09/16/2026
Okay, so what in the world is actually happening with real estate around here right now? Here’s the simple version: buyers are still buying. They’re just not chasing houses anymore.
NEFAR reported 1,696 single-family homes sold across Northeast Florida in August. So no, the buyers haven’t disappeared.
What has changed is that they have choices.
Across our area, there are roughly 3½ months of homes available at the current pace of sales. In normal-people language? Buyers have enough options now to compare houses, think about the price, and walk away when something just doesn’t feel worth it.
So if you’re selling in most of Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Mandarin, Julington Creek or down through St. Johns County, your house doesn’t get to be “pretty good” anymore and automatically win.
A buyer can leave a house in Eagle Harbor or Pace Island, pull up three more on their phone and go see another one that afternoon.
In St. Johns, they can tour two homes in Shearwater, drive over to RiverTown, and compare your house against newer construction, resort-style community amenities and homes with fresh finishes before dinner.
That’s the market now.
That doesn’t mean you have to be the cheapest house.
It means your price needs to really make sense, your presentation needs to stop the scroll, and when they walk through the door, your house needs to feel worth the money.
And buyers? You have a little breathing room. You can look around, compare, ask questions and make a smart decision without feeling like you have to grab the first decent house you see.
This isn’t a bad market. It’s a selective one. Buyers have choices now, so sellers have to earn the yes.
〜 Betty
Source: Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS®, August 2026 market data.
