Escape From New York: Home Demand Explodes In Florida After Mamdani Victory

A Florida real estate agent says the rumors are true: wealthy New Yorkers are already fleeing the city in droves following the election of Zohran Mamdani to the office of mayor on Tuesday.

Kourtney Pulitzer, a Sotheby’s International Realty agent based in Palm Beach, Florida, described the phenomenon on her TikTok.

“I’m not gonna lie, I did not think exactly this was going to happen – I thought this guy was gonna win in New York City. I thought that our market was going to pick up. But I didn’t think it was going to happen the next morning,” Pulitzer said in the clip.

@kourtneypulitzerpb Post Mamdani real estate market… like literally day 1 AM= After Mamdani #LuxuryRealEstate #palmbeachliving #PalmBeachRealtor #realtorsoftiktok #kourtneypulitzerproperties ♬ original sound – KourtneyPulitzer

“It’s 3 or 4 o’clock … I’ve literally been on the phone since 7 a.m. Nonstop, back-to-back calls. I had showings scheduled for listings that haven’t had showings in a month. And yeah, I was wrong, because it literally turned on like a light bulb. Literally blew off like a firecracker. And the post-socialist New York City political market is here on our shores, in Palm Beach.”

This anticipated mass exodus to the Sunshine State is being reported across news outlets nationwide, from local affiliates to The New York Times.

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer didn’t mention Mamdani by name while speaking with WPBF News, but he did allude to NYC’s upcoming changes under the new mayor, saying people were drawn by lower taxes and safer streets.

“Even this morning, I’ve gotten inbound calls of businesses looking to leave New York to come to our low-tax, safe, vibrant community,” Singer said.

Stuart Elliot, editor in chief and CEO of The Real Deal, a national real estate publication, told NYT that the topic was “all that people are talking about” at a forum event Wednesday morning.

Developer Isaac Toledano of Miami-based BH Group told Fox News Digital that the trend started before Mamdani won and is expected to continue.

“If this thing is going to happen and we’re going to see this big wave of New Yorkers and companies relocating, across our portfolio we have a lot of branded residences, luxury condos, mixed-use projects. … We welcome our friends and investors and buyers from New York to come to Florida,” he told the outlet, echoing what others have said about finances and safety being the main draws.

“We offer stability, the freedom to grow,” he added. “The fact that you can walk at night with [an] expensive watch on your hand, driving an expensive car, go to a restaurant, walk on the street, have a coffee at 11 o’clock at night and nobody will disturb you. … The law is very strong here. People feel safe.”