The Top 5 Reasons to Move to Fort Lauderdale
By Alex Mikoulianitch on June 14, 2024
It’s not easy to choose where to live in South Florida when there are so many tempting options.
Every city seems to have perfect weather and top-notch beaches. So how do you decide? By focusing on the specifics.
Fort Lauderdale is arguably one of the best cities in South Florida, boasting every perk you’d expect from a coastal city. But it also has a uniquely wide range of housing options, a microcosm of distinctive neighborhoods to explore, and a varied economy.
Below, our team from Prevu Real Estate shares the details about why you should move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Reasons to move to Fort Lauderdale
- World-class beaches
- Variety of housing options
- Wide selection of dining and entertainment
- Easy access to the rest of South Florida
- Diverse economy and job market
World-class beaches
A simple Google search will show you an entire South Florida coast full of beaches. So, what’s so special about the ones in Fort Lauderdale?
The answer is variety.
Around 24 miles of gold and white sand make up Fort Lauderdale’s famous beachfront. You can head to Las Olas Beach if you want to mingle with the crowd and have a bar nearby to quench your thirst. Or, you can visit Sebastien Street Beach, an LGBT-friendly beach with low-key vibes and spectacular sunset views.
And pet owners can breathe easily, as well. The Fort Lauderdale Dog Beach offers 100 yards worth of palm tree paradise for your companion to explore freely.
Most of Fort Lauderdale’s beaches offer a variety of outdoor activities, such as beach volleyball, powerboat rentals, and surfing, so be prepared to spend less and less time at home.
Variety of housing options
Fort Lauderdale’s real estate market is one of the most desirable in all of Florida.
Naturally, you can expect a wealth of high-priced homes. But while there are plenty of luxury houses and condos populating the market, there’s a wide range of options with more accessible prices.
Head to Fort Lauderdale’s western neighborhoods, such as Lauderdale Manors or Riverside Park, to explore single-family homes and condos with manageable prices. You may be a little further from the beach, but you’ll still have access to the best of the city.
Or, you can venture east into neighborhoods like Las Olas Isles and Rio Vista to explore some of Fort Lauderdale’s luxury waterfront estates.
Pricing aside, the true perk of Fort Lauderdale’s housing stock lies in its diversity.
You can visit a quaint townhouse community with spacious condos for sale or peruse the high-rise buildings dotting some of Fort Lauderdale’s famous beaches. You can find a charming street with views of the Tarpon River and an equally attractive bungalow home overlooking it.
The best thing is you’ll find these diverse options almost everywhere you look.
Wide selection of dining and entertainment
Fort Lauderdale’s dining and entertainment scene is as multi-faceted and colorful as its housing stock.
Don’t forget, you’re in one of South Florida’s most coveted cities, so the beach-side party life finds its way to many of Fort Lauderdale’s bar-packed streets. The good thing is, there is entertainment for everyone, whether you like a raucous nightclub vibe or a laid-back haunt with a casual setting.
If you yearn for an electrical nightclub scene, bookmark Himmarshee Street in your Google Maps. This is where you’ll find iconic party venues such as Club Euro Night Club and Revolution Live. Himmarshee Street is naturally a prime destination for Spring Break revelers, so be prepared.
For everyone else, the sky’s the limit regarding dining and entertainment.
Central Beach and Las Olas Isles are packed with unique restaurants with waterfront views. Local events like Friday Night Sound Waves and Live Music Along the Boardwalk bring the city’s famous beaches to life almost daily.
The Broward County Center for the Performing Arts, meanwhile, will become a go-to for theater lovers and always offers a steady stream of live performances and concerts to enjoy.
Easy access to the rest of South Florida
Many buyers choose Fort Lauderdale to avoid going anywhere, thanks to the abundance of activities, beaches, and entertainment options.
But if you do catch the travel bug and feel like visiting other cities in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale’s impeccable location will help make that easier.
Interstate 95 helps connect Fort Lauderdale with all the major cities lining Florida’s Gold Coast. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Downtown Miami, so commuting to work here or making weekend plans to go to South Beach is always on the table.
If you want to explore more tranquil beaches up north, take a 30-minute drive, and you’re in Boca Raton, where you can enjoy some of Florida’s best golf courses and beaches. And once you’re there, the rest of the coast is a breeze to get to.
Diverse economy and job market
Fort Lauderdale’s economy is largely driven by tourism, so it’s easy to miss some of the powerhouse industries that make up the city’s labor market.
Hospitals, healthcare companies, and major retail firms all play a major role in Fort Lauderdale’s economy and provide valuable employment opportunities for its residents.
Autonation, a Fortune 500 auto retailer, Kaplan, the popular educational services company, and Broward Health, one of the biggest public health systems in the U.S., are all headquartered in Fort Lauderdale.
The city is also the seat of Broward County, which contributes a significant number of government jobs to the market as well.
Homes for sale in Fort Lauderdale
Interested in buying a home in Fort Lauderdale? Browse listings and see how much you can save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer Rebate.
