SOUTH FLORIDA NEWS - May, 2026

Flying Cars Are Coming to Florida: What the New Law Means

Florida is now funding landing pads for electric aircraft that aren't in commercial production yet. The bet: the technology will catch up, and South Florida's congested corridors will be ready.

Key Takeaways

• HB 1093 allows FDOT to fund up to 100% of public vertiport construction if federal funds are unavailable.
• Vertiports are landing hubs for electric VTOL aircraft, often described in coverage as "flying cars."
• The technology is still early, but Florida is creating the funding path before the market matures.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1093 on April 21, 2026, allowing the Florida Department of Transportation to fund vertiport construction across the state. Vertiports are designed to serve as hubs for short aerial commutes via…

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Larry Mastropieri Ranked Highest Selling Realtor® in Boca Raton

Boca Raton's housing market runs the full spectrum, from sub-$200,000 condos in central submarkets to $40 million oceanfront estates along the Intracoastal. Most agents pick one price band or one corner of the city and stay there. Larry Mastropieri has worked across every segment for more than a decade. His personal Boca Raton record currently covers 428 closed sales worth more than $243 million in verified volume. ListWithClever, an independent platform that tracks MLS performance across 646 active Boca Raton agents, ranks Larry #1 in the city by total local sales. The closed-sale count behind that ranking runs more than twice the volume of the next-ranked Realtor® in Boca Raton.

That record covers single-family homes, condos, villas, and townhouses…

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E.R. Bradley's vs. City Hall: The WPB Waterfront Standoff

Stephen Ross pledged $30 million through Related Ross to fund a new waterfront park along Flagler Drive. But the plan hit a wall when the city approached a 42-year-old family restaurant about relocating. E.R. Bradley's said no. The eminent domain word came up. And now the whole thing is on pause.

Key Takeaways

• West Palm Beach paused a proposed waterfront park after the owners of E.R. Bradley's Saloon refused to relocate.
• Related Ross committed $30 million to fund the park with no development rights attached.
• The mayor denies raising the issue of eminent domain, but the restaurant's owners say it was discussed.

A billionaire developer pledges $30 million to turn a stretch of Flagler Drive into a waterfront park. The city approaches a…

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Why Riviera Beach Sold 2.2 Acres to Forest Development

The Riviera Beach CRA approved a non-binding term sheet for a 335-unit apartment project on Broadway near the waterfront. The deal includes workforce housing, ground-floor retail, and a sliding price tied to density. Here's how the public land sale is structured and what's still unresolved.

Key Takeaways

• Forest Development signed a non-binding term sheet to acquire a 2.2-acre city-owned site at 1851 Broadway for $4.5 million.
• The project would include 335 apartments with at least 5% workforce housing, 17,000 square feet of retail, and up to 20 stories.
• The city approved the deal 3-2, but a formal CRA board vote and City Council approval are still required.

Peter Baytarian's Forest Development and the Riviera Beach Community…

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Inside the $15.4M Land Buy Reshaping Boynton Beach

The Boynton Beach CRA is planning to control the city's gateway corridor and attract a major redevelopment project. A lobbying controversy made headlines, but the bigger story is what happens next.

Key Takeaways

• The Boynton Beach CRA completed a $15.4 million land assemblage near the I-95 on-ramp at West Boynton Beach Boulevard.
• The city plans to issue a request for proposals to attract private developers for a gateway redevelopment project.
• Commissioners raised concerns about community input and lobbying activity before approving the purchase.

The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency completed a two-part land assemblage totaling $15.4 million near the I-95 on-ramp at West Boynton Beach Boulevard. The combined site is…

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Florida Ranked Worst State for Renters: Is It True?

A new study ranked Florida last among states for apartment renters. The data behind the headline is real, but the full picture is more complicated. Here's what the ranking captures, what it misses, and why this issue is so hard to untangle.

Key Takeaways

• Florida scored 30.78 out of 100 in a ConsumerAffairs study, ranking last among all 50 states for apartment renters.
• The typical Florida renter spends 37.4% of their income on rent, the highest share in the country.
• Florida has no statewide tenant protections in any of the four categories evaluated by the study.

ConsumerAffairs, a Tulsa-based consumer insights group, published a study on April 7, 2026, ranking all 50 states for apartment renters. Florida finished last with a total…

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Why a Newly Completed Delray Building Is in Foreclosure

The building is finished. A tenant is operating. One unit already sold. But the lender just filed a $6.85 million foreclosure suit anyway. Here's what went wrong and what it signals about developer stress in South Florida.

Key Takeaways

• Athene Annuity and Life Co. filed a $6.85 million foreclosure complaint against the Aria building in Delray Beach.
• The developer missed payments starting in August 2025, after the construction loan matured and the extensions expired.
• Only one of five residential units was sold before the lawsuit was filed.

Athene Annuity and Life Co. filed a foreclosure complaint on April 23, 2026, against 246 Delray Management LLC and loan guarantor Ronen Gershon, targeting the recently completed Aria building in…

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Larry Mastropieri: South Florida's Most Reviewed Realtor® with 2,000+ Verified Reviews

In South Florida real estate, online reviews now carry more weight than any traditional credential when buyers and sellers research a Realtor®. However, most agents across the region operate with somewhere between 50 and 200 reviews. By comparison, Larry Mastropieri operates in different territory entirely. His 2,000-plus verified five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, Yelp, Realtor.com, and FastExpert make him the most reviewed realtor in South Florida. As a result, his name appears at the top of every credible regional ranking of trusted real estate professionals.

That review count is no accident. Indeed, it reflects 22 years of consistent client work, a fully integrated brokerage operation, and a process built to earn referrals on every…

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$360M Loan Launches Icon Beach Condos in Hollywood

Tyko Capital just wrote a $360 million check for a 350-unit waterfront tower in Hollywood Beach. Prices start at $825,000, well below comparable Broward projects. Here's why that matters and what the financing signals about the market.

Key Takeaways

• Icon Beach Waterfront Residences is a 38-story, 350-unit condo tower at 3724 South Ocean Drive in Hollywood.
• Tyko Capital provided the $360 million construction loan, adding to its portfolio of major South Florida deals.
• Prices range from $825,000 to $2.8 million, with the groundbreaking ceremony held June 18, 2026, and delivery targeted for 2028.

Related Group and BH Group have secured a $360 million construction loan from Tyko Capital for Icon Beach Waterfront Residences at 3724 South…

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Fifth Avenue Townhomes No-HOA Luxury Downtown Delray Beach

Five three-story townhomes are under construction two blocks from Atlantic Avenue. Each unit sits on its own fee-simple lot, which means no HOA. Prices start at $2.8 million.

Key Takeaways

• Fifth Avenue Townhomes includes five fee-simple townhomes at 142-152 SE 5th Avenue in downtown Delray Beach.
• Each owner owns the land beneath their unit, which eliminates the need for a homeowners' association.
• Prices start at $2.8 million to $3 million, with units ranging from 2,700 to 4,200 square feet.

Fifth Avenue Townhomes is a boutique luxury development at 142-152 SE 5th Avenue in downtown Delray Beach, two blocks from Atlantic Avenue. The project includes five three-story townhomes ranging from 2,700 to 4,200 square feet, starting at $2.8…

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