operate with generators nowadays. However finding gas and waiting in line may not be pleasant on Thursday or Friday.

Use common sense and be as safe as possible. And let’s hope it just brushes by us. I’m rooting for the gulfstream.

For folks who wish to contact me: I will be making hurricane preparations on Tuesday, October 4.

If the storm appears to veer towards South Florida on Wednesday I will be leaving town until utilities are restored – possible remaining out of town through Sunday, October 9.

I will have access to email and telephone however I do not expect to be returning emails as frequently as I would during regular business hours.

I’ll post regular updates on my Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bobdarow

Economic outlook for Broward County

At Keller Williams we pride ourselves on watching the market very carefully to be able to advise our clients to the best of our ability. To that end I’ve been examining the economic outlook for Broward County and its impact on both our residential and commercial real estate market.

Demand and rents soar

Growing payroll and a new wave of relocations from outside Florida are major contributing factors to a thriving multi-family sector in Broward County. This year more than 18,500 new jobs were created in Broward County; mostly in the private sector.

Tenant demand continues to rise in the midst of a new construction cycle, forcing rents upward throughout our market.

For the first time since 2000 there is a short supply of single-family houses and apartments for rent.

Related Group—which is the largest development company in the region—has plans that include more than $1-billion in new development for thousands of apartments in Davie, Pembroke Pines, Plantation and Fort Lauderdale. Nearly 900 units are being developed in the Fort Lauderdale sub-market.

Vacancy rates in the county are around 4.7%. The Broward County apartment sector ended the third quarter of 2014 with the second lowest vacancy rate among the three South Florida counties. The average rent is projected to go up to $1,311 per month.

Capital continues to rush into the apartment sector. Small private investors are dominant in the market thanks to acquisition debt available at higher leverage.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to underwrite 5, 7 and 10 year loans and offer maximum leverage of at least 80% in most markets. The interest rates are historically low.

Here is some other important information: Do you know that in October, the Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area was named a hot spot among the nation’s top college towns for multi-family investment?

We’ve got incredible opportunity for growth in Fort Lauderdale. I believe that in six to seven years Fort Lauderdale will be one of the hottest areas in the country.

Why are these statistics important? Because I want to convey to my clients that whether they are considering a house to live in, or an acquisition of an investment property, that we will be facing a housing shortage in a few years. Today’s interest rates could not be more attractive and prices here in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County are still remarkably affordable.

All Aboard Florida – Rail Service from Miami to Orlando – Full Steam Ahead

Your Guru had the privilege of attending a community meeting and presentation for the new rail service called All Aboard Florida that will offer service between Miami and Orlando. Differing from our current Tri-Rail service, All Aboard Florida is envisioned as a high speed rail corridor whisking passengers in a premium level of comfort from Miami, to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and onward to Orlando.

The meeting was quite interesting as local residents of Fort Lauderdale assumed that they would be able to offer some sort of community input, and fully expected that this development would follow normal protocol for quasi-government construction. However in an interesting twist, All Aboard Florida is a completely privately funded venture. The company is a distant descendant of the original Henry Flagler Railway, now known as the Florida East Coast Railway. The new rail line will follow the existing railway that runs through the heart of Miami, the eastern cities, downtown Fort Lauderdale, downtown Oakland Park, and feature walkable rail stations in the communities where stops are planned.

Funding was completed in January of 2013, and construction began immediately. Rail service between Miami and West Palm Beach is scheduled to begin in late 2016, and service continuing onward to Orlando is scheduled to begin in early 2017.

The train station in Fort Lauderdale will be located to the north of Broward Boulevard, where 6 acres is being transformed into a transportation hub to meet additional buses and taxi service. The Miami station will be located by the American Airlines (Miami Heat) arena on the site of the original Henry Flagler Railroad Miami station.

Improvements to the single rail line will be the addition of another set of tracks, and in some sections, a third. Seamless single-rails will replace all existing track before service begins and All Aboard officials promise this will make the trains run much more quietly. New rail crossing systems are being installed already, and these modern crossing systems have gates that block the entire crossing on both sides of the track. This also allows trains (including current freight trains) to approach crossings without using their horns – another promised benefit to the upgrades. What no one can answer at the moment is what the additional 16 north-bound and 16 south-bound trains per day will do to traffic in areas like downtown Fort Lauderdale along major thoroughfares.

The luxury train sets are already being built by Siemens in California and are planned with quiet cars (no kids), Wi-Fi available (no word whether free or paid) and the Orlando hub will allow visitors to jump onto alternate transportation to Disney World and to Downtown Orlando.

Development Update: The Sunrise Galleria Redevelopment and Planned Community

Your Guru was able to attend the Central Beach Alliance (CBA) membership meeting on Thursday, October 2nd, where we were given some preliminary information on the massive redevelopment of the site where the Galleria Mall is located.

An ambitious plan is in preliminary planning stages featuring the construction of several buildings including 1,645 residential units, a 150 room hotel, a senior residential facility, and a renovation of the mall itself. The plans seem quite comprehensive but are still open for community comment and nothing has been approved for construction at this time. A more final plan should be presented to the CBA in January, 2015, with that version to be submitted to the City of Fort Lauderdale for eventual approval.

Over the years, the site has evolved from what once was the Sunrise Mall, a modest strip mall, built in 1954.

In 1981 the mall was enclosed and developed into the indoor mall we see today, and re-named the Galleria Mall in 1980. In 2004, the new front entrance and the section of the mall that contains all the restaurants was constructed.

