Buying in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The buyers
Keith is an IT sales manager and his wife Karen is a medical receptionist. They have lived in Blyth, Northumberland for 36 years and have three children.

They have been living in their current home for eight years, and want to relocate to Florida. They both grew up by the sea, they feel it's time for a change, and they want to give their children a better standard of life.

They have holidayed a number of times at Disneyworld in Orlando, but they want to buy somewhere out of the Disney bubble. They are looking for a four bedroom house, with garden and pool. Outside space is important as the children are still young. They also want to be near to a good choice of schools.

Moving to the USA means they will get a lot more for their money and their budget of £500,000 should go a long way.

Why Fort Lauderdale?
About 60 million tourists visit Florida each year - roughly the whole UK population.

Las Olas is Fort Lauderdale's most charming boulevard. Along its 2.5 miles you will find fashion boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, bars and clubs. Night or day it's the place to be.

Just north of Fort Lauderdale is Lauderdale-by-the-sea. It's situated between the Atlantic Ocean and intercoastal waterway and has 6,300 residents. Also north of Fort Lauderdale is the city Deerfield Beach, named after the numerous deer that once roamed the area. It has a population of over 66,000 and covers a total area of 14.9 square miles, although 10% of this is water! Prices in both Lauderdale-by-the-sea and Deerfield Beach are generally a little bit lower than in Fort Lauderdale so you can get a bit more for your money.

If you want to live the high life in Florida, then Palm Beach is a rather luxurious place to start. It's a billionaires' playground, hosting all the big names from the Kennedys to the Trumps, and the whole place is awash with opulent extravagance.

Read on for Alistair's tips on buying in Fort Lauderdale and our essential contact list...

Alistair's tips for buying in Fort Lauderdale

If you are getting a mortgage in Florida, you must pay a 30% deposit as a non-national - whereas you pay only 20% in the rest of the States.

You must pay closing fees (legal fees etc) and a year's insurance upfront - due to the hurricane risks.

If your property has a sea wall (a form of hard coastal defence), which it should do if you are buying on the water, make sure this is regularly maintained and rebuilt every 10-15 years. Get it checked out in your survey.

The estate agents we used
Harbor Realty Contact: Monika Wojnakowska monikaw@att.net Tel: +1 954 629 6130
Gayle Borden Tel: +1 954 525 3355

For a millionaire moment
Real Estate Miami Co. Contact: Chris Crystal Tel: +1 305 666 7966

Hotels
St Regis Resort Tel: +1 954 465 2300
The Pillars Tel: +1 954 467 9639

Other useful links
Palm beach film office Tel: +1 561 233 1000
Blue Moon Fish Company (Restaurant) Tel: +1 954 755 0002
Spa Atlantic (Spa at the Atlantic Hotel) Tel: +1 954 567 8020