What Can a Boat Teach You About Miami Real Estate?

One of my favorite ways to experience Miami is from the water.

This past weekend, we were leaving the marina with my sister-in-law aboard, heading out into Biscayne Bay. As we idled through the canal, I pointed to the waterfront homes on our right.

“Those are on Belle Meade Island,” I said. “Many of those homes are worth three to four times more than the waterfront homes on the left.”

She looked across the canal.

“But they’re both waterfront.”

They are.

On the right is Belle Meade Island, a private, guard-gated island. On the left are waterfront homes in the City of Miami. They’re separated by little more than a canal, yet the difference in value is significant.

One of the reasons is something many people don’t realize until they spend time here. The streets on the City of Miami side experience significant flooding during king tides.

That conversation reminded me why I love seeing Miami from the water.

From the street, you notice architecture, landscaping, and curb appeal. From the water, you notice something completely different. You begin to understand how neighborhoods relate to Biscayne Bay and how subtle differences in location can have a significant impact on value.

That’s one of the reasons I enjoy helping buyers looking for waterfront property. Waterfront real estate is about much more than a house with a dock. It’s about understanding the neighborhood and all the nuances that make one location different from another.

I recently started an Instagram Highlight called “Waterfront,” where I share a photo or video of a home from the water, along with its location and price. The disparities can be shocking. That’s where local knowledge matters, filling in the gaps that no listing description or property search can.

One of my favorite things is showing up to a waterfront listing by boat. I’ll step onto the dock wearing a simple cover-up and flip-flops, and I can almost see buyers looking at me up and down, wondering if they’re meeting the right Realtor. Then I explain that I pulled up on our boat.

It usually gets a laugh, but it also changes the showing. We’re no longer just touring a house. We’re experiencing it the way they would as future owners.

That’s what I’ve learned about Miami real estate from a boat. Sometimes the best way to understand a waterfront home isn’t by pulling into the driveway. It’s by pulling up to the dock.