More boat means moor problems — that’s why a home with a private pier is the splashiest asset in South Florida. And with prices for waterfront properties in Miami now regularly topping $100 million, Fort Lauderdale looks like a relative steal.

“Fort Lauderdale’s extensive network of canals, waterways, marinas and private docks means homeowners can keep a boat close to home and be on the water within minutes,” said Jenni Morejon, president and CEO of Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority. “That connectivity is a major reason Fort Lauderdale continues to attract buyers who want to make boating part of their lifestyle.”

One of the city’s most eye-catching homes is located at 733 Middle River Drive. The three-story, six-bedroom mansion was built by Prestige Homes in 2023 and is now on the market with Rachel Berg and Marc Brandt of Douglas Elliman for $38.9 million.

“Fort Lauderdale has evolved tremendously at the ultra-luxury level,” said Berg.

“Buyers who once looked exclusively at Miami or Palm Beach are recognizing how much lifestyle, waterfront and privacy they can have here.”

At the 11,838-square-foot home, an elevator leads to two putting greens on the third floor, flanking a private office with sweeping sunset views of the saltwater pool and your yacht. It can be moored along the home’s 108 feet of deepwater frontage, with no low bridges to hinder your ocean access. Other amenities include a large screening room, billiard room and a built-in bar.

“The home is striking, but what really sets it apart is the way it captures the best of Fort Lauderdale from every direction — open water and the city skyline, with Las Olas as the backdrop for the sunset every evening,” said Berg. “There are beautiful waterfront homes, and then there are homes that feel irreplaceable — this is one of them.”

Farther south in Rio Vista, agent Chad Carroll of Compass has similar words for the “showstopper” home at 1619 SE 7th St. The contemporary, Lake Silvia-front, seven-bedroom, 11-bath, 10,540-square-foot home just hit the market for $34.95 million.

“It is arguably the nicest house in Fort Lauderdale,” Carroll opined. “The views are outrageous looking up and down the New River.”

Designed by Caprio Custom, the landscaping has a jungle vibe, while a 2,000-square-foot rooftop sky lounge includes a wet bar and summer kitchen. The garage can accommodate four vehicles, and inside, a $100,000 lift will hoist your car up to the second story.

“It allows you to get out of your car in your private office,” Carroll said.

But that’s not the only way to arrive in style: The home’s private dock sits along 125 feet of New River frontage.

Just to the southwest, another newly constructed home at 1400 West Lake Drive in Harbor Beach — which Carroll called “the most desirable gated community with deep water access in Fort Lauderdale” — is now “competitively” priced at $26.5 million.

The three-story custom contemporary features seven bedrooms and 10.5 baths spread across 10,400 square feet, with space for three cars. With interiors by La Dolce Vita, the house has Italian finishes, his-and-hers bathrooms, multiple pools, including hot and cold plunges, waterfalls and fire features. It also sits on a corner lot with 250 feet of waterfront.

“You can park your boat on the north side of the property and it won’t obstruct your open water views to the east,” Carroll said of a quandary often faced by large yacht owners.

Don’t want to bother with the swabbing on a stand-alone home? The upcoming $2 billion development of the St. Regis Bahia Mar is on its way to transforming 40 acres at 801 Seabreeze Blvd. into “a mini-Monaco.”

The current Hilton DoubleTree will be torn down next year making way for the exciting waterfront project. One tower will have 78 private residences, while the other includes a 122-key St. Regis hotel plus 106 St. Regis-branded Resort Residences designed by Arquitectonica, with interiors by Tara Bernerd & Partners.

Amenities will include fitness, pool, spa and retail offerings, along with a beach club and extensive dockage for 250 boats and superyachts up to 350 feet long.

Sales have launched, with Resort Collection prices starting at $3 million for one- and two-bedrooms, while the Private Residences start at $4.9 million for three- and four-bedrooms.

Berg is also representing the project, which is expected to be completed in 2030. Anchors aweigh.

Route Sixty-Six: This resort’s 10th-floor penthouse is calling your name

A house means hassle, but what to do if you’re also the admiral of a small fleet? Fort Lauderdale’s 32-acre Pier Sixty-Six has the answer.

The 10th-floor penthouse topping the condo tower the Indigo at Pier Sixty-Six has hit the market, asking $16 million, with deepwater docks for oversize yachts right outside the building’s lobby door.

The easy-peasy penthouse comes fully furnished and, at 8,000 square feet, is the largest condo residence available in Fort Lauderdale, according to listing agent Daniel de la Vega of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty.

“It’s a very, very strong ultra-luxury market here in Fort Lauderdale,” de la Vega said, noting that the market for condos priced at over $2,000 per square foot is up 103% over the past year.

Architect Garcia Stromberg designed the five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom unit, drawing inspiration from the boats, docks and piers that surround the building. It includes a private plunge pool at each end of the 2,150-square-foot wraparound terrace, providing views from sunrise to sunset over the marina, Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean.

The primary suite has a 20-foot-by-20-foot closet, nearly the size of the bedroom itself.

“It’s a huge primary closet and many of our customers love that feature,” de la Vega said.

Just downstairs, accessible by private elevator, the staff at the Pier Sixty-Six Marina will ensure your boat — up to 400 feet long — is professionally cared for. With 30-foot-deep water, the docks are tricked out with 1,200 amps of power per pedestal, no bridge restrictions, high-speed, tax-free fueling and even dockside concierge service. The marina is also a designated foreign-trade zone.

With two condominium buildings and a lush, landscaped resort, Pier Sixty-Six sits right off the 17th Street Causeway, aka A1A. The property reopened in January 2025 after a sweeping renovation by Tavistock Development Company and is managed by CoralTree Hospitality. It also includes a Hyatt Regency hotel, a 360-degree revolving restaurant, Pier Top, an invitation-only social club, a 13,000-square-foot Zenova Spa + Wellness with a snow room kept at 14 degrees, multiple pools and dining choices. Best of all, the Pier Explorers Kids’ Club guarantees plenty of uninterrupted me time.