The main feature of the redevelopment plan will be right along the IntraCoastal Waterway where a 45 story condominium is planned. Tentatively named 2600 at The Galleria, this building will be the tallest of the new buildings and the developer hopes to construct 379 residential units, 165 hotel rooms, and 32,000 square feet of additional retail space. This tower is planned to be 45 stories tall.

Other sites feature plans:

-> A 17 story senior residential community of 326 units

-> A 15 story residential building of 236 units

-> An 11 story residential building of 108 units

-> A 14 story residential building of 238 residential units

-> A 24 story residential building of 167 residential units

-> A 28 story residential building of 198 residential units

Would you like to be kept up-to-date on the development at The Galleria on Sunrise?

For additional information contact Robert Darrow at Keller Williams Fort Lauderdale with the contact form below or call Robert today at 954-446-9001 with any questions. Ready to make an appointment to view this incredible property? For all your Fort Lauderdale real estate needs and an introduction to The Galleria on Sunrise, we are always here to help as your buyers agents in the Fort Lauderdale area.

What should we do this weekend in Fort Lauderdale?

Here’s my rundown of fun stuff in Fort Lauderdale this weekend…

Charlie’s Rise n Ride (Bike Ride)

Meet up is at 7:15am

We leave promptly at 7:30am.

JOIN us for our weekly Charlie’s Rise and Ride. Weekends go better when they start off in the saddle.

We leave from the north east part of Broward? Join us Sat morning at the Duffy’s Diner at the corner of Cypress Creek Rd and Dixie Hwy where we will head to the beach and go north for a round trip ride of approx 30 miles and a nice pace of about 15+ mph. We stay together as a group.

Stay with us after the ride for breakfast. We have a nice place to have a cup of coffee or to grab a bite and to safely store your bike.

Pedals turn at 7:30 AM

Panic! at the Disco

At the Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton (a little out there for us Fort Lauderdale folks LOL)

7:30 PM on Friday, 590 Plaza Real. Tickets $39.50

This turn-of -the-millennium group is still going strong – if you can believe it!

KW Family Picnic

On Sunday all us Keller Williams nerds will be grillin and chillin at the John U Lloyd Beach Park. I’m assured that water balloon fights are planned and I’ll be posting pics from the family event. Pups welcome!

What should we do this weekend in Fort Lauderdale?

Here’s my rundown of fun stuff in Fort Lauderdale this weekend…

Charlie’s Rise N Ride (Bike Ride)

Meet up is at 7:15am
We leave promptly at 7:30am.

JOIN us for our weekly Charlie’s Rise and Ride. Weekends go better when they start off in the saddle.

We leave from the north east part of Broward? Join us Sat morning at the Duffy’s Diner at the corner of Cypress Creek Rd and Dixie Hwy where we will head to the beach and go north for a round trip ride of approx 30 miles and a nice pace of about 15+ mph. We stay together as a group.

Stay with us after the ride for breakfast. We have a nice place to have a cup of coffee or to grab a bite and to safely store your bike.

Pedals turn at 7:30 AM

Bowling to Fight Hunger (Note: bowling spots all filled. You’re welcome to join & enjoy)

Welcome to the Hunger Fighting Zone. Thank you for your commitment to fighting hunger in our community. By participating in “Bowling to Fight Hunger”, you’re making a direct impact in the lives of youth, women and men living with HIV / AIDS who are not able to buy adequate food and nutrition.

“Bowling to Fight Hunger” is Poverello’s longest running charity event. To date, over 1 million dollars have been raised to fight hunger through our annual bowl-a-thon.

All proceeds from Bowling to Fight Hunger go to help Poverello provide life-saving food and basic life essentials to youth, women, and men living with HIV / AIDS and who are at poverty level and below.

– My goal is $500 so please help donate to this worthy cause herehttps://www.poverello.org/portal/open-fundraisers-secure?PFR=39

THE COMMUNITY CARE RACE AND RIDE TO BENEFIT POVERELLO CENTER.

In the tradition of the ChristmasChanukahKwanzaCrank and the Spring Fling Cha-Ching, the RiSKi AC presents a mid-summers second saturday eve charity bike race and ride.

For over 25 years, the Poverello Center in Wilton Manors has provided life-saving food and basic life essentials with the highest degree of understanding, respect and love to almost 2500 youth, women and men living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses, at or below the poverty level. On August 9, 2014, at 4:00 PM, the RiSKi AC will host the Second Annual Community Care Race and Ride, a scavenger hunt ride and race through the streets of Fort Lauderdale, to support the Poverello Center.

Anticipated cost of donations per rider: $20.00.

Free parking available at The Pride Center at Equality Park, 2040 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305.

Post-ride/race food and festivities: to be announced.

Symphony of the Americas Summerfest

Sat., Aug. 9, 8 p.m.

201 SW Fifth Ave.
Broward Center for the Performing Arts

$25-$60 | 954-462-0222

The 23rd annual classical culture exchange this year features the Mission Chamber Orchestra of Rome. Formed six years ago, the acclaimed European ensemble is led by composer/conductor/pianist Lorenzo Turchis-Floris.

Summer Waterfront Tasting at 15th Street Fisheries

Thu., Aug. 7, 5 p.m. – Ongoing | More dates

1900 SE 15th St.
15th Street Fisheries & Dockside Cafe

Sample a variety of the chef’s culinary creations at an affordable price. The menu, which includes three courses, changes nightly and is served in the upstairs dining room.