Hard money and fix and flip loans in West Palm Beach, Florida

The West Palm Beach market for investors

West Palm Beach is the largest city in Palm Beach County, with a growing downtown, an office market that has drawn financial firms from the Northeast, and neighborhoods of 1920s homes along the Intracoastal.

Investors renovate historic and mid-century houses, hold rentals and small multifamily, and build new homes on infill lots north and south of downtown.

Neighborhoods investors ask about

• Northwood, Flamingo Park and El Cid: 1920s homes, many in historic districts
• Grandview Heights and Pleasant City: older houses close to downtown
• Coleman Park and Roosevelt: lower-priced homes to renovate
• South End and Southland Park: mid-century houses near the water

Plan for these on a West Palm Beach deal

• Investment property gets no homestead exemption, and combined property tax rates are often close to 2% of taxable value. The 10% yearly cap on non-homestead value resets when the property sells, and Amendment 3, approved in November 2026, lowers that cap to 5% from 2027. Budget with full market value.
• Documentary stamp tax on a deed is $0.70 per $100 of price, usually paid by the seller. A new mortgage adds note stamps of $0.35 per $100 and intangible tax of 0.2% of the loan.
• Palm Beach County is outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone but still builds to strict wind codes, and insurers look closely at the roof and windows.
• Exterior work in historic districts such as Northwood, Flamingo Park and El Cid needs approval from the city’s historic preservation board.
• In a FEMA flood zone, a renovation costing 50% or more of the building’s value triggers current flood rules, which can mean elevating the house. Check the zone and the city’s counting rules before you set the scope.