Seven Isles vs Nurmi Isles vs Isle of Venice: A Waterfront Buyer's Comparison

Once buyers decide they want an isle home off Las Olas, the question gets narrower: which isle? Seven Isles, Nurmi Isles and Isle of Venice come up again and again. They're neighbors. All three sit on the north side of East Las Olas Boulevard between downtown and the Intracoastal, and from west to east they run Isle of Venice, Nurmi Isles, then Seven Isles. Each one is its own neighborhood with its own association and its own feel. Here's how I compare them for clients, sticking to what can be checked.

What they share

AI-generated illustration; not a specific property/location.

All three are finger isles. Dead-end streets run north from Las Olas Boulevard down the middle of narrow islands, with canals on either side, so many homes have water behind them. The canals connect to the Intracoastal. You can walk to Las Olas restaurants and shops, and the beach is a short drive east.

They're also among the areas buyers most often ask me about when they say "no fixed bridges." As I explain on my bridge schedules page, I check that one street and one route at a time, not for a whole neighborhood.

Isle of Venice (with Hendricks Isle)

Isle of Venice is the westernmost of the three, closest to downtown. It shares a neighborhood association with Hendricks Isle next door: the Hendricks & Venice Isles Neighborhood Association, based on Hendricks Isle Drive.

What I look at:

• Property type, street by street. This area has a wider mix of homes than the two isles to the east, including some smaller multi-unit buildings, so compare like with like.
• Dock rights for condo and townhome units. A slip may be deeded, assigned, leased or not included at all. Check the association documents.
• The route east to the Intracoastal and the drawbridges along it.

Nurmi Isles

Nurmi Isles is in the middle. According to its homeowners association, it's three isles: Fiesta Way, Nurmi Drive and Royal Palm Drive. The association traces the neighborhood to Dr. Victor Nurmi, a Fort Lauderdale developer and architect in the 1940s. It describes itself as a voluntary HOA, with volunteer representatives from each of the three isles.

What I look at:

• Which isle and which side. Lots at the north ends and corners may face different water than lots mid-isle.
• A voluntary HOA isn't the same as no restrictions. I'd still check the title work for recorded restrictions on a specific lot.
• Canal width at the specific lot, which matters for longer boats.

Seven Isles

Seven Isles is the easternmost of the three, closest to the Intracoastal. The Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations lists nine streets there: Aqua Vista Boulevard, Barcelona Drive, Castilla Isle, Del Mar Place, De Sota Drive, De Sota Terrace, Pelican Isle, Sea Island Drive and Seven Isles Drive. The homeowners association formed in 1986 and built a guardhouse at the entrance. The council's listing puts the neighborhood at about 315 households.

What I look at:

• Lot position. On an isle neighborhood this size, how close a lot is to the Intracoastal and how wide its water is vary a lot.
• Original homes vs newer construction. This affects comparable sales.
• Your route out, including any drawbridges on the Intracoastal.

Bridges and routes

The isles empty into the Intracoastal near the East Las Olas Boulevard drawbridge, which is listed at 24 ft closed clearance (reported at center) and opens at :15 and :45 each hour under 33 CFR 117.261(y). Heading south toward Port Everglades, you'll pass the SE 17th Street bridge (55 ft closed), which opens on the hour and half-hour, with top-of-the-hour-only openings during weekday rush periods. Heading north, the East Sunrise Boulevard drawbridge (25 ft closed) is the next major crossing, and it had a reported Coast Guard deviation this fall. Which of these you pass depends on where your canal meets the Intracoastal and which way you're going, so I'd confirm the route for each lot with your captain.

Tides, seawalls and the Las Olas corridor

These isles are low-lying waterfront land, so tides belong in your due diligence. The City of Fort Lauderdale publishes a king tide calendar each fall. The mayor's office has reported elevating city seawalls along the eastern stretch of Las Olas Boulevard. For private property, the city and Broward County standard requires new or substantially repaired seawalls to reach at least 5 feet NAVD88, with a 4 ft option for applications filed before 2035, provided the wall is designed to be raised later.

What I tell buyers: on any isle home, ask how high the seawall is, when it was last permitted, and what the elevation certificate shows for the finished floor.

Side-by-side

Due diligence on any isle home

1. Water depth at the dock and along the route, measured at low tide.
2. Seawall height, age, inspection and permit history.
3. Dock and lift specs compared with your boat.
4. Flood zone, elevation certificate and insurance quotes.
5. Recent sales on the same isle. I track Fort Lauderdale's top sales on my Top Home Sales of 2026 page.

FAQ

Are these isles north or south of Las Olas Boulevard?
North. All three run north from East Las Olas Boulevard. From west to east they go Isle of Venice, Nurmi Isles, Seven Isles.

Do these isles have no fixed bridges to the ocean?
Buyers often look at them for that reason. I'd confirm the specific route with your captain before relying on it.

Is there a mandatory HOA?
Nurmi Isles' HOA describes itself as voluntary. For Seven Isles and the Hendricks & Venice Isles association, check with each one and review the title for recorded restrictions.

Let's tour the isles

I'm happy to show you all three and talk through what fits your boat. Start with my Las Olas neighborhood page or the waterfront search, then reach out to me.