Issue 8 · October 2026
The estates collection · Issue 8
What the numbers actually say about buying and selling on the water this season.
Simon Gedz
S.G Trust Team · Realtor since 1995
Issue 8 · October 2026
The estates collection · Issue 8
What the numbers actually say about buying and selling on the water this season.
Simon Gedz
S.G Trust Team · Realtor since 1995
October 2026 · Issue 8
From Simon
Welcome to the October 2026 issue.
I'm not just another agent handing you listings. I'm a problem solver. Thirty years in this market has taught me that every deal has one thing standing in the way — a dock that won't take the boat, an association that won't approve the buyer, a price nobody wants to say out loud — and my job is to find that thing early and take it off the table.
Across the neighborhoods I cover the average heat score is 48 out of 100 — balanced overall.
Everything in these pages comes from live MLS data on the day the issue was built, not from a press release. If a number here changes your thinking about buying or selling, call me and we'll go through your specific street.
Market intelligence
The four markets that drive South Florida luxury, side by side.
Read the neighborhood, not the headline.
Heat combines absorption, pending demand, days on market and price reductions. Figures reflect the latest market snapshot available when this issue was assembled.
Market intelligence
Each score blends absorption, pending-to-active ratio, days on market and how many listings have already cut their price. Above 65 favors sellers. Below 40 favors buyers.
Read the neighborhood, not the headline.
Heat combines absorption, pending demand, days on market and price reductions. Figures reflect the latest market snapshot available when this issue was assembled.
Market intelligence
Each score blends absorption, pending-to-active ratio, days on market and how many listings have already cut their price. Above 65 favors sellers. Below 40 favors buyers.
Read the neighborhood, not the headline.
Heat combines absorption, pending demand, days on market and price reductions. Figures reflect the latest market snapshot available when this issue was assembled.
Market intelligence
Across the neighborhoods I cover the average heat score is 48 out of 100 — balanced overall.
The most negotiable inventory right now sits in Mizner Park / Downtown Boca, Coral Ridge (Waterfront), Boca Bay Colony. That is where a well-structured offer gets taken seriously.
Median days on market across the coverage area is about 115. Anything sitting well past that has a story behind it — usually price, sometimes condition, occasionally an association issue worth knowing before you write.
Estates near Lake Boca & the Inlet, The Sanctuary, Seven Isles are carrying the strongest demand this month.
Pricing to the last comp is not the same as pricing to today's buyer. The homes that move are the ones priced against what is actually under contract, not what closed six months ago.
If your home has been listed past the local median days on market, the market has already answered you. The fix is almost never more advertising.
Featured waterfront · dock or boat slip
Highland Beach · Grand Cay Estates
Welcome to 1010 Grand Court, a stunning Modern Mediterranean waterfront estate offering an extraordinary combination of luxury, privacy, and resort-style living. Beautifully reimagined, this exceptional residence features 6 bedrooms, an office, 7/2.5 baths, and a 3-car garage. Sophisticated interiors showcase a completely remodeled kitchen with Italian Arredo cabinetry, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, along with a luxurious primary suite featuring a spa-inspired bath.
View full details
$3M–$5M collection
Pompano Beach · Ocean 580
This elegant 10-story boutique building comprised of only 17 residences, provides an unparalleled oceanfront lifestyle with breathtaking sunrise and sunset views. This residence occupies the south half of the 3rd floor and spans 3,238 sq ft with private elevator access. It features 3 bedrooms, a den, and 3.5 bathrooms, thoughtfully designed to maximize comfort and sophistication. The open floor plan is enhanced by floor-to-ceiling windows allowing for unobstructed ocean views and an abundance of natural light.
View full details
$1M–$3M collection
Hollywood · ETURNA
Discover Eturna Beachside, an exceptional boutique residential development that brings together modern luxury, coastal elegance, and the relaxed sophistication of South Florida living. Designed for buyers who appreciate contemporary architecture, refined finishes, and an exclusive beachside lifestyle, Eturna offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds—an intimate residential atmosphere just moments from beautiful beaches, exceptional dining, shopping, and entertainment.
