Is Now a Good Time To Buy a Home in Southwest Florida?

By David Moliver

David brings over thirty-five years of real estate experience to the table, having not only led and mentored countless real estate agents but also personally built and managed his own successful team.

“Is now the right time to buy a home or should you wait?” Lately, I’ve been getting this question a lot, especially from buyers looking in Southwest Florida. After years of rising prices and fast-moving sales, the market finally looks different. Buyers now have more options, more time, and more room to negotiate. But many are still holding back, waiting for interest rates to fall. If you’re planning to buy but you’re hesitating because you don’t know where the housing market is heading, here’s what I’m seeing and why now might be the best time to buy:

1. Buyers have more leverage than they’ve had in years. For the past six years, sellers had the upper hand. Today, that dynamic has shifted because homes are taking longer to sell, and nearly half of all listings are reducing their prices. That gives you more choices, more negotiating power, and more time to make thoughtful decisions. You can request price reductions, seller concessions, and interest rate buy-downs.

2. Inventory is rising, but prices remain stable. More homes are coming on the market, which means buyers are gaining flexibility. Despite this, prices are holding steady and climbing slowly in many areas. That tells us that demand is still strong, even though buyers are more selective right now.

3. Interest rates feel high but are historically normal. Today’s rates are in the high 6% range. That may sound high if you’re comparing them to the past few years when rates were unusually low. But if you look at the last 20 years, interest rates have generally averaged between 5.5% and 6%.

4. You can always refinance later. There’s a saying in real estate: marry the house, date the rate. If you buy now, you secure the price while competition is low. Then, when rates come down in the future, you can refinance and lower your monthly payment. Waiting for better rates may mean missing out on today’s pricing, especially once demand increases again.

If you are unsure about where you want to live or your financial situation is not yet stable, it may be best to wait. But if you know you want to buy in Southwest Florida, including areas like Naples, Fort Myers, or Cape Coral, this could be the best opportunity you’ll have in years.

If you want to discuss your options or walk through the numbers together, feel free to call or text me at 786-671-1194 or email me at info@venturehomesrealty.com. I’m happy to help you make the right move when you’re ready.