West Palm Beach Real Estate: Houses and Condos on the Palm Beach Coast

Downtown West Palm Beach has high-rise condos around Clematis Street, CityPlace (now Rosemary Square) and the waterfront. Flagler Drive follows the Intracoastal with bay views. El Cid and Prospect Park have older Mediterranean-style homes, Northwood is an up-and-coming area with historic cottages, and Lakeview and Flamingo Park have tree-lined streets. Palm Beach International Airport is minutes away, and the Brightline train links to Miami and Orlando.

Buyers include second-home owners from the north-eastern US and Latin America, retirees, and investors renting to the local workforce. Hurricane exposure is real: check roof age, impact windows, flood zone and insurance quotes before making an offer.

Florida has no state income tax and welcomes foreign buyers. Typical costs include:

• documentary stamp tax on the deed, commonly paid by the seller (0.7% of the price)
• title insurance and closing fees, a percent or two
• if borrowing, a 0.35% documentary stamp on the note and a 0.2% intangible tax on the mortgage
• annual property tax of around 1.5-2.2% of the assessed value including local levies, with homestead protections available only to permanent residents who occupy the home
• insurance premiums that are frequently several times those of other US states

Learn about lenders in our US financing guide and test affordability in the mortgage calculator. For the full legal flow, read the US buying guide.

For West Palm Beach, the headline price is just one part of the cost picture. Condo fees in newer towers can run into several hundred euros a month, and special assessments are possible in older buildings. House owners should plan for pool, landscaping and hurricane preparation costs, and for a roof that may need replacing before insurers will renew cover.

If you intend to sell later, remember that foreign sellers may face FIRPTA withholding on the gross price, which is later reconciled against actual tax. Choose your ownership structure with a cross-border tax adviser before purchase. You can check a target price with our valuation tool, and reach out through the contact page for introductions.

In Florida, Naples on the Gulf coast is the main high-end alternative. In the Southwest, Las Vegas and Henderson are cheaper by the square metre, and San Diego is far more expensive. The United States page has more.