Florida housing market at inflection point as summer approaches
Florida’s housing market is entering a stretch where the next few months could say a lot about where the rest of 2026 is headed. Florida Realtors® Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor said one key metric is worth watching closely: how long it takes homes to go under contract. In April, single-family homes sold in Florida spent a median of 44 days from listing to contract. That was almost identical to April 2019 and April 2025, two years that started from a similar place but moved in very different directions afterward. [Source: Florida Realtors]
As Florida’s housing market finds its footing, sellers still face pricing realities
Florida’s housing market is settling into a period of measured stability, with pending sales on the rise and inventory levels flattening. Sellers who cling to pandemic-era pricing continue to face resistance from buyers navigating high mortgage rates and affordability constraints. [Source: Housing Wire]
Property insurance experts cautiously optimistic ahead of hurricane season
A “below-normal” year for storms could further a positive trend for Florida’s insurance market, industry experts contend. But because of Florida’s location between the Atlantic and Gulf, homeowners will always be at risk, which will temper any potential reductions to premiums. Heading into the Atlantic storm season that begins June 1, insurance experts said legislative reforms in 2022 and 2023 targeting “frivolous” lawsuits, along with a year without any storm hits, have allowed some “softening” in homeowners insurance prices. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Will getting rid of property taxes make Florida more affordable?
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposal to phase out property taxes for most primary homeowners is rapidly becoming one of the state’s most consequential housing debates in years. Supporters argue it could ease affordability pressures while critics warn it may fuel higher home prices and reshape local tax structures. The proposal would raise Florida’s homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000 — a move DeSantis said would eliminate property taxes for about 60% of homeowners. The exemption would later increase to $500,000, potentially removing property taxes for as many as 92% of primary residences statewide. [Source: Housing Wire]
Rethinking South Florida's real estate industry
South Florida isn’t just growing – it’s transforming. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the region has emerged as one of the country’s biggest magnets for wealth, drawing an influx of newcomers lured by its warm climate, high quality of life, business-friendly policies and lack of a state income tax. But unlike past migration waves that included billionaires, executives and other high-net-worth residents, this time around, they’re bringing businesses with them. [Source: South Florida Business Journal]
$249,000
An intriguing dome home in Florida that was constructed using sprayed polyurethane foam and has not a "single straight line" within its structure has hit the market for $249,000—more than five decades after it was hand-built to serve as an example of what sustainable, eco-friendly living might one day look like. [Source: Realtor.com]
› Southwest Florida real estate agents expand use of AI tools
As global firms pour hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence infrastructure, the industry’s message is clear: Use AI or be left behind. That message has not been lost on Southwest Florida businesses. Over the last several years, AI adoption among professionals has been widespread but uneven, ranging from experimentation with chatbots, such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to companywide enterprise systems.
› Tampa won’t meet affordable housing goal, but Castor praises progress
Carlton Mallard has lived in the same East Tampa home since he was a child. His father purchased it in 1950 and passed it down decades later. For years, the brick building lacked air conditioning and Mallard relied on boiling water to bathe. Electrical issues left him without power for months at a time. Now, with the help of Tampa’s Housing Rehabilitation and Renovation Program, Mallard has returned to a fully refurbished home, Mayor Jane Castor said at a news conference outside the home.
› Northeast Florida seniors face growing housing crisis as rents outpace fixed incomes, nonprofits say
As Northeast Florida’s population ages, local nonprofits warn that more seniors are struggling to afford housing as rent prices continue to rise faster than retirement incomes. New data compiled through the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida’s “Catalyst” data hub shows Duval County’s population age 65 and older has grown dramatically over the last decade, increasing from 104,968 residents in 2014 to 156,682 in 2024 — a 49% jump. At the same time, affordable housing options for older adults are shrinking.
› Is South Florida’s branded condo boom reaching its limit?
Aston Martin Residences, the 66-story glassy sail-shaped tower built at the mouth of the Miami River, was finished years after its expected completion date and failed to live up to plans, lawsuits suggest. Buyers weren’t just disappointed once they closed on their units. They were furious. “Unit owners purchased their residences relying on promises of luxurious amenities — including a marina, a helipad and exclusive beach club privileges,” a lawsuit filed against the developer and construction team claims. “These amenities were never delivered.”