05/27/2025 NEWS POST!

Leon Johnson
May 27
3 min read

🏡 Memorial Day Weekend Real Estate Buzz: What’s Happening in Florida?

Hey there, Florida friends (and future Floridians 👋),

As we wrapped up Memorial Day weekend — filled with beach trips, backyard BBQs, and a few rain showers (classic Florida) — the real estate market gave us a few updates worth chatting about. Whether you’re buying, selling, or just casually stalking Zillow listings like the rest of us, here’s a quick pulse check on what’s happening in the Sunshine State right now.

🌴 Holiday Weekend = More Eyes on Listings

Memorial Day weekend typically brings a wave of buyer activity, and this year was no different. With school letting out and summer in full swing, open houses saw a noticeable uptick in foot traffic, especially in vacation-friendly markets like:

Naples & Fort Myers – Still a hot spot for second-home buyers.
Orlando – Attracting a mix of relocating families and short-term rental investors.
Tampa Bay – Lots of movement here, especially in the under-$500K range.

If you listed your home last week, chances are you had more eyes (and hopefully offers) than average. The long weekend gave buyers time to tour and make decisions, and agents definitely stayed busy.

💰 Price Adjustments & Summer Strategy

We’re starting to see more realistic pricing in some Florida markets. After a few years of sky-high asking prices, sellers are adjusting to today’s market — which is still strong, but more balanced than the 2021 frenzy.

Some trends we’re seeing:

Sellers are more negotiable – Especially if the home has been sitting for more than 30 days.
Price reductions are ticking up slightly, especially in higher-end listings that overshot the market.
Interest rates are holding steady, which is keeping buyers cautious but still active.

🏖️ Vacation Rental Investors Are Back (Sort Of)

Holiday weekends always shine a light on short-term rental demand. Airbnb bookings surged over the weekend in areas like the Florida Keys and Destin, which sparked renewed interest from vacation rental investors. That said, some local municipalities are tightening short-term rental regulations, so anyone looking to invest should do their homework before closing.

📦 Migration & Relocation Still Going Strong

Florida’s tax benefits, warm weather, and remote-work appeal continue to draw people from high-cost states like New York, Illinois, and California. We’re still seeing steady inbound migration, especially in:

Palm Coast
Ocala
Cape Coral
Port St. Lucie

These areas offer a more affordable entry point with solid appreciation potential — a winning combo for both first-time buyers and seasoned investors.

📝 Final Thoughts

Memorial Day weekend isn’t just the unofficial start of summer — it’s also a kickstart to Florida’s peak real estate season. Whether you’re actively house-hunting, thinking about selling, or just keeping tabs on the market, now’s the time to pay attention. Things move fast in Florida once the summer heat hits.

If you’re wondering how these updates affect your real estate goals, don’t be shy — reach out.

References:

Florida Realtors. (2024, May). Florida housing market report: April 2024. https://www.floridarealtors.org/news-media/research

National Association of Realtors. (2024). 2024 vacation home and investment property market report. https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports

Redfin. (2024). Housing market data: Florida. https://www.redfin.com/state/Florida/housing-market

Zillow. (2024). Zillow market pulse: Florida metro area trends. https://www.zillow.com/research

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). State-to-state migration flows. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/geographic-mobility/state-to-state-migration.html

AirDNA. (2024). Short-term rental market trends: Florida spotlight. https://www.airdna.co