Ponte Vedra Beach & Northeast Florida Real Estate Market Report: Summer 2026

Summer is always one of my favorite times of year. Whether you're traveling, spending time with family, or simply enjoying a slower pace here at the beach, I hope you're finding time to relax and recharge.

The real estate market hasn't taken the season off, though. It has simply become more balanced. After several years of dramatic swings, buyers and sellers are adjusting to today's realities, and that creates real openings for people who understand what's happening and come to the market with realistic expectations.

The Market at a Glance

• Closed sales across Northeast Florida: up ~4% year over year
• Average sale price: up ~5% year over year
• Average time to first offer: 35 days
• Active listings on the market 60+ days: 49%
• Resale transactions including seller concessions: ~40%
• Mortgage rates: holding in the mid-6% range

A More Balanced Market

As we close out the second quarter of 2026, Northeast Florida's housing market continues to reward flexibility and thoughtful decision-making.

If 2025 was defined by buyers and sellers struggling to agree on value, the first half of 2026 has been about bringing those expectations back into line. That adjustment isn't finished, but the market is finding its footing.

Inventory Keeps Improving

Inventory grew through the spring and into early summer, giving buyers more choices than they've had in years. Even so, there are fewer homes on the market than at this time last year, so we're nowhere near an oversupply.

Depending on the neighborhood and price point, most of our market sits somewhere between balanced and slightly competitive.

Pricing Matters More Than Ever

Plenty of sellers are still testing the market with ambitious prices, and the data shows how that's going: nearly half of active Northeast Florida home listings (49%) have been on the market for more than 60 days.

Homes priced appropriately from the start continue to attract buyers and sell quickly. Homes priced above what the market will bear usually need price reductions, seller concessions, or both before an acceptable offer arrives.

Where Mortgage Rates Stand

Mortgage rates have held fairly steady in the mid-6% range. Many buyers keep hoping for a big drop, but most economists now expect rates to stay near current levels for the foreseeable future.

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold rates where they are at its July meeting. Forecasts differ on what comes next, but there's growing agreement that today's rates may be the new normal for the next couple of years. Inflation is the number to watch: it's running around 3.5% for the year, well above the Fed's 2% target, and if oil prices climb again with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, that could push inflation higher still.

What We're Seeing from Buyers and Sellers

Roughly 40% of resale transactions now include seller concessions, whether that's help with closing costs, a mortgage rate buy-down, or repairs. Builder incentives remain especially strong: last month, the average concession on a new construction home approached $24,000, while resale sellers averaged more than $9,000.

Buyers have more negotiating power than they've had in several years.

Even with those concessions, well-priced homes are moving. More than half of the homes that closed in June went under contract in under 60 days, and the average home received an offer in just 35 days. Cash remains a real force in our market too, at roughly one in four sales.

What About Home Prices?

Closed sales across Northeast Florida are up about 4% from this time last year, and average prices are up about 5%.

Those are regional averages, and the local picture varies quite a bit. Through the second quarter, St. Johns and Nassau counties continued to appreciate, while average sale prices in Duval County stayed flat or slipped slightly.

Real estate remains a neighborhood-by-neighborhood business, which is exactly why local knowledge matters more than ever.

Looking Ahead to the Third Quarter

Seasonal patterns are playing out about as expected. Spring brought more listings, more buyer activity, and stronger sales. June and July are typically busy months, and then things usually quiet down in late summer before picking back up in the fourth quarter.

What This Means for Buyers

Today's buyers have more to work with than at any point in several years: more homes to choose from, more room to negotiate, and far less pressure than at the peak of the market. New construction offers some of the strongest values right now thanks to generous builder incentives, especially in communities like Nocatee and EverRange.

One thing to keep in mind: builders have started pulling fewer permits, which could shrink both inventory and incentives over time. If new construction is on your list, today's terms may not last.

And even in a balanced market, well-priced homes in great locations still go fast. Being ready to act matters, which is one reason we built our private MLS app. It delivers new listings faster than Zillow and never shares your search data.

What This Means for Sellers

Pricing matters more today than it has in years. This market no longer rewards listing high just to see what happens. Homes that sit for 30 to 60 days usually sell for less than they would have with the right price from day one, and they often need concessions on top of it.

The sellers getting the best results come to market with realistic pricing, strong presentation, and a real marketing plan. That's exactly how we sell homes, and it's working in this market.

Final Thoughts

If the first half of 2026 has taught us anything, it's that today's market is active but selective. There are real openings for both buyers and sellers. Success comes from understanding the market as it is, not as it was.

If you're curious what your home is worth right now, thinking about a move, or just wondering what's happening in your neighborhood, reach out. I'm always happy to be a resource.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful rest of the summer!