Here’s some good news for people looking to purchase a home in SW Florida, at least according to one analysis.
As the summer homebuying season kicks off and National Homeownership Month approaches, new data from Bankrate shows that Florida is home to six of the nation’s 10 best markets for buyers, according to Bankrate’s Buyer Opportunity Index.
Among them, the Cape Coral-Fort Myers market ranks No. 2 nationwide, supported in part by strong job and population growth in recent years, along with a faster pace of new residential construction than many other parts of the country.
What they are saying: Florida is a ‘buyers’ market
“In some parts of the country, including Florida, the pandemic housing boom is clearly over,” says Jeff Ostrowski, Housing Market Writer and Analyst at Bankrate. “This is frustrating for sellers, but it represents an opportunity for buyers who have been waiting for market conditions to turn in their favor.”
Bankrate’s Buyer Opportunity Index compared market conditions in February 2026 against February 2022 by analyzing four key metrics:
Buyers markets in Florida ranking in Top-10 in U.S.
Florida markets ranking in the top 10:
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Real estate news: SW Florida a prime spot for home buyers right now
Reporting by Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
