Best south Florida real estate loc. to buy house with dock.

For all the reasons Capt J points out, there is a world of difference to solutions between the 69' and a 100-110' and as boats tend to stretch, even more to a 120'.

Staying within South Florida, you can find many homes that will fit the needs of the 69' for under $1 million and do ok renting them out as vacation homes. You do need to be careful they meet legal requirements for transient housing which sometimes requires modifications to older homes as those requirements have stiffened considerably. In the Pompano area you can find quite a few houses with 70-80' dockage.

The minute you start talking over 100', you push the price of the property up considerably. In some neighborhoods, just the lot is going for $3 million plus. Moving north of West Palm you find larger lots for less. However, you're then still back to the issues Capt J mentions plus one more. The house as a rental property investment is more problematic. Fort Lauderdale and Miami are the best vacation rental areas. To vacation renters though that extra lot width isn't something that matters to them. So you're talking more expensive property without being able to push the rental price up.

As expensive as dockage is, make it 100'+ and add crew and I don't see how the marina doesn't still remain the most economic route. There is a wide range of dock prices. For instance, Dania Beach is significantly less expensive than Fort Lauderdale. Move north of West Palm and prices start to drop. His idea of using the house for the crew is reasonable but not likely to come out better financially than renting dockage. Suddenly you've got a million dollar house for your crew with the associated costs. He mentioned draft. Most homes are on canals and depth may be only maintained to 5'. You will find homes with up to 9' depth but no commitment or obligation on the part of the city to maintain at that depth so can lead to dredging costs for you. A house fronting on the ICW solves that issue but then isn't the best place to keep a boat full time due to traffic and the cost of a 120' lot on the ICW is even higher.

There was a basin on 84 next to the w side of I95 in Liquordale. I've been by car several years ago.
If I remember, there was mini condos and lots of docks.

The last time I was up the New River, Jackson Marine was across this (N) and on the east side of 95, Lauderdale marine had elevators, not travel lifts and covered slips.
Broward Marine was still intact. I have no idea what this place was called.

Looking back, Jungle Queen and I are getting old.



Pick up a small marina and I will bring two more customers needing (combined) 135' dockage.
Extended stay (live) aboard.

You can dock the boat right here while looking for a house with a dock:

https://marinabay-fl.com/

That's it. Seems the condos are separate. Bet some are available still for rent.

Yeah, I think the apartments are rentals only, unless that changed in the last few years.
We go there all the time with the boat, sometimes with charter guests to eat and drink at the restaurant.
Food is good, but not great.
About 4 years or so ago they changed a chef or manger or something, it was good quality, almost gourmet food before. Now it is okay, not great.
Lots of rowdy yard workers coming there for drinks after hours, smoking is allowed outdoors.
(I am a redneck and fit right in, but had to quit smoking before it killed me)

So, uh side tracked again.
This was about dockage for a 100' boat.
Running up and down the New River frequently I see signs for docks available
In that size range.
I can look next time and post a picture of such a sign, but it will be a while, going abroad for the holidays and put the boat to bed last night.
I run and manage quite a few smaller docks in my neighborhood, but not in the size range.
I have a an opening for a 50' boat on the river right now, and a 55' on a canal the next month or 2. After present boat sells)
Also smaller boats, 40' and under, plenty of docks.

OP: Have your Captain run around on the canals and rivers looking for "Dock for Rent" signs, they usually specify max length. Lots of dockage available in Fort Lauderdale, but kind of a Grey Market as a City ordnance prohibits renting docks in residential neighborhoods, and especially prohibits any liveaboards unless apporoved pump-out stations are installed.
Also look in the waterfront news classifieds.

It depends on zone so not as grey as it could be. Only zoning of RS-8 and RS-4.4 can not rent docks.

This is the beauty of the internet and bulletin boards, always somebody who knows more than you and they are not shy about putting it out there
Sorry if I was wrong, but in all my 18 years in this town, on the waterfront, you can't legally rent a residential dock.

Probably can't where you live. There is nothing especially logical about it. Pretty much any property that is zoned to allow duplexes or condos, even if it is a single family house. You can rent docks on Isle of Venice, but on the other side of the same canal on Fiesta Way you cannot. You can look up any location on the maps of the Broward Country Appraiser.

Regardless, when you get in the 100' range, there's not a lot available. I found one on docksearch. 100', 6' draft, $3,500/month. On dockandslip, a 100' with 8' depth in Pompano for $2000/month, in FLL 130', 8' draft for $2200 per month.

Of course the OP's question was where to buy a house where he can keep his boat.

Keep in mind, further north you go, the cheaper it gets. Reason why were still in Jax.
More fuel to go to the islands, we run at night also, still cheaper than S FL rates vs yearly dockage.
Our Red-Neck budget offers better island & S FL vacations based from Jax.
Sadly, we look at dark water till our yearly trips.

Out Lotto is to find a cheap live aboard dock we could work from any where further south than Jax.

Hey. I remember a winter I was diving, bagging & salvaging the lower bay. It froze in Miami, It was warmer in the water. Around 15 years ago.
I have customers in Chicago and N J. I reminded them of a new volcano in central FL, new sink holes threatening to suck down Tamps and another himicane pounding Florida and advised they keep there sorry aspes up north.......

Yes, and Hendricks Isle and 2 more in the same 'hood.
Those canals are not residential however: They have car parking, pump-out stations and toilet/showers on the hard, all included. Like mini-marinas.
I have docked quite a few boats there over the years, great area, but the dock rent is twice as much as in the residential canals I am talking about.
The "Residential Canals" in my neighborhood and up the New River is strictly private docks, behind private houses, and that is where a majority of boats keep renting docks for about $12 per foot per month.

I was just using those as examples.

Cool, but them canals are the exceptions rather than the rule..