10 Things to Know Before Moving to Fort Lauderdale Florida
Summary
TLDRThis video script offers a comprehensive guide for prospective residents of Fort Lauderdale, highlighting the city's expansive metro area, the importance of location research, and the unique challenges of humidity, bugs, and wildlife. It addresses the bustling busy season, particularly in March, and the high costs associated with homeownership, including insurance. The narrator emphasizes the necessity of a car due to the spread-out nature of the region and the daily rain showers typical of South Florida's climate. The script also celebrates the area's cultural diversity and international appeal, inviting viewers to embrace the local lifestyle.
Takeaways
- 🏙️ Fort Lauderdale is part of a large metro area with 430 square miles and almost 2 million people, and the city itself is just a small part of it.
- 🌡️ The climate varies within the area; it's hotter towards the west near the Everglades due to humidity, and the east can be hot too due to lack of sun coverage.
- 🐊 Florida's wildlife is unique with lizards, iguanas, and peacocks commonly seen, and while alligators are rare, they do occasionally appear in canals.
- 🌞 The area experiences a very busy season, especially in March with spring break and St. Patrick's Day, leading to congestion and higher activity levels.
- 🏠 The cost of housing in Fort Lauderdale can be high, with a basic single-family home starting around $700,000, and properties on the water costing even more.
- 💰 Homeowners insurance in Florida can be expensive due to the risk of natural disasters and past issues with fraudulent claims.
- 🚗 Owning a car is almost a necessity in Fort Lauderdale due to the spread-out nature of the area, despite a decent public transportation system.
- 🌦️ Rain is a daily occurrence, especially during summer, often coming in the form of short, intense tropical storms.
- 🌆 The suburbs are growing as people are priced out of the city, offering more affordable housing options with a sense of community.
- 🌐 South Florida is an international market and melting pot, offering a rich cultural experience with people from all over the world.
- 🏡 For those considering a move, it's important to reach out to local realtors who can provide valuable insights and assistance in navigating the housing market.
Q & A
What is the size of the Fort Lauderdale metro area and what does it include?
-The Fort Lauderdale metro area is about 430 square miles of urbanized or livable area with almost 2 million people. It includes the city of Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding Broward County.
How does the distance in the Fort Lauderdale metro area affect commute times?
-Although the metro area is large, it's not one of those areas where it takes an hour and a half to drive from the suburbs to the city center. People can still get around fairly easily even if they live 10 miles away.
What should one consider when researching areas to live in Fort Lauderdale?
-It's important to rule out areas that one absolutely dislikes as well as find areas that one likes. Researching before deciding to move is crucial, and reaching out to local realtors can provide valuable insights.
What is the climate like in the western parts of Fort Lauderdale compared to the eastern parts?
-The western parts of Fort Lauderdale tend to be hotter, especially near the Everglades due to high humidity. The eastern parts, especially the beach areas, can also be hot due to lack of sun coverage but may have less humidity.
How does the presence of bugs and wildlife differ in Fort Lauderdale compared to other places?
-Fort Lauderdale has a variety of bugs attracted to moisture, including roaches, and a unique wildlife such as lizards, iguanas, and peacocks. Alligators and crocodiles are occasionally seen but are not a major concern.
Why does the month of March get particularly busy in Fort Lauderdale?
-March is the busiest month due to spring break and St. Patrick's Day, causing an influx of visitors, increased traffic, and congestion, especially with events like the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Shamrock Run.
Why do many people who want to move to Fort Lauderdale city end up buying homes in the suburbs?
-Homes in the city of Fort Lauderdale are more expensive than expected, and the suburbs offer more affordable options with potentially better community amenities and schools.
What are some factors affecting the cost of homeowners insurance in Fort Lauderdale?
-Factors include proximity to water, the risk of natural disasters, fraudulent claims history, and whether the home has hurricane impact windows and hurricane clips on the roof.
How is the public transportation system in Fort Lauderdale and is it feasible to live without a car?
-While the bus system is good within cities and trains are available for north-south commuting, living without a car is challenging due to the spread-out nature of the metro area. Owning a car is recommended.
What can one expect regarding rainfall in Fort Lauderdale and how does it affect daily life?
-Fort Lauderdale experiences rain almost daily, especially during the summer, but it's usually short-lived tropical rain that comes during afternoon rush hour. It's a small price to pay for avoiding snow.
