Condo Sellers Outnumber Buyers: What It Means for Palm Beach and Broward

Condo sellers now outnumber buyers by more than two to one nationally, and South Florida is right in the middle of it. A November 2026 Redfin report found 123% more condo sellers than buyers nationwide in September, the widest gap since 2013 — with Miami at 274% and Fort Lauderdale at 192% (Redfin). But that headline oversimplifies what's actually happening here. After 17 years listing and selling condos across Palm Beach and Broward, I can tell you the deal-making reality in your building depends far less on a county average and far more on that building's financial health, its reserve funding, and the new structural safety laws Florida passed after Surfside.

Here's the honest read: Broward is a softer market than Palm Beach County right now, so buyers have more negotiating room in Fort Lauderdale than in West Palm Beach. Sellers who price against today's competition instead of last year's sales still get offers. The difference between a good deal and a trap comes down to what you verify before you sign — and that's what this guide walks through, one county and one building at a time.

The National Headline vs. the Local Reality

I've learned not to judge the condo market by national headlines alone. A national average is built from thousands of markets that look nothing like ours, and even within South Florida, Palm Beach and Broward don't behave the same way.

The Redfin data is a useful signal about direction, not a verdict on your building. The number of condo buyers fell to its lowest level in 13 years while sellers ticked up, and San Antonio, Houston, and Miami had the country's widest seller surpluses (Redfin). Broward is softer right now: Fort Lauderdale's seller-to-buyer gap is nearly double West Palm Beach's, which means buyers shopping in Broward generally have more negotiating room than those looking in Palm Beach County.

What Late-2026 Local Condo Data Shows

Here's how the seller-to-buyer picture compares across markets using Redfin's September 2026 figures:

Both counties lean buyer-friendly, but the degree varies, and that gap drives everything from pricing strategy to how long units sit. In September, condo buyers nationwide fell to their lowest level in 13 years while the number of sellers ticked up (Redfin). Sellers should sharpen pricing from day one; buyers should treat the leverage as real but not unlimited once they factor in what each building actually costs to own.

Buy Now vs. Sell Now: A Decision Matrix

The right call in a buyer's market depends less on the county and more on your building's inspection status and reserve funding:

Why Conditions Change From One Building to the Next

Two condos in the same zip code, priced within $20,000 of each other, can attract completely different responses from buyers. I've watched it happen many times. The unit might be nearly identical — the difference comes down to the building, and none of it shows up in the list price.

Here's what actually moves the needle:

• Association fees and special assessments: A monthly fee that's $200 higher than a competing building becomes a real number over time, and any pending or anticipated assessment can slow buyer interest or create financing problems depending on the amount.

• Reserve funding: Florida now requires associations to maintain funded reserves for key structural components, so buildings behind on this are starting to feel it in their market value.

• Milestone inspections and SIRS: Florida's Structural Integrity Reserve Study requirements apply to condos three habitable stories and higher (Rimkus). The resulting repair timelines have pushed fees up significantly in some buildings.

• Insurance costs: Hurricane exposure has driven master policy premiums up in both counties, and that cost typically flows to owners through higher fees.

• Financing eligibility: Some buildings don't qualify for Fannie Mae or FHA loans due to litigation, low owner-occupancy, or insurance gaps, which limits the buyer pool.

The monthly cost — not the asking price — is what decides whether buyers actually show up to see the place and whether lenders will write a loan on it.

What Condo Sellers Should Do Now

Sellers should price against today's active listings, not last year's sales, and have their building's financial documents ready before they go live. That's the single biggest mistake I see in a buyer's market — pricing off comparables that no longer reflect what buyers are comparing your unit against.

A few things worth doing before you list:

• Review every active listing in your building, not just recent sales. If three similar units are listed ahead of you, buyers will compare all four at once.

• Have your building's financials ready. Budget, reserve study, meeting minutes, insurance details, and any known assessments are what serious buyers and their lenders ask for. Having them ready signals confidence and speeds up the deal.

• Price for the total cost of ownership. If your association fee is higher than comparable buildings nearby, buyers factor that in even when they don't say so.

• Don't test the market with a high price. In a market where buyers have options, an overpriced unit just gets stale and teaches buyers to wait you out.

What Buyers Should Review Before Making an Offer

For buyers, more choices creates real opportunity. But a lower asking price doesn't automatically mean a better deal. Understanding the building's financial health and the true cost of ownership matters just as much as the purchase price itself.

Before you write an offer, look at:

• The association's budget and reserve study. Florida now requires associations to maintain reserves for roofs, load-bearing walls, floors, and other structural components — a building that has them in order is a safer purchase (Rimkus).

• Recent meeting minutes. These often surface pending issues or upcoming assessments before they're announced publicly.

• Current and pending special assessments. Ask directly, and confirm in writing whether the seller pays it at closing or whether it transfers to you.

• Insurance documentation. Some buildings struggle to maintain adequate master policy coverage, which can affect your ability to close.

• Financing eligibility. Not every building qualifies for conventional or FHA financing, so find out early which lender programs will actually work there.

Add it all up — mortgage, taxes, association fee, your own insurance, and any known assessment. That's what you're really paying. The asking price gets you in the door; the building's financial health determines whether the deal actually works for you.

How Florida's Condo Regulations Affect Buyers and Sellers

Florida's condo laws changed significantly after the 2021 Surfside collapse, and those changes are still reshaping the market. Buildings three stories or higher are required to complete milestone structural inspections tied to the building's age, then again every 10 years, and to conduct Structural Integrity Reserve Studies on the same cycle — and for budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners can no longer vote to waive the reserves those studies identify (Coverage Classroom).

Many buildings that previously waived reserves are now facing catch-up costs, and those costs land on owners through higher fees or assessments. For sellers, buyers and lenders are asking more questions than they used to — a building that hasn't completed required inspections or is underfunded on reserves can create real financing hurdles. For buyers, these requirements are worth welcoming: they push associations to be more transparent about building condition and finances, which makes it easier to know what you're buying. Your attorney and lender will have their own process, but knowing the basics before you make an offer saves surprises later.

Choose Your Move, by Situation

The right strategy depends on which side of the transaction you're on and what your building's finances look like:

• Choose to buy now if you're patient, pre-approved, and comparing buildings on monthly cost rather than sticker price. In a buyer's market, the strongest positions come from units in buildings with funded reserves, completed inspections, and clean insurance — exactly the ones lenders will finance.

• Choose to sell now if your building is inspection-complete, reserves are funded, and you can price against today's active listings rather than last year's sales. If your building faces a pending assessment or unfinished repairs, you may be better served waiting until those items are resolved and disclosed.

• Hold off if your decision hinges on a special assessment you can't quantify or a financing question your lender hasn't cleared. A few months of clarity beats a forced sale or a purchase that can't close.

The national headline is real, and South Florida sits among the most buyer-friendly markets in the country right now. But buyer-friendly doesn't mean every unit is a deal, and it doesn't mean every seller is stuck. It means the details matter more than they did a few years ago. Look at the numbers, understand the specific building, and make decisions based on local conditions rather than national headlines.

If you're thinking about buying or selling a condo in Palm Beach or Broward County, I'm happy to give you a building-level read on where things actually stand. Reach out to The Jacques Real Estate Team and let's look at the real numbers together.