Licensed Florida real estate brokerage
Renting a Home in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Find a Rental in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area, with a licensed real-estate professional. No obligation.
Fort Lauderdale's rental inventory reflects its housing stock: large numbers of 1950s-1970s single-story concrete block and stucco homes on slab, beachfront and Intracoastal high-rise condominiums, and a steady wave of newer townhomes and infill construction. Census figures (ACS 5-year, 2022) put the median year built at 1972, so many rentals are mid-century buildings, and in a city of about 184,000 people a large share of homes are renter-occupied while a slight majority are owner-occupied. Much of the single-family stock predates modern building codes, which matters for how a unit handles hurricane season (June 1-November 30) and the constant salt air off the Atlantic and the city's canals.
We help renters work the process rather than guess at it: searching by move-in date, bedrooms and commute, touring in person or by video, submitting applications and landlord screening, handling condominium or HOA tenant approval, reviewing the lease, and documenting move-in condition. Premier Real Estate Group Inc is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage, and requests may be handled by us or referred to a licensed agent who will contact you by phone or email. Consultations are free with no obligation.
Known as the 'Venice of America' for its hundreds of miles of canals and Intracoastal frontage, Fort Lauderdale has an unusually high share of waterfront housing, and flood zones come from FEMA maps — a home outside a Special Flood Hazard Area can still flood. A landlord's policy does not cover your belongings, so ask about flood history and consider renters insurance. In condominium and HOA communities, tenant approval, screening and application fees are common, minimum lease terms and leasing caps apply in many buildings, and approval timelines are set by the association, not by us. Leases here also often assign hurricane-season responsibilities, such as installing shutters or clearing a patio, so read those clauses before you sign.
What to know in Fort Lauderdale
Association approval is a separate step
Many Fort Lauderdale condo buildings and gated communities require association approval of tenants, an application, background screening and a transfer or application fee. Timelines and leasing caps vary by building, so request the rules early.
Minimum lease terms
Associations commonly set minimum lease terms, which can rule out a short stay in an otherwise suitable building. Confirm the minimum term in writing before you apply.
Flood exposure on a waterfront or low-lying property
With extensive canal and Intracoastal frontage, flood history is a fair question to ask a landlord, and FEMA maps show the zone. Standard policies generally exclude flood damage, and renters insurance covers your contents, not the structure.
Security deposits
Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Chapter 83, Part II) governs how deposits are held and the written notice and timelines a landlord must follow to claim against a deposit after move-out. Florida has no statewide cap on deposit amounts, and state law preempts local rent control in most circumstances.
Older buildings and disclosures
With a median year built of 1972 (Census), many rentals predate 1978 and trigger the federal lead-based paint disclosure. Salt air and humidity also mean corroded exterior hardware, dryer vents and duct condensation are worth checking at the walkthrough.
Hurricane-season duties in the lease
Hurricane season runs June 1-November 30, and leases frequently spell out who installs shutters or impact protection and who secures outdoor items. Clarify that before storm prep season, not during it.
Short-term and seasonal rentals
Short-term and vacation rentals may involve state sales tax, county tourist development taxes, local registration and DBPR vacation rental licensing. Verify current rules with DBPR, the Florida Department of Revenue and your local government.
How we help
- Search built around your move-in dateWe filter by move-in date, bedrooms, budget and commute so you are only touring units that match. Availability shifts constantly, so we keep the list current.
- Showings in person or by videoIf you are relocating to Fort Lauderdale from out of area, video tours let you shortlist before you travel. In person, we look at the practical items: openings, hardware condition, humidity and ventilation.
- Applications and screeningWe help you assemble a complete application package for landlord screening. No one can promise an approval, but a complete file avoids avoidable delays.
- Condo and HOA tenant approvalWe request the association's application, rules and fee schedule and help you submit on time. Approval decisions and timelines belong to the association.
- Lease review and move-in documentationWe walk you through lease terms, including deposit handling and storm-prep clauses, and document move-in condition with photos. For legal interpretation, we refer you to a Florida attorney.
Florida rules and paperwork in Fort Lauderdale
A person who finds, shows or negotiates rentals for others for compensation in Florida generally must be licensed as a broker or as a sales associate under a broker, with limited statutory exceptions such as certain salaried on-site apartment-complex employees; the regulator is the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Real Estate, under the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), and you can verify any license on the DBPR website. Expect a written lease (annual or seasonal), a rental application and screening authorization, security deposit terms, and the federal lead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978. In condominium buildings three stories or taller, Florida requires a milestone structural inspection once the building reaches 30 years (s. 553.899, F.S.) and a structural integrity reserve study for the association (s. 718.112(2)(g), F.S.) — these govern the building, not your tenancy, but tenants in older towers often ask about them. If you later buy here, sellers must give a flood disclosure (s. 689.302, F.S.), the homestead exemption on a primary residence is applied for through the county property appraiser, generally by March 1 of the year after moving in, 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 (0.2%) (s. 199.133, F.S.); who pays each item is set by the purchase contract and is negotiable. Our free Florida Doc Stamp & Closing Tax Calculator at /tools/florida-closing-costs can help you sketch those out. Verify current rules with DBPR, the Florida Department of Revenue, your local government and 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
Annual-lease demand in Florida generally peaks in late spring and summer, while seasonal rental demand peaks for the roughly October-through-April season, with inquiries starting in late summer and fall as seasonal residents return and long-vacant homes are opened up. In Fort Lauderdale that overlaps hurricane season (June 1-November 30), so if you want a unit with impact protection or wind-rated openings, start the search earlier rather than later. To begin, 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. The consultation is free with no obligation.
We search across areas including 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, plus nearby Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Dania Beach, Davie and Hollywood.
Find a Rental in Fort Lauderdale: common questions
- Do I need association approval to rent a condo in Fort Lauderdale?
- In many buildings, yes. Condominium and HOA communities commonly require association approval of tenants, an application, background screening and a transfer or application fee. Timelines and leasing caps are set by each association, so we request the rules at the start of your search.
- Should I get renters insurance here?
- It is worth pricing out. Flood damage is generally excluded from standard policies and requires separate flood coverage, and with Fort Lauderdale's canals and Intracoastal frontage, flood history is a reasonable question to ask the landlord. FEMA flood maps show the zone, and a home outside a Special Flood Hazard Area can still flood.
- Is there a limit on security deposits in Florida?
- Florida has no statewide cap on security deposit amounts. Chapter 83, Part II governs how deposits must be held and the written notice and timelines a landlord must follow to claim against a deposit after move-out. Verify current requirements with DBPR or a Florida attorney.
- What should I check when touring an older Fort Lauderdale rental?
- The median year built is 1972 (Census), so look at ventilation, dryer vents and duct condensation, since high indoor humidity keeps those prone to lint buildup and mold. Salt air also corrodes garage door hardware, gate operators and exterior locks faster near the water. Note anything you find and document condition at move-in.
- Can you help if I am relocating from out of state?
- Yes. We can show units by video so you can shortlist before traveling, then tour finalists in person. Premier Real Estate Group Inc is licensed statewide, so we can also help in nearby cities if your search widens.
Find a Rental in nearby cities
Tell us what you need to rent — Fort Lauderdale
Move-in date, budget, bedrooms and area. 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