How does the cultural diversity in South Florida differ from other places and what should newcomers expect?
-South Florida is an international market and a melting pot with people from all over the world. It offers a rich cultural experience with diverse food, art, and people from different walks of life, making it unique and vibrant.
Outlines
🏙️ Understanding Fort Lauderdale's Expansive Metro Area
Before moving to Fort Lauderdale in 2024, it's essential to know that the area is more than just a city—it's a vast metro area covering 430 square miles with almost 2 million residents. The city itself is small, but the broader metro region offers a lot of livable space. Unlike some other metro areas, it doesn’t take hours to commute from the suburbs to the city center. Familiarizing yourself with different areas is key, and avoiding areas you dislike is more important than finding those you love. The video aims to provide crucial insights to help with your move.
☀️ The Climate of Fort Lauderdale: Heat, Humidity, and Bugs
Fort Lauderdale’s climate varies significantly depending on location. Moving west means dealing with more intense humidity, particularly near the Everglades, while the eastern beach areas may feel hotter due to direct sun exposure. The area is also home to many bugs and unique wildlife, including roaches, iguanas, and peacocks, but these aren’t typically a problem if managed well. Alligators and crocodiles are rare but present. The climate is hot and humid, so if you’re sensitive to humidity, you may want to reconsider moving to Florida altogether.
🎉 Navigating Fort Lauderdale's Busy Season and Housing Costs
March is a challenging month in Fort Lauderdale due to spring break, St. Patrick's Day, and the resulting traffic and congestion. Many people want to move to the city for its proximity to beaches and downtown but are often surprised by high housing costs. Homes in East Fort Lauderdale start around $700,000, with those on the water reaching millions. Condos are more affordable, but come with higher down payments and HOA fees. Suburbs offer more affordable options, though homeowners insurance is costly, especially in flood zones. Understanding these factors is crucial before making a move.
🏡 Suburban Growth and Transportation Needs in Fort Lauderdale
The suburbs around Fort Lauderdale are growing, partly because people are being priced out of the city. While not as large as new developments in other parts of Florida, these areas still offer affordability and convenience. Homes built after 2001 are better equipped for hurricanes, which can reduce insurance costs. However, the expanding suburbs could eventually reach city-level prices. Having a car is almost essential in Fort Lauderdale, as public transportation is limited outside the city center, with buses and trains primarily serving north-south routes.
🌦️ South Florida’s Weather and Cultural Melting Pot
Rain is a daily occurrence in South Florida, especially in the summer, often arriving in short, intense bursts. Despite the frequent storms, it's a small price to pay to avoid snow. South Florida is a cultural melting pot, attracting people from all over the world. The diversity in food, art, and people is what makes the area unique, similar to New York City but with its own twist. Embracing this diversity is essential for anyone considering moving to the region.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Fort Lauderdale
💡Metro Area
💡Humidity
💡Wildlife
💡Alligators
💡Spring Break
💡Homeownership
💡Homeowners Insurance
💡Suburbs
💡Public Transportation
💡Rain
💡International Market
Highlights
Fort Lauderdale is part of a large metro area of 430 square miles with almost 2 million people.
The city of Fort Lauderdale is just a small part of the broader metro area.
The further west you go, the hotter it gets due to humidity near the Everglades.
Florida's wildlife includes lizards, iguanas, and peacocks, with the possibility of encountering alligators.
March is the busiest month in Fort Lauderdale with spring break and St. Patrick's Day causing congestion.
Home prices in the city of Fort Lauderdale are higher, with a basic single-family home starting at around $700,000.
Homeowners insurance in Florida is expensive due to the risk of natural disasters and fraudulent claims.
Suburbs are growing in popularity as people are priced out of the city, offering more affordable housing options.
Owning a car is almost necessary in Fort Lauderdale due to the spread-out nature of the metro area and limited public transportation.
It rains almost daily in Fort Lauderdale, often during afternoon rush hour, but the weather is generally favorable without snow.
South Florida is an international market and melting pot with diverse cultures and experiences.
The real estate team offers guidance for those considering a move to South Florida, providing valuable insights for potential buyers.
The video provides a detailed overview of what to expect when moving to Fort Lauderdale, including lifestyle and cost of living.
Fort Lauderdale's metro area includes various neighborhoods, each with unique characteristics and living conditions.
