Quick take: Broward County today sits in a nuanced, “it depends” zone. If you’re shopping single-family homes that are turnkey and well-priced, you’re still walking into a light seller’s market. If you’re eyeing condos, especially older eastside buildings contending with insurance, reserves, and milestone requirements, you’ll find more leverage as a buyer. The broad trend for December 2025: a balanced-to-tilting-buyer market in condos/townhomes, and a still-seller-favored but more negotiable setup in single-family. Let’s unpack the data signals you should watch and how to play them.
Market Snapshot And Core Indicators For December 2025
Inventory, Months Of Supply, And Days On Market
Inventory in Broward has climbed from the ultra-tight years, but it isn’t a flood. Single-family supply has normalized to a level where good homes still get attention quickly, while condo supply has expanded more noticeably as insurance and association budgets weigh on buyers. Months of supply generally points to this split: single-family sits closer to balanced, with some micro-markets leaning seller, while condos often show buyer-tilted conditions. Days on market have stretched compared with the 2021–2022 frenzy. The gap is biggest for condos that need updates or face higher carrying costs. Move-in-ready homes in prime neighborhoods still turn faster, especially when priced with today’s comps, not last spring’s wish prices.
Pending Sales, New Listings, And Absorption
Pending sales pace tells you where momentum is. New listings are being absorbed at a decent clip for single-family when pricing is sharp: for condos, absorption slows notably in buildings with hefty insurance increases, pending milestone repairs, or special assessments. The net effect is a tale of two markets: the absorption rate supports moderate seller confidence in single-family, while buyers enjoy more selection and patience in attached housing.
Price Cuts And Seller Concessions
Price reductions are part of the weekly rhythm again. You’ll see more list-to-close negotiation room, particularly for condos and properties that overshoot the market. Concessions, credits for closing costs, rate buydowns, or repair items, are back on the table. Sellers who get in front of the market with realistic pricing often avoid deep cuts: those who test the ceiling tend to chase the market down after a couple of quiet weeks.
Pricing And Affordability Trends
Median Price Vs. Price Per Square Foot
Headline medians can be misleading in Broward because the mix shifts month to month (more luxury waterfront one month, more inland resales the next). Price per square foot is the cleaner lens. On that basis, single-family values have been relatively firm in desirable school zones and updated homes, while condo price per square foot shows more softness, especially in older coastal buildings where carrying costs are rising. If you’re comparing neighborhoods, use recent closed comps within the last 60–90 days, then sanity-check them by price per square foot against similar condition and HOA/insurance realities.
Payments, Rates, Insurance, And Taxes
Affordability in South Florida isn’t just about your mortgage rate. Insurance premiums and HOA/condo fees can swing your payment hundreds of dollars a month. That’s where condos sometimes lose out right now: even if the list price is lower, the total monthly nut can be higher than you expect after you factor insurance, reserves, and assessments. For single-family, wind mitigation, roof age, and flood zone can materially change your quote. Taxes matter too, remember Florida uses a new assessed value at purchase, and portability/homestead caps only apply after you establish them. The bottom line: run a full payment scenario (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA/condo, flood if applicable) before you fall in love with a price tag.
Differences By Location And Property Type
Single-Family Vs. Condos And Townhomes
Single-family: thinner supply, stronger demand, and faster absorption for updated properties in move-in condition. Your negotiating power exists, but it’s measured. Sellers may consider credits or a small price adjustment after the first 10–14 days if traffic is slow.
Condos/townhomes: more inventory, more price discovery, and more underwriting scrutiny. Expect longer days on market outside of newer, well-managed buildings. Here you can negotiate on price, closing timelines, and fees, especially if the seller needs to move on.
Eastside Coastal Areas Vs. Western Suburbs
Eastside coastal (Fort Lauderdale, Pompano, Hollywood beach-adjacent): lifestyle demand stays strong, yet building-specific factors dominate. Milestone inspections, reserves compliance, and insurance renewals can tilt buyer leverage. Waterfront single-family remains competitive when turnkey: condos vary widely by building health.
