Licensed Florida real estate brokerage
Renting Out a Property in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rent Out Your Property in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area, with a licensed real-estate professional. No obligation.
Fort Lauderdale is known as the "Venice of America" for its hundreds of miles of canals and Intracoastal frontage, and that waterfront geography shapes how a rental is prepared and insured. The housing stock is heavily mid-century — the median home here was built around 1972 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year (2022) data — with 1950s–1970s concrete block and stucco homes on slab alongside beachfront and Intracoastal high-rise condominiums and newer townhomes. Salt air and year-round humidity corrode gate operators, lock cylinders and garage hardware faster than inland, and hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so storm readiness is part of any leasing conversation here.
Premier Real Estate Group Inc is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage; broker of record Maxim Bohadana holds Florida real estate broker license BK3314523, verifiable on the Florida DBPR website, and a Florida brokerage license is valid in every county. We offer a free consultation with no obligation covering rent analysis from comparable rentals, marketing and showings, tenant screening using the same written criteria for every applicant, Florida lease preparation, security deposit handling, association approval coordination and move-in documentation. Requests may be handled by Premier Real Estate Group Inc or referred to a licensed real-estate agent, who will contact you by phone or email.
Leasing in Fort Lauderdale brings a specific set of issues together: fair housing compliance in how the listing is written and how applicants are screened, condominium and HOA rental restrictions and approval steps, security deposit rules under Florida law, insurance and flood-history questions on a canal-front or beach-area property, hurricane preparation responsibilities that should be spelled out in the lease, and seasonal rental demand. Because much of the single-family stock predates modern building codes, older garage doors and gates are common upgrade targets ahead of hurricane season, and that work is easier to schedule before a tenant moves in than after.
What to know in Fort Lauderdale
Flood zone and flood insurance
Flood zones come from FEMA flood maps, a lender generally requires flood insurance on a home in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and homes outside one can still flood — relevant in a city built around canals and Intracoastal frontage. Flood damage is generally excluded from standard policies and requires separate NFIP or private coverage; confirm your coverage with your insurance agent before placing a tenant.
Four-point and wind-mitigation inspections
With a typical build year in the early 1970s, insurers commonly ask for a four-point inspection covering roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and roof age and condition are frequently the deciding factor in whether coverage is offered at all. Wind-mitigation credits are available for documented features under s. 627.0629, F.S., using the uniform mitigation form OIR-B1-1802 completed by a licensed inspector.
Condominium and HOA approval
HOA-governed buildings and gated communities are widespread here, and association documents may restrict minimum lease terms, cap the number of rentals, or require board screening and approval of your tenant. Request the current documents early, since estoppel certificates and approval paperwork are part of due diligence and the timing is set by the association, not by us.
Milestone inspections and reserve studies in condo buildings
Florida requires a milestone structural inspection for condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller once they reach 30 years (s. 553.899, F.S.) and a structural integrity reserve study for condo associations with such buildings (s. 718.112(2)(g), F.S.). If you own in a beachfront or Intracoastal high-rise, ask the association for its milestone and SIRS reports, since assessments and repair schedules can affect a tenancy.
Short-term versus annual leases
Rentals of six months or less are generally treated as transient and may trigger state sales tax, local tourist development tax and DBPR vacation rental licensing. Verify the treatment of your plan with DBPR and the Florida Department of Revenue before advertising.
Homestead, insurance and mortgage terms
Florida's homestead exemption applies to a primary residence and caps assessment increases under Save Our Homes, so confirm with the county property appraiser how renting affects your status. Also confirm your insurance coverage and any mortgage terms permit renting.
If you decide to sell instead
Florida documentary stamp tax on the deed is 70 cents per 100 dollars of the price (s. 201.02, F.S.), documentary stamp tax on a new mortgage note is 35 cents per 100 dollars financed (s. 201.08, F.S.), and nonrecurring intangible tax on a new mortgage is 2 mills (s. 199.133, F.S.). Who pays each item is set by the purchase contract and is negotiable; you can estimate with the free Florida Doc Stamp & Closing Tax Calculator at /tools/florida-closing-costs.
How we help
- Rent analysis from comparable rentalsWe review comparable rentals and the condition of your property — age of roof and systems, impact protection, garage and gate hardware — and explain what drives tenant interest. Positioning depends on condition, lease term and competing inventory, so no figure is promised in advance.
- Marketing and showingsAdvertising is written around housing stock and features — concrete block construction, garage or carport, waterfront or canal access, condo building amenities — and never around who might live there, as fair housing law requires. Showings are coordinated around any association access rules.
