Navigating Florida’s housing market is no picnic. With factors like high inventory, fluctuating insurance costs, and rising interest rates, selling your home can be a complex and lengthy process.
You can work with a real estate agent, but that usually takes as much as three months from listing to closing — not the best option if you need to move quickly. If you’re looking to sell your home fast, Florida Cash Home Buyers can close a sale in 15 to 30 days, or even less.
In this post, we’ll explore Florida’s market trends using Florida Realtors’® data to give a clearer picture of how long it takes to sell a home in Florida and the best time to sell.
The Average Time It Takes to Sell a Home in Florida
According to Florida Realtors®, the median time to sale for single-family homes between November 2023 and November 2024 was 86 days. Condos typically take longer to sell, with a 94-day median. The median time to sale is the midpoint of how long it takes homes to sell — half sell faster, half sell slower. It’s a good indicator of housing market activity.
The median time to contract in the same time period was 43 days for single-family homes and 53 days for condos. This means that even though you might secure a contract in about six weeks, the negotiations and due diligence afterwards can add another six weeks or so before the sale is finalized. So, all things considered, you’re looking at about three months from the initial listing to the final closing.
The time it takes to sell a home in Florida has increased significantly year over year. Comparing the third quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2024, the median time to contract jumped by 55.6%, and the median time to sale rose by 20.0%.
Several factors could be contributing to this trend, including a 40% year-over-year increase in Florida housing inventory, the impact of high 30-year fixed mortgage rates, and a rise in flooding events in recent years.
If you’ve got to sell fast, a cash sale might be your golden ticket. Cash home buyers like us purchase properties as-is and can usually close within 15 to 30 days, though we’ve even closed in as little as 5.
Our process is easy: Give us a call or fill out our online contact form, and we’ll follow up with a no-obligation cash offer. We calculate offers based on the potential value of your Florida home after considering all necessary repairs and how much we’ll need to invest in it.
There are some tradeoffs to cash sales, namely that you might be able to get more for your home if you follow a more traditional home-selling process — but that involves investments of time and money that not everybody has. We pride ourselves on transparency and will make sure you fully understand our offer before we proceed.
High-Priced Homes Take Longer to Go Under Contract
Generally speaking, more expensive homes take longer to sell. During the third quarter of 2024, homes priced under $50,000 had the shortest median time to contract at just 28 days. On the other end of the spectrum, homes priced at $1,000,000 or more had the longest median time to contract, taking 53 days.
Mid-Priced Homes Dominate Inventory and Sales
While less expensive homes might sell faster, there are fewer of them on the market. In the third quarter of 2024, the $400,000 to $599,999 price range had the most inventory, with 26,014 homes on the market, followed by the $300,000 to $399,999 range with 22,038 homes. These price points also saw the most sales, with 18,301 and 17,771 closings, respectively.
The median time to contract for these homes was 43 days for the $300,000 to $399,999 group and 41 days for the $400,000 to $599,999 group.
Although there were fewer sales of homes priced at $149,999 or less, these properties closed the fastest. Homes under $50,000 had a median time to contract of just 28 days, and homes in the $50,000 to $149,999 range closed in 30 days.
If you’re dealing with a distressed property and need to sell as-is, working with a cash buyer can often lead to a quicker sale.
The Best and Worst Months to Sell a Home in Florida
Looking at 2024 data, March saw the most single-family listings go under contract, with 26,952 pending sales, closely followed by April with 26,903. Condo sales mirrored the same trends, with a peak of 10,838 sales in March.
Spring and summer are usually the best times to sell, thanks to both pleasant weather and the fact that families often prefer to move before the new school year begins. But keep in mind that it takes roughly six weeks for a home to go under contract, so the best time to list your property is in February or March.
Winter, on the other hand, tends to be a slower period for home sales. November 2024 only had 19,094 pending sales, though this was still a substantial 12.6% increase from 2023’s 16,956 pending sales (and better than December 2023, which only had 16,140). October was the slowest month of 2024, hitting a low of 17,691 pending sales.
The Hottest and Coolest Florida Markets
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), encompassing Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, led the state in closed sales year-to-date, with 35,445 transactions. While sales were slightly down by 4.7% from the previous year, the median sale price remained relatively stable at around $412,610, showing a tiny 1.9% increase from the previous year.
The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach MSA followed closely behind, with 33,424 closed sales, while the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford MSA came in third, with 26,286 closed sales.
At the other end of the spectrum, The Villages MSA in Sumter County had the fewest closed sales, with just 1,356 transactions. The Sebring MSA in Highlands County (1,416 sales), Sebastian-Vero Beach MSA in Indian River County (2,417 sales), and the Gainesville MSA in Alachua and Gilchrist counties (2,518) also saw relatively low sales volumes. No matter what MSA you live in, we may be able to help buy your home quickly. Florida Cash Home Buyers buys houses anywhere in Florida, from Gainesville to Tampa.
Factors That Impact the Time It Takes to Sell Your Home
Many factors can influence how long it takes to sell your home. Some of these, like mortgage rates and current market inventory, are beyond your control, while others, such as how you present and market your property, are in your hands.
- Price: Setting a competitive price is crucial for attracting buyers. Mid-priced homes ranging from $399,999 to $599,999 saw the most sales over the last year.
- Location: Certain cities or school districts may be more desirable to buyers, so homes in those locations tend to sell faster.
- Market conditions: In a buyer’s market with high inventory and low demand, sales can take longer. Conversely, a seller’s market with low inventory and high demand often leads to faster transactions.
- Property condition: Homes that need significant repairs tend to be less desirable, though selling as-is to a cash home buyer is a viable option.
- Time of year: Spring and summer are traditionally the busiest seasons for home sales, while winter tends to be slower.
- Financing environment: High mortgage rates can slow buyer activity, while lower rates may encourage faster sales.
- HOA rules and fees: Strict HOA or COA regulations or high fees can deter some buyers.
Tips to Sell Your Home Faster
If you’re a homeowner taking the traditional route and working with a real estate agent, make sure your property is competitive. Effective presentation and solid marketing are crucial to help your home stand out.
- Boost curb appeal. Simple landscaping and cosmetic improvements make a great first impression on potential buyers.
- Price your home competitively. Make sure that your list price aligns with comparable homes in your area. Overpriced homes can drive buyers away.
- Stage your home. Cleaning and decluttering your home allows buyers to envision themselves living there. You may want to hire a professional staging company if your furnishings are dated or worn.
- Take high-quality photos. Since most buyers see listings online, it’s essential to catch their eye with high-quality images that show off your home’s best attributes.
- Make minor repairs. Fixing minor issues makes your home appear well-maintained. Cosmetic improvements like fresh paint can go a long way to reinforce your home’s value.
- Be flexible with showings. The more potential buyers are able to see their home at a time that’s convenient for them, the faster your home is likely to sell.
A seasoned realtor should be able to effectively market your property and expand its reach to potential buyers. But keep in mind that you’ll have to pay them commission, so it’s important to choose the right agent for your needs.
Sell Fast for Cash with Florida Cash Home Buyers
If you want to sell your house fast without the hassle of a realtor, an as-is cash sale might be the right move. You won’t have to worry about making repairs, paying fees, or dealing with commissions.
We buy all types of properties including condos, distressed homes, and homes with code violations, and we can typically close in 30 days or less. We’re committed to transparency — if we don’t think a cash sale is the best option for you, we’ll let you know right from the start.
Contact us today to explore your options and get a fair cash offer.