Gary Lanham Group

09/23/2026

Happy Local Wednesday!

Today we've got some interesting local real estate happenings. Florida’s ‘Sleepy Fishing Village’ Gets a $2 Billion Makeover as Luxury Buyers Swoop In

"Located between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, the former "sleepy fishing village" of Pompano Beach, FL, has transformed into a haven for luxury-branded residences, while still retaining much of its old-world charm.

More than a dozen major real estate projects are currently underway in the city (population of 118,000), spanning branded luxury complexes, commercial development, and even a $2 billion 70-acre transformation of the downtown area.

"It's been an area that I wouldn't say was overlooked, but is more like a sleepy town that has woken up," Patrick Campbell, senior vice president of Related Group, tells Realtor.com®. " Read more at https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/pompano-beach-florida-luxury-homes-prices-2026/

We'd love to know your thoughts on Pompano and the increasing development in the city. Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Pompano Beach, a former "sleepy fishing village" popular with Canadian snowbirds, has lately transformed into a branded luxury haven.

09/21/2026

🏡 MARKET MONDAY | South Florida Rents Are Falling, but There’s More to the Story

Some welcome news for South Florida renters: asking rents are moving down.

According to Realtor.com’s July 2026 Rent Report, the median asking rent across the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach metro was $2,279, down 1.3% from a year earlier.

And South Florida isn't alone. Nationally, July marked three consecutive years of year-over-year rent declines across the country’s 50 largest metropolitan areas.

But here’s where the numbers get interesting.

For a starter home in our metro area, Realtor.com estimates the monthly cost of buying at approximately $2,971, compared with that $2,279 median rent. That’s a difference of about $692 per month, meaning renting is currently less expensive on a monthly basis.

So does that mean everyone should rent?

Not necessarily.

South Florida is also one of just seven major markets Realtor.com identified where conditions are beginning to move more favorably toward buying. The median listing price for starter homes in our metro was down 5% year over year, helping narrow the gap between renting and owning. Read more at https://www.realtor.com/advice/hyperlocal/miami-fort-lauderdale-rents-are-going-down/

The takeaway?

This isn't simply a “rent versus buy” market. It's a “run the numbers for your situation” market.

As conditions continue to shift across South Florida, good real estate decisions start with understanding both the numbers and what you're trying to accomplish.

Gary Lanham
Broker Associate | LoKation Real Estate
AI-Certified Realtor®
GaryLanhamGroup.com
954-695-6518

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro is seeing rents decline, as well as the price of starter homes.

09/19/2026

What are the latest Coral Ridge Isles sales telling us about today’s market?

In my newest neighborhood update, I examine August sales and September activity—including current inventory, pricing, market time, property condition and the features buyers are rewarding.

Coral Ridge Isles continues to attract buyers, but every home is being evaluated on its own merits. For homeowners considering a sale, understanding these local trends can help guide decisions about preparation, pricing and market positioning.

Read the full article below. If you would like to discuss what these results may mean for your property, I would be happy to help.

By Gary Lanham I don’t study Coral Ridge Isles only as a Realtor®. I live here.

09/18/2026

🏙️ WHAT’S HAPPENING IN REAL ESTATE? | Fort Lauderdale Is Getting New Attention

For years, Fort Lauderdale has lived somewhat in the shadow of Miami and Palm Beach when it comes to major development and investment. That may be changing.

A new report looks at the significant amount of New York development money flowing into Fort Lauderdale, particularly downtown and in Flagler Village.

Consider what’s happening:

• New York-based firms are reportedly behind 4.6 million square feet of downtown development, representing roughly 45% of the total.

• Major luxury residential projects are underway, including Ombelle, Andare Residences and new development in Flagler Village.

• Corporate investment is growing, too. GXO Logistics is taking approximately 35,000 square feet at the $500 million T3 FAT Village development.

• Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s population of adults under 45 has reportedly increased 25% since 2020.

• And Fort Lauderdale’s price difference with Miami appears to be narrowing. According to Redfin data cited in the article, the median sale price here is about $70,000 below Miami, compared with a gap of approximately $120,000 a year earlier.

There are reasons developers are paying attention: Brightline connectivity, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, downtown investment, waterfront improvements and buyers looking for alternatives to Miami.

New construction and outside investment can tell us where developers believe a city is going. But ultimately, buyers, residents and businesses determine whether that vision becomes reality.

After more than two decades working in South Florida real estate, Gary has watched Fort Lauderdale change considerably.

What do you think? Is Fort Lauderdale becoming a true alternative to Miami and Palm Beach?

Gary Lanham
Broker Associate | LoKation Real Estate
AI-Certified Realtor®
GaryLanhamGroup.com



https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2026/09/18/885676.htm

09/18/2026

22 years in real estate teaches you something: no two transactions are exactly alike.

A home can look straightforward when it goes on the market. But then an inspection uncovers an issue, a permit question comes up, insurance becomes a concern, etc.

That’s when experience matters.

Technology, including AI, has given us extraordinary tools for analyzing markets, preparing listings and communicating information. Gary uses those tools every day.

