With winter closing in, plenty of northerners start daydreaming about a snowbird escape — a place in the sun where they can trade shovels for sandals. And with today’s softer housing market, it might seem like the perfect moment to snag a Florida home at a bargain (1).
But the reality on the ground tells a different story. Despite a surge in listings, many properties are lingering unsold for months — and frustrated sellers are pulling them off the market altogether. Miami now tops the nation with the highest share of delistings, making the hunt for that dream condo or coastal bungalow more challenging than it appears (2).
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So is this really the moment to buy? Or will the search for a perfect snowbird nest in Florida leave you out in the cold?
What’s up (or down) with Florida housing?
According to listing data from Realtor, sales fell across Florida cities in July 2025 — with Miami again seeing the highest ratio of delistings to new listings (3).
The reason? Homes just aren’t selling.
It seems homeowners who bought during the pandemic period of high prices and high demand are hoping to sell at a similarly high price. However, Florida, like much of the country, is a buyer’s market, meaning more homes are being sold than purchased, so prospective buyers have their pick of properties and can negotiate lower prices (4).
Florida’s housing inventory has risen in the years since the pandemic, but demand has decreased and interest rates have risen (5). Now, homes constructed to meet the pandemic demand sit empty and inactive on listing sites, even as sellers lower prices to attract buyers (6). Not helping matters are soaring insurance costs, as hurricanes threaten the peninsula more and more often (7).
And when sellers don’t want to take the price cut and lose out on potential future home equity, many end up pulling their homes off the market altogether.
"Unlike past housing cycles where falling prices pressured underwater homeowners to sell, today’s homeowners benefit from record-high levels of home equity, so they have the flexibility to wait it out," Realtor senior economist Jake Krimmel said. "This allows many sellers to withdraw their homes from the market if their asking price isn’t met" (8).
What about the rest of the U.S.?
A glut of homes on the market, resulting in a spate of delistings, isn’t just a Miami or even a Florida trend. Inventory levels are up across many parts of the country, with active listings increasing by 20% between July 2024 and July 2025. Delistings are up as well, rising 57% year over year in July 2025, according to Realtor (9). New builds are also sitting empty at record rates (10).
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The trend isn’t uniform nationwide. While the South and West have high delisting rates, markets are still relatively competitive in the Midwest and Northeast (11).
How buyers and sellers can cope in this market
Reports of delistings and vacant homes can leave both buyers and sellers feeling confused and defeated. Still, there are ways to stay informed about the market and make the best possible decision for your home.
Buyers should keep track of listing history to see if a home has been delisted then relisted. This can indicate issues in pricing, maintenance problems, or a seller who is just trying to play the market.
Keep all transactions protected in contracts and make sure you include contingencies to cover the inspection and appraisal (12). Get pre-approved and have your deposit at the ready: A quick but secure sale gives the seller less time to walk away and delist the home.
And for sellers? Price fairly but competitively from the start, as overpricing could lead to low or zero offers and force you to take a heavy price cut or delist. And don’t be quick to pull out of offers or delist, as this could make it harder for your agent to sell the house. Invest in small ways to elevate your home and make it stand out, and don’t be afraid to negotiate with the right buyers (13).
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Realtor (1); Newsweek (2); Realtor (3); Newsweek (4); CFPB (5); Newsweek (6); Insurify (7); Realtor (8); Realtor (9); ResiClub Analytics (10); ResiClub Analytics (11); Alive Credit Union (12); HomeLight (13)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.