Let’s be honest—trying to buy a house in South Florida right now feels like entering the Hunger Games. The prices? Wild. The competition? Vicious. And don’t even get me started on HOA fees.
WalletHub just released their 2025 Best & Worst Cities for First-Time Home Buyers list, ranking 300 cities across the U.S. using 22 different factors—from housing costs to property-crime rates to overall vibes (okay, they called it “quality of life,” but same thing).
So where did Miami land?
#127 overall. Not the worst, but definitely not the dream. Here’s the breakdown:
- Real estate market: #3 — homes are moving fast.
- Affordability: #281 — ouch. Basically, buying here is a luxury.
- Quality of life: #113 — decent, but we’re not topping any charts.
So where can you still buy in Florida without selling a kidney?
Florida actually dominated WalletHub’s top 10 list for first-time buyers:
- #1 Palm Bay
- #3 Tampa
- #7 Cape Coral
- #8 Orlando
- #9 Lakeland
- #10 Sunrise
That’s right — Sunrise! So yes, there’s still hope in Broward County. And if you’re open to venturing a bit farther north or west, you’ve got way more options that won’t break the bank.
Bottom line: South Florida is packed, prices are up, and first-time buyers are feeling it. But the good news? Florida still has spots where homeownership is possible — you just might need to look beyond Miami-Dade to make it happen.