The video discusses the importance of considering location carefully when house hunting to avoid regrettable purchases.
Condos in Fort Lauderdale are more affordable than single-family homes but come with higher down payments and HOA fees.
Newer homes built after 2001 in Fort Lauderdale are more likely to have hurricane clips, which can lower insurance costs.
South Florida's appeal lies in its cultural diversity, attracting people from all over the world to live and work.
Transcripts
before you move to Fort Lauderdale in
2024 make sure you watch this entire
video These are 10 things that I get
asked about pretty frequently and some
things that you should really think
about before you decide to make that
move let's talk about
[Music]
it so let's get right into it 10 things
you need to know about moving to Ford
Lauderdale and and number one is that
Fort Lauderdale is big and when I say
Fort Lauderdale is Big I'm not talking
about just the city I'm talking about
the metro area it's about 430 square
miles of urbanized or livable area with
almost 2 million people for Lauderdale
the city is just the small part I mean
if you take a look at this map right
here you can see four Lauderdale
outlined in red then you see Broward
County which is the four Lauderdale
metro area outlined in yellow you can
see how big of an area this is and while
yes it is a large area it's not one of
those Metro areas where it's going to
take you an hour and a half to drive
from the suburbs to the center of the
city and I'm curious if you live in one
of those Metro areas where you can be 2
hours away from the downtown and still
be considered in the metro area let me
know in the comments but there's so much
more than just the city of Ford
Lauderdale itself and honestly you can
still be 10 m away and and get there
fairly easily when you need to and
getting this phase of your research down
before you decide to make that move here
is probably one of the best things that
you can do for yourself and I always
like to say that yes it's important to
find the areas that you like but it's
more important to rule out those areas
that you absolutely hate which is
exactly why you got to reach out to us
we are a team of Realtors here in South
Florida and we make these videos to give
you something that I didn't have when I
moved out here 5 years ago and we hope
you get value from these videos and we
want to hear from you if you're planning
on buying or even selling in South
Florida feel free to give us a call text
or email and we'd be happy to connect
with you and see how we can best help
you process your move okay so the next
thing that you need to know is that the
further west you go the hotter it is and
I know that sounds weird but it's kind
of true and you can make the argument
that the further east you go and
actually the farthest east that you can
go which is the beach that it's actually
hotter out there because there's
absolutely no coverage from the sun
which is also true but when you get out
towards the Everglades that humidity is
something else it's a swampy area it's
extremely humid out there and I really
noticed this to be true when I made my
Coral Springs Vlog in August of 2023
bear with me cuz it's hot out here um I
know you can't feel it I don't know if
you can tell I'm struggling out here
it's definitely a noticeable feeling and
it can be very uncomfortable during the
summer now is it enough to say that if
you move further east it's going to save
you from that absolutely not but it's
something something that I had to figure
out and I guess if you have a weaker
tolerance to humidity you probably just
want to stay a little bit further east
from the Everglades actually if you have
a weak tolerance to humidity Florida may
just not be for you in the first place
and the next thing that you need to know
is that we have a ton of bugs and our
Wildlife it's a bit different out here
and the bugs also come with the humid
territory typically when you think of
roaches or if you see a roach in a house
you're going to think dirty the house is
dirty well that's not the case out here
these types of bugs are attracted to
moisture they're attracted to water and
it's not uncommon to find dead roaches
in a house out here and I know a lot of
people who have issues with mosquitoes
out here to be honest I felt like I got
bit more when I lived out in Jersey than
I do out here so I guess that's going to
vary by person to person I don't
experience an issue with mosquitoes but
something in addition to the bugs is our
Wildlife you won't see deer you won't
see rabbits but you will see lizard
you will see iguanas you will see those
big dragon looking iguanas and you're
going to see peacocks roaming the
streets and it's kind of a sight to see
when you see peacocks in somebody's
front yard and these Critters are
harmless at least to my knowledge they
are I think they're just more invasive
than anything and I often get asked
about alligators to be honest I've only
seen one alligator since I've lived out
here maybe it was a crocodile cuz it was
swimming in water but you will from time
to time hear of people
seeing crocodiles swimming out in canals
but I don't think that's something that
should stop you from moving here I mean
unless you're deathly afraid of them and
you just don't even want to take the
chance like I said I've seen one in the
5 years that I've been here and it's
just not really something that's a major
concern but it is cool that our Wildlife
is a little bit different out here than
what you may be used to okay our busy
