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Michael "Wiz" Wisniewski · The Complete Real Estate Team · Florida DRE #3301665
Ask The WizardMargate is the friendly lake city of northwest Broward: a chain of small lakes gives the neighborhoods their character, the prices run below the county, and the location reaches both coasts and everything in between. It suits first-time buyers, families, retirees, and investors who want a practical, unpretentious Broward address with real room to negotiate.
In this guide
The short answer, with the numbers
Yes, and Margate is the most underrated value play in northwest Broward. It is a working-family city built around a chain of small lakes, with the county's most practical prices, a five-minute zip to Sawgrass Mills, and both coastlines within a half-hour. The August 2026 MLS snapshot put the single-family median at $504,500 with condos near $133,750, and houses went under contract in about 17 days, a genuinely active market at an approachable price.
The fit is practical and broad. First-time buyers get the county's most accessible houses, with ranch stock that needs love and newer communities ready to move in. Retirees and investors get condos near $134,000, some of the lowest entry numbers in Broward. Families get a quiet lakefront pace, Margate Elementary at 8/10, and the honest caveat that the high school story needs planning. Commuters get the Turnpike and both major airports within 30 minutes.
The honest trade-offs: Margate is modest rather than polished, the zoned high schools are the county's weak tier, and it is a suburb where the shopping corridor, not a downtown, is the center of gravity. For buyers who want the Broward location and the budget to match, Margate is quietly essential, and the right lake lot punches well above the price.
Broward County · The friendly lake city of northwest Broward
Median sale price (single-family)
$504,500
PBP Real Estate MLS, Aug 2026 (condos ~$133,750)
Median days to contract (houses)
~17
PBP Real Estate, Aug 2026 (active median ~40)
Months of inventory (houses)
~3.3
PBP Real Estate, Aug 2026 (tightest measured within city data)
Cost-of-living index
~110.5
BestPlaces, 2026 (US average = 100)
Every figure on this page carries its source and its as-of date, because a good advisor labels the data before he uses it. Jump to the Margate Market Data Snapshot for the full grid.
The character of the town
Margate's personality runs through its water. A chain of small lakes threads the city, giving whole neighborhoods fishing, canoeing, and water views from their own backyards, and the lakefront blocks are the city's quiet premium. It is a modest, unpretentious town that leads with access and value rather than image.
The geography is a simple grid with a personality split. The eastern streets near SR 7 hold the city's ranch homes and the shopping corridor; the middle lakes hold the waterfront lots; the western edge toward the Turnpike and Coconut Creek holds newer communities and the Calypso Cove waterpark. Everyone uses the same five words: convenient, affordable, friendly, and under the radar.
Margate does not try to be stylish, and that is its strength. It is the town where a first home, a rental, or a lakefront retirement buy all make sense on one street, and where the beach, the mall, the airports, and the racetracks are all short drives away. Buyers who skip it because it is not glamorous are the ones who miss the math.
The money line, sourced
The honest numbers: the index, the home values, the income range, and the one tax break that changes the math for relocators.
The index, honestly
BestPlaces puts Margate's cost-of-living index at about 110.5, roughly 10.5 percent above the U.S. average and about 7 percent above the Florida average. Everyday costs sit near national norms; housing is the headline, and it is a good one.
BestPlaces, 2026
Home values
The single-family median ran $504,500 in August 2026 with condos near $133,750, among the most accessible numbers in Broward. Lakefront lots and newer western communities carry the top of the range.
PBP Real Estate MLS, Aug 2026
No state income tax
Florida taxes no wage or retirement income at the state level, a permanent line on the budget for anyone moving from a high-tax state.
State law, applies in Margate
The bottom line
Margate delivers the Broward location at the county's friendlier numbers, and the condo side near $134,000 is a genuine entry play. Insurance remains the honest Florida line on every budget.
