Living in Emerald Hills, Hollywood

Two Zillow areas with one name

Zillow splits the area into Emerald Hills, at about $496,556, and Lake of Emerald Hills, at about $778,657. The lake section runs about $282,000 higher than the main neighborhood. If you search for Emerald Hills listings, you will see both, and the gap between them is large enough that you should compare each house to its own section.

The neighborhood lies west of I-95 in north Hollywood, laid out around the golf club, with mostly single-family homes on curving streets. Many houses date from the 1960s and 1970s, and some have been rebuilt or heavily updated.

How Emerald Hills compares with other Hollywood neighborhoods

On Zillow's list, Emerald Hills sits in the middle band of single-family neighborhoods:

• Hollywood Hills: about $616,265
• Hollywood Lakes: about $588,453
• Park East: about $507,033
• Emerald Hills: about $496,556
• Driftwood: about $478,102
• Boulevard Heights: about $469,668

Against the city's bedroom values, the index is between the typical three-bedroom at $532,706 and the two-bedroom at $368,872, closer to the three-bedroom. In practice, three- and four-bedroom houses on golf course or lake lots sell well above the index, and smaller interior houses near it or below.

A quieter five years

Emerald Hills is down 0.9% over the past year and up 21.8% over five. The city is down 1.5% and up 25.0%. Several nearby single-family neighborhoods gained more over five years, including Hollywood Hills at 37.1%, Park East at 31.2% and Driftwood at 30.8%. Lake of Emerald Hills gained 12.0%.

The slower growth may reflect that Emerald Hills started from a higher price five years ago, leaving less room to climb, and that larger homes with pools cost more to insure and maintain. For a buyer, it means the neighborhood is priced closer to the city's houses than its reputation suggests. Compare closed sales of the last six months on the same street before you set an offer.

Golf course and lake lots

Living on or near a golf course brings views and green space, and a few things to check:

• Whether the golf club is private and what membership costs, since owning a house next to it does not usually include access
• Stray golf balls on lots near tees and fairways, and whether windows or screens show damage
• Any easement or setback that limits what you can build near the course
• On lake lots, the condition of the bank or seawall and who maintains the lake

A golf course view adds value, but the course is someone else's property. Ask how long-term its operation is, because changes to a course can affect nearby homes.

Inspection and insurance on a 1960s or 1970s house

Census data puts the typical Hollywood home's construction year at 1969, and Emerald Hills is in that range. On houses of that era, insurers usually want a 4-point inspection and a wind mitigation report. Ask for the roof permit year. A roof near the end of its life can cost you a lot more in premium or make private carriers decline the home, leaving Citizens Property Insurance, the state-backed insurer.

Inland neighborhoods west of I-95 are generally less exposed to storm surge than the beach and Intracoastal areas, but flood zones still exist around lakes and low spots. Check the FEMA zone and elevation certificate for each address, and get quotes during the inspection period.

Pools, lot size and ongoing upkeep

Larger lots and pools are part of the appeal in Emerald Hills, and they are also where the ongoing cost sits. Budget for pool service and equipment replacement, lawn and tree care, and irrigation. Mature trees shade the houses, which helps the electric bill, but large trees near the roof add risk in a storm and can raise questions from insurers. Ask for any recent tree work and check roots near the pool deck, driveway and sewer line.

Many Emerald Hills houses have had additions over the decades. A family room built in the 1980s or an enclosed patio may not match the original structure's roof or wind rating, and that shows up on the wind mitigation report. Your inspector should look at each part of the roof separately.

Getting around from Emerald Hills

The neighborhood is close to I-95 and to Sheridan Street and Stirling Road, which connect east to US-1 and the beach and west toward Florida's Turnpike. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is a short drive northeast. Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood's main hospital, is a few minutes south. Topeekeegee Yugnee Park is to the west.

Taxes and who Emerald Hills fits

Property taxes reset to the purchase price after closing. As a permanent Florida resident you can claim homestead, worth up to $51,411 off assessed value in 2026, with future increases capped at 3% or CPI. Florida has no state income tax.

Emerald Hills fits buyers who want a detached house on a larger lot, a quieter street and less flood exposure than the beach side, at a price near Hollywood's typical house. It is a weaker fit for buyers who want to walk to the beach or downtown. If you want to compare Emerald Hills and Lake of Emerald Hills houses side by side, the shortlist is the easiest way.