In Fort Lauderdale, Luxury Towers Are Reshaping Nearby Home Values

Written by:

Alejandra Rodriguez

Date:

18 Aug 2026

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The gap between what South Florida sellers believe their homes are worth and what buyers will pay has become a defining feature of the current market. According to Peter Blicharz, a Real Estate Advisor with The PMB Group at Coldwell Banker Realty, sellers in Boca Raton and surrounding Palm Beach and Broward County communities remain anchored to pandemic-era valuations while buyers have recalibrated. The result is longer negotiations, more concessions, and a market that rewards realistic pricing while punishing holdouts.

Blicharz works across Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Fort Lauderdale, primarily serving high-net-worth investors and relocating families. His read on the current environment is direct: “Sellers are still kind of stuck in the 2020 era, where they’re thinking that their properties are worth a lot more than they truly really are.” Buyers, he says, know it is no longer a seller’s market and are holding firm on price.

Where Homes Still Move Fast

Despite heavier negotiation across the market, well-priced homes in certain segments sell quickly. According to Blicharz, anything below $500,000 to $600,000 in owner-occupied areas moves fast. In Boca Raton, properties between $1 million and $1.5 million see average days on market of 30 to 45 days – dropping to 14 to 21 days in desirable school districts. Aggressively priced homes in those districts can sell in under seven days.

The driver is school quality. East Boca Raton benefits from some of the highest-rated schools in the county, and Blicharz says that area will remain in high demand for that reason. For buyers targeting those districts, the window between listing and contract remains narrow enough that hesitation costs them options.

A Different Kind of Negotiation

The shift from a seller’s market to something more balanced has changed how deals close. Concessions that would have been unthinkable two years ago are now routine – and the negotiation extends beyond price into post-inspection discussions about property defects.

Blicharz says that even after buyer and seller agree on price, the defects identified during inspection become a second negotiation. Sellers who refuse to engage with those findings risk losing deals entirely. “They have to be more open to it if they want to sell the property,” he says.

This environment has also thinned the agent pool. Blicharz notes that many agents lack the negotiation skills and patience a balanced market demands, skills that were rarely tested during the pace of 2020 and 2021. “A lot of the agents can’t stomach being able to actually do their job the right way,” he says.

For sellers, the practical consequence is that pricing strategy and willingness to negotiate on condition issues now determine whether a home sells in weeks or lingers for months.

The Investment Case for Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach

For investors evaluating South Florida, Blicharz points to Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach as areas with active development momentum. Pompano Beach is receiving significant infrastructure investment, and Fort Lauderdale has luxury high-rise projects underway – the Waldorf Astoria, the W, and the Ritz – all on the waterfront.

“A combination of those three luxury high-rise buildings will create an incredible opportunity for investors if they’re willing to stick with it for the longer term,” Blicharz says. Concentrated luxury development raises the profile and rental demand of surrounding areas over time.

In a recent transaction, Blicharz negotiated the purchase of two adjacent single-family homes in Fort Lauderdale’s Lake Ridge subdivision from a developer for $1.25 million each – $75,000 below asking per unit – by leveraging the two-unit purchase. The properties were outfitted for short-term rental and are running at roughly 95% occupancy, generating $13,000 to $14,000 per unit monthly against carry costs of approximately $7,000 to $7,500. Within two and a half to three months, a comparable home on the same street was listed for $125,000 more per unit.

The deal illustrates a buying strategy specific to the current environment: developers with multiple unsold units are more willing to negotiate volume discounts than individual sellers clinging to 2020 pricing expectations.

A Younger Market Than Most Expect

One shift that may surprise outsiders: the average age of residents in Boca Raton and neighboring cities has dropped noticeably. The influx of younger families and professionals – many from feeder markets like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas – has reoriented demand toward schools, restaurants, nightlife, and community amenities.

“A few years ago that was not a priority; that was not something that really existed,” Blicharz says of the focus on dining and nightlife in communities historically associated with older residents. That demographic shift explains why school-district proximity now drives pricing premiums more than it did a decade ago – younger families with children prioritize access to top-rated schools in ways that retirees did not.

Seasonal Patterns and Policy Uncertainty

Blicharz notes that the cooling narrative around South Florida depends on location and timing. Summer months are slower across the board, but areas tied to school-district demand – particularly East Boca – maintain activity because relocating families want to be settled before the school year begins.

Looking ahead, Blicharz is watching two dynamics: the condo market shift and ongoing discussion around property tax policy for residents. On the latter, he notes misconceptions circulating about potential property tax changes. “There are some misconceptions that some people think that it’s going to go away for everyone,” he says. “And that’s definitely not going to be the case.” For investors underwriting deals based on current tax structures, that distinction matters; a policy change limited to primary residents would not reduce carrying costs on rental properties.

About the Expert: Peter Blicharz is a Real Estate Advisor with The PMB Group at Coldwell Banker Realty, serving Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Fort Lauderdale across Palm Beach and Broward counties, with a focus on high-net-worth investors and relocating families.

This article is based on information provided by the expert source cited above. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any real estate or financial decisions.