Florida Housing Market Report

How to read the Florida housing market in 2026: which indicators actually predict your negotiating position, and where to find current figures.

We do not republish stale price figures here, because a median from three months ago misleads more than it informs. Instead, here is how to read the current numbers yourself, and which ones matter.

Months of supply tells you who has the leverage

This is the single most useful indicator, and most buyers never look at it. Months of supply estimates how long it would take to sell every listed home at the current pace.

Below roughly four months, sellers hold the advantage and you should expect competition. Between four and six months, conditions are broadly balanced. Above six months, buyers gain room to negotiate on price, on repairs and on closing cost contributions. Because Florida varies enormously by metro, a state figure is close to useless. Look at your own county, and ideally your own price band, since entry-level and luxury frequently move in opposite directions within the same city.

Days on market confirms the direction

Median days on market moves faster than price does, which makes it a better early signal. Rising days on market means demand is cooling before the median price reflects it. Falling days on market means the opposite. Watch the trend across several months rather than a single reading, since Florida has a genuine seasonal pattern driven by winter arrivals.

Where to get current data

• Florida Realtors market reports, published monthly by county and metro, and the most authoritative source for the state
• Your county property appraiser, for assessed values and sale histories
• Portal estimates, which are useful for direction but unreliable for a specific property

The Florida-specific factor that outranks price

In most states you compare list prices. Here you have to compare carrying costs, because two similar houses at the same price can differ by hundreds of dollars a month.

Insurance is the reason. A 1985 house with an original roof near the coast may be uninsurable at any sensible premium, while a 2015 house built to current wind code a few miles inland insures far more cheaply. Condominium dues add a second layer, since post-Surfside reserve requirements have pushed assessments up sharply in older buildings.

Therefore treat the insurance quote and the HOA budget as part of the price. A cheaper house with a $9,000 premium is not cheaper. See hurricane insurance and your mortgage and the Florida condo mortgage guide for what to check.

Regional patterns worth knowing

• South Florida, meaning Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach: the highest prices in the state, with meaningful international buyer activity
• Central Florida along the I-4 corridor: the fastest growth corridor, covering Orlando and Tampa
• Southwest Florida: still working through post-hurricane rebuilding, which affects both inventory and insurance
• Northeast Florida around Jacksonville: rapid metro expansion with comparatively more inventory

Whatever the market does, your own numbers matter more than the median. Get a quote that includes taxes and insurance, then judge affordability from that.

This page explains how to interpret market indicators rather than republishing figures that go out of date. For current statewide and county data, use the Florida Realtors monthly market reports linked above.