Selling in Fort Lauderdale in 2026: what’s different now

FORT LAUDERDALE – Selling a home in Broward County isn’t what it was three years ago. Prices have leveled off, buyers take their time, and Florida added new disclosure rules for flood history and condos. Here’s what Fort Lauderdale sellers should know before they list.

Where prices stand

Zillow put the typical Fort Lauderdale home at $509,700 in September 2026, down 0.6% from a year earlier. Nearby, Plantation was at $492,000, Hollywood at $442,300 and Pompano Beach at $350,100, all slightly down over the year.

Flat prices mean buyers compare. Price from homes that actually closed near you in the last few months, not from active listings, and expect buyers to ask about insurance, flooding and HOA costs before they ask about countertops.

Flood history now has to be disclosed

Since October 1, 2024, Florida sellers of residential property must give buyers a flood disclosure before or at the time the contract is signed. It asks whether you know of flooding that damaged the home while you owned it, whether you filed a flood damage claim with an insurer (including the National Flood Insurance Program), and whether you received assistance for flood damage, such as from FEMA.

In a coastal city with canals and low-lying neighborhoods, buyers read this form closely. Gather your insurance records and any elevation certificate early, so the answers are easy and complete.

Selling a condo? Expect more paperwork

Much of Fort Lauderdale’s housing is condos, and Florida’s post-Surfside laws added to what condo sellers hand over. Buyers are entitled to the association’s governing documents and, where the association has them, its milestone inspection summary and structural integrity reserve study. Those reports can reveal upcoming repairs and special assessments, which affect what buyers will pay.

Ask your association early for its most recent budget, reserve study and any planned assessments. A buyer who gets clear answers on day one is far less likely to walk away during the review period.

What comes off the top at closing

On a $509,700 Fort Lauderdale sale:

• Documentary stamps on the deed: 70 cents per $100, about $3,568. Standard Florida contracts usually put it on the seller.
• Owner’s title policy: the premium is set by the state ($5.75 per $1,000 on the first $100,000, then $5.00 per $1,000), about $2,624 here. Who pays it depends on the contract.
• Settlement fee and extras: these vary between title companies, so ask for them in dollars.
• Property tax proration: taxes are paid in arrears, so you credit the buyer for the part of the year you owned the home.
• Mortgage payoff, HOA or condo estoppel letter, repair credits: case by case.

Getting the listing in front of buyers

Most buyers start online, on the big home search sites, and most of those listings come from the MLS. Whatever route you choose, the goal is the same: complete MLS data, good daylight photos, an accurate description, and the disclosures ready before the first showing.

Some sellers hire a full-service agent. Others choose to handle the sale themselves and still get MLS exposure; if that’s you, here’s how to list your house in Fort Lauderdale on the MLS, step by step. Both paths work. The best one is the one where you know the cost in dollars and stay in control of the decisions.

Before you list

• Pull your flood insurance claim history and any elevation certificate.
• For a condo, request the budget, reserve study, milestone inspection summary and estoppel estimate.
• Find your roof permit and wind mitigation report; insurers will ask.
• Order your mortgage payoff letter early.
• Price from closed sales and adjust early if showings don’t turn into offers.

A calmer market rewards sellers who show up prepared. Have the paperwork ready, know your net, and Fort Lauderdale buyers will take you seriously.

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