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Miami has long been a playground for wealthy Latin American buyers — and a place to park their capital stateside. But now, another well-heeled group has landed, arriving with Old World taste — and very strong opinions about finishes and tea.
British buyers are emerging as a meaningful new force in South Florida real estate, snapping up high-end condos and branded residences from Surfside to Miami Beach — not as short-term sunbirds, but as long-term lifestyle and portfolio players.
“We’re seeing many of them moving to Miami in particular,” said Daniel de la Vega, CEO and president of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. “We’ve seen an uptick of British and specifically London-based buyers at our projects and expect that to continue into 2026.”
According to de la Vega, there are three distinct types of UK buyers transacting in Miami right now. First, those navigating tax complexities back home. In 2025, the UK announced plans to abolish its “non-dom” tax regime, through which UK residents domiciled outside the country were not taxed on money earned overseas. As a result, it’s about to become a whole lot more expensive to be a Brit if you’re in the UK’s itinerant 1% — making now an opportune moment to make UK residency a thing of the past.
Those buyers are “dipping their toes in the US market,” using these initial Miami condo purchases to learn the US real estate system, with the eventual goal of purchasing larger homes elsewhere in Miami — or beyond.
Second are investment-focused buyers purchasing at the higher end as a form of portfolio diversification. And third are lifestyle-driven buyers drawn in by the Florida dream.
“They’re moving for school, for the weather, for walkability — you can walk to the beach, for example,” said de la Vega. “It’s not so much currency right now, given where the sterling currently is, which is still stronger than the US dollar on a nominal basis.”
Where British buyers differ from other international buyers, he added, is in their expectations.
“If you walk in the buildings in Mayfair that these people are used to, you can see that they’re so well-finished,” said de la Vega. “These buyers like amenities and they like well-finished product.”
ONE Sotheby’s has sold four units to British buyers in Surfside at the Surf Row Residences, a development from Miami-based LD&D in partnership with ONE Capital and IGEQ at 8800 Collins Ave. Currently under construction with delivery expected in 2027, the development offers 24 condos, a spa with a steam room, a sauna, a cold plunge and treatment room, a fitness center, an outdoor pool deck, a co-working lounge and beachfront access, all decorated with tony RH furnishings — a detail that matters to British buyers.
“Many of the buyers want the units finished and furnished,” said de la Vega. “They’re getting the furniture packages.”
Surfside, along with Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, has emerged as a sweet spot for UK buyers seeking proximity to the action without living in the thick of things.
That balance is what attracted Stefan Haselwandter, a London-based finance executive who purchased a residence at Surf Row and now plans to spend “a little more than half the year” there.
“For me, frankly, it’s more about the pull factors of Florida rather than the push factors out of London,” said Haselwandter, who has been regularly visiting Miami for years and plans on maintaining his pied-à-terre in South Kensington. “It’s not about leaving London — it’s about really liking South Florida.”
He cited weather, outdoor living, and health and wellness as key draws. Remote working there during COVID accelerated the transition, as did Miami’s growing talent pool in financial services for potential future business opportunities and partnerships.
“The real kicker has been that a lot of talent has relocated to the Miami area during and after COVID,” said Haselwandter. “The talent pool is much broader than it used to be.”
He also pointed to the ease of buying in Florida relative to London. “London can be very lengthy in terms of paperwork, and in the UK, you have a very high ‘stamp duty’ transaction tax that can be an additional 10 to 12% at closing,” he said. “In Florida, you don’t have that.”
Three miles down the road at 5333 Collins Ave., the Perigon Residences, developed by Mast Capital and Starwood Capital Group, has seen similar interest from Brits. At the 73-residence new build, which is currently 83% sold, British buyers account for a “very strong” 10% of the building’s owners, according to Philip Freedman, the building’s director of sales.
The Perigon offers a wealth of amenities including a residents-only restaurant and speakeasy, an oceanfront swimming pool with cabanas and sunbeams, a terraced fitness center with ocean views, a private salon as well as a breakfast lounge helmed by a barista. The interiors were designed by London-based Tara Bernerd.
Perhaps surprisingly, according to Freedman, Brits are choosing Miami over the West Indies’ warm-weather Commonwealth alternatives, such as the Bahamas, Barbados or British Virgin Islands.
“People see Miami as a very safe environment,” said Freedman. “They can get in and out easily with airlift. Heathrow is an easy flight, and if they have business in South America, they’re able to come from London and stop in Miami. If they want to go to the islands, they can — and then come back.”
For Britain’s sun-seeking elite, Miami isn’t a replacement. It’s an addition.
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