Florida markets, others adjust after pandemic demand
Markets that saw strong pandemic-era demand now have longer sales timelines, more price reductions and higher inventory, giving Realtors current data to guide pricing and negotiation conversations.
Some Florida housing markets that saw strong pandemic-era demand are continuing to adjust to a slower, more selective sales environment, according to HousingWire data.
The analysis compared several former pandemic boom markets, including Tampa, Orlando and Miami, with markets that experienced less pandemic-driven housing activity. HousingWire found that the former high-growth market group (which includes Austin, Phoenix, Tampa, Orlando and Miami) had a median absorption rate of 9.2%, compared with 19.4% for markets that largely missed the pandemic boom (Hartford, Buffalo, Syracuse, Cleveland and Detroit). The absorption rate shows how quickly available homes are being purchased in a market.
The former boom markets also had a higher median share of listings with price reductions, 45.3%, compared with 28.3% in the less active pandemic markets. Inventory was also higher, with a median 2.8 months of supply compared with 1.3 months.
The findings are consistent with a recent Florida Realtors® analysis that has pointed to a more normalized Florida market. In a May housing update, Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor noted that single-family inventory was only a little more than 7% above April 2019 levels, while other indicators, including days on market, suggested sellers and buyers were operating in conditions closer to a pre-pandemic market than the rapid-fire sales environment of 2021 and 2022.
Indeed, HousingWire said the data does not suggest that high-growth Sun Belt markets are declining, but rather that some are still working through the effects of rapid pandemic-era demand, price growth and inventory shifts.
For Realtors®, the data can help guide more grounded conversations with sellers about pricing, condition and competition. Sellers may need current local comparisons, not pandemic-era expectations, when deciding how to price or adjust a listing.
The data also can help Realtors explain negotiating conditions to buyers. In areas with more inventory or frequent price reductions, buyers may have more room to discuss repairs, concessions or price adjustments, depending on the property and local market.
The clearest value for Realtors is applying broad market data at the neighborhood level: which listings are moving, where price changes are occurring and how current conditions should shape client expectations.
Source: HousingWire
© 2026 Florida Realtors®