The choice cannot be simply 'maple', 'oak', 'magnolia' or 'elm'. Each is a genus with a lot of very different species. What exact species are you supposed to consider?

Maple trees grow surface roots. Or as my husband calls them "ankle busters". I would not recommend a maple if you plant to live there long-term and are the one mowing the yard.

How do oaks cause more property damage than maples or elms? I am in a completely different growing zone but here, a silver maple is far more likely to damage property than the better behaved oaks. Plus silver maples shed branches like crazy. And Norways are pretty much an invasive species, they are a royal PIA with their surface roots, density of canopy and giant amount of leaf shedding. There are some other weedy maples too (besides Norways) that may also be on some invasive species lists. Elms seed A LOT (A LOT!), they can also have brittle branches that can shed like crazy, but that being said, they can have a nice high canopy when mature. Oaks tend to have very deep roots and spreading canopies, plus their leaf fall is less damaging to the garden. I have no experience with magnolias down there, except that their leaves are very large and they shed cone like things. Do you have space issues? If you find colomnar varieties they take up less space.

How large is your front yard?

This first link is from the University of Florida extension services. Lots of good detailed info about all the trees including pictures and comments. http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/Florida_Shade_Trees.pdf

Some other good info here https://www.google.ca/search?q=recommended+canopy+trees+for+florida&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=80DwWMzaCOSkjwTzuKnADA

If the yard is huge I'd choose the oak. Not sure what damage you're talking about but the live oak withstands hurricane wind very well. Plus it has the prettiest shape.