Smart-Money Luxury Trade in Pompano Beach & Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

BUY THE OCEAN. REMODEL EVERYTHING ELSE.

Craig Bujnowski
617-784-7504 | @craigbuj

Why the Smart-Money Luxury Trade in Pompano Beach May Not Be New Construction

Would you rather spend $3M+ on a brand-new 3-bedroom—and still spend more making it your own—or buy a large direct-oceanfront residence under $2.5M and remodel it exactly the way you want?

The strategy:

Buy the view. Buy the square footage. Buy the terrace. Remodel everything else.

THE TOP 5 BUILDINGS I’D HUNT FIRST

#1 AQUAZUL — 1600 S OCEAN

My #1 Target

• Direct ocean + large floor plans + private elevators give you the expensive ingredients before you remodel anything.
• Target a dated 2,500–3,000+ SF residence where the finishes—not the underlying real estate—are creating the discount.
• Potential to create the look and feel of new construction while maintaining a substantially lower overall basis.

THE TRADE: Buy the dated Aquazul. Remodel it to compete visually with 2026 new construction.

#2 CRISTELLE — 1700 S OCEAN

The Square-Footage Monster

• Residences around 3,200 SF give you something increasingly expensive in new construction: space.
• Buy the floor plan, direct-ocean exposure and terrace rather than paying a premium for someone else’s finishes.
• A dramatic remodel can potentially create an enormous custom oceanfront residence for substantially less than similarly sized new luxury product.

THE TRADE: Buy 3,200 SF first. Remodel the kitchen later.

#3 CORNICHE — 1440 S OCEAN

The Sleeper

• Boutique oceanfront living combined with approximately 3,000-SF layouts creates an intriguing remodel opportunity.
• Dated interiors turn off many buyers—which can create an opportunity for buyers who can see the potential.
• Put $250K–$400K into the right residence and the before/after transformation could be extraordinary.

THE TRADE: Buy what other buyers can’t visualize yet.

#4 HAMPTON BEACH CLUB — 1800 S OCEAN

The Deep-Value Play

• Hunt for the largest direct-ocean stacks with the strongest views, not simply the cheapest listing.
• Dated interiors can create negotiating leverage because many buyers don’t want to remodel.
• If the association financials, reserves and assessment outlook check out, the remodel can potentially unlock significant value.

THE TRADE: Dated interior. Incredible ocean. That’s exactly what you’re looking for.

#5 SEA RANCH CLUB — LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA

The Entry-Price Opportunity

• Established direct-oceanfront location without today’s branded-residence price tag.
• Be selective: large floor plan + direct ocean + great terrace is the combination worth pursuing.
• A lower acquisition basis leaves more capital for the remodel—and more money outside the condo.

THE TRADE: Don’t buy the cheapest unit. Buy the best remodel opportunity.

WHAT CAN $250K DO?

A dated interior isn’t necessarily a negative.

It may be the reason you’re getting the deal.

• Statement Kitchen — ~$70K: waterfall island, premium stone, modern cabinetry, upgraded appliances and dramatic lighting.
• Spa Primary Bath — ~$45K: oversized shower, floating double vanity, large-format stone and hotel-style lighting.
• New Flooring — ~$35K: replace dated tile with wide-plank engineered wood or oversized porcelain.
• Designer Walls + Millwork — ~$30K: illuminated TV wall, custom built-ins and a dramatic primary-bedroom feature wall.
• Architectural Lighting — ~$20K: LED coves, recessed lighting, statement fixtures and integrated accent lighting.

Use the remaining budget for guest baths, paint, doors, hardware, permits and contingency.

The goal: turn a dated oceanfront condo into a 2026 ultra-luxury showpiece.

THE MATH GETS INTERESTING

$2.20M PURCHASE

+$250K REMODEL

=$2.45M ALL-IN

Compare that with $3M+ new construction, followed by furniture, closets, window treatments, lighting, feature walls and personalization.

Suddenly the older condo isn’t simply cheaper.

It may give you more space, a better view, your own design—and $500K–$1M left over.

WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH THE $500K–$1M YOU SAVE?

• KEEP IT INVESTED — Leave the money compounding in your investment portfolio.
• BUY THE BOAT — Put $250K–$500K toward the boat you’ve always wanted and potentially still have capital left over.
• CREATE INCOME — Invest the savings in income-producing assets that could help offset your condo carrying costs.
• UPGRADE YOUR LIFESTYLE — Fund years of travel, golf, restaurants and experiences rather than putting another $1M into the condo.
• KEEP YOUR LIQUIDITY — Have $500K–$1M ready for the next investment opportunity.

SAME OCEAN. MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE. YOUR DESIGN. $500K–$1M STILL WORKING FOR YOU.

DON’T PAY $1 MILLION MORE JUST FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S KITCHEN

Here’s the entire smart-money thesis in five bullets:

• REMODEL WHAT’S REPLACEABLE — Kitchens, bathrooms, floors, lighting and designer walls can all be transformed.
• BUY WHAT CAN’T BE REPLACED — Square footage, direct-ocean exposure, elevation, floor plan and terrace are the real assets.
• DON’T SACRIFICE SPACE FOR NEW — You can’t remodel 1,700 SF into 3,000 SF or a small balcony into a massive oceanfront terrace.
• BUY THE DISCOUNT, THEN CREATE THE LUXURY — An older, dated residence can potentially provide a lower basis and leave hundreds of thousands available for customization.
• LET NEW CONSTRUCTION RAISE THE CEILING — Buy at yesterday’s pricing, remodel to today’s luxury standard and own it while tomorrow’s projects potentially establish higher neighborhood price benchmarks.

BUY WHAT YOU CAN’T CHANGE.

REMODEL WHAT YOU CAN.

The newest building isn’t automatically the smartest investment.

For the right buyer, the opportunity may be the older, larger, direct-oceanfront residence at a lower basis—with enough money left over to make it spectacular.

3 BEDROOMS. DIRECT OCEAN. BIG SQUARE FOOTAGE. $250K REMODEL. UNDER $2.5 MILLION.

BUY THE OCEAN.

REMODEL EVERYTHING ELSE.

Craig Bujnowski
Luxury Waterfront Real Estate | Fort Lauderdale + Pompano Beach
617-784-7504 | @craigbuj