Understanding the True Cost of Owning a $5M+ Home in South Florida (Beyond the Mortgage)

A discreet, buyer-forward guide to the real carrying costs behind South Florida’s luxury homes and condos in 2026: taxes, insurance, fees, maintenance, and staffing.

Miami vs. Palm Beach: Where Do Families Prefer to Live and Invest in 2026?

South Florida’s luxury market is being shaped less by local seasonality and more by durable global behavior: cross-border capital, tax-driven domestic migration, and a scarcity of irreplaceable coastal land. This 2026 lens matters because the market is no longer one monolithic “South Florida” story. Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County are moving at different speeds, with negotiating dynamics shifting alongside inventory and pricing behavior. For sophisticated buyers, the opportunity is in knowing where scarcity is structural, where pricing is normalizing, and how to underwrite lifestyle value with the same rigor as a balance sheet.

Pre-Construction vs. Move-In Ready: Deciding Between a Brand-New Condo and an Established Luxury Home

For South Florida luxury buyers, the choice between pre-construction and move-in-ready is less about “new vs. old” and more about timeline control, risk tolerance, and fee visibility. Pre-construction can offer early selection and staged deposits, but it introduces completion, appraisal, and contract nuance. Move-in-ready delivers immediacy and inspectability, yet may carry hidden building-cost pressures, especially in condos where insurance and reserves can reshape monthly outlays.

LEED, WELL & More: Green Building Certifications Luxury Buyers Should Care About (and What They Mean)

In South Florida, sustainability and wellness have shifted from optional amenities to an expected baseline for premium new construction. From LEED mandates in Miami and Miami Beach to human-centric standards like WELL and Fitwel, today’s luxury buyer is increasingly fluent in certification language. This guide clarifies what the major programs actually measure, why municipalities require certain levels, and how discerning purchasers can interpret labels without confusing design intent for verified performance.

The Well vs Onda in Bay Harbor Islands: Deposit strategy & timelines

A discreet buyer’s guide to how staged deposit structures typically work in Bay Harbor Islands pre-construction, using The Well Bay Harbor Islands and Onda as reference points, plus practical risk controls under Florida condominium escrow rules.

Origin vs The Well in Bay Harbor Islands: Wellness & fitness

In Bay Harbor Islands, two boutique newcomers are shaping a quieter definition of luxury: one built around a fully integrated wellness club, the other around waterfront design and marina access. The Well Bay Harbor Islands, a Terra Group development with architecture by Arquitectonica and interiors by Meyer Davis, frames daily life through a dedicated on-site wellness center and club-style membership. Origin Residences by Artefacto answers with a smaller, design-driven collection that emphasizes Artefacto-branded interiors, glass-forward living, and a private marina lifestyle. For buyers weighing a second home, a primary residence, or a lock-and-leave pied-à-terre near Bal-harbour, the decision is less about which building is “better” and more about which philosophy fits your routines. Here is how the two compare through the lens of space, services, privacy, and the lived experience of Bay Harbor.