House prices in a “hot” state like Florida “have stabilized” in the last semester and the increase is around 10.8% compared to 2024, “which can no longer be seen as an uncontrolled price,” said specialist Anna K. Scarcella Caradonna in Miami.
Scarcella Caradonna, a public accountant and specialized Real Estate Agent, indicated that interest rates in the sector have progressively decreased and are positioned at around 6.43%, with a tendency to continue decreasing.
“The fall in prices today is evident, compared to 2024. Florida continues to be a plus for the real estate industry, due to good labor demand, lower exposure to weather risks, and more manageable insurance costs. For investors, the residential rental segment can continue to be attractive, as long as areas with good demographic growth and stable demand are chosen,” he explained.
Scarcella Caradonna, with more than 15 years of experience in administrative, accounting, space design and real estate management, sees a different situation on the West Coast.
“The California Association of Realtors projects that single-family home sales will increase ~10.5%. Insurance costs, especially in areas prone to wildfires or climate hazards, are rising. In California, the cost of housing is exaggeratedly high,” he said.
On the other hand, he says that in New York (Manhattan) the luxury market is still very active: “high-value transactions are holding up, even when other segments cool down.”
Chicago, meanwhile, is also among the “hottest” markets of 2025, according to Zillow, and moderate value growth is projected. However, in the city center, maintenance costs, taxes, and rent competition can limit growth.
According to the expert, the largest number of doubts from foreigners about investments in 2026 are based on Florida.
“If we talk about new construction in the center of cities, there is a high range of variety of skyscrapers in the downtown area of Miami, with high costs. This also means a boost for the economy, due to the investment of foreigners,” says Anna K. Scarcella Caradonna.
In particular, he cites cities such as Orlando or Tampa, where the price difference (“premium”) that new homes normally had compared to existing ones, “is reducing.”
In some cases, new ones cost similar or even less if incentives are considered. “It should be noted that buying a new property offers more opportunity in the future, to be able to see its profitability. Today, construction companies offer incentives: payment of closing costs, promotional mortgage rates, upgrades. This offers advantages over existing ownership,” adds Scarcella, an expert in identifying investment opportunities.