Palm Beach Luxury Real Estate: A Buyer's Guide (2026)

Palm Beach luxury real estate usually means the Town of Palm Beach — an island town incorporated in 1911 with roughly 9,000 year-round residents and about 20,000 more who keep seasonal homes there, according to the Town — and buying there turns on three things before price: design review, water and taxes. Design review means that new construction and visible exterior changes go through the Town's Architectural Commission (ARCOM), and landmarked or historically significant properties go through the Landmarks Preservation Commission instead. Water means flood-zone and elevation checks, Florida's mandatory seller flood disclosure, and state permits for building seaward of the coastal construction control line on the beach. Taxes mean Florida's deed tax, no state personal income tax, and homestead rules that change on Jan. 1, 2027 under Amendment 3, which voters approved on Nov. 3, 2026.

At a glance

Topic	What to know	Where to check
Which "Palm Beach"?	The Town of Palm Beach is its own municipality; West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens are separate cities in Palm Beach County	Town of Palm Beach; Palm Beach County Property Appraiser
Design review	ARCOM reviews new construction, visible exterior changes and landscaping; landmarked properties go to the Landmarks Preservation Commission	Town Planning, Zoning & Development Review
Landmarks	Over 328 landmark properties, sites and vistas are protected	Town of Palm Beach
Flood disclosure	Seller must give Florida's flood form at or before contract	Fla. Stat. §689.302
Beachfront	Building seaward of the coastal construction control line needs state authorization	Fla. Stat. §161.053
Deed tax	70 cents per $100 of consideration	Fla. Stat. §201.02
Income tax	No state tax on residents' personal income	Fla. Const. Art. VII §5
Homestead	Exemption plus a cap on yearly assessment increases; Amendment 3 raises the non-school exemption from 2027	Fla. Const. Art. VII; Amendment 3 (2026)

Palm Beach, West Palm Beach or Palm Beach Gardens?

"Palm Beach" gets used for three different places:

The Town of Palm Beach — the island town of Worth Avenue and The Breakers. The Town says it was incorporated on April 17, 1911, as only the second municipality in Palm Beach County, and is governed by an elected Mayor and five-member Town Council under a council-manager form of government.
West Palm Beach — the city across Lake Worth on the mainland. See our West Palm Beach buyer's guide.
Palm Beach Gardens — a separate city to the north. See our Palm Beach Gardens buyer's guide.

Rules, permits and taxing authorities follow the parcel, not the marketing name. Before relying on any zoning or building rule, look the parcel up on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser site and confirm which municipality it is in.

Design review: ARCOM and the Landmarks Preservation Commission

If you're buying to renovate or rebuild in the Town of Palm Beach, the Town's development review process matters as much as the purchase contract:

Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). For properties designated as a historic landmark or a historically significant building, the LPC performs the development review. The Town says more than 328 landmark properties, sites and vistas are protected under its Historic Preservation Ordinance, first adopted in 1979. The LPC also issues Certificates of Appropriateness for work on landmarked properties.
Architectural Commission (ARCOM). For other properties, ARCOM reviews and approves modifications visible from public rights-of-way, new construction and landscaping. The Town traces ARCOM to the Art Jury established in the 1920s, whose original members included architects Addison Mizner, Marion Sims Wyeth and Maurice Fatio.
Town Council. If a project needs a variance, a special exception or site plan review, the Town Council hears it.

Before you sign: ask whether the property is landmarked or designated historically significant, request the permit and approval history, and talk to an architect familiar with Town review if your plans depend on changing the exterior.

Flood and the seller's disclosure

Florida law (§689.302) requires a seller of residential property to give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before the time the contract is signed. On the form, the seller states whether they:

know of flooding that damaged the property while they owned it;
have filed a flood-damage insurance claim, including with the National Flood Insurance Program; and
have received flood-damage assistance, such as from FEMA.

The form also reminds buyers that homeowners' insurance doesn't cover flood damage. For any Palm Beach property:

check the flood zone on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and ask for elevation information;
ask about past water intrusion, repairs and the permits behind them; and
price flood and wind coverage before you sign.

Beachfront: the coastal construction control line

Florida sets coastal construction control lines along its sandy Atlantic and Gulf beaches to mark the part of the beach-dune system subject to severe fluctuations from a 100-year storm surge and waves (§161.053). Building a structure, excavating or altering dunes seaward of the line requires state authorization. For an oceanfront lot you plan to rebuild, find out where the line falls and what has been permitted before.