However, technology doesn't sit across the table during a difficult negotiation. It doesn't recognize when a seller needs more information before making a decision. And it doesn't replace the judgment that comes from having worked through hundreds of transactions.

After 22 years and more than 600 real estate transactions throughout South Florida, I've learned that my job isn't simply to help someone list or buy a house.

It's to help people make good decisions when the transaction stops being simple. The tools will continue to change... experience is knowing what to do with them.

Gary Lanham
Broker Associate | LoKation Real Estate
AI-Certified Realtor®
GaryLanhamGroup.com

09/16/2026

🏡 TUESDAYS WITH GARY | Thinking About Selling This Winter? Start Now.

September may still feel like summer in South Florida ☀️, but if selling your home this winter is even on your radar, this is the time to start preparing.

Why so early?

Because the best time to discover an aging roof, plumbing concern, permit issue, or other potential obstacle is before a buyer discovers it during an inspection.

Preparation doesn’t necessarily mean renovating, either. Sometimes the smartest move is fresh paint, minor repairs, landscaping and a good cleaning. Other times, it may mean doing nothing at all and pricing the home appropriately for its condition.

The important thing is knowing what you’re dealing with before the For Sale sign goes up.

Thinking about selling this winter? Now is a good time to start the conversation! Give me a call at 954-695-6518!

Gary Lanham
Broker Associate | LoKation Real Estate
AI-Certified Realtor®
GaryLanhamGroup.com
954-695-6518

09/14/2026

📈 🏡 MARKET MONDAY | Sometimes the House Isn’t the Problem. The Positioning Is.

A home sits on the market for four months with no offers.

Then the marketing strategy changes.

Two offers arrive in one day.

That’s what happened with a 5,100-square-foot home outside Philadelphia featured in a recent Business Insider story.

Buyers had toured the seven-bedroom property, but the feedback kept coming back the same: It’s too much house.

Then the listing agent looked at the property differently.

With separate entrances, two wings, multiple living spaces and bedrooms that offered privacy, she repositioned it as a home designed for multigenerational living. After adjusting the price and changing how the property was presented to buyers, the response changed almost immediately.

There’s an important lesson here for sellers.

Marketing a home isn't simply about describing what it has. It's about helping the right buyer understand how they could live there.

Sometimes a large house is “too much house.” To another buyer, it may be exactly the space they need for aging parents, adult children, extended family, a home office, or a changing lifestyle.

And that’s why Gary believes selling a home requires more than putting it in the MLS and waiting. It's about pricing and presentation, but positioning matters, too.

When buyers aren't responding, the market is giving us information. The question is whether we're willing to listen to it and adjust the strategy! Read more at https://www.businessinsider.com/luxury-real-estate-multigenerational-homes-family-trend-2026-9

Gary Lanham
Broker Associate | LoKation Real Estate
954-695-6518
GaryLanhamGroup.com

Real estate agent Scheryl W. Glanton says multigenerational living is reshaping what some luxury buyers want from a home.

09/11/2026

We will always remember 🗽🇺🇸

Reposted from

Before dawn this morning, our firefighters raised the American flag above Broward Boulevard.

A quiet tribute to the 2,977 lives lost on September 11, 2001, including 343 FDNY firefighters who answered the call and never came home.

Twenty-five years later, we remember their courage, their sacrifice, and a day that forever changed our nation.

We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/10/2026

🎬 LOCAL WEDNESDAY | A Fort Lauderdale Hidden Gem

You can live in Fort Lauderdale for years and still discover places with a story you didn’t know.

Savor Cinema is one of them.

Located just outside downtown Fort Lauderdale, the building dates back to 1926 and originally served as a church. Today, the historic space is home to an independent cinema and is associated with the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, bringing independent, international and specialty films to local audiences.

And the building itself is part of the experience. Instead of a typical multiplex, you’re watching a movie inside a piece of Fort Lauderdale history.

It’s places like this that remind us there’s much more to South Florida than beaches and palm trees. Our neighborhoods are filled with history, arts, culture and unexpected places worth discovering.

Have you ever seen a movie at Savor Cinema?

Gary Lanham
Broker Associate | LoKation Real Estate
GaryLanhamGroup.com

09/08/2026

🏡 Happy Tuesdays with Gary - Gary Lanham Quoted in Realtor.com!

We’re excited to share that Gary was recently featured as a real estate expert in Realtor.com’s article, “The Costly Pricing Trap Every Smart Homebuyer Can Avoid.”

The article tackles something Gary talks about often: wishful pricing.

Sellers may base their expectations on what a neighbor sold for two years ago, how much they’ve invested in improvements, or an online estimate. But as Gary told Realtor.com:

“The problem is that buyers are looking at today’s market, not yesterday’s market.”

Congratulations to Gary on another national media feature and for continuing to bring a South Florida perspective to the conversation about today’s changing real estate market! 🎉
Read the article at https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/pricing-trap-wishful-pricing-buyers-sellers/

Gary Lanham | Broker Associate
LoKation Real Estate
AI-Certified Realtor®
GaryLanhamGroup.com