Monday, August 3, 2026

Your Weekly Central Florida Housing Market Update with Troy Boss

Good morning, Central Florida!

If you're wondering whether now is a good time to buy or sell, here's what happened in the market over the past week—and what it means for you.

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🏡 Mortgage Rates Move Higher

Mortgage rates increased again last week, with the average 30-year fixed rate climbing to approximately 6.66%, the highest level in about a year. The increase is being driven by higher Treasury yields, ongoing inflation concerns, and geopolitical uncertainty.

What does that mean?

For buyers:

• Monthly payments have increased slightly.
• Affordability remains a challenge.
• However, there is less competition than we saw during the pandemic housing boom.

For sellers:

• Buyers are becoming more payment-conscious.
• Proper pricing is more important than ever.
• Homes that are move-in ready and priced correctly continue to attract strong interest.

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📊 Housing Market Showing Surprising Strength

Despite higher mortgage rates, national housing demand has remained more resilient than many economists expected.

HousingWire reports that:

• Pending home sales have continued to hold up.
• Inventory has increased, giving buyers more choices.
• Purchase mortgage applications remain stronger than many anticipated despite borrowing costs.

This tells us that life events—job changes, relocations, marriages, growing families, and downsizing—continue to drive housing demand.

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📍 What We're Seeing in Central Florida

Here in Clermont, Minneola, Groveland, Winter Garden, and the greater Orlando area, we're seeing many of the same trends:

Buyers Have More Choices

Inventory has improved compared to the ultra-low inventory levels of the past few years.

That's creating:

• More negotiating opportunities
• More seller concessions
• More time to make informed decisions
• Better overall selection

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Sellers Still Have Opportunities

Well-maintained homes that are:

• Professionally marketed
• Correctly priced
• Properly prepared

are still attracting qualified buyers.

Pricing your home based on today's market—not six months ago—is critical.

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🏗️ New Construction Remains a Bright Spot

Many builders throughout Central Florida continue offering attractive incentives, including:

• Mortgage rate buy-downs
• Closing cost assistance
• Design center credits
• Appliance packages

For some buyers, these incentives can make a new-construction home more affordable than a comparable resale home.

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🌴 Clermont Continues to Grow

One of the biggest long-term stories remains the continued growth of:

• Wellness Way
• Olympus
• South Lake County
• Horizon West

These developments continue attracting new residents, employers, retail, and infrastructure improvements that support long-term housing demand.

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💡 Market Tip of the Week

Don't try to time the market—prepare for it.

Whether you're buying or selling, success comes from having the right strategy.

Buyers should focus on finding the right home and negotiating favorable terms.

Sellers should focus on pricing correctly and presenting their home in the best possible light from day one.

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👋 Thinking About Making a Move?

Whether you're buying your first home, relocating to Central Florida, investing, or preparing to sell, I'd be happy to help you navigate today's market.

📞 Troy Boss, REALTOR®
Lifestyle International Realty

Buy With the Boss. Sell With the Boss.