Is now a good time to sell my house in Miami Beach?

Usually when the sale fits your life rather than the headlines. Your next move, your finances and the state of the house matter more than the month.

To read the market in Miami Beach, look at how long homes like yours take to go under contract and what they actually sold for in the last few months, not at asking prices.

More in How Do I Know When It’s Time to Sell My House?

Should I sell my Miami Beach house as-is or fix it up first?

Fix only what will add more to the price than it costs. Sell as-is when the work would be large, slow or uncertain.

Newer homes dominate Miami Beach. Only two of the six homes in our sample were built in 1980 or earlier, so an older house stands out, and buyers will set it against move-in-ready neighbors. Older homes there hold more of their value against new construction than the Florida median, 33.3 percent against 22.8 percent.

More in Should I Sell My House As-Is or Fix It Up First?

What are the benefits of selling my Miami Beach house off-market?

You skip the listing, the showings and the repairs, and you set the date.

  • Privacy. The house is never listed for sale, and there are no showings or open houses.
  • No preparation. No repairs, staging or deep cleaning before you sell.
  • Certainty on timing. You choose the closing date at the start, not after the inspection.
  • A simpler negotiation. One buyer and one conversation, from offer to closing.

The cost is fewer buyers bidding. On the open market, competition can push a price higher, so it is worth weighing both routes. Should I Sell My House Off-Market? explains how.

How fast can I sell my house in Miami Beach?

Off-market, on the date you choose, whether that is a few weeks out or a few months, once the title work and the documents Florida requires are done.

A listed sale usually takes longer, because the house has to be prepared, shown and negotiated, and the buyer’s inspection, appraisal and loan approval can still undo the deal late in the process.

If you are relocating, read How Do I Sell My House Fast When I’m Moving for Work?

What does it cost to sell a house in Miami Beach?

On a listed sale, commission is usually the largest cost, followed by transfer taxes, title and closing fees, and any repairs or credits after the buyer’s inspection. A private sale to Address District has no commission.

On federal taxes, the IRS says an owner who owned and lived in the house as a main home for two of the five years before the sale may exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

Line by line in How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?

How does selling my Miami Beach house off-market work?

In four steps, with no listing and no showings.

  1. Send us the address and a few details through the offer form, or get in touch.
  2. A person on our team looks at the house and recent sales nearby, and may ask for a walk-through.
  3. We send a written offer. You are under no obligation to accept it.
  4. If you do, the closing is handled by a title company or closing attorney, on your date.

You will know in writing who the buyer is before you sign anything.

What if my Miami Beach house isn’t selling?

Look at price, condition and exposure, in that order. Few showings usually mean price, and showings without offers usually mean condition.

Before you talk to another buyer, read your listing agreement. Most owe the agent a commission on any sale during the term. More in Why Isn’t My House Selling?

How do I sell an inherited house in Miami Beach?

Start with who has the authority to sign, usually the personal representative the probate court appoints, or a trustee. A title company will generally not close until that is documented.

Inherited property generally takes a basis equal to its value on the date of death, the IRS says, which can shrink the taxable gain. A probate attorney in Florida can explain the rest. More in How Do I Sell a House I Inherited?

How does Miami Beach compare with nearby neighborhoods?

Miami Beach, 2 miles away, has nine older homes among the 11 we sampled. Morningside and Upper Eastside, 2 miles away, counts nine older homes among the 12 we sampled. North Miami, 3 miles away, shows eight older homes among the eight we sampled. Miami Beach ranks tied for 451st nationally for older homes, behind three of them.

Every neighborhood in the index has its own page, and the Florida page lists all 202 in the state.

Do older homes in Miami Beach sell for less than new construction?

In our sample, yes. The average price of older homes in 33141 was 33.3 percent of the average price of new construction in the same ZIP code. The Florida median is 22.8 percent, and the index median is 23.1 percent. With two older homes behind it, treat the figure as a rough guide.

The gap reflects size, lot and condition as much as age, so price an older house against recent sales of other older houses nearby, not against new construction.

Miami Beach by the numbers

Older homes
2
of 6 homes sampled, built 1980 or earlier
Share of older homes
33.3%
Florida 52.6%. Index 49.0%.
Older vs new
33.3%
Older home price as a share of new construction
National rank
#451 (tie)
of 1,192 ZIP codes
State rank
#107
of 202 in Florida
Minimum lot
7,500 sq ft
As recorded in the source data

Of the six homes in the Address District sample for Miami Beach (33141), two were built in 1980 or earlier, a share of 33.3 percent. That places 33141 tied for 451st of 1,192 ZIP codes nationally for the number of older homes, and tied for 107th of 202 in Florida.

Across the 202 Florida ZIP codes in the index, 52.6 percent of the homes sampled were built in 1980 or earlier, against 49.0 percent across all 1,192 ZIP codes.

With six homes in the sample, read these figures as a snapshot of the homes sampled rather than a measure of the whole ZIP code.

How 33141 compares

Share of older homes

Homes in the sample built in 1980 or earlier

33141 Miami Beach33.3%
Florida52.6%
All ZIP codes in the index49.0%

Older home prices against new construction

Average older home price as a share of new construction

33141 Miami Beach33.3%
Florida median22.8%
Index median23.1%

Nearby neighborhoods in the index

ZIPPlaceDistanceRankShare
33140Miami BeachMiami-Dade County, FL2 mi9381.8%
33138Morningside / Upper EastsideMiami, FL2 mi8975.0%
33181North MiamiMiami-Dade County, FL3 mi111100.0%
33137Edgewater / Upper EastsideMiami, FL4 mi223100.0%
33161Biscayne ParkMiami-Dade County, FL4 mi69100.0%
33154Bal Harbour / SurfsideMiami Beach, FL4 mi9381.8%
33139South Beach / Flamingo-LummusMiami Beach, FL4 mi15250.0%
33127Wynwood / Buena VistaMiami, FL4 mi282100.0%

The top of Florida

State rankZIPPlaceHomesOlder homesShare
133629Palma Ceia / Sunset ParkTampa, FL534177.4%
234102Old Naples / Port Royal / Aqualane ShoresNaples, FL523771.2%
333432Downtown Boca / Boca Raton RivieraBoca Raton, FL443272.7%
433405West Palm BeachPalm Beach County, FL383181.6%
534145Marco IslandCollier County, FL372978.4%
633143South Miami / High PinesMiami, FL362569.4%
733133Coconut GroveMiami, FL302583.3%
832459Santa Rosa BeachWalton County, FL992121.2%
933156Pinecrest / North PinecrestMiami, FL252184.0%
1034239Southside Village / Cherokee ParkSarasota, FL281967.9%

All 202 Florida ZIP codes in the index ›

About the data. Older homes are homes built in 1980 or earlier. Rank orders ZIP codes by the number of older homes in the sample, then by the number of homes. Full methodology and the complete index. Nothing on this page is legal, tax or financial advice.