As 2025 comes to a close, one big question keeps coming up: what’s next for housing in 2026?
Will prices go up? Will they fall? Is a crash coming?

Based on real data — not headlines or hype — the answer is clear: the housing market is not crashing. But it is resetting into something more balanced, more strategic, and healthier than what we’ve seen over the last few years.

📉 Mortgage Rates: Still Elevated, But Moving in the Right Direction

Mortgage rates continue to be one of the most important drivers of housing activity. While the ultra-low rates of 2020–2021 are long gone, we’ve already come a long way.

• The 30-year fixed rate peaked near 8% in October 2023
• Throughout 2025, rates steadily declined from the low-7% range into the low-6% range
• This gradual drop has helped demand recover to its highest levels since early 2023

Importantly, real estate reacts slowly. Falling rates don’t instantly translate into closed sales, they take months to work through the system. What we’re seeing now is the early impact of that shift.

🏡 Inventory Is Growing — And That’s a Good Thing

For the first time since before the pandemic, inventory has meaningfully improved.

• The U.S. has now held over 1 million active listings for six consecutive months
• Inventory levels are comparable to 2019, not 2008
• We are still about one-third of the inventory levels seen during the last housing crash

More inventory doesn’t signal collapse — it signals choice, negotiation, and normalization. Homes are staying on the market longer, returning to pre-pandemic timelines rather than selling in days.

📊 Pricing Is Rebalancing, Not Falling Apart

Another key signal: pricing behavior.

• About 20% of listings are now seeing price reductions, up from pandemic lows near 10%
• This aligns closely with pre-COVID norms
• Asking prices are softening, which typically leads closed-sale prices by several months

This doesn’t mean values are dropping dramatically — it means the market is finding fair value again.

📍 What This Means for Fort Lauderdale

Locally, Fort Lauderdale and South Florida are experiencing the same recalibration:

• More listings to choose from
• Longer days on market
• Less pressure to overpay
• More emphasis on pricing correctly and planning ahead

This is no longer a frenzy market. It’s a strategy market.

🔮 Looking Ahead to 2026

The data points toward a constructive outlook:

• Small, steady appreciation — not explosive growth
• Increased transaction volume forecast for 2026
• A healthier balance between supply and demand

For anyone considering a move, the most important question isn’t “Will the market crash?”
It’s “How long do I plan to hold?”

Historically, holding real estate for five years or more has consistently rewarded patience, even through market cycles.

⭐ The MPH Team Perspective

The housing market isn’t breaking — it’s resetting.

More inventory, more realistic pricing, and improving demand are signs of a healthier system. For Fort Lauderdale, that creates opportunity for those who plan early and act thoughtfully.

If 2026 is on your radar, this is the time to prepare — not react.

Lourdes Maestres | The MPH Team
Your trusted Fort Lauderdale real estate advisors