Condos and buildings

For a Palm Beach condominium, review the association's budget, reserves, inspections and any special assessments. Our guides cover Florida's rules:

Taxes and costs, including Amendment 3

Deed tax: Florida's documentary stamp tax on deeds is 70 cents per $100 of the price (§201.02). Who pays is set in the contract.
No state income tax: Florida's constitution bars a state tax on resident individuals' income beyond what federal law allows as a credit (Art. VII, §5).
Homestead today: if the home is your permanent residence, you can apply for Florida's homestead exemption. Once you have it, annual increases in the home's assessed value are capped at the lower of 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index (Art. VII, §4(d)). Second homes don't qualify.
Amendment 3 (approved Nov. 3, 2026; effective Jan. 1, 2027): according to the official ballot summary, it
- raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusts it for inflation;
- gives people who are not Florida residents on Dec. 31, 2026 the existing exemption when they qualify, with the increased exemption starting in the fifth year of exemption, to the extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution; and
- lowers the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property (such as second homes) from 10% to 5%.

If you're relocating to Palm Beach, that five-year phase-in matters: the timing of your Florida residency can change your tax bill for several years. The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser offers an Amendment 3 tax calculator and homestead e-filing. Confirm current rules and deadlines with the Property Appraiser and a Florida tax adviser. For the existing portability rules, see Florida Homestead Portability.

Market context

For inventory and days-on-market figures — and how Palm Beach compares with Miami Beach — see our market report Palm Beach vs Miami Beach: $5M+ Inventory & Days on Market, which labels the source and period for every number. Ask any agent for recent closed sales on the specific street or building you're considering.

Choosing an agent

On an island where rebuild plans depend on Town review and every lot has its own flood and beachfront profile, use an agent who can pull closed sales, permit and approval history, and insurance history for the exact property.

Featured agents: Haute Real Estate Network members in Palm Beach County include Leah & Alex Sajovits, a husband-and-wife team with Douglas Elliman Real Estate who help clients buy and sell homes in South Florida. Browse South Florida agents or Find a Realtor. Featured agents are paid members of the Haute Real Estate Network. Editorial selection, not a ranking.

Related

FAQ

Is Palm Beach the same as West Palm Beach? No. The Town of Palm Beach is a separate island municipality, incorporated in 1911. West Palm Beach is a different city on the mainland across Lake Worth. Check the parcel on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser site to see which one governs a property.

Do I need approval to renovate or build a house in Palm Beach? Usually, for anything visible from the street. ARCOM reviews new construction, visible exterior changes and landscaping. If the property is a landmark or historically significant building, the Landmarks Preservation Commission reviews it instead. Variances and special exceptions go to the Town Council.

How many landmarked properties are in Palm Beach? The Town says more than 328 landmark properties, sites and vistas are protected under its Historic Preservation Ordinance.

What flood disclosure does a Florida seller have to give? Under §689.302, the seller must give a written flood disclosure at or before signing, covering known flood damage during their ownership, flood insurance claims (including NFIP) and federal flood assistance (such as FEMA).

What is the transfer tax in Palm Beach, Florida? Florida's documentary stamp tax on deeds is 70 cents per $100 of consideration (§201.02). The contract decides who pays.

How does Amendment 3 affect buyers moving to Palm Beach? Starting in 2027, it raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes ($150,000 in 2027, $250,000 in 2028) and lowers the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5%. Under the ballot summary, people who are not Florida residents on Dec. 31, 2026 get the existing exemption first, with the larger exemption beginning in the fifth year of exemption. Confirm details with the Property Appraiser and a tax adviser.

Does Florida have a state income tax? No. Florida's constitution doesn't allow a state tax on resident individuals' income beyond federal credit limits.

How do I find a luxury agent for Palm Beach? Browse South Florida agents in the Haute Real Estate Network and ask each agent for closed sales, Town approval history and flood history on the homes you're considering.

Sources

Town of Palm Beach, History of Palm Beach (accessed Nov. 9, 2026)
Town of Palm Beach, Planning, Zoning & Development Review (ARCOM, Landmarks Preservation Commission) (accessed Nov. 9, 2026)
Florida Statutes (2026) §689.302 (flood disclosure), §161.053 (coastal construction control lines), §201.02 (documentary stamp tax) (accessed Nov. 9, 2026)
Florida Constitution, Art. VII, §§4(d), 5, 6 (accessed Nov. 9, 2026)
Florida Division of Elections, Amendment No. 3 ballot title, summary and text and 2026 General Election amendment results (unofficial returns; accessed Nov. 9, 2026)
Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (accessed Nov. 9, 2026)
FEMA, Flood Map Service Center (checked Nov. 9, 2026)

This guide is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.