Real Estate Agent in Boca Raton, FL. David Serle

Buying in Boca Raton follows the standard Florida process: get pre-approved, sign a written buyer agreement, tour, write an offer on a Florida contract, complete inspections during the inspection period, secure insurance and appraisal, and close with a title company, usually within 30 to 45 days of an accepted offer. Your deposit is held in escrow, meaning a neutral third party such as the title company keeps it until closing. What is specific to Boca Raton is the homework on each property: whether it sits inside the city limits, its flood zone, the association's rules and, for condominiums, the building's milestone inspection and reserve study.

Selling in Boca Raton starts with a price built from closed sales in your own community, then repairs and preparation, professional photography and a launch across the MLS and major portals, followed by negotiation, the buyer's inspection period, appraisal and a title company closing, typically 30 to 45 days after contract. Redfin's August 2026 data shows the typical home selling at 94.5 percent of list price after a median of 79 days, so the first two weeks matter most. In Palm Beach County, sellers customarily pay for the owner's title policy and Florida's documentary stamp tax on the deed, although both are negotiable.

The best Boca Raton real estate agent for you is a licensed local expert with a verifiable track record, and David Serle, Broker-Owner of RE/MAX Services, brings 24 years of Florida licensing, REALTOR of the Year and RISMedia Newsmaker recognition, and a term as President of the Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors. His team is credited on Zillow with 304 total sales across a $215K to $4.4M price range, and every review shown there is rated 5.0. Whoever you choose, confirm the license with the Florida DBPR, read recent reviews, and ask for closed sales in the community you are targeting. Call David at 561-756-3104.

Buyers in Boca Raton should budget for lender fees, the appraisal, inspections, the lender's title policy, recording fees and Florida's taxes on the mortgage, while sellers usually pay the owner's title policy and the documentary stamp tax on the deed of 70 cents per $100 of price. On a financed purchase, Florida charges documentary stamps of 35 cents per $100 on the note and an intangible tax of 0.2 percent on the mortgage. Commissions are not set by law or by any association; they are negotiated with your broker. Buyers now sign a written agreement with their agent before touring, and it spells out exactly how the buyer's agent is paid.

Public schools in Boca Raton belong to the School District of Palm Beach County, and most addresses feed Boca Raton Community, Spanish River Community or West Boca Raton Community High School, with elementary and middle schools assigned by street address rather than by ZIP code. GreatSchools rates Addison Mizner, Calusa, Blue Lake and Del Prado elementary schools and A.D. Henderson University School 10 out of 10. Private options include Saint Andrew's School and Pine Crest's Boca Raton campus. I confirm the zoned schools for any home before you write an offer.

Yes, many Boca Raton buyers purchase before they move, and Redfin's migration data lists New York, Washington and Boston as the top metros searching to move here; I handle these purchases with live video tours, inspections attended on your behalf, electronic signatures and a title company that can close by mail. Before you commit, I walk you through the Florida details that surprise newcomers: flood zones, roof age and wind mitigation for insurance, homestead filing by March 1, and association approval timelines for condominiums.

First-time buyers in Boca Raton typically use conventional loans with as little as 3 percent down, FHA loans with 3.5 percent down, or VA loans for eligible veterans, and the Florida Housing Finance Corporation offers down payment and closing cost assistance programs through its approved lenders. Condominium buyers should confirm early that the building meets the lender's approval guidelines, because reserve levels and pending inspections can limit loan options. Get fully pre-approved before touring so you know your real payment, including insurance and association dues. See Florida Housing Finance Corporation for current programs.

From Boca West to Mizner Park in downtown Boca Raton is a drive of roughly 20 to 25 minutes off-peak, heading east on Glades Road across I-95 and then north on Federal Highway; weekday rush hour on Glades Road near Town Center can add another 10 to 15 minutes. If your work is farther south, the Florida Turnpike and I-95 both connect to Fort Lauderdale. Downtown commuters can also use Brightline from the Boca Raton station, less than a mile from Mizner Park.

Yes. Mizner Bark, the City of Boca Raton's off-leash dog park at 751 Banyan Trail in the 33431 ZIP code, has three fenced areas for small, medium and large dogs, plus water fountains and wash stations, and entry requires a Dog Park Vehicle Permit. The permit is free for residents of the City of Boca Raton and the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District; non-residents pay $335 a year or $30 a month. The park opens at 7:30 a.m. most days and at noon on Wednesdays. In West Boca, Canine Cove at South County Regional Park, 12551 Glades Road, is another option. Source: City of Boca Raton.

Whole Foods Market anchors Uptown Boca at 9536 to 9704 Glades Road in the 33434 ZIP code, sharing the open-air center with REI, Life Time, HomeSense and Sephora, and Florida-based Publix operates supermarkets throughout Boca Raton within a short drive of most West Boca communities. For department store errands, Town Center at Boca Raton at 6000 Glades Road is about ten minutes east. Downtown, Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place cover dining and boutique shopping.

Along the barrier island near Spanish River Boulevard, Spanish River Park and Red Reef Park line A1A with beach access, picnic areas and shaded paths, and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center at 1801 North Ocean Boulevard adds boardwalk trails through coastal hammock and a sea turtle rehabilitation facility. Inland, Sugar Sand Park at 300 South Military Trail offers playgrounds, athletic fields and the Children's Science Explorium. Beach park entry fees differ for city and Beach and Park District residents, so check your address.

Mizner Park's restaurants include Max's Grille at 404 Plaza Real, open since 1991, Kapow Noodle Bar at 402 Plaza Real, Loch Bar at 346 Plaza Real, Serena Pastificio at 301 Plaza Real and Yard House at 201 Plaza Real, most of them with outdoor seating along the plaza. Across Federal Highway, Royal Palm Place adds Chops Lobster Bar and Casimir French Bistro. Parking is free in the Mizner Park garages, and the Brightline station is less than a mile away.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is about 25 miles south of downtown Boca Raton, roughly 30 to 35 minutes off-peak by car on I-95, and Tri-Rail offers a rail alternative from its Boca Raton station on Yamato Road to its airport station, where a shuttle connects to the terminals. Palm Beach International Airport is a similar distance to the north. Boca Raton Airport, next to FAU, handles private and charter flights.

When you buy a Boca Raton home as your primary residence, you can apply for Florida's homestead exemption with the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the following year, which removes up to $50,000 of assessed value and starts the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap on increases. Budget from the purchase price, not the seller's bill: the seller's capped assessment resets to market value on the January 1 after the sale. Bills arrive by November 1, with a 4 percent discount for paying in November. Source: Palm Beach County Tax Collector.

Lenders require flood insurance only for homes in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, but First Street data shown on Redfin estimates that 40 percent of Boca Raton properties face severe flood risk over the next 30 years, so I recommend pricing a flood policy for every home you seriously consider. Wind is usually the bigger insurance factor. The same data rates every Boca Raton property at extreme wind risk, so roof age, impact windows and a wind mitigation inspection can move your premium significantly. Get quotes during your inspection period, not after it ends.