Market news · Oct. 30, 2026

Florida Market Check, Late October 2026: Mortgage Rates Ease as Prices Hold Steady

Mortgage rates have dropped for two weeks in a row, and September's numbers show home prices holding fairly steady across Florida. Here's what the latest reports say about Central and South Florida.

By Lorena Moscoso, Realtor®

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Mortgage rates come down a little

The Mortgage Reports summarized Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey for October 29, 2026. It put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.24%, down from 7.32% the week before. Freddie Mac had reported 7.40% on both October 8 and October 15, so the average has dropped about 0.16 percentage point in two weeks.

That's a small change. Florida Realtors noted in mid-October that rates are still higher than they were a year ago. Freddie Mac's number is also a national average, not a loan offer. The rate you actually get depends on your credit, down payment and loan type.

Statewide: fewer sales, steady prices

Florida Realtors released its data on October 16. It showed single-family home sales for the third quarter up 0.2% from last year and condo-townhouse sales up 3.1%. Median prices stayed fairly steady, and there were fewer homes for sale than a year earlier. In September there was a 4.4-month supply of single-family homes and a 7.7-month supply of condos and townhouses.

Florida Realtors also said September was the second month in a row with fewer sales than the year before, partly because of higher rates. It said condo sales have held up better, helped by lower prices and by the market adjusting to reserve requirements and other condo rules. Momentum Realty tracks Zillow's home value index. In its tracker, Florida's typical home value was $390,450 in September, up 0.14% from August but 0.5% lower than a year earlier.

Orlando and Osceola County

The Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association reported a September median price of $399,610. That compares with $400,676 in August and $402,319 in September 2025. The association said rising rates slowed sales and raised inventory to a 5.3-month supply.

Momentum Realty's Kissimmee ZIP code reports from early October show how much results vary by neighborhood. In 34744, the median sale price was about $405,990, up 1.2% from a year earlier, and homes went under contract in about 33 days. In 34747, the median was about $460,383, down 3.8%, with about 75 days to contract and 581 homes listed. These numbers come from one brokerage's analysis, so read them as a snapshot. I didn't find new reports for Lake Nona, St. Cloud or Davenport this week.

South Florida: few houses for sale, record luxury sales

MIAMI REALTORS® reported that Miami-Dade's single-family median price rose 4.06% from a year earlier, to $692,000 in September. Total sales fell 2% to 1,733. Active listings dropped 10.1%, and single-family inventory fell 16.6%. Single-family sellers got a median of 95% of their original asking price. The county also had 24 sales of $30 million or more through September, already beating the full-year record of 21 set in 2025.

In Palm Beach County, total sales fell 3.3% to 1,914, according to MIAMI REALTORS® and BeachesMLS. The sources disagree on the single-family median price. Echo Fine Properties reported $656,000, up 7%, with inventory down 20% and pending sales down 14%. PBP Real Estate's report shows $700,000 across 1,002 closings. The gap probably comes from different data sets, so it's best to focus on the direction rather than the exact figure. The same PBP report found that houses sold at a median of 5.1% below their original asking price and condos 6.8% below. The condo median was $310,000, unchanged from a year earlier.

Homeowners insurance

Atesa Risk Advisors summarized Florida Office of Insurance Regulation data as of September 2026. It found an average yearly premium of $3,736 with wind coverage among state-licensed insurers. That average leaves out Citizens and surplus lines carriers. Average premiums fell in 51 of Florida's 67 counties between January and July, but they rose slightly in Central Florida. Orange County averaged $3,610 and Osceola $2,940. Estimates vary a lot by method: Insurance.com puts Florida's average at $8,471 a year. Getting real quotes early is the most reliable way to know your cost.

What this may mean for you

Buyers: Slightly lower rates and more homes for sale in Orlando and in the condo market may give you more choice and more room to negotiate. Sellers: Prices have held up, but buyers are sensitive to rates, so a realistic price matters. That's especially true where supply is rising. In Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, single-family inventory is still tight. Renters and investors: I didn't find new local rent data in this week's sources, so watch for updated reports before making plans.

If you'd like to talk about what these numbers mean for your home search, sale or rental in Central or South Florida, please contact Lorena Moscoso.

Sources

This article was prepared with AI assistance from the public sources listed. It is general market information, not legal, tax or investment advice, and figures may have changed.

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