December 2025 | Central Florida Real Estate Reality Check
Central Florida’s real estate market has changed — and it’s important that property owners understand what that actually means before making decisions based on frustration, headlines, or short-term expenses.
Over the past several years, Florida experienced one of the most aggressive real estate booms in the country. That boom is now behind us, and we are in a market correction — with Florida sitting near the epicenter due to rapid new construction, rising insurance costs, and affordability pressure.
This doesn’t mean selling is “bad.”
It does mean selling now requires eyes wide open.
The New-Build Reality (This Matters More Than Many Owners Realize)
Across Central Florida — especially in areas like Lake Nona, St. Cloud, and surrounding growth corridors — builders are actively competing for buyers.
Many of these homes were:
Started before the slowdown
Completed into a softer market
Backed by builders who need inventory off their books
As a result, buyers are being offered:
Rate buy-downs
Closing cost credits
Design upgrades
Price reductions
Move-in incentives
A resale home is not just competing with other resale homes — it’s competing with brand-new construction with built-in financial incentives.
The True Cost of Selling (Beyond the List Price)
When owners consider selling, they often focus on:
“Can I get my price?”
But the real question is:
“What will it cost me to get there — and what do I walk away with?”
Here’s what selling actually involves in this market:
Upfront prep costs
Deferred maintenance
Paint, flooring, roof issues, HVAC age
Inspection repairs buyers will demand or negotiate
Vacancy costs
Mortgage
Insurance
Taxes
HOA
Utilities
(All while the home sits unsold)
Negotiation pressure
Buyers requesting credits or price reductions
Appraisal gaps
Repair concessions after inspection
Transaction costs
Agent commissions
Seller closing costs
Title fees
Capital gains exposure
Especially for non-primary residences
Equity reality
Owners who bought in 2022
Owners who refinanced or pulled equity
Owners with thin margins may need to bring money to closing
In many cases, we’re seeing owners:
Attempt to sell
Sit vacant for months
Spend money preparing and carrying the home
Then return to renting — after absorbing those losses
🏠 The Alternative: Strategic Holding (With Planning)
If your property is:
In good condition
In a solid rental area
Cash-flowing or close to it
Holding can often be the more rational choice — if maintenance costs are planned for, not reactive.
That’s why we’re encouraging owners to think differently about maintenance:
Not as an emergency expense — but as a predictable part of ownership.
Instead of absorbing a $4,000 repair all at once, it can be far less painful to:
Set aside a modest monthly amount
Build a maintenance cushion over time
Reduce stress, surprises, and rushed decisions
We can help facilitate this in a simple, transparent way within your property account.
The Bottom Line
In today’s Central Florida market:
Selling is possible — but often expensive
Vacancy and prep costs add up quickly
Buyers are in a stronger negotiating position
New construction is fierce competition
If holding feels “expensive,” it’s worth comparing that cost to the full financial reality of selling right now.
Our role is not to push you one way or another — it’s to make sure you’re making decisions based on clear information, not incomplete assumptions.
We’re here to talk through your options honestly. Contact at any time! CLICK HERE to Schedule A Consult or Just to Learn More.