BestPlaces / MLS data, 2026
| Category | Margate | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living vs. U.S. average | ~10.5% above (index ~110.5) | U.S. average = 100 (BestPlaces, 2026) |
| Cost of living vs. Florida average | ~7% above | Florida average near 103 (BestPlaces, 2026) |
| Median home sale price | $504,500 houses / ~$133,750 condos | MLS, August 2026 (PBP Real Estate) |
| State income tax | None | Florida state law, applies in Margate |
| Property insurance | Higher than most northern states | Inland Broward rates run below the coast but still exceed northern norms |
The current picture, in numbers
Here is the honest, current picture, labeled by source and date. Margate's single-family median ran $504,500 in August 2026 with condos near $133,750, houses went under contract in about 17 days, and supply sat near 3.3 months on the house side. That is an active, practical market at the county's friendlier prices.
Three honest frames before the numbers: this snapshot is static and dated, not a live ticker. Different portals count differently, so the spread of figures is the truth, not the mess. And the tax angle that sweetens every line below: Florida has no state income tax.
Median sale price (single-family)
$504,500
condos ~$133,750; all-types median near $318K on Redfin's mix
PBP Real Estate MLS / Redfin · Aug 2026
Median days to contract (houses)
~17
active listings median ~40 days
PBP Real Estate · Aug 2026
Months of inventory (houses)
~3.3
the tightest measured house market in city data
PBP Real Estate · Aug 2026
Homes for sale
101 houses + 352 condos
MLS snapshot, Sep 15, 2026
PBP Real Estate · 2026
Typical price per sq ft
~$250
Redfin median sale; Movoto lists ~$190
Redfin / Movoto · 2026
Cost-of-living index
~110.5
U.S. average = 100
BestPlaces · 2026
PBP Real Estate MLS · August 2026
| Measure | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, single-family | $504,500 | MLS, August 2026 |
| Median sale price, condos/townhomes | ~$133,750 | MLS, August 2026 |
| Median days to contract, houses | ~17 | active median ~40 days |
| Price per sq ft | ~$250 | Redfin median sale, 2026 |
Broward MLS · Feb 2026 / PBP Real Estate · 2026
| Measure | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family median sale price | $620,000 | Feb 2026, Miami Herald / Broward MLS |
| Condo/townhome median sale price | $242,000 | Feb 2026, Broward MLS; Margate runs well under |
| Months of supply, condos/townhomes | 10.6 | countywide, PBP Real Estate 2026 |
| Single-family supply | ~6 months | Jan 2026 MLS reports |
Read it honestly: Margate is the value headline of northwestern Broward: a $504,500 house median and a $133,750 condo median in a city with the county's full access. The house market is tight and quick, the condo market gives buyers leverage, and the spread between them is the honest story of the city. For the freshest look at homes for sale in Margate today, the snapshot above is the honest starting point; your exact street gets current numbers on a call.
Where to look first
5 pockets buyers ask Michael about most, each with the honest read attached. The spread between them is the single most important thing to understand about Margate, and the reason the right neighborhood matters more than the town name.
Fishing, canoeing, and water views from the backyard
Margate's signature: a chain of small lakes threading the city, with homes that put fishing and paddleboards at the door. Lakefront lots here are the city's quiet premium, and the price is a fraction of what the coast charges for water.
Fits best: Lake lovers and value waterfront buyers
Mid-century homes near the SR 7 corridor
The city's original residential core: ranch and block homes on quiet streets, with the county's most approachable entry prices and the shopping corridor minutes away. This is where Margate's starter-home market actually lives.
Fits best: First-time buyers, fix-uppers, and investors
Newer homes along the city's north-south spine
Along Coconut Creek Parkway, the city turns to newer construction, wider lots, and the parks that anchor the family side of Margate. Calypso Cove waterpark and the sports complex sit on this corridor.
Fits best: Families who want a newer build at a fair price
Convenient blocks between the Turnpike and Federal Highway
The city's eastern and Turnpike-facing blocks trade a bit of quiet for the fastest access in town: I-95, the Turnpike, and the airport run all reachable in minutes. Condos and rentals cluster here for good reason.
Fits best: Commuters and investors
Shared streets with Pompano's country club world
The southern edge meets Pompano's country club communities, giving residents the club life and golf at a better address price. It is the upgrade pocket for buyers who want the best of both cities.
