Key Takeaways

  • Great Gulf is developing Mandarin Oriental Residences, West Palm Beach, a 31-story, 87-unit tower at 5400 North Flagler Drive on the Intracoastal Waterway, with pricing opening near $3.5 million and climbing past $20 million for the villas and full-floor penthouse.
  • The project is a standalone branded residence with no hotel attached, designed by Moshe Safdie of Safdie Architects with interiors by Studio Munge and landscape architecture by ENEA, and it marks Mandarin Oriental's first freestanding residential offering in South Florida.
  • The arrival of this level of brand and design capital confirms what buyers across Palm Beach County have already been telling us: West Palm Beach is no longer the affordable alternative…

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Key Takeaways

  • Waterfront is not one market: Oceanfront, Intracoastal, deep-water canal, fixed-bridge canal, and lakefront properties carry very different values, insurance costs, and buyer pools.
  • Access must be verified, not assumed: Bridge clearance, water depth at mean low tide, shoaling, and the route to the inlet determine whether a boat can actually use the property.
  • The shoreline is part of the purchase: The seawall, dock, lift, flood zone, insurance, and permits deserve their own due diligence before removing contingencies.

Waterfront homes in South Florida offer something few other properties can match: a daily connection to the water, direct access to boating, and a limited supply of homes in highly desirable locations.…

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Do You Have to Sign a Buyer Agreement Before a Realtor Shows You a Home in Florida?

In most private-showing situations, yes. If an MLS participant is working with you as a buyer, a written buyer agreement generally must be in place before an in-person or live virtual residential tour. The agreement does not have to be exclusive, statewide, or long-term. Its scope, services, duration, and compensation are negotiable.

The August 2024 change was an MLS practice requirement arising from the National Association of Realtors settlement—not a new Florida law requiring everyone who enters a home to sign the same contract. Florida law separately regulates brokerage relationships and disclosures. Understanding both layers prevents confusion.

Key…

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