Final December Results – “Real Estate Matters” January 10, 2026 Video Podcast

For more than 11 years, Real Estate Matters has been the voice of real estate in Palm Coast and Flagler County, Florida. Veranda Bay, the new luxury Intracoastal Community in Flagler Beach, sponsors the show.

Led by a record-breaking December, the last four months of 2025 suggest a strong Spring selling season.

Be sure to check out the new Flagler County Map of Developments and Subdivisions.

 

Raw Show Notes

Our behind-the-scenes guide to the show’s flow, including topics we didn’t have time to get to on the show. This is raw and likely contains typos. Data reflects the date of the show’s recording

Show Notes 1-10-2026

Recorded 1-8-2026

This is Real Estate Matters, for over 11 years, the voice of real estate in Flagler County and Palm Coast. Welcome to the quiet side of Florida. And Happy New Year.

I’m Toby Tobin, the publisher of GoToby.com, contributor to the Palm Coast Observer, and a Florida-licensed Realtor with Grand Living Realty. Co-host Annamaria Long is in the studio with me today.

Thanks to Our Sponsors:

• Our Lead Sponsor is Veranda Bay – A private developing community of lots and luxury homes on the Intracoastal Waterway in Flagler Beach, featuring custom homes by Olsen Homes, AR Homes by Arthur Rutenberg, ICI Homes, and Hulbert Homes. Newly opened sections feature homes by Toll Brothers and Dream Finders. To learn more, visit VerandaBay.com.
• Flagler County Home Builders Association
• Hammock Community Church – On A1A in The Hammock – Small enough to know you but large enough to serve you. North of the toll bridge with the message sign out front. It’s not just for Hammockians. Like me, many people cross the bridge.

Guest: None

December Final stats:

• 310 Homes sold via the Flagler MLS at $374,995 vs 230 homes at $355,000K last December DOM = 81 this year
• $250K and lower = 15, 5 for cash, DOM=17. %/List 93%
• $1M or higher – 20, 15 for cash, DOM=20. %/List 96%
• Homes listed – 1,147
• Homes Pending – 251
• 3.7 months of inventory based on December sales
• Median Price of homes pending – $394.9K –  %/List 98% (estimated next few months = $387K)
• 868 MF permits and an estimated 1,720 single-family units, totaling 2,588 or 5.176 new residents which is in line with our average growth over the past 5 years.

2025 New Construction vs Existing Homes compared:

Median Price

• NC – $352,990
• EH – $380,000

Square Feet heated – US average 2,200-2,300, Florida average 2,000-2,500

• NC – 1,836
• EH – 1,944

$/SF

• NC – $191.93
• EH – 205.29

Did you know:

Since 2003, the Flagler County population has increased 128.0%. During that same period, the total Just Value of the county’s real estate increased by 153.7% (adjusted for inflation). The total county taxable value increased by 124.1% (adjusted for inflation).

Observations:

December is often an odd month in housing. Year-end financial positioning decisions prevail. Both median and average sales prices are elevated. Cash is king. 

December 2025 defied history. The total value of single-family home sales in Flagler County was the second-highest of any month on record. Combined with the sector’s strength from September through November, one has to wonder why nobody has noticed except for this show and its companion blog, GoToby.com.

Highlights to date:

Based on December numbers, we have only 3.7 months of listed inventory.

The high end of the market is very strong, with 20 $1M+ sales.

The last four months of the year are substantially better for the Flagler housing market than both the first 8 months of the year and the same period last year.

Next year’s drivers:

Third quarter GDP growth was a surprising 4.3%. 2026 will be fueled by increased tax refunds and reduced withholding.

Demand is strong among a reduced pool of buyers, but that pool should become increasingly larger as mortgage interest rates drop.

Belying the stampede for a building moratorium, building permit growth is well below the levels seen in the early 2000s. In 2004, 73.9 residential units were permitted per 1,000 county residents. In 2025, only 18.3 units were permitted per 1,000 residents, the lowest number in the past six years.

Prediction – There will be a shortage of inventory for sale in the Spring of 2026.

Wrap up:

Video podcasts of Real Estate Matters are available on GoToby.com. Click on Podcasts on the top navigation bar. Show notes are included so you can see what we didn’t get to on the show. Also on GoToby.com – the Flagler County Interactive map of residential developments and subdivisions, updated regularly.

If you have a question or a suggestion for Real Estate Matters or GoToby.com, reach out to me.

(386) 931-7124 or email me at Toby@GoToby.com

A companion article with  an interactive map of homes sold can be found here: December 2025 Housing Market Wrap- up for Flagler/Palm Coast