Fits best: Buyers who want the Palm Aire amenities at the Margate price
Margate makes its case in pockets: the lakes are the premium, the eastern ranches are the entry, and the corridor communities are the middle. Tell Michael what you are optimizing for, lake access, first-home budget, or rental math, and he will point you at the pocket, not the plat map.
Find Your Margate NeighborhoodThe district report, with rankings
Broward County Public Schools serves Margate, and the honest picture is a solid elementary story with a weak high school tier. Margate Elementary scores 8/10 on GreatSchools with a Niche B-, Margate Middle 5/10, and the city's high school students feed into Coconut Creek, Monarch, and Coral Springs area schools depending on the address, so the zone map matters a great deal.
| School | Rating / rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Margate Elementary School | GreatSchools 8/10 · Niche B- · PK-5 | GreatSchools / Niche, 2026 |
| Margate Middle School | GreatSchools 5/10 · 6-8 | GreatSchools, 2026 |
| Coconut Creek High School (much of Margate) | GreatSchools 3/10 · Niche C+ · serves most of the city | GreatSchools / Niche, 2026 |
| Coral Springs High School (western edges) | GreatSchools 6/10 · Niche B · zoned for parts of west Margate | GreatSchools / Niche, 2026 |
| Broward County Public Schools | State-rated A for 2024-25; magnets and charters are the school-shopping lever | Florida DOE, 2025-26 |
PK-5 public elementary, Margate
K-12 charter, nearby Coral Springs
Rankings and attendance zones come from GreatSchools, US News, Niche, and PublicSchoolReview, all as of 2026 or the most recent published cycle, and they change. Michael always confirms the exact assigned schools for a specific address before you make an offer.
The drive math, by the numbers
Margate's location is the quiet superpower. Sawgrass Mills is about five minutes west on the Turnpike, Boca Raton roughly 15 to 20 minutes north, downtown Fort Lauderdale about 20 to 25 minutes, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport about 20 to 25 minutes via the Turnpike.
The east-west math also works: the beach at Deerfield or Pompano is about 20 minutes, Palm Beach International about 30 to 35, and the county's rail options a short drive east.
The honest note: Margate is a suburb, so every trip is by car, and the shopping corridor rather than a downtown is the center of gravity. For access, though, few cities in the county reach more places in less time.
To Sawgrass Mills
~5-10 min
Driving, Turnpike west
To Boca Raton
~15-20 min
Driving, Turnpike / SR 7 north
To Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int'l (FLL)
~20-25 min
Driving, Turnpike south
Match the town to your life
The buyer types Margate fits especially well, each with the sourced reason attached. This is the audience range Michael works with every week as The Life Transition Specialist: buyers, sellers, retirees, families, and investors from the Treasure Coast to South Florida.
A $504,500 house median and condos near $133,750 make Margate one of the most reachable first-home markets in Broward, with ranch stock to personalize and newer communities ready to go.
Lakefront backyards, Calypso Cove, the sports complex, and a quiet suburban pace at prices that keep the whole plan together. The high school step needs planning, and families who do it get a fair answer.
Condos near $134,000, lakefront walks, and an unpretentious pace make the retirement math genuinely easy. As a Certified Senior Transition Specialist, Michael helps plan the move itself.
Some of the lowest entry numbers in Broward, strong rental demand around the corridor, and a quick house market for flips. The numbers work at this price.
Both job markets within 20 minutes, Sawgrass Mills five minutes away, and two airports within a half-hour. Margate is the value bedroom for the county's work centers.
Sell the coastal premium, buy a lakefront lot or a light condo at a fraction of the price, and keep every amenity within reach. The downsizing math is the friendliest in the county.
One-level ranch stock, efficient condos, medical access on the corridor, and a patient, budget-friendly market. Michael works families through it as a planning advisor.
For out-of-state movers
Moving to Margate from outside Florida is a life transition, and the people who plan it as one land better. Here is the practical short list, every point grounded in the sourced numbers on this page and in how Michael guides relocators from the Treasure Coast to South Florida.
