Where can you start checking permit history?
Lighthouse Point’s Building & Zoning department provides access to permit applications, statuses and inspection results through its public portal. Start with the actual address and ask the city about missing or unclear records. Request the seller’s available improvement documentation and compare it with the home you are touring.
Pay particular attention to additions, converted spaces, roof work and improvements that matter to your plans. A listing description is not proof that every change was permitted or that every inspection was completed. Ask qualified professionals how unresolved questions affect the purchase and any work you hope to do.
What should you ask about the yard and drainage?
Ask about standing water, grading changes, downspouts, drainage improvements and available history of water entering the property. Arrange professional follow-up when observations or disclosures raise questions. A dry showing day cannot establish how the lot behaves during heavy rainfall.
The city’s single-family residence permit requirements include drainage plans for new-home projects. That is a useful reminder to investigate proposed changes with the city, not a claim that every existing house must have a new-construction drainage package. Check requirements before assuming that a planned addition, pool or hardscape project is straightforward.
- What drainage or grading work has been done?
- What records and inspections are available?
- Do your planned changes need further review?
- Which concerns warrant a specialist assessment?
Are a flood zone and an evacuation zone the same thing?
Treat them as separate research questions. FEMA flood mapping provides flood hazard information for a property; Broward County’s evacuation guidance addresses storm-related evacuation planning. One label is not a replacement for checking the other resource.
Look up the home’s address and review current official guidance rather than assigning a citywide flood or evacuation status. Ask an insurance professional about appropriate coverage and available elevation information. Do not infer your insurance cost from the current owner’s bill or the location of the nearest canal.
How do you evaluate the house itself?
Arrange a home inspection suited to the property, then obtain licensed specialist evaluations for concerns that need further review. Ask about the roof, windows, electrical, plumbing, air conditioning and pool, if present. Distinguish a cosmetic renovation from repairs to major systems.
Public permit records and an inspection answer different questions. Records help you investigate documented work; an inspection assesses observed condition within its scope. Neither guarantees that every defect will be identified. Discuss important uncertainties and estimates during the applicable contract review periods.
What extra review applies if the property is waterfront?
Investigate dock rights, seawall condition, lift equipment and the full boat route separately. Lighthouse Point’s new-home permit checklist includes additional waterfront engineering documentation, but those submittal requirements are not a substitute for evaluating an existing seawall or dock.
You can buy in Lighthouse Point without making boating the reason for the move. Prioritize the home’s layout, lot and everyday use first when that matches your plans. For a waterfront search, add qualified marine and engineering advice rather than letting the water view settle the decision.
What should you send Margo before touring?
Share your price range, desired rooms, outdoor-space needs, renovation plans and whether you want waterfront access. Bring a list of unresolved permit, drainage, insurance and inspection questions for each candidate property. Compare those findings alongside location and layout.
Margo Santangelo works with South Florida buyers and sellers through The INSIDE Network. Start a conversation about the kind of home you need; the next step is a property-specific shortlist, not a promise that every Lighthouse Point address has the same condition or ownership costs.
Sources & further reading
- Lighthouse Point Building & Zoning — City permit and inspection portal information.
- Lighthouse Point single-family permit requirements — New-home drainage and waterfront submittal requirements; not a resale inspection standard.
- Broward County evacuation information — Official storm evacuation planning guidance.
- Broward County hurricane preparedness guide — Household preparedness and insurance-review resources.
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center — Official address-based flood hazard mapping.
General buyer information, not legal, engineering, insurance or navigation advice. Rules and conditions can change; confirm current requirements and property-specific findings with qualified professionals.
