Florida leads in master-planned communities

Florida continued to dominate the nation’s top-selling master-planned communities in 2025, even as overall new-home sales slowed slightly from a year earlier. A report from the real estate consulting firm John Burns Research and Consulting found that the 50 top master-planned communities nationwide sold about 32,800 homes in 2025, down 4% from 2024 but still above pre-pandemic norms. [Source: Florida Realtors]

Florida Trend Exclusive
Tax tussle

The 40,000-plus timeshare unit owners at the Marriott Grande Vista resort in Orlando say Orange County overcharges them on taxes by misapplying Florida law on appraising unit value. The county appraiser, they argue, isn't basing the assessment on the resale market value of units as called for by the state Constitution. What's more, property appraisers across Florida have been doing the same to other timeshare owners. [Source: Florida Trend]

Florida ranks worst in nation for renters, ConsumerAffairs analysis finds

Florida is the worst state in the nation for renters, according to a ConsumerAffairs Research Team analysis that cites high housing costs and the absence of statewide tenant protections as the main factors behind the ranking. The report gave Florida a total score of 30.78 out of 100. Key findings for the state include a median monthly rent of $1,669 (eighth-highest nationally), the largest typical share of income spent on rent at 37.4 percent, and a rental vacancy rate of 7.6 percent. [Source: News 4 Jax]

Florida lawmaker reveals new plan to eliminate property taxes

With property tax reform stalling in the Legislature, one state lawmaker says he’s now found a new way to push it through: a petition. Last week, state Rep. Ryan Chamberlin (R-Belleview) announced his plan to lead a citizens initiative to get rid of property taxes from the state Constitution. [Source: Click Orlando]

Why South Florida is seeing a boom in big box spaces

Amazon, Atlas Air- these are just some of the many corporations moving warehouse operations to Miami within this year. But why is South Florida seeing a boom in big-box spaces? “With the increase of consumption from e-commerce, hotels, the airport and all those providers that need warehouse space to supply to their customers,” Edison Vasquez explains. Vasquez, a Managing Partner with ComReal Miami, has over 20 years of experience in the warehouse real estate space, and it’s changed drastically. [Source: NBC Miami]

STAT OF THE WEEK
121,000
Florida is short an estimated 66,000 owner-occupied homes and more than 55,000 rental units, according to a new statewide housing supply model developed by Florida State University’s DeVoe L. Moore Institute. [Source: Florida Realtors]

ALSO TRENDING:

› Sarasota County blocks ‘Live Local’ law, risking clash with developers [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
In a unanimous vote that could set up a major legal showdown, Sarasota County commissioners last week moved to block developers from building large apartment complexes next to rural homes and farmland, rejecting applications amid legal uncertainty over a controversial state law. At the center of the dispute is Florida’s Live Local Act, a 2023 state law that lets developers bypass local zoning rules and public hearings if they include some affordable housing in their plans.

› Home sales surge in March as Northeast Florida inventory expands [News 4 Jax]
Home sales in Northeast Florida picked up momentum in March as median prices rose modestly and more sellers listed properties, boosting available inventory across the six-county region, the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors reported Thursday. The median sales price for single-family homes in the region rose 1.5% from February to $395,000 in March. The Home Affordability Index fell 2.3% to 86.

› Higher housing costs in Gainesville force some students to work more to get by [WUFT]
Liana Castillo works six days a week, splitting her time between two jobs, and still wonders whether it will be enough to cover next month’s rent. She’s one of many University of Florida students juggling work and classes as housing costs in Gainesville continue to rise. Recent data from Zillow show the average rent in Gainesville is about $1,700 per month in early 2026, up from roughly $1,500 in 2024, reflecting a steady increase in housing costs over the past two years.

› In Largo, this contaminated land could be developed into apartments [Tampa Bay Times]
A developer’s bid to clean up a contaminated property on Eighth Avenue Southeast and build 168 apartments under the Live Local Act stirred up hard feelings among Largo city commissioners March 17. Despite their concerns, commissioners said the environmental benefits of designating the property a Brownfield area outweighed the potential for added traffic and congestion, and they voted 4-2 in favor of the move.

Proposed changes would expand where developers can build affordable housing in Florida