Florida taxes no wage or retirement income at the state level, a permanent line on the budget for anyone moving from a high-tax state.
A $504,500 house median and condos near $134,000 make the move to Broward genuinely reachable in a way the coast cannot match.
Sawgrass Mills five minutes, both coasts within 20 to 25, and two airports inside a half-hour. Few cities reach more places from less address.
Lakefront lots and corridor condos hold their niche, and the budget-friendly character is the point, not a compromise you tolerate.
Ranch fix-ups and move-in condos give relocators genuine choice at the county's lowest entry tiers.
Michael treats every relocation as a life transition: a 15-minute strategy call sorts your timeline, school plan, and budget before you ever look at homes for sale in Margate.
New to Florida entirely? Start with the Moving to Florida Checklist, the Florida Tax Guide, and the Relocation Guide Hub.
Michael "Wiz" Wisniewski · The Wizard of Real Estate
Margate is the town I send people to when they want the Broward lifestyle and the budget to breathe. A kayak on the chain of lakes, a first home that actually pencils, a condo that makes the retirement math easy: that is the whole pitch, and it is honest. My job is to make sure the school zone and the right lot are settled before the offer, because the value here is real and the right pocket decides the rest.
Michael "Wiz" Wisniewski · The Wizard of Real Estate · Talk Soon
Local favorites
Straight answers, no fine print
The questions buyers ask Michael most about moving to Margate, answered directly with the sourced numbers on this page.
Yes, for budget-minded buyers who want the Broward location without the coastal bill. The August 2026 MLS snapshot put the single-family median at $504,500 with condos near $133,750, the lakes give the city real character, and the access reaches everything. The honest caveats: the high school tier is weak, and the center of gravity is the shopping corridor rather than a downtown.
No, by Broward standards. The cost-of-living index runs about 110.5, but houses at a $504,500 median and condos near $133,750 are among the county's most accessible numbers. The lakefront lots cost more, and the corridor condos cost less, but the range is genuinely friendly.
About 20 minutes east to Deerfield Beach or Pompano Beach. Margate is inland, which is most of the reason the prices stay down, and the beach is an easy planned trip.
Yes, for retirees who want value and access. Condos near $134,000, lakefront walks, the waterpark's summer energy, and no state income tax make the math easy. Michael, a Certified Senior Transition Specialist, helps retirees and their families plan the move itself.
Solid at the elementary level, challenging above it. Margate Elementary scores 8/10 on GreatSchools, Margate Middle 5/10, and high school students feed into Coconut Creek (3/10) or Coral Springs area schools depending on the exact address. Families should confirm the zone and plan around magnets and charters.
Active and practical. The August 2026 MLS snapshot put houses at a $504,500 median with about 3.3 months of supply and roughly 17 days to contract, while condos near $133,750 gave buyers more room. This snapshot is static and dated, not a live ticker, so current numbers for your exact street are the ones that matter.
Yes for families who prioritize budget, space, and access. The lakes, Calypso Cove, the sports complex, and the quiet pace deliver the everyday life, and the school plan requires the same deliberate zoning work every inland Broward family does. Do that, and the value is hard to beat.
Have a question this page did not answer? Ask it directly: (561) 441-8420 or michael@thecompleterealestateteam.com.
Keep exploring
The step-up family city right next door.
Read itThe green neighbor with the 55-plus scene.
Read itThe beach 20 minutes east, with its own value.
Read itThe estates-and-schools premium to the northwest.
Read itComparing Margate against its neighbors is the fastest way to see where it fits. Read the honest Margate pros and cons, then the guides above.
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Michael "Wiz" Wisniewski, The Life Transition Specialist, is a Certified Real Estate Planning Advisor and Certified A.I. Real Estate Advisor at The Complete Real Estate Team, powered by Dalton Wade Real Estate, Florida DRE #3301665. Bring your questions about Margate, your timeline, schools, and budget: he will tell you honestly whether this corner of the Treasure Coast fits your plan, and which neighborhood pocket your money should live in.
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