Question 1

Is there an SBA office in Fort Lauderdale?

Accepted Answer

No. Broward County is served by the SBA South Florida District Office in Miami, not by a local Fort Lauderdale office. The district's main office sits at 51 SW 1st Ave., Suite 201, Miami, and directly covers Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Lee, Hendry and Collier counties. That doesn't slow down your file with us: we place SBA financing through a network of more than 20 partner lenders, so we're already working that district.

Question 2

Does buying in Broward mean HVHZ construction rules apply to my building?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if the property is in Broward, it's in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. Broward and Miami-Dade are the only two counties in Florida where the Florida Building Code's HVHZ provisions apply, and they set the strictest wind design and product approval standards in the state for windows, doors, shutters and roofing, on both new construction and replacement work. If your SBA deal includes rehab or opening work on the building, plan the scope, and the contractor bids, around HVHZ product approvals rather than standard Florida code. We don't have a verified cost premium for building to HVHZ standard versus standard code, so get quotes from a licensed contractor before you finalize the project budget.

Question 3

How much cash do I need to put into an SBA deal for a single-purpose building like a marine or boat repair facility?

Accepted Answer

Plan on 15 to 20% down, not the 10% headline figure. SBA rules require 15% down if your business has been operating less than two years or the building is single-purpose, and 20% if both apply. A marine repair yard, a boat storage facility, or another purpose-built structure common around Port Everglades is exactly the kind of single-purpose property that pushes into the higher tier. Underwrite to 15 to 20% down before you're surprised at the closing table.

Question 4

Do I need to close on the note and mortgage differently in Broward than in Miami-Dade?

Accepted Answer

The tax mechanics are the same statewide rate, and Broward is the standard case, not the exception. Broward's documentary stamp tax runs 70 cents per $100 on the deed and 35 cents per $100 on the note and the mortgage, the standard rate charged in every Florida county except Miami-Dade, which layers on its own discretionary surtax. Don't budget Miami-Dade's surtax into a Broward SBA closing; it doesn't apply here.

Question 5

What will property tax add to owning instead of leasing in Fort Lauderdale?

Accepted Answer

It depends heavily on which Broward city the building sits in, more than in most metros. 2025 millage runs from about 16.3 mills in Weston to 23.2 mills in Lauderdale Lakes, with the City of Fort Lauderdale itself at 18.45 mills, roughly 1.84% of assessed value a year. That's a nearly 7-mill spread inside one county, worth about $2,800 a year on a $400,000 assessment. Confirm the millage code for the specific parcel with the Broward County Property Appraiser before you underwrite the carry.

Question 6

SBA closings can take a while. Can I use something else to secure the property first?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a commercial bridge loan is a common way to move on a Fort Lauderdale property before SBA financing closes. Bridge capital lets you secure the building, start any HVHZ-compliant rehab, and reposition, then refinance into the SBA loan once it's approved. See CRE Bridge for terms.

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