A new Florida Realtors report found home and condo sales increased statewide in July, but Polk County saw declines in both categories.
Florida Realtors reported that sales of single-family homes rose 5% statewide in July from a year earlier, while condo and townhome sales increased 11%, prompting the association’s chief economist to cite “increasing evidence that buyers are returning to the market.”
In Polk County, however, single-family home sales fell 6% from July 2025.
Lakeland-based mortgage loan officer Charles Garneau of Neighborhood Loans noted that inflation has reduced affordability for middle-income buyers. “As the cost of goods goes up, it has altered the ability for the middle class to purchase properties,” said Garneau.
Meanwhile, sales of condos and townhomes in the county fell 11% year over year.
Garneau said higher costs for master insurance, which covers shared buildings and common areas in condo and townhome communities, have driven up homeowners association (HOA) fees. He estimates that each additional $50 in monthly HOA fees reduces a first-time homebuyer’s purchasing power by about $10,000.
However, the region’s broader growth offers reason for optimism, Garneau said. A LendingTree study released last week ranked Tampa fifth and Orlando eighth among U.S. “boomtowns.”
“That’s our secret recipe — we’re right between Tampa and Orlando,” he said. “I see Polk County home sales continuing to show high numbers moving forward.”
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