Palm Beach and Broward schools start August 10, 2026. Miami-Dade starts August 13. A conventional home sale in South Florida takes 83 to 98 days from list to keys. Families who need to close before the first day of school have roughly two weeks left to list. After that, the math stops working without a cash buyer or a compressed timeline.
By Darek Homel, Broker-Owner, Landmark Signature Realty LLC | CIPS, CLHMS Guild, CNC, SRS, ABR, SFR May 7, 2026 · 6 min read
Contents
- How Long Does It Take to Sell a Home in South Florida?
- The Three School Deadlines Families Are Racing
- What the Market Looks Like Right Now for Sellers
- How Much Does It Cost to Sell in South Florida?
- What to Do Before You List This Week
- The Timeline From List to Closing
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Home in South Florida?
The honest answer is between 83 and 140 days, and the number depends heavily on which county you are in. Time on market is the biggest variable. Closing adds another 30 to 45 days on top of contract acceptance.
Palm Beach County is the fastest of the three. Single-family homes averaged 53 days to contract in February 2026, per MIAMI Realtors data. Add a typical 30-day close and the total pipeline runs about 83 to 98 days.
Broward County moves slower. The median home spent 92 days on market in March 2026, per Redfin. With closing layered on, sellers should plan for 122 to 137 days from list to keys.
Miami-Dade County is the slowest of the three. Median days on market reached 95 in March 2026, per Redfin. Total pipeline including closing is 125 to 140 days.
The Three School Deadlines Families Are Racing
There are three different first days of school in South Florida, and each one creates a different list-by deadline.
| County | School District | First Day 2026-27 | List-By Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach | PBCSD | Monday, Aug 10 | May 15-18 |
| Broward | BCPS | Monday, Aug 10 | May 15-18 |
| Miami-Dade | M-DCPS | Thursday, Aug 13 | May 18-21 |
The list-by deadlines above assume a conventional financed buyer, the median time-to-contract for each county, and a 30-day close. That is the tightest realistic path. After these dates, sellers either need a cash buyer or a buyer willing to compress inspection, appraisal, and closing into a shorter window than the market average. Both are possible. Neither is the default.
What the Market Looks Like Right Now for Sellers
Across all three counties, supply is contracting while buyer activity is rising. That is the best combination sellers can ask for, and it is the underlying reason the school-year window matters this year.
Palm Beach County crossed an average sale price of $1,025,233 in Q1 2026, up 11% year to date and the first time the average has cleared $1 million. Median price is $518,500, up 3%. Inventory is down 8% and new listings are down 11%. Under-contract activity is up 11%. The $500K to $750K segment is a seller's market at 4.66 months of absorption (Discover South Florida Q1 2026 report).
Broward County is more mixed but still tightening. Median sale price is flat at $450,000 (down 1%). New listings are down 15%. Inventory is down 7%. Under-contract activity is up 9%. The $500K to $750K segment is now a seller's market at 5.36 months. Under $500K remains a buyer's market at 9.37 months. The luxury segment ($1M+) is up 14% year-over-year (MIAMI Realtors, Discover South Florida Q1 2026).
Miami-Dade County is the most balanced. The median single-family price is $699,990 as of January 2026, up 3.7% year-over-year. Closed sales are up 2.8%. Cash sales surged 23.9%. Months of supply is 6.4, balanced market territory. Homes sell in a median of 95 days as of March 2026 (MIAMI Association of Realtors, Redfin March 2026).
How Much Does It Cost to Sell in South Florida?
The traditional model costs 5% to 6% of the sale price in professional fees, covering both the listing side and the buyer side of the transaction. On a $600,000 home, that is $30,000 to $36,000 paid out at closing.
| Home Price | Traditional (5-6%) | LSR Gold Flat Fee | You Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $450,000 | $22,500 to $27,000 | see /sell | More |
| $600,000 | $30,000 to $36,000 | see /sell | More |
| $750,000 | $37,500 to $45,000 | see /sell | More |
Landmark Signature Realty charges a flat professional fee instead of a percentage. The fee is the same whether your home sells for $450,000 or $1.5 million, and the difference goes back into your closing proceeds. We also apply a 0.5% buyer rebate toward closing costs when Landmark represents your buyer. See current packages and pricing at /sell.
What to Do Before You List This Week
Three actions move the needle more than anything else if you are listing in the next seven days.
