Florida’s housing market attracts global attention as Orlando prices rise 24% in a single year
- Pending sales in Florida up 17.6% in 2013 (Florida Realtors)
- Orlando house prices up 24% in one year (Orlando Regional Realtor Association)
- Florida’s GDP set to increase by 3% in 2014 (BMO Economics)
The news for Florida’s housing market just keeps getting better. Not only has data from Florida Realtors confirmed that the state ended 2013 with more closed sales, more pending sales and higher median prices than in 2012, but it has also attracted the largest share of foreign buyers of any state in the US.
Florida’s closed sales of single-family homes were up 11.8% in 2013 over the 2012 figure, with pending sales (where contracts have been signed but not completed) up by an even more impressive 17.6%, according to the latest figures from the Florida Realtors Industry Data and Analysis department. The state-wide median sale price jumped 15.9% for the same period, to $168,000.
Florida’s success is set against an improving picture across the US, with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) recording a national increase in the median sale price for single-family homes in 2013 of 11.5% compared to 2012. The median price reached $197,100 for the year.
The figures show that not only are prices in Florida increasing faster than the US average, making it an attractive location for those looking for capital gains from real estate investment, but that they still have some way to go before they reach the national median figure of $197,100. These two factors have been responsible for a recent surge in foreign investment in Florida’s real estate, which data from the NAR Profile of International Home Buyers has shown accounted for 23% of the US total.
The figure confirms Florida’s position as capturing the largest share of foreign real estate investment in 2013 of any state in the US, with non-resident foreigners accounting for $6.4 billion of investment in the state in 2013. Interestingly, the NAR data has also shown that foreign investors’ desire for ‘above-average properties’ means that they purchase more luxurious (and expensive) homes than the state’s median price.
The high end three and four bedroom villas at The Fountains at ChampionsGate in Orlando are just the type of property that foreign investors are looking for. With gourmet kitchens, outdoor terraces, a resort-style pool and a clubhouse within walking distance, the villas provide the luxurious standards that overseas buyers demand. Surrounded by pine and oak trees, they offer peace and seclusion in which to enjoy Florida’s year-round sunshine, yet Walt Disney World and Florida’s myriad other attractions are just minutes away.
Orlando is one of Florida’s most popular areas when it comes to foreign real estate investment. Philip Button, Managing Director of Brookes & Co, the property investment specialists who are presenting The Fountains to the market in partnership with leading developer Feltrim, explains,
“Orlando has everything – a fantastic climate, world-class theme and water parks and some of the best golf courses in Florida. We’ve seen prices here increase by 24%
during 2013, according to the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, and the picture continues to improve. It’s an extremely exciting time for those looking to invest in Florida’s real estate market.”
Despite the increase, prices in the Orlando area remain well below their median peak of $264,000 in 2007, leaving investors excited about how much further prices may be expected to rise. Their confidence has strong foundations. According to a recent report from BMO Economics, Florida’s GDP is expected to increase by 3% during 2014, the state’s job growth rate was up 2.6% year on year in December 2013 (against a national rate of 1.7%) and housing starts rose by 35% for the year.
By 2020, Florida’s population is expected to increase by some 1.9 million people, according to the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. The increase will push the state’s population past 21.1 million, making it the third most populous state in the US. The increased population is expected to mean that Florida surpasses the population of New York in the near future.
With so many new residents needing housing, along with Florida’s record-breaking year for tourism in 2013, it’s no wonder that investors across the globe are so excited about the possibilities of the Sunshine State’s dynamic real estate sector.
For more information, contact Brookes & Co on 01621 875 925 or info@brookesandco.co.uk, or visit www.brookesandco.co.uk.