The national housing market got off to a slower start than expected in 2026, with newly released data showing a noticeable drop in the pace of existing-home sales. While national figures don’t always match local conditions exactly, these broader trends often give useful context for buyers and sellers in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida
According to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), sales of existing homes in the United States fell by 8.4% in January, coming in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million transactions — the lowest level since late 2023.
What This Means for Fort Lauderdale
Now let’s zoom closer to home.
📌 Recent Local Trends
In Fort Lauderdale’s market as of January 2026:
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🏡 Median sale price ~ $619K, modestly down year-over-year
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📉 Homes sold ~227 units, slightly fewer than last year
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⏱️ Median days on market ~ 92 days, shorter than last year — meaning homes are still moving.
In other words, Fort Lauderdale isn’t seeing the same slowdown in demand as the national market — but transactions are modestly quieter than a year ago, and inventory remains below what typical buyers would like.