First, run a roof age check. If the roof is over 15 years old, get a wind mitigation report, which costs $75 to $150 and is delivered within 48 hours. Most Florida insurers will not write a new policy on a roof this age, which disqualifies financed buyers in all three counties. Citizens Property Insurance is cutting rates 8.7% statewide in 2026, with Broward down 14.1% and Miami-Dade down 13.9%, but the cuts only apply to insurable homes.
Second, price at the median or just below for your segment and county. Palm Beach sellers received 94.4% of original list price in February 2026, per MIAMI Realtors. Broward and Miami-Dade are similar. Overpricing by 5% does not leave negotiating room. It adds 30 to 60 days to your timeline and destroys the school-year window. If you want a starting point, check what your home is worth before you commit to a number.
Third, get photos and the MLS listing live before Thursday. Weekend showing traffic is the highest-converting traffic any listing receives. A Wednesday or Thursday launch captures that first weekend. Waiting one more week means one fewer high-traffic weekend before June.
The Timeline From List to Closing
Here is what the path looks like if you list this week and your goal is to hand over keys before the first bell of the 2026-27 school year.
| Step | Target Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| List on MLS | May 12-18 | Last viable window for school-year close |
| First showing weekend | May 16-17 | Maximum buyer traffic |
| Under contract | Jun 1-20 | 20-30 days on market target |
| Inspection + appraisal | Jun 20 - Jul 10 | Allow 3 weeks |
| Closing | Jul 31 - Aug 8 | Keys before school starts |
| Palm Beach + Broward school start | Aug 10 | 2026-2027 first day |
| Miami-Dade school start | Aug 13 | 2026-2027 first day |
Every week of delay shifts everything to the right. By the end of May, the conventional path no longer fits the school-year deadline in any of the three counties.
Get Your Home Listed This Week
A 30-minute call is all it takes to know what your home is worth and exactly what it will cost to sell it across Palm Beach, Broward, or Miami-Dade. We can typically have your listing live on BeachesMLS within 48 hours of receiving your photos.
Schedule a 30-minute call with Darek →
Prefer to call? Reach Darek directly at (561) 614-6635.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to sell a house in South Florida?
Late spring through early July is historically the strongest window for South Florida family sellers. Buyers closing in this range settle before the school year, avoid hurricane season uncertainty, and compete in tighter inventory than what builds up in fall and winter.
How long does it take to sell a home in South Florida?
It depends on the county. Palm Beach County single-family homes averaged 53 days to contract in February 2026, per MIAMI Realtors data. Broward and Miami-Dade averaged 92 and 95 days on market respectively in March 2026, per Redfin. Add 30 to 45 days for closing on top of that, and the full process runs 83 to 140 days from list to keys.
When do South Florida schools start in 2026?
Palm Beach County and Broward County schools both start Monday, August 10, 2026. Miami-Dade County schools start Thursday, August 13, 2026. Families aiming to be enrolled on day one need to close, move in, and complete school registration before those dates.
Do I need to fix my roof before selling in South Florida?
Not always, but roof age is now a direct filter on your buyer pool. Most Florida insurers will not write a new policy on a roof older than 15 years, which disqualifies financed buyers. A wind mitigation report ($75 to $150) documents your roof's condition and can reduce estimated premiums significantly. Citizens Property Insurance is cutting rates in 2026, but only insurable homes benefit.
Is it a seller's market in South Florida right now?
It depends on your county and price range. In Palm Beach County, the $500K to $750K range is a seller's market at 4.66 months of absorption. In Broward, the same price range hit seller's market territory at 5.36 months. Miami-Dade single-family is at 6.4 months of supply: balanced, with improving buyer activity. Sellers who price correctly and list now are moving.
How much does it cost to sell a home in South Florida?
Traditional full-service brokerages typically charge 5% to 6% of the sale price to cover professional fees on both sides of the transaction. On a $600,000 home, that is $30,000 to $36,000. Landmark Signature Realty lists your home on the BeachesMLS for a flat fee instead, keeping significantly more equity in your hands at closing. We also apply a 0.5% buyer rebate toward closing costs.
Darek Homel is the Broker-Owner of Landmark Signature Realty LLC (License BK3416208), a licensed flat-fee brokerage serving Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. He holds the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist Guild (CLHMS Guild), Certified Negotiation Consultant (CNC), Seller Representative Specialist (SRS), Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR), and Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource (SFR) designations. With 15 years of real estate experience including 8 years in South Florida, he helps families sell smarter across all three counties. Data sources: MIAMI Realtors Q1 2026, Redfin March 2026, Discover South Florida Q1 2026 report, Palm Beach County School District, Broward County Public Schools, Miami-Dade County Public Schools.