Source: Architectural Digest — 

It’s no secret that the real estate industry has grown more and more frenetic and hard to predict over the past couple of years. While it used to be safe to say that New York and L.A. were the most expensive areas in the country for prospective homeowners, that’s no longer the case. This boom is hitting particularly hard in a specific region of the U.S.: South Florida, an area that includes Miami, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and many of the other hottest spots in the Sunshine State. “Whether it’s tax reasons, or the weather, it’s really the lifestyle that people enjoy here,” says Florida real estate agent and vice president of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty Michael Martinez. “It could be February, and it’s 70 degrees, it allows people to do so much more. We have museums and beautiful parks, or if you’re into just hanging out by the beach or jogging every morning, that’s really pleasant.” The area has also become a bona fide hot spot for celebrity real estate.