These housing markets are cooling the fastest—and Florida metros dominate the list
As the weather cools heading into late fall, so does the U.S. housing market, with Florida leading the nation in metros experiencing the steepest home price declines. A recent report from real estate analytics firm Cotality revealed that of the 10 coolest markets in the U.S. among the 100 largest metros, seven were in Florida. Cape Coral, FL, a city of 32,000 renowned for its scenic canals, stood out for recording Florida's largest year-over-year drop in home prices in September—and the second-highest overall, behind Champaign, IL—falling 7.1%. [Source: Realtor.com]
Expert: Florida property tax reform should focus on first-time buyers
The urgency of reforming property taxes has been focused on helping seniors struggling with higher costs while on fixed income—but experts said that proposals are overlooking first-time homebuyers. “If you bought your home 10, 15, 20 years ago, you’ve been protected from skyrocketing changes in market values,” Dr. Esteban Leonardo Santis, director of research with the Florida Policy Institute said. That is because under the Save Our Homes law the annual increase in a homestead property's assessed value cannot climb beyond 3 percent. [Source: Newsweek]
What Florida homebuyers should know about proposed 50-year mortgage plan
The logic is simple — if you lengthen the life of the loan from 30 years to 50, then the monthly payment will drop, lowering the barrier to entry for prospective home buyers. But the longer it takes to pay down the interest, the higher the total costs will be at the end of the loan period. Plus, these loans would likely come with higher interest rates. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida homeowners brace for a storm of rising insurance costs
Florida homeowners are facing a steep climb in home insurance premiums, reigniting concerns about affordability and market stability. With average annual costs skyrocketing — in some cases reportedly nearing $11,000 — many residents are now struggling to keep up. According to analysts, higher insurance costs are making homes less affordable, and in some communities, damage from extreme weather could depress property values. [Source: South Florida Reporter]
Florida condo prices suffer biggest decline since housing market crash
Condo prices in Florida have dropped 9.9 percent in the last 12 months, the largest decline in a year since the housing market crash in 2009. Florida is home to roughly a fifth of all U.S. condos, and the sector has long served as an entry point for retirees, first-time buyers, and foreign investors. A prolonged decline would have implications for affordability and the broader real estate market. [Source: Newsweek]
$380,000
Orlando's median home price ticked up to $380,000 in October, a 0.5% increase from the prior month. [Source: World Property Journal]
› South Florida luxury home sales near record pace in October
Miami-Dade and Broward real estate had a second consecutive “robust month” in October, with growth in both condo and single-family sales in year-over-year comparisons, according to statistics released by the Miami Association of Realtors. The growth was fueled in Miami-Dade by $1 million-and-up transactions, which increased nearly 20% in comparing October 2025 and 2024 sales.
› Kissimmee No. 2 nationally in converting hotels to ‘homes’
With affordable housing, especially the lack of it, a top topic of conversation in Osceola County, the conversation has moved to conversion. As in turning old hotels, like those common along the U.S. Highway 192 corridor, into apartments. A study by RentCafe, a nationwide apartment search website that follows trends in the rental market, shows that’s been a common occurrence in Kissimmee—by turning that surplus of hotels into new housing.
› Orlando’s largest vacation home is off the rental market after record-breaking sale
The Orlando area’s biggest and most luxurious vacation home is off the rental market after a Miami investor paid $14.245 million to make it their private escape. Now the 23,000-square-foot Isolé Villa on Reunion’s Grand Traverse Parkway, which previously rented for around $4,000 per night, is Osceola County’s most expensive home.
› Apopka council seeks to raise impact fees on new homes by 42%
The Apopka City Council took the penultimate step Wednesday toward hiking fees developers are charged to help fund police, fire/rescue and recreation services — as much as 42% for residential and 280% for nonresidential construction. Commissioners voted unanimously during their meeting for proposals increasing impact fees, advancing them to final votes Dec. 17. If approved on second reading — with the required supermajority (four of the five members) — the city could begin collecting the higher fees 90 days later.