Renting a luxury condominium in Fort Lauderdale

A purpose-built apartment community leases dozens of similar units, keeps an on-site office, and can usually approve an application and hand over keys quickly. A condominium rental is one owner's unit inside a building governed by an association: the layout, finishes and furnishing are specific to that unit, and the building's rules control the terms.

• Approval: most associations screen tenants and charge an application fee, which adds one to several weeks before move-in
• Lease length: buildings commonly set a minimum term and a limit on how often a unit may be leased in a year
• Amenity access: usually included, but some buildings restrict or charge for certain facilities for tenants
• Maintenance: handled by the owner, with the association responsible for the building and common areas
• Parking, pets and move-in windows: set by the association, not negotiable with the owner

Rules vary building by building and are periodically amended. Ask for the current rules and application requirements in writing before you commit to a unit.

Condominium rentals are the most seasonal part of the Fort Lauderdale market. Owners of furnished units frequently prefer short winter-season terms at higher rates, which reduces the supply of annual leases between roughly late fall and spring. Renters looking for a twelve-month term generally find more choice and more negotiating room in the summer months.

Start with the neighborhood, then the building, then the unit. Downtown and Flagler Village hold the newest inventory; the beach corridor and the Intracoastal hold the views; Las Olas sits between the two. Once the building is chosen, the questions are the same each time: minimum term, approval timeline, parking allocation, pet policy and what the owner covers.