View full details
Featured waterfront · dock or boat slip
North Miami Beach · EASTERN SHORES 1ST ADDN
Exceptional waterfront residence in Eastern Shores featuring a private pool, expansive sun deck, and a stylish covered outdoor kitchen and bar, perfect for entertaining. Enjoy a private dock with direct ocean access and no fixed bridges. The home showcases soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, a dramatic glass staircase, elegant modern finishes, and bright open living spaces. Additional highlights include multiple outdoor seating areas, a waterfront terrace, and a spacious driveway.
View full details
$1M–$3M collection
Hollywood · ETURNA
Discover Eturna Beachside, an exceptional boutique residential development that brings together modern luxury, coastal elegance, and the relaxed sophistication of South Florida living. Designed for buyers who appreciate contemporary architecture, refined finishes, and an exclusive beachside lifestyle, Eturna offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds an intimate residential atmosphere just moments from beautiful beaches, exceptional dining, shopping, and entertainment.
View full details
Ownership intelligence
The purchase price is only the first number. A realistic ownership plan includes a tax reset after sale, coastal insurance, association obligations and a reserve for the systems that make a luxury home work.
Property taxes are estimated from current local millage against the purchase price, not the seller's protected historical assessment. Insurance remains a planning range until the roof, wind mitigation, flood zone and claims history are underwritten.
The monthly number deserves as much attention as the asking price.
Condo buyers: read the milestone inspection, structural reserve study, current reserve balance and every pending assessment.
Estate buyers: budget separately for roof, mechanical systems, pool equipment, landscaping, dock and seawall.
Get insurance and flood indications during due diligence—before the inspection period closes.
Signature section
Every waterfront listing claims ocean access. Few say what the boat actually needs: dock length, water depth at low tide, and whether a fixed bridge stands between you and the inlet. These are this month's best on those three numbers.
Waterfront with private dockage
View full details
Waterfront with private dockage
View full detailsWaterfront with private dockage
View full detailsNavigation data changes. Always verify low-water depth, bridge restrictions, inlet conditions, seawall condition and permits with current official sources and qualified marine inspectors.
Ahead of the market
Some of the best homes in this market never reach a public search. Here's what's moving behind the scenes this month — open any home below to see its full details.
Welcome to this beautifully renovated waterfront home located at a private address in Lake View Haven Neighborhood! Nestled with direct access to the highly desirable Lake Ida.
INCREDIBLE INCOME-PRODUCING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY IN THE HEART OF LITTLE HAVANA! Perfect for investors or owner-occupants seeking strong rental income and long-term appreciation…
Discover elevated living in Avondale at Avenir, Palm Beach Gardens! This 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence offers 3,029 square feet of single-story living, plus a versatile flex room…
Ask Simon about quietly available homesNeighborhood spotlight
Delray Beach blends a lively, walkable Atlantic Avenue with quiet residential streets between the Intracoastal Waterway and the beach. East of Federal Highway, neighborhoods such as Tropic Isle and the areas around Seagate offer canal and Intracoastal frontage with private docks.
Just north, the Town of Gulf Stream is known for low-density estates and ocean-to-Intracoastal parcels. Buyers who want a downtown lifestyle and a boat behind the house often start their search here.
Delray Beach has no inlet of its own; boaters typically run south to the Boca Raton Inlet or north to the Boynton (South Lake Worth) Inlet, so the run time and bridges should be checked for each home.
Walkable Atlantic Avenue dining and shops
Canal and Intracoastal homes east of Federal Highway
Next to the estate town of Gulf Stream
Public beach within minutes of downtown
Lifestyle
Village charm, beach and Intracoastal in one town.
If Delray Beach is on your list, the neighborhoods buyers usually weigh against it are Boca Raton, Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club.
Marinas, dining and clubs within reach are part of the value here — they are also part of what holds resale when the market turns.
Perspective
No state income tax, a Homestead exemption that caps assessment growth at 3% a year, and year-round water access. That combination is why buyers keep arriving.