season gets really busy and specifically
the month of March not the most fun time
living here we're in the midst of spring
break right now and this is the time of
year when the locals go into hiding and
they just don't even go near the beach
and before I dog on everyone visiting
here for spring break let me just say I
get it I was there once I'm not mad at
you have your fun but most importantly
just be safe but spring break is pure
Mayhem down here it lasts the entire
month of March and it's not only
noticeable at the beach but it's
noticeable with the traffic sometimes it
costs more to park in certain areas the
airport is congested and it's just
overall congested out on the roads
people walking you you just notice a big
difference and it's not just like
regular tourists it's that spring break
crowd the entire month of March now for
the people visiting it probably doesn't
seem like that big of a deal because for
them it only lasts a few days maybe a
week at most but for us that live here
it's the entire month because different
schools have off different weeks and
then to make make matters worse not only
is it spring break but St Patrick's Day
is right in the middle of the month as
well and when you combine the two I'm
sure you can just imagine and Fort
Lauderdale has a big same Patty Day
Parade where they pretty much shut down
L Solas for the entire day traffic is a
nightmare and then you have like the
Shamrock run which is a Four Mile Run
where roads are closed off and then the
bar crawls but it's things like this
that help fuel our economy and I and I
can't be mad at it it's just March is
not a fun month here that's all but the
good thing is is after this it's pretty
much the unofficial end to our busy
season where things start going back to
normal so let me preface this next one
by saying that when most of you reach
out to me you want to move right in the
city of for Lauderdale you want to be
close to the beaches close to downtown
just close to everything but a lot of
you when you actually do move here you
don't wind up buying in the city of for
Lauderdale and this is just because
buying a home down here costs more than
you might think and this is just
something that's reality but like I said
said at the beginning of this video
narrowing down your areas of Interest
first is more important than looking at
homes first because you don't want to
find a home that checks all the boxes
except the one thing that you can change
which is location because you didn't
reach out to us or just because you
didn't take the time to figure that out
and let me just save you the trouble and
and give you just a basic guideline to
go by if you're looking at moving into
East for Lauderdale don't expect to buy
a single family home for probably about
$700,000 minimum depending on the
neighborhood of course but I would say
700,000 is a good starting point for a
single family home in the city of for
Lauderdale now if you're willing to do a
renovation you could probably find
something for a bit less but 700k will
probably get you an older three bed two
bath probably built in the' 60s with no
garage now if you're looking for
something on a canal or some body of
water no less than 1 to two million and
then it just keeps going up from there
and condos are a different story you
will find condos that are much more
affordable than single family homes but
you will be putting more money down
minimum 20 to
25% and you will be paying higher HOA
fees or maintenance fees which typically
increase every year or at least they
have been the last few years and are
projected to at least through 2025 like
I said before a lot of you that reach
out to me that originally want to live
in Ford Lauderdale you don't wind up
moving there because you realize that
you can be a little bit further out
where your dollar will go a little bit
further in the suburbs and you still
pretty much have close access to
everything and suburbs will vary in
price depending on which area you choose
but sometimes you can find a home for
500,000 where that same home in Ford
Lauderdale would be 700,000 but I think
a good guideline for the suburbs for a
three bed two bath let's throw in a
two-car garage I would say don't expect
to pay less than 500 probably about 5 to
550 but again location will have an
impact on that and the house will
probably be built in the '90s maybe
the'80s maybe the '90s compared to the
house in for Lauderdale that was maybe
built in the 60s which will have an
impact on your homeowners insurance
which is the next thing that you need to
know homeowners insurance is a bit
pricey out here and this is one of those
unexpected costs that a lot of locals
they just don't know about it how close
you are to the water the threat of
natural disasters and lawsuits have
caused a lot of carriers to pull out of
Florida not just Fort Lauderdale Florida
as a whole and when I say lawsuits I
mean homeowners making fraudulent claims
on their roof for example so that their
insurance will cover them for a new roof
one of my clients just moved down here
from the Washington DC area specifically
Maryland and they bought a home in East
for Lauderdale in a flood zone built in
the 70s it was a three bed three bath
about 1,400 square fet and they're
paying about $7,000 a year in homeowners
insurance and that's not including their
flood which is just about 3,000 extra so
they're all in for about
$110,000 just on their homeowners
insurance so we were able to find them a
nice home for about a third of what
their home in Maryland costs but their
insurance doubled and that's just
