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relocating from our nearby local suburbs. Once the kids
go off to school it makes sense to downsize and live on
the East side of town near the water and activity.
Fortunately, we have plenty of options for all of our new
residents, with properties available in every size, style and
price range.

What truly makes our town so unique is the devoted
adherence to our very strict building codes. No structure in
town limits may be over 44 feet high, so we have a true
low-rise community that will forever retain its small town
feel. Boaters and scuba divers sometimes refer to the town
as LBTS Canyon. If you are on a boat looking towards
shore you see our quaint little seaside village tucked in
between canyon walls created by the high rise condos to
the north and south.

We are very proud of our Mid-Century Modern
Architecture (aka MiMo) in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, another
unique characteristic and throwback to old Florida. This
fun and fanciful architectural style can be seen throughout
town since many of our buildings were built in the 50’s
and 60’s when the MiMo architecture was so common in
South Florida. The town is encouraging builders and
anyone who is renovating their property to incorporate
MiMo styling into their plans.

One of the things that I absolutely love about Lauderdale-
by-the-Sea is our commitment to the environment. If you
have spent any time at all in LBTS, you have probably
seen SCUBA divers and snorkelers walking right off the
beach into the water. We are known as the beach diving
capital of Florida because of the easy access to our live
coral reef only 100 yards off shore. 

The town is dedicated to preserving this valuable resource
and is currently participating in a staghorn coral
restoration project with Nova Southeastern University right
off the beach of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. 

What is the long term real estate outlook for Lauderdale-
by-the-Sea? The answer is simple. This town offers a
unique combination of qualities not available anywhere
else in South Florida. Our barrier island location in the
middle of Florida’s famed Gold Coast, our strong
commitment to the environment and our strict low-rise
building codes should preserve the small town feel that so
many residents and visitors desperately want to hold on to.
People buy real estate in LBTS because they want to be a
part of something special and my prediction is that will
never change.

Courtney Stanford is President of the Lauderdale By The Sea
Chamber of Commerce. She has called South Florida home
for the last dozen years, having traded the sunshine of
Southern California for the sunny beaches of Fort Lauderdale.
Prior to working at the Chamber, she spent many years in
fund development for both small and large institutions in
Colorado, California and South Florida. 

Rich Barnhart is President and Broker/Owner of By The Sea
Realty and a resident of The Landings who regularly writes
our real estate column. He’s an active member of the LBTS
Chamber and a long-time contributor to civic affairs in
Lauderdale By The Sea.

I

Special Feature continued

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