What the brochures leave out is the cost side: insurance, association reserves after the condo-safety laws, and flood zone. I put those numbers on the table before you fall in love with a property, not after.
Buyer's tip
The most negotiable inventory right now sits in Mizner Park / Downtown Boca, Coral Ridge (Waterfront), Boca Bay Colony. That is where a well-structured offer gets taken seriously.
Median days on market across the coverage area is about 115. Anything sitting well past that has a story behind it — usually price, sometimes condition, occasionally an association issue worth knowing before you write.
Ask for the last 24 months of association financials before, not after, your inspection period starts.
On any waterfront home, verify dock depth at mean low tide — not what the listing says.
Get your insurance quote during due diligence. It can move your monthly payment more than the interest rate will.
Buyer's tip · continued
The best deals I see are won in the first two weeks — not by offering more, but by knowing more than the other buyer at the table. Work this list before you sign.
Pull the property's permit history. Unpermitted additions become your problem at closing and at resale.
Check the flood zone and get an elevation certificate for any single-story or waterfront home.
For condos: read the milestone inspection, the structural reserve study, and the minutes from the last three board meetings — the assessments are announced there first.
Budget the tax reset. Your taxes are based on your purchase price, not the seller's protected assessment.
On waterfront, confirm the seawall's age and who pays if it fails — and verify the dock dimensions against your actual boat, not the listing copy.
Ask why the seller is selling. The answer shapes your leverage more than any comparable sale.
Seller's tip
Estates near Lake Boca & the Inlet, The Sanctuary, Seven Isles are carrying the strongest demand this month.
Pricing to the last comp is not the same as pricing to today's buyer. The homes that move are the ones priced against what is actually under contract, not what closed six months ago.
If your home has been listed past the local median days on market, the market has already answered you. The fix is almost never more advertising.
Price against pending contracts, not last year's closings.
Fix the one thing every buyer comments on. It costs less than the first price reduction.
Photograph the water, the dock and the view at the right hour. Most listings in this price range don't.
Seller's tip · continued
Homes in this market don't sell because they're listed — they sell because nothing is left for the buyer to use against you. Do this work in the 30 days before the sign goes up.
Get a pre-listing inspection. A clean report in the buyer's hand on day one removes the biggest renegotiation lever.
Gather the paperwork buyers will ask for anyway: association docs, permits, survey, wind-mitigation and 4-point reports, utility averages.
Service the roof, AC and pool equipment — and keep the receipts. Dated service records read as a cared-for home.
If you're waterfront, photograph the dock at high tide and disclose the depth honestly. Surveys catch it; hiding it costs you the deal.
Decide your bottom line before the first offer arrives. Negotiating against a number you already chose beats negotiating against your emotions.
The first two weeks on market are your best price. Everything after that is a conversation about why it hasn't sold.
Why the S.G Trust Team · For sellers
I'm not just another agent. A sale at this level is a problem-solving exercise, and most deals are lost to problems that were visible weeks earlier. Here is where sellers get hurt — and what I do about it before it costs you a buyer.
The pain: an unpermitted remodel, a pool addition, or an expired roofing permit surfaces at the title search and stalls the sale — often costing serious buyers. My solution: proactive due diligence. I investigate permit history and municipal compliance before your property ever hits the market, and through long-standing relationships with building departments and expeditors across South Florida, I clear violations and close expired permits so the title is 100% clean — no deal-killing surprises.
The pain: roof life, 40/50-year recertifications, HVAC, and hurricane mitigation are under intense scrutiny, and a rough inspection leads to harsh renegotiations or cancellations. My solution: technical diagnostics and pre-listing resolution. With hands-on knowledge of construction and Florida building codes, I walk the property before listing to spot red flags early, then bring in trusted contractors to resolve critical issues — protecting your asking price and your leverage.
The pain: you accept an offer, and the buyer's lender falls through 30 days later — costing time, money, and momentum. My solution: financing vetting and appraisal defense. I don't just accept pre-approval letters — I cross-examine the buyer's financing structure and lender credibility. And I build detailed appraisal packages with neighborhood comps, luxury finishes, and unrecorded value so appraisers can substantiate the top-dollar contract price.
