South Florida’s housing boom isn’t slowing down, but it’s getting more complex. At the South Florida Business Journal’s “South Florida Housing 2026” panel at FIU, industry leaders including John Carter, Christina Pappas, David Resnick, Nick Rojo, and Peter Zalewski made it clear: demand is surging, but the market is under pressure.
Luxury continues to lead the story, with wealthy buyers and finance-driven migration pushing record sales across the region. But affordability is slipping further out of reach for locals. First-time buyers are struggling (and the average age is getting older), and a growing “missing middle” is getting squeezed out of homeownership.
The biggest issue is supply and where to build next. Developers are pushing north into Martin County and St. Lucie County, where land is more available and prices are slightly more attainable. Closer to home, cities like West Palm Beach are going vertical, adding density with new condo towers and mixed-use projects. There is also a shift toward redeveloping underused sites, including aging shopping centers and even golf courses, while policies like the Live Local Act are helping fast-track workforce housing in urban areas.
South Florida is not just growing, it is maturing into a major metro, and the housing challenges that come with that are now front and center.