Western suburbs (Weston, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Parkland, Miramar): family-driven demand keeps single-family resilient, particularly near top-rated schools and parks. Newer construction and gated communities with lower insurance surprise tend to outperform. Attached product can be steadier here if associations are well-capitalized.
New Construction Vs. Resale
New construction offers clarity on reserves and building standards, plus incentives like closing cost credits or rate buydowns from preferred lenders. You’ll often pay a premium, but you may save in predictability. Resale gives you established neighborhoods and lot sizes, but you must underwrite the home’s systems: roof, electrical, plumbing, and any previous insurance claims. For condos, ask for the budget, reserve study, and any special assessment history before you write.
If You’re Buying: Tactics For This Market
Negotiating Power And When To Move Fast
Your leverage depends on the micro-market. In condos, particularly older buildings or units with dated finishes, you can take your time, negotiate repairs or credits, and sometimes secure a meaningful discount. In desirable single-family pockets, speed still wins. If a home is fresh, priced to the latest comps, and checks your boxes, write promptly with clean terms. The longer a listing sits, the more room you have: use days on market as a barometer for how bold to be.
Practical playbook:
- Get fully underwritten, not just pre-approved, so you can tighten timelines.
- Watch price reductions and re-lists: those sellers are signaling motivation.
- Focus on value killers (insurance, roof age, assessments) to justify credits.
Contingencies, Credits, And Rate Buydowns
Contingencies have made a comeback and can be the lever that protects you without scaring off realistic sellers. Keep inspection and financing, but right-size the timelines to stay competitive. Instead of demanding a laundry list of repairs, ask for targeted credits or a rate buydown that meaningfully reduces your monthly payment. On condos, request recent association docs, reserve schedules, milestone reports, and insurance declarations as part of your diligence. If anything material surfaces, use it to renegotiate or walk before your contingency expires.
If You’re Selling: Strategies To Win Now
Pricing To Today’s Comps
Price to where the market is, not where you hope it’s going. Pull the last 60–90 days of closed comps and adjust for condition, lot, and updates. If you’re a condo seller, account for HOA fees, reserves, and insurance in your pricing narrative because buyers certainly will. Overpricing costs you the most in the first two weeks, when you get peak visibility: miss that window and you’ll likely give back more later via reductions and concessions.
Presentation, Timing, And Repair Credits
Presentation still separates winners. Pre-inspect if you can, service the AC, refresh paint, tidy landscaping, and stage key rooms. Professional photos and a compelling description that addresses insurance, wind mitigation features, and recent upgrades build trust and reduce buyer friction. If your roof or systems are aging, be proactive: offer a credit or home warranty rather than waiting for an adversarial inspection renegotiation. Time your launch mid-week to capture weekend traffic, and adjust quickly if showings are thin by day 10.
Short-Term Outlook And What Could Shift The Balance
Mortgage Rates, Insurance Costs, And Seasonality
If mortgage rates tick down, you’ll feel it first in single-family demand, more buyers re-enter, multiple offers pop back up for turnkey homes, and seller leverage grows. If rates hold or insurance renewals jump again, condos feel the pressure most and buyers retain bargaining power. Seasonality still matters in Broward: winter and early spring bring snowbird activity and stronger showing traffic: late summer can be quieter. Use that rhythm to your advantage whether you’re buying or selling.
Local Job Growth And Migration
Broward continues to benefit from South Florida’s broader draw, no state income tax, diversified employment, and lifestyle migration from higher-cost states. That said, affordability is the governor. If job growth stays positive and migration persists, demand should underpin prices in well-located single-family neighborhoods. If affordability tightens further, expect longer marketing times and more negotiation across the board, with condos absorbing the brunt.
Conclusion
So, is the Broward County housing market a buyer’s or seller’s market right now? In December 2025, it’s mixed: a soft seller’s market for well-priced, move-in-ready single-family homes, and a buyer-leaning market for many condos and some townhomes, especially where insurance and association costs are climbing. Your moves should reflect that split. If you’re buying, underwrite the monthly payment, not just the price, and use days on market and building health to shape your offer. If you’re selling, hit today’s comps, present beautifully, and be ready with smart concessions rather than late-stage price cuts. Read the micro-market, act decisively, and you’ll navigate Broward with confidence.
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