In South Florida, the flood zone and the HOA budget can matter as much as the view. — Simon Gedz · Realtor since 1995
Why the S.G Trust Team · For buyers
My job is to protect your capital as if it were my own. These are the three places buyers and investors most often get burned in South Florida — and the systems I use so it doesn't happen to you.
The pain: high-net-worth, self-employed, and international buyers hit rigid conventional banking walls, foreign-national restrictions, or unfavorable rates. My solution: strategic mortgage and capital structuring. I work with a curated network of private wealth lenders, portfolio banks, and specialized mortgage brokers — structuring DSCR loans, asset-depletion loans, or cross-border transactions so you secure optimal financing without delays.
The pain: strict HOA bylaws, special assessments, coastal flood zones, and renovation or short-term-rental restrictions can turn a dream home into an expensive lesson. My solution: comprehensive due diligence and local mastery. I give you full transparency on HOA financial health and reserves, zoning regulations, and FEMA flood-map implications — so you know exactly what you're buying, what it will cost, and how you can use it.
The pain: too many buyers feel pushed by agents chasing a fast close instead of protecting the client's interests. My solution: uncompromising trust and full-spectrum advocacy. I act as an advisor, not a salesperson — from the first search and rigorous price analysis through tough negotiations and closing, you get unbiased, honest advice every step of the way.
I don't sell you a home. I protect your money as if it were mine. — Simon Gedz · S.G Trust Team
What's changing
Rule changes rarely make the news until they have already cost somebody money. These are the changes I am watching right now, why they matter on a South Florida deal, and what we do about them before the date arrives.
Florida tax bills go out November 1. Paying in November earns a 4% discount, December 3%, January 2%, February 1%, and March is full price. On a $40,000 annual bill, paying in November instead of March saves $1,600 for doing nothing but writing the check early. What we do: If you are closing in the fourth quarter, we make sure the tax proration and who pays at which discount tier is spelled out in the contract, not assumed.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac move to the redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report and the UAD 3.6 dataset — one dynamic report format replacing the old fixed forms, with far more structured detail on condition, quality, amenities and site. Luxury and waterfront homes carry value the old form had nowhere to put — dock length, water depth, bridge clearance, impact glass, elevation, finish level. The new report has fields for it. Homes with documentation get credit; homes without it get averaged down. What we do: Before you list, we assemble the file the appraiser now has to fill in: permits, dock specs, mitigation reports, upgrade receipts and comps. That is appraisal defense, and it protects your contract price.
Florida voters decide a constitutional amendment affecting homestead exemptions and how much of a home's assessed value is shielded from property tax. Homestead is the single biggest lever on your carrying cost in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. A change to the exemption changes the monthly number on every home you are comparing — and what a buyer will pay for yours. What we do: Read the plain-English breakdown, then run your actual address through the tax comparison tool before you write an offer or set a list price.
Tools
Most people who want to move already own the down payment — it's sitting in their current home. The Sell-to-Buy tool on the site values your home against real comparables and shows what that equity buys you today.
Ask Simon
You refinance a rate. You don't refinance a price. In the neighborhoods where inventory is tight, waiting has cost buyers more in price than it saved them in interest. Where inventory is heavy, waiting has been fine. That's why the heat scores in this issue matter more than the headline rate.
Yes, but the number has to be disclosed and priced in, and you decide up front whether you pay it at closing or discount for it. Buyers forgive a known assessment. They walk from a surprise one.
Start with the boat, not the brochure: usable dock length, depth at mean low water, every bridge on the route, seawall age and permits, then the current inlet conditions. A house can say ocean access and still be wrong for your vessel.
Realtor since 1995. South Florida waterfront, condo and estate specialist.
If something about your move looks impossible on paper, that's usually the conversation I'm best at.
Simon Gedz · S.G Trust Team · Realtor since 1995
One issue a month. Market numbers, featured homes and the tips that actually move a deal.
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Simon Gedz | S.G Trust Team