Pre-construction or finished: which West Palm Beach condo to buy in 2026
A finished home to see now or a better floor to wait for
- Resale contract rescission period
- 7 business days
- Resale contract rescission period
- Developer contract review after full disclosure
- 15 calendar days
- Developer contract review after full disclosure
- Pre-construction deposit held 1 to 4 years
- 20 to 50 percent
- Pre-construction deposit held 1 to 4 years
- Pre-construction towers in sales now
- 11 towers
- Pre-construction towers in sales now
West Palm Beach offers both choices this year. Alba Palm Beach is finished with a few developer residences, and Forté on Flagler has one developer penthouse and several resales. Eleven towers are selling residences that will not exist for 1 to 4 years. A finished residence brings certainty, a 7-business-day review and immediate occupancy, with limited choice. Pre-construction brings the preferred floor and line at launch pricing, with deposits held for years. Timing and temperament decide it more than price.
The short answer
- Finished inventory in October 2026 is Alba Palm Beach's final residences and penthouses, plus Forté's developer penthouse and early resales.
- Pre-construction delivers in 2027 at South Flagler House, Shorecrest and Mr. C, in 2028 at Olara, the Ritz-Carlton and Maison d'Or, and in 2029 or later elsewhere.
- Resale contracts carry a 7-business-day rescission; developer contracts allow 15 calendar days after full disclosure.
- Resale custom puts deed stamps and the owner's title policy on the seller, and developer contracts shift both to the buyer.
- New-construction warranties run 3 years on the unit and up to 5 years on the structure.
A pre-construction condo in West Palm Beach costs time and certainty
Waiting costs time, certainty and liquidity. Olara's buyers from 2023 will have waited 5 years by delivery. Deposits of 20 to 50 percent sit in escrow or in the construction budget for that whole period, under a contract the developer wrote.
The building itself can change. Shorecrest and Edgeworth both changed in residence count or height, and the buyer's remedy is the 15-day window after an adverse amendment. The sales brokerage can change too, as Olara's did.
The purchase is also made from a rendering and a model residence rather than from the actual room. Every one of these contracts carries the risk of delay as well.
A finished condo in West Palm Beach costs choice
Buying finished costs choice. Alba is 95 percent sold, and Forté is down to a penthouse and resales. The best lines and floors went to buyers who contracted in 2022 and 2023, at launch prices often a third lower than today's.
A finished resale also means negotiating with an individual seller who may have paid less than the buyer is offering. Forté's September 2026 closings at $10.2 million, against asks of $14.7 million and $15.3 million, show how large that gap can be. The closed prices are the figures to bring to that negotiation.
Finished and pre-construction compared side by side
Decide by the move-in date and the line
The move-in date settles most cases. A household that needs to be in Palm Beach this season should buy finished and accept the choice on offer. A household that can wait a year has South Flagler House and Shorecrest, far enough along that the risk is months rather than years, with real choice still left.
A buyer who wants the best line in a building should contract at launch and plan the deposits. The one mistake to avoid is the one most buyers make: waiting for a building to finish, then trying to buy the residence that was available at launch.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Statutes change and the sources are dated. For every new tower with its figures and floor plans, open the index.
Questions this article answers
Should a buyer choose a pre-construction or a finished condo in West Palm Beach?
Timing and temperament decide it more than price. A finished residence brings certainty, a 7-business-day review, seller-paid stamps on a resale and immediate occupancy, with limited choice. Pre-construction brings the preferred floor and line at launch pricing, with deposits held for years.
Which finished new condos are for sale in West Palm Beach in 2026?
Finished inventory in October 2026 is Alba Palm Beach's final residences and penthouses and Forté on Flagler's developer penthouse and early resales. Alba is 95 percent sold, so the choice of floor and line on the finished side is limited.
When will West Palm Beach pre-construction condos be delivered?
South Flagler House, Shorecrest and Mr. C deliver in 2027, and Olara, the Ritz-Carlton and Maison d'Or in 2028. Others follow in 2029 and later. In all, 11 towers are selling residences that will not exist for 1 to 4 years.
How long is the rescission period for a resale versus a developer condo in Florida?
Resale contracts carry a 7-business-day rescission. Developer contracts give 15 calendar days after full disclosure, and a further 15-day window follows an adverse amendment if the building changes after signing.
How much deposit does a pre-construction condo in West Palm Beach require?
Pre-construction deposits run 20 to 50 percent and sit in escrow or in the construction budget for 1 to 4 years. Olara's buyers from 2023 will have waited 5 years by delivery, which shows how long that money can stay committed.
Who pays deed stamps on a new condo versus a resale in Palm Beach?
On a resale, custom puts deed stamps and the owner's title policy on the seller. Developer contracts shift both to the buyer. That difference belongs in any price comparison between a finished resale and a pre-construction residence.
What warranty comes with a new construction condo in Florida?
New-construction warranties run 3 years on the unit and up to 5 years on the structure. A finished resale carries only the remaining developer warranty, if any, so the full warranty period is one advantage of buying pre-construction.
What are the risks of buying a pre-construction condo in West Palm Beach?
The buyer gives up time, certainty and liquidity. Deposits are committed for years, and the building may change in residence count or height, as Shorecrest and Edgeworth did. The sales brokerage may change, as Olara's did, and the purchase is made from a rendering and a model residence.
Is it cheaper to buy a West Palm Beach condo at launch than after completion?
Often. Buyers who contracted in 2022 and 2023 got the best lines and floors at launch prices often a third lower than today's. The common mistake is waiting for a building to finish, then trying to buy the residence that was available at launch.
SourcesShow
- Section 718.503, Florida Statutes: Developer disclosure prior to sale; voidabilityFlorida Legislature · 2026
- Section 718.203, Florida Statutes: WarrantiesFlorida Legislature · 2026
- West Palm Beach real estate closing costsKelley, Grant & Tanis, P.A. · January 9, 2026
- South Florida top real estate deals, September 25, 2026The Real Deal · September 25, 2026
