Something Different: It’s a Buyers Market in Florida
Category: Retirement Real Estate
August 26, 2025 — Thanks to big changes in the way people wanted to live, the Covid pandemic five years ago caused the Florida real estate market to explode. To escape cities and live someplace warm, home buyers came to the Sunshine State from all over the states and foreign countries. They often paid way more than the asking price, many times never even setting foot in their new home until the day they moved in. Today it is a far different story.
There are many different reasons why, but the upshot is that the Florida market is now saddled with a 10 month supply of homes. That’s the highest since 2011. In 2Q 2025 the number of available listings statewide (73,225) was nearly 25% higher than a year before. That has had a corresponding effect on prices. According to the Florida Realtors Trade Association the median sale price of condos and townhouses has fallen 6% over the past year, to $310,000.
Comments on "Something Different: It’s a Buyers Market in Florida"
Admin says:
Two more factors for a slowing of the housing market, although they are not confined to Florida. One is uncertainty. People are anxious that tariffs and turmoil at the Fed and Bureau of Labor Statistics could lead to a potential slowdown of the economy. Related to that are interest rates. Many homeowners have mortgages with relatively low interest rates. But if they sell and move to another home, their new mortgage could have an interest rate a few points higher than the one they have now.
Larry says:
Can someone who lives in Florida explain to me how a state without an income tax and, as proposed by the governor, no property tax, will pay for all the services its citizens require? Especially in a state that is a magnet for seniors who, arguably, require more services than others? And could it be that the nutty idea to NOT require vaccinations against measles and other communicable and serious early childhood diseases is scaring the bejeesus out of many (most?) younger homeowners?
Toni says:
I have lived in FL for 13 retirement years now and watched FL become more and more a red state with leadership that follows Trump as much as they can. But, lately I see more and more people not agreeing with no vacinations, banning books from schools and many of our legislators are not embracing the idea of doing away with property taxes. We will have a change soon with our Governor not able to run for another term. Stay tuned. FL is still a great state to retire in and we are loving it.
Danno says:
The Cayman Islands have virtually zero taxes yet provides a high first world modern living standard. If they can do it then FL can do it. Sales and use taxes, corporate income taxes, licensure taxes, excise taxes, utility taxes, user fees, business transaction taxes, hotel and other tourism taxes and many others could support the state of FL without need of income or property taxes.
Larry says:
Sometimes context is everything in comparing a state like Florida with, say, a country like the Cayman Islands. To wit, Florida population = 24 million. Cayman = 900,000. Florida economic driver is tourism. Cayman driver is tourism but the major driver is the fees charged for the fabulously rich to park their well-gotten or ill-gotten gains in the Swiss bank of the Caribbean. And in case you buy Danno’s fantasy and want to move to the Caymans, you will need to purchase a home for a minimum $1.2 million and then be able to handle one of the highest costs of living in the world, with monthly expenses of $5,000 or more. Send us a postcard, Danno.