What Home Sellers Can Learn From Florida’s Real Estate Market

Home sales have fallen in Florida as high costs have weighed on the market. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Key Points

• Florida’s housing market shows homes sitting for a median 88 days, an increase from pre-pandemic levels, unlike the national median of 62 days.
• Active listings in Florida increased by 23% compared to September 2019, while national active listings decreased by 10% in the same period.
• Home price gains are expected to flatten in 2026 as mortgage rates remain above 6% and more homes enter the market.

Homeowners across the country could have a tougher time selling in 2026. They should take a page from Florida.

The Sunshine State has become a poster child for the slow housing market. Where homes nationally sat on the market in September for a median 62 days—flat with the same month in 2019—those in Florida sat for a median 88 days, an extra two weeks versus its prepandemic count, according to Realtor.com data.

Florida for several years has been caught in a perfect storm of housing market headwinds. Buyers saw their purchasing power dwindle as costs rose, from home prices to mortgage rates to insurance.

“Our market started weakening before it was noticeable most other places,” says Brad O’Connor, the Florida Realtors’ chief economist. Part of that is due to a slowdown in in-migration. “Higher rates and higher home prices […] slowed down not only in-state buyers, but out-of-state buyers, too.”

Integral to the shift is more homes for sale. The active listing count nationally in September was about 10% lower than the same month in 2019, the data show. Florida’s was roughly 23% higher. Places in Florida with plenty of home building, such as Tampa, have seen some of the greatest gains in resale listings, O’Connor says. “I think that’s entirely due to competition with all the building that we do have going on down there,” he says.

Every local housing market has its own dynamics, but owners bringing their listings to the market in 2026 might find that, like those selling in Florida, they face more competition from other sellers, more hot-and-cold buyers, and spend more time trying to sell their house—particularly in places with a lot of new home competition.

The Mortgage Bankers Association earlier this week said it expects home price gains to flatten out in 2026 as mortgage rates remain above 6% and more homes hit the market. That means that homeowners anxious to make a sale in 2026 might want to study Florida to better understand how to differentiate themselves in a slower market.

“Particularly in those markets where inventory has really grown, you need your home to stand out, and you also need to understand current market dynamics,” Mortgage Bankers Association chief economist Mike Fratantoni told Barron’s recently. “It is not 2024, and the buyer has a whole lot more leverage.”

Houses aren’t the hot commodity they were five years ago during the era of bidding wars, waved inspections, and speedy sales sight-unseen. That means homeowners should put in the work to present their home in the best light possible.

Amy Simmonds, a Compass agent based in northern Palm Beach, Fla. says the houses moving the fastest in her market are an exclusive bunch. “It’s not like you can slap some fresh paint on your house anymore and hope for the best,” says Simmonds.

Sellers should pay attention to the things that are within their control. Understanding a home and its flaws before it hits the market can save a seller time and money in the future, notes Mario Gonzalez, president of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors.

“The better a seller knows their home, the less surprises will be there” once there’s a buyer involved, Gonzalez says. Take an issue like termites, Gonzales says: it’s much less of a setback—and could be less expensive—to identify and fix the issue before a prospective buyer uncovers it during an inspection.

Owners should declutter their space, ensure that photos of the property are up to par, eliminate any unsavory smells, and consider if their home would benefit from professional staging, agents say. What doesn’t work are “homes that are vacant or that don’t feel good upon arrival,” Simmonds says. “Unless the buyers think they’re cheap and they’re getting a smokin’ deal, they are not going to buy it.”

Look at big renovation projects with caution. Kitchens and master bathroom projects tend to get the best return on investment, notes Gonzalez—but homeowners can “overdo” it. “There’s a $15,000 kitchen rehab—and there’s a $50,000 kitchen rehab—and the difference in the sale price of a home probably isn’t that significant,” the agent says. Smaller, more minimal projects, such as flooring and paint, are usually good ideas, he adds.

When pricing, be attuned to local market dynamics. “The sellers’ wishes don’t set the price, the Realtor’s wishes don’t set the price, the buyer’s wishes don’t set the price—it’s truly the market setting the price,” Gonzalez says.

Some homeowners shoot high on price only to cut it after the house sits on the market. That’s not the best way to go about it, says Simmonds. “List it really where it should sell, and try to get as close to that listing price as possible,” she says.

Simmonds says the houses that move quickly tend to be overall neutral homes with some sort of twist. That can include an accent wall, a unique backsplash, nice lighting, or other small touches that make a home stand out to buyers. “You have to have curb appeal, it has to be clean, it has to show well, and it has to be priced right.”

Write to Shaina Mishkin at shaina.mishkin@dowjones.com