something a lot of people can't wrap
their heads around but there are ways to
mitigate the cost you can buy out in the
suburbs where you're farther away from
the water and your chances of being in a
flood zone are just less than they are
of being out east and you can also get a
discount if your home has hurricane
impact windows and hurricane Clips on
the roof which are basically just these
steel connectors that attach the roof to
the wo
that are able to withstand strong winds
now if you do Buy in the suburbs in a
newer home or really anywhere for that
matter in a newer home I say the suburbs
because it's a little bit more likely to
find a newer home specifically after
2001 these hurricane Clips were actually
required to be installed on all roofs
and speaking of the suburbs the suburbs
are growing and not growing necessarily
in the sense of building these massive
brand new construction communities like
you would see in Texas or other parts of
Florida like Tampa but growing more in
the sense of people are choosing to live
out there because they're just being
priced out of the city and the suburbs
still have everything you need at least
within a close proximity it's not like
you're living out in the middle of
nowhere and right now a lot of our
clients are realizing that you can still
find something more affordable out there
maybe with more of a sense of community
because it's in an HOA community that
has amenities where you can meet other
people and the schools are better for
the most part the one thing to aware of
is that if the suburbs do keep growing
at the rate that they are they could
eventually reach what they are in for
Lauderdale and the last thing that you
want is to pay luxury prices but not
necessarily get luxury living out in the
suburbs okay you're going to want a car
living out here and this is something
that I get asked about frequently the
driving situation and the public
transportation and there are a few
select areas where you can get by
without a car like the downtown area or
Lauderdale By The Sea or the G Ocean
Mile mainly these small little areas
where everything is pretty much within a
square mile and its walking distance but
for the most part it would 100% benefit
you to own a car out here our public
transportation system is pretty good the
busing system is good within the cities
the train only runs north and south we
actually have two trains so if you're
commuting to West Palm Beach or to Miami
it's pretty easy but as far as getting
around the entire metro area it could be
more difficult without a car just
because everything is so spread out even
though it is a compact metro area it's
still spread out the further away you
get out from the city and it's just not
that type of area it's not New York it's
not Chicago where you can just survive
with public transportation alone now
people do it people get by but if you're
asking for my opinion it would 100%
recommend you to own a car living out
here unless you want to pay for Ubers
all day okay you're going to want to
plan for rain every single day it rains
just about every single day especially
over the summer but not like your
typical rain like you would see in
Seattle or in the Northeast where it's
just like a steady rain all day but
pounding tropical storm type rain heavy
winds but the catch is is it only lasts
maybe an hour and it always seems to
come right in the afternoon Rush Hour
like clockwork almost every day and
something that I've learned is you just
can't rely on your weather app because I
guarantee you it'll show that it's going
to be sunny all day over the summer it's
going to rain I promise you but it's a
small small price to pay to never have
to deal with snow again I mean I can
handle the rain so this is probably one
of my favorite things about living in
South Florida and something that you
should know is that South Florida is an
international market and a Melting Pot
now unless you're coming from New York
City take everything that you know throw
it out the window and just come here
with an open mind this is really what
makes South Florida so special is the
fact that you have people from all over
the country and all over the world down
here you'll experience all different
cultures different type of food art
people from all walks of life and it's
really unlike any other place that I've
ever seen except New York City but even
then it's a little bit different than
that in fact let me address something
real quick a lot of you like to make fun
of my accent on here yes I'm calling you
out and if you can't handle accents or
people from different walks of life then
you should probably just click off this
video because South Florida is probably
not the place for you okay I'm just
kidding all jokes aside we'd love to
have you here but we love the culture
down here and getting to meet people
every day from all over the world and
people just like yourself who came here
not knowing anyone not knowing anything
it's it's just something really cool to
see so no matter where you are we want
to hear from you and I hope you got
value from this video and if you did
like I said we want to hear from you we
want to help you give us a call text or
email or go to the link in my
description fill out a form we'll
contact you however you want to do it
we're happy to help if you're watching
this and you're down here for spring
break have fun be safe for the rest of
you enjoy the rest of your weekend and
we'll catch you on the next
[Music]
[Music]
one
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