Seller Tips

Hurricane Season Ends November 30. The Five-Item Checklist for Fort Lauderdale Waterfront Homeowners.

Lourdes Maestres·November 4, 2026

Every year around this time, Fort Lauderdale lets out a collective breath. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, and the cooler, drier months ahead are when most of us finally stop checking the tropics every morning.

That relief is exactly why late fall is the best time to take care of your home. Contractors are easier to book than they are in June, the weather is good for exterior work, and whatever you document now will help your insurance renewal next year and your sale whenever you decide to list. For waterfront owners, the list is a little longer. Here's where we'd start.

1. Pull Out Your Wind Mitigation Report and Check the Date

A wind mitigation inspection records the features that help your home stand up to wind: the roof covering, how the roof deck is attached, the roof-to-wall connections, roof shape, secondary water resistance and opening protection. Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts for qualifying features, and the inspection form is how you prove you have them.

There are two things to know. The state's form is valid for up to five years, as long as nothing material about the structure has changed. And the state updated the form this year. Inspections done on or after April 1, 2026 have to use the new version, which covers more categories and asks for more documentation. If your report is getting old, or you've replaced the roof or added impact windows or rated shutters since it was done, a new inspection may lower your premium. It also gives buyers a clean document to hand their insurer later.

2. Walk Your Seawall and Know the Height Standard

On the water, your seawall matters as much as your roof. After a season of storms and fall high tides, walk the length of it and look for cracks in the cap, gaps or sinkholes in the yard behind it, rust stains, and any spot where water comes over during high tide.

If repairs turn out to be substantial, know the rules before you get bids. Broward County's tidal flood barrier standard, adopted in 2020, requires new or substantially repaired seawalls to reach a minimum top elevation of 5 feet NAVD88 (a standard reference point for measuring elevation). Projects permitted before January 1, 2035 can be built to 4 feet, as long as they're designed to reach 5 feet by 2050. Fort Lauderdale's own code follows the same standard. A marine contractor or engineer can tell you where your wall stands today, and buyers on the water are asking that question more and more.

3. Inspect Your Dock, Lift and Davits

Look over your dock boards, pilings, cleats and electrical connections. Have your boat lift or davit serviced if it hasn't been done this year. If you pulled the boat or moved it to a marina for the season, now is a good time to fix anything before you bring it back.

Keep the receipts and permits. When it's time to sell, a dock and lift with a clear maintenance history are a selling point instead of a question buyers ask during inspections.

4. Review Your Insurance Before Renewal, Not at Renewal

Don't wait for the renewal notice. Check your windstorm deductible, your flood coverage and your replacement cost figures now. If you've made upgrades this year, like a new roof, impact glass, a generator or seawall work, send the documentation to your agent so it shows up in your premium.

This matters when you sell, too. Buyers and their lenders are checking insurance costs earlier in the process, sometimes before they make an offer. A home with up-to-date mitigation paperwork and a clear insurance picture is simply easier to buy.

5. Build a "Home File" While It's Fresh

Whether you plan to stay ten years or list this spring, put everything in one place: permits, warranties, the wind mitigation report, seawall and dock records, generator service logs, and photos of the home's condition right now. Upgrades you can't document are harder to get credit for, both with insurers and when buyers compare your home to others nearby.

Thinking About Selling in 2026?

Snowbird season brings buyers back to Fort Lauderdale, and homes that look cared for and come with complete records tend to stand out. If you'd like a second opinion on what to fix, what to document, and what your waterfront home could sell for in today's market, we're happy to help. No pressure.

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