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Fort Lauderdale By Owner: A 3-Bedroom Rental With a Heated Saltwater Pool
Booking "by owner" means renting straight from the person who owns the house, with no platform between you. At Jonathan's House that is a 3-bedroom, 3-bath Fort Lauderdale home that sleeps eight, with a private heated saltwater pool, booked directly at jonathanshouse.com.
If you have been searching "Fort Lauderdale by owner" or "vacation rentals by owner," you are looking for something specific: a real house, and a real person to talk to about it.
What "by owner" actually means
The phrase is older than the big platforms. It goes back to when renting a holiday home meant calling the family that owned it. Most listings that carry the label today still sit on a marketplace, with the owner somewhere behind a messaging system.
Booking direct is the literal version. You reach Jonathan. He answers about his own house — not a support queue working from a script, and not an algorithm deciding which message gets seen.
Three things change when there is nobody in the middle:
- You get answers from someone who has been in the room. Whether the third bedroom suits a toddler, whether the pool is warm in January, whether the backyard works for a dog — the owner knows.
- No traveller service fee. Platforms add 6 to 17% at checkout. Direct, that line does not exist.
- Flexibility is a conversation. Early check-in, a later check-out, an unusual arrival time. Those are decisions someone can actually make, rather than policy.
We go into the cost side in more detail in what booking direct actually saves and why booking directly with a homeowner is better.
The house itself
Three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and room for eight. The point of three bathrooms in a three-bedroom house is simple: nobody queues, and nobody has to share with the children.
A full kitchen, on-site laundry, a barbecue and a fenced backyard. Beach towels, chairs, umbrellas and coolers are already there, so a beach morning does not start with a shopping trip.
The pool is the part people book for. It is saltwater, heated year-round, zero-entry — sloping in from the edge like a beach instead of dropping off at a step — with a waterfall at one end. More on the pool here.
A base, not an itinerary
The house sits in a quiet residential part of Fort Lauderdale, about a mile from the beach — an easy walk — and 8 to 12 minutes from Las Olas Boulevard. Close enough to go twice in a day, far enough that you are not sleeping above a bar.
That is the trade most guests are making. Spend the day out, then come back to a private backyard rather than a hotel corridor. Our guides to restaurants, things to do on the water and what is on while you are here cover the rest.
If you are weighing this against a hotel, that comparison is its own guide. If you are travelling as a family, this one is about how the layout works.
Book it direct
Check your dates and see photos of the pool, the kitchen and the backyard. Returning guests get 10% off, applied automatically.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to rent a vacation home by owner?
It means renting directly from the person who owns the property, rather than through a marketplace. You deal with the owner for questions, booking and anything that comes up during the stay, and there is no traveller service fee added at checkout.
Is booking by owner safe?
Reservations and payments run through secure, industry-standard booking and payment systems. The difference is who you talk to, not how the payment is handled.
How many bedrooms and bathrooms does Jonathan's House have?
Three bedrooms and three full bathrooms, sleeping up to eight guests.
Is the pool heated all year?
Yes. The saltwater pool is heated year-round, so it is usable in January as well as July. It is zero-entry with a waterfall.
How far is the house from Fort Lauderdale Beach?
About a mile — an easy walk. Las Olas Boulevard is 8 to 12 minutes by car.
Searching Fort Lauderdale by owner? Check dates and book direct at Jonathan's House.
More before you book: how booking direct works · the house, room by room · all guides