Northeast Florida Home Sales Slide Again in September. Here Is What the Data Shows

Reporting on Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) data, Florida Politics (October 12, 2026) and Clay Today (October 15, 2026) headline that Northeast Florida home sales slid again in September, the third consecutive month of declining closed sales, even as the region's median price held its value. Florida Politics' read put September closed sales at 1,608, down 7.7% year over year from 1,742 in September 2025 and down about 8% from August, and put the six-county median at $398,566, up 2.8% year over year and up 1.1% from August. It is one read of the NEFAR data: NEFAR's own September summary, released October 8, showed 1,581 closed sales (down 9.5% from August) with the six-county median at $399,000, up 1.1%. Both point the same direction, sales cooling while prices hold.

What the Numbers Show

What It Means for Buyers and Sellers

For buyers, a third straight month of softer sales means more choices, more time, and more negotiating room than in recent years, especially with elevated mortgage rates now near 7.4% on Freddie Mac's weekly survey. For sellers, the message is to price realistically and market well, because the days of multiple offers in a weekend are not the norm in most of the region right now. A property that is priced to the current market and in good condition still sells; one that is not, sits.

What It Means for Homeowners Facing Distress

For a homeowner behind on payments or facing a lis pendens notice, the important detail is that prices are holding even as sales slow. When values hold, a short sale or a well-timed traditional sale can pay off more of the mortgage than it would in a falling market, which can reduce or eliminate a deficiency a lender might pursue. Acting early, while you still control the timing, is the single best way to protect your options, whether that means a loan modification, a short sale, a deed-in-lieu, or a traditional sale. Distress does not wait, and neither should you.

Randy Swihart

Broker-Realtor, CRB, CSSE, CDPE, SFR

Florida REO Services of Jax, Inc. · License BK3213477

Over 40 years in real estate, over 30 years exclusively in REO and distressed sales. I have been on both sides of the REO spectrum, inside for banks and as a servicer of REOs, and I understand loss mitigation from default to sale. My phone is always on, and texting is best.