>> WELL, GET THIS HOME. SALES AND FLORIDA ARE STARTING TO IMPROVE. REALTORS REPORT A NEARLY 14% INCREASE THE SEPTEMBER COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. HOME SALES IN LEE COUNTY ARE UP TO GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER DAVE ELIAS EXPLAINS WHAT IT MEANS FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS. >> ON THE LAST YEAR, MANY REALTORS HAVE BEEN TELLING THEIR PROPERTY OWNERS TO PUT THEIR HOMES UP FOR RENT RATHER THAN SALE. BUT NOW THAT THINGS ARE STARTING TO IMPROVE ITS LIKELY RENT, SIGNS LIKE THIS WILL COME DOWN AND FOR SALE SIGNS GOING UP IN THEIR PLACE SAY INTEREST RATES DROP NEXT WEEK. WELL, THEY COULD DROP AGAIN NEXT MONTH. SO DO I JUST KEEP WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING. JEREMY ZELENSKYY IS ONE OF NEARLY 1500 PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT A HOME LAST MONTH IN LEE COUNTY. AND THIS PROPERTY CAME CAME FOR SALE. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR A LITTLE WHILE. JUST KIND OF KEEP AN EYE ON THE MARKET. >> AND AS THAT CAME UP, DECIDED TO PULL THE TRIGGER ON IT. HE BOUGHT THESE 3 HOMES AS AN INVESTMENT. >> JUST AS INTEREST RATES DROPPED AND COULD DROP AGAIN NEXT WEEK. WE’RE COMFORTABLE BUYING IT KNOWING THAT INTEREST RATES COULD COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE SINCE JANUARY, 4300 HOMES HAVE SOLD IN CAPE CORAL COMPARED TO 3300 IN FORT MYERS, MY HOUSE ON THE MARKET LESS THAN 3 DAYS. REAL ESTATE BROKER MIKE HOLLOW EXPLAINED HOW HE SOLD SO QUICKLY. WHILE MOST HOMES ARE TAKING 3 MONTHS OR MORE TO MOVE. ALSO WANT $20,000 UNDER WHAT I BELIEVE ACTUAL LIST PRICE SHOULD BE AND WHETHER STILL A LOT OF INVENTORY, HE POINTS OUT, IT IS DECREASING. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SELL. >> I AM ADVISING YOU TO WAIT PREDICTING THAT THINGS ARE SLOWLY IMPROVING, OFFERING THIS ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO SELL. AND IF YOU’RE PUTTING YOUR HOME ON THE MARKET, I WE NEED THE SELLERS TO BE REALISTIC. THAT THESE ARE 2025 PRICES, NOT 2021 PRICES AND THIS ADVICE TO BUYERS. THE ONE THING THAT HAS PERFORM THE STOCK MARKET IS REAL ESTATE. NOW THE FEDS ARE EXPECTED MEET NEXT WEEKEND. SOME EXPERTS SAY THEY’RE EX
Florida home sales rise slightly as interest rates begin to fall
Updated: 7:33 PM EDT Oct 24, 2025
Florida home sales are improving, with a nearly 14% increase reported by Florida Realtors this September compared with last year, indicating a shift in the market for buyers and sellers.In the past year, many Realtors advised property sellers to rent out their homes due to a soft market. However, as the market begins to improve, more “for rent” signs are likely to be replaced with “for sale” signs. Jeremy Zielinski, a Fort Myers resident, is among the nearly 1,500 people who purchased a home in Lee County last month. “Say interest rates drop next week, well, they could drop again next month, so do I just keep waiting, waiting and waiting?” Zielinski said. He bought three homes as an investment, noting, “This property came for sale. We had been looking at it for a while and keeping an eye on the market, and as it came up, we decided to pull the trigger on it.” He expressed comfort in buying, knowing that interest rates may decrease further. “We were comfortable buying it knowing interest rates could come down a little more,” he said.Since January, 4,300 homes have been sold in Cape Coral compared to 3,300 in Fort Myers. Real estate broker Mike Hollow shared his experience of selling his house quickly, saying, “My house set on the market for less than three days.” He explained his strategy, “I also went $20,000 under what I believe the actual list price should be.” Hollow noted that while there is still a lot of inventory, it is decreasing. “If you do not have to sell, I’m advising you to wait,” he said, predicting that the market is slowly improving. He advised sellers to be realistic about pricing, stating, “If you’re putting your home on the market, we need sellers to be realistic that these are 2025 prices, not 2021 prices.” For buyers, he offered this insight: “The one thing that has always outperformed the stock market is real estate.”Federal experts are expected to meet next week, and they may decide to lower interest rates again, potentially impacting the housing market further.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
Florida home sales are improving, with a nearly 14% increase reported by Florida Realtors this September compared with last year, indicating a shift in the market for buyers and sellers.
In the past year, many Realtors advised property sellers to rent out their homes due to a soft market. However, as the market begins to improve, more “for rent” signs are likely to be replaced with “for sale” signs.
Jeremy Zielinski, a Fort Myers resident, is among the nearly 1,500 people who purchased a home in Lee County last month. “Say interest rates drop next week, well, they could drop again next month, so do I just keep waiting, waiting and waiting?” Zielinski said. He bought three homes as an investment, noting, “This property came for sale. We had been looking at it for a while and keeping an eye on the market, and as it came up, we decided to pull the trigger on it.”
He expressed comfort in buying, knowing that interest rates may decrease further. “We were comfortable buying it knowing interest rates could come down a little more,” he said.
Since January, 4,300 homes have been sold in Cape Coral compared to 3,300 in Fort Myers.
Real estate broker Mike Hollow shared his experience of selling his house quickly, saying, “My house set on the market for less than three days.” He explained his strategy, “I also went $20,000 under what I believe the actual list price should be.” Hollow noted that while there is still a lot of inventory, it is decreasing. “If you do not have to sell, I’m advising you to wait,” he said, predicting that the market is slowly improving.
He advised sellers to be realistic about pricing, stating, “If you’re putting your home on the market, we need sellers to be realistic that these are 2025 prices, not 2021 prices.” For buyers, he offered this insight: “The one thing that has always outperformed the stock market is real estate.”
Federal experts are expected to meet next week, and they may decide to lower interest rates again, potentially impacting the housing market further.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.