Moving to Davie, FL

Two Davies: the western ranch side and the eastern suburbs

The first thing newcomers notice is how much the town changes from one road to the next. Western and southern parts of Davie keep a rural, equestrian layout, with large lots, horse trails and zoning that limits density. Eastern Davie, closer to University Drive and the Florida's Turnpike, looks like typical Broward suburbia, with subdivisions, townhomes, shopping centers and condo complexes.

Nova Southeastern University's main campus is in Davie, and Broward College and Florida Atlantic University also have campuses there. That brings a younger population and more apartments around the college area than the rest of town. If you are moving with kids or horses, you will likely live west. If you want a shorter drive to Fort Lauderdale, east usually makes more sense.

Who lives in Davie, by the Census numbers

Census data shows a median age of 37.9, which is young for South Florida. Only 14.0% of residents are 65 or older, and just 1.5% of homes are seasonal or second homes. In practice, Davie is a year-round town of working households and students, not a snowbird market. Streets stay busy in summer, and there's little of the winter swing in traffic and restaurant waits that beach cities see.

The housing stock is mixed. The median home was built in 1989, newer than coastal Broward. About 40.2% of homes are single-family detached, 24.6% are in buildings of 10 or more units, and 13.7% are mobile homes, a large share for this part of Florida. Davie has several established manufactured-home communities, which are among the cheapest ways to own in central Broward.

What housing costs and how it moved

The all-homes index is down 1.6% over the past year and up 23.1% over five years. Single-family homes average $624,877 and condos $226,106. Condos dropped faster, down 4.3% in a year, as older complexes deal with higher insurance and repair costs.

The spread between the bottom and top of the market is wide. The lower third of Davie homes runs up to about $275,835, while the upper third starts near $1,056,530. A three-bedroom house averages $495,679 and a four-bedroom $848,301. That jump reflects lot size more than square footage, since many four-bedroom homes in western Davie sit on half an acre or more.

Getting around from Davie

Davie's location is its strongest practical argument. Interstate 595 runs along the north side of town, Florida's Turnpike cuts through it, and I-75 is just to the west. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is a short drive east via I-595, and Port Everglades is nearby for cruise travelers. Downtown Fort Lauderdale and the beaches are reachable in a typical drive of 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour, longer at peak times.

There is no beach, no ocean view and no Intracoastal in Davie. Water here means lakes and canals, many of them part of the drainage system. People who move expecting a coastal lifestyle sometimes end up driving east every weekend and wish they had bought closer to the water.

Pros and cons for a buyer moving in

• Pro: space. Larger lots than most of Broward, including land zoned for horses.
• Pro: central location. Fast access to I-595, the Turnpike and I-75.
• Pro: newer stock. A 1989 median build year means more homes with modern roofs and windows than coastal cities.
• Con: price at the top. Estate properties push five-bedroom values to about $1,756,470.
• Con: inland flooding. Western Broward is low and flat, and drainage matters after heavy rain.
• Con: well and septic. Some rural lots don't have city water or sewer, which adds inspection and upkeep costs.

Taxes, insurance and storm prep

Florida has no state income tax, which is often the biggest financial reason people move here. Property tax is the trade-off. If Davie becomes your permanent home, file for homestead, worth up to $51,411 off assessed value in 2026, and the Save Our Homes cap limits later increases to 3% a year or CPI. Remember that the assessment resets to market value when you buy, so the seller's tax bill is not yours.

Insurance is a bigger line item in Florida than most newcomers expect. Get a quote early in the inspection period, and ask for a wind mitigation report. Look up the FEMA flood map for the specific lot, since zones can change street to street. Hurricane deductibles are a percentage of dwelling coverage, often 2% or 5%, so a $600,000 house with a 2% deductible means $12,000 out of pocket before coverage starts on a hurricane claim.

What people moving to Davie often get wrong

The most common mistake is assuming one Davie neighborhood tells you about the rest. Zillow's neighborhood numbers show the range: Playland Village averages $341,898, Silver Lakes $474,516, Waterford $688,999 and Stonebrook Estates $2,340,744. Visit several before you decide.

The second mistake is skipping land checks. On a larger lot, confirm the zoning, the survey, any easements and whether the lot is on septic. If you tell me which side of town and what kind of lot you want, a shortlist is easy to put together.