- Tenant screening with consistent written criteriaThe same written criteria are applied to every applicant, with application and screening documents kept uniform. Approval of any applicant by you or by an association is never guaranteed.
- Florida lease preparation and deposit handlingWe prepare a written lease and handle security deposits with the required written notice to the tenant about how the deposit is held, following Chapter 83, Part II notice and claim timelines. Federal lead-based paint disclosure applies to pre-1978 housing, which covers much of the city's mid-century stock.
- Association approval coordinationWe assemble the condominium or HOA application package, request estoppel and approval paperwork, and track what the board requires. Boards set their own timelines and decisions.
- Move-in documentation and storm responsibilitiesWe document condition at move-in with photos and a written inventory, noting corrosion-prone items like gate motors, springs and exterior locks. Hurricane preparation duties for the June 1–November 30 season should be stated in the lease.
Florida rules and paperwork in Fort Lauderdale
Property owners may lease their own property without a license, but anyone who markets, shows, leases or manages rental property for an owner for compensation generally must hold a Florida broker or sales associate license, and collecting rent or handling escrow for others raises additional broker trust-account requirements — verify any license with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Real Estate, under the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). Expect a written property management or rental listing agreement, a written lease, application and screening documents, deposit handling with the required written notice, federal lead-based paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing, and association approval paperwork where a condominium or HOA requires tenant screening. Chapter 83, Part II governs deposits, notices, access and termination; condo and HOA documents may add restrictions; and for buildings three stories or taller, milestone inspection and SIRS reports are worth reviewing. Verify tax and licensing questions with DBPR and the Department of Revenue, homestead questions with the county property appraiser, and legal questions with a Florida attorney.
Premier Real Estate Group Inc is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage (broker license BK3314523). Verify at Florida DBPR.
Timing and next steps
Owners typically list annual rentals in spring and summer to match tenant demand and prepare seasonal rentals in late summer and early fall ahead of the November–April season, when seasonal residents return and long-vacant homes are opened up. Demand for wind-rated doors and storm prep also rises from late spring through fall, so scheduling hardware work and inspections early tends to be easier. To start, call (954) 703-4504 or send a request with the form on this page; a licensed real-estate professional — Premier Real Estate Group Inc or a licensed agent we refer you to — will contact you by phone or email for a free consultation with no obligation.
We assist with rentals in Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, Las Olas Isles, Colee Hammock, Sailboat Bend, Flagler Village, Imperial Point, Poinsettia Heights, Tarpon River, Croissant Park and Galt Ocean Mile, as well as nearby Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Dania Beach, Davie and Hollywood.
Rent Out Your Property in Fort Lauderdale: common questions
- Do I need a license to rent out my own Fort Lauderdale property?
- Property owners may lease their own property without a license. Anyone who markets, shows, leases or manages rental property for an owner for compensation generally must hold a Florida broker or sales associate license, with limited statutory exceptions. You can verify license status with DBPR.
- Can my condominium or HOA stop me from renting?
- Association documents may restrict minimum lease terms, limit the number of rentals, or require board screening and approval of a tenant, and HOA-governed buildings and gated communities are widespread in Fort Lauderdale. We coordinate the application and estoppel paperwork, but the board sets its own criteria, timing and decision.
- My property is on a canal — what should I know about flood insurance?
- Flood zones come from FEMA flood maps, and a lender generally requires flood insurance on a home in a Special Flood Hazard Area, though homes outside one can still flood. Standard homeowners policies generally exclude flood damage, so separate NFIP or private coverage is needed; confirm details with your insurance agent.
- Why do insurers ask for inspections on older Fort Lauderdale homes?
- With a median build year around 1972 per Census ACS 5-year (2022) data, many homes predate current code, so insurers commonly request a four-point inspection of roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. A wind-mitigation inspection on form OIR-B1-1802 can document features that support credits; amounts vary by insurer.
- How much rent can I expect?
- We do not publish figures or promise a result. We prepare a rent analysis from comparable rentals and explain how condition, lease term, association rules and seasonal demand affect positioning, as part of a free consultation.
Rent Out Your Property in nearby cities
Tell us about your rental property — Fort Lauderdale
Where it is, its size and when it's available. A licensed real-estate professional will contact you.
Licensed brokerage
Premier Real Estate Group Inc
Broker of record Maxim Bohadana, Florida broker license BK3314523
(954) 703-4504