Florida housing market cools in 2025, eyes 2026 rebound

Florida’s housing market cooled in 2025, but easing mortgage rates, steady population growth and a rebound in international buying activity are laying the groundwork for renewed momentum in 2026, according to Florida Realtors. 

The state’s largest real estate trade association said market conditions softened over the past year, giving buyers more leverage, while pointing to early indicators of stabilization that could lead to modest price growth next year. 

Cindy Marsh-Tichy, outgoing president of Realtors of Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port-DeSoto Inc., said local trends mirror the statewide picture. Sale prices have softened, she said, but modest increases are expected as the market steadies. 

Inventory levels remain elevated, Marsh-Tichy said, though growth has slowed, and conditions are beginning to level out. She expects the market to reach a more balanced state in 2026, after several years of volatility. 

December sales data for Charlotte County single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums will not be released until late January. Local Realtors, however, anticipate a surge of year-end activity as buyers move quickly to establish homestead status or transfer an existing homestead exemption to a new property. That activity will be reflected in the December report from the local Realtor association. 

November data already points to a buyer-friendly market. Charlotte County recorded 399 closed single-family home sales in November, down from 461 in October. Inventory held steady at 6.9 months, a level that continues to favor buyers. A market typically begins shifting toward sellers when inventory drops below five months. 

Prices showed little movement month over month. The median single-family home price in November was $342,900, nearly unchanged from $342,000 in October. The average sale price increased to $407,549, up from $384,710 the previous month. 

Sellers received slightly less of their original list price, averaging 92.1% in November compared with 92.6% in October. Time on market remained relatively stable, with homes taking an average of 69 days to go under contract and 106 days to close. 

While single-family home sales appeared to stabilize, the condominium and townhome segment weakened in November. There were 70 closed sales, down from 101 in October. Prices also declined, with a median sale price of $217,450 and an average price of $229,177, compared with $235,000 and $255,655, respectively, in October. 

Realtors attributed the slowdown largely to rising homeowners association fees, driven in part by hurricane-related repair costs from previous storms. Higher monthly fees have discouraged some buyers and prompted sellers to adjust prices. 

Statewide, Florida Realtors pointed to international buyers as a key factor supporting the market. Interest from overseas buyers is fueled by Florida’s tourism appeal, warm climate and year-round outdoor lifestyle. Local tourism officials note that many visitors eventually transition into homebuyers after repeated stays. 

Florida Realtors’ 2025 survey found that while international buyers accounted for about 5% of home sales and dollar volume statewide, they paid higher prices on average and completed more transactions than in the prior year. International buyer dollar volume rose to $10.4 billion, up from $7.1 billion in 2024, though still below the $15.6 billion peak recorded in 2020. 

International purchases remained concentrated in South Florida, with 45% occurring in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area. Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida attracted strong interest from Canadian and European buyers. 

Only 6% of Florida’s international purchases took place in the Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island metropolitan area, according to the survey. More than half of those buyers were Canadian. 

Canadians led all international buyers statewide, spending $1.9 billion on Florida properties in 2025, a 52% increase from the previous year. Canadian and Latin American buyers continued to represent the largest share of international purchasers across the state, reinforcing Florida’s global appeal as the housing market heads into 2026.