Real estate investors turn away from Florida
United States housing investors shifted their weight away from Florida and toward the West Coast in late 2025, with Orlando posting the steepest drop in investor purchases among major metros even as Seattle led the country on gains, a new Redfin analysis showed. Nationally, investor home purchases were up 2 percent from a year earlier in the fourth quarter of 2025. But in Florida, investor activity was down by the double digits, especially in some of the markets that overheated the most during the pandemic. More from Mortgage Professional America and Newsweek.
Florida Trend Exclusive
From mall to workforce housing
The four developers who teamed up to pay $73 million for the Galleria Mall on Sunrise Boulevard and the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale moved forward with plans under the state’s Live Local Act to redevelop the site with 3,144 apartments spread over nine towers. Of that number, 1,273 would be set aside for workforce housing, which allows the total project to receive expedited administrative review under Live Local, bypassing public hearings and approval by elected officials. [Source: Florida Trend]
Column: Florida’s land is disappearing faster than our funding can save it
For decades, Florida has been a national leader in land conservation. That leadership came from deliberate investments that recognized conservation as a strategic tool; supporting agriculture, safeguarding water resources, buffering communities from flooding, and preserving the quality of life that continues to draw people here. Today, that legacy is under strain. [Source: Florida Today]
Florida homeowners to see insurance surcharge end 2 years early
Florida homeowners will soon see relief on their insurance bills after the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association announced last week it is ending a 1% emergency surcharge two years ahead of schedule. The surcharge had been in place for three years, originally implemented after 10 insurance companies went out of business. Ending it early could save policyholders up to $650 million over the next two years — about $31 a year for the average homeowner. [Source: WFLX]
Wire fraud is a growing threat for real estate transactions
Real estate transactions are built on trust. Recently, that trust has been tested by the increasing prevalence of wire fraud schemes affecting real estate transactions. At a time when purchasing a home should represent a celebratory event, opportunists are inserting themselves at the end of a transaction and stealing significant sums of money representing either transferred deposits or funds needed to close. According to the National Association of Realtors, one of every 20 transactions experiences some form of wire fraud attempt. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
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In the Greater Miami area, there are just 27 affordable homes for every 100 renters earning less than half the area median income. [Source: Miami Herald]
› Real estate agents express optimism about Miami’s housing landscape amid billionaire boom
South Florida has become the epicenter of wealthy individuals purchasing real estate, but the surge is transforming the area’s housing landscape. Real estate agents and experts gathered in Coral Gables for the University of Miami’s 14th Annual Real Estate Impact Conference on Friday. Agents said the area is experiencing a migration of wealth as low taxes and business-friendly policies are drawing billionaires and multi-millionaires.
› See how much home prices rose in Duval County recently
Newly released data from Realtor.com for December shows that potential buyers and sellers in Duval County saw higher home sale prices than the previous month's median of $300,000. The median home sold for $307,625, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows. That means December, the most recent month for which figures are available, was up 2.5% from November. Compared to December 2024, the median home sales price was up 2% compared to $301,745.
› Is Sarasota’s housing market slowing? What the latest report shows
Sarasota and Manatee counties’ January real estate market showed a market that’s adjusting rather than slowing down, according to the most recent industry report. The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s January findings showed an increase in closed sales on single-family homes for Sarasota, but a double-digit decrease in Manatee for the same sector.
› ‘Magnifica’ has purchase deal for opulent resort on Osceola ranchlands once eyed by Disney
After the 2024 media blitz announcing one of the most ambitious, ultra-luxury developments in Osceola County history, the team behind Magnifica went quiet, leading many to question if the $1 billion development was really too good to be true. The plan, unveiled by CIG Companies founders Charles and Stacey Carey, calls for a gated golf community in Kissimmee with 250 mansions, 50 condos and high-end amenities and a sister resort across the street with a full spa and a mix of suites and resort residences.