Flagler/Palm Coast Real Estate’s Underreported Strong Finish – “Real Estate Matters” January 3, 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.

With numbers still coming in, December is on track to be the second-best month for Flagler County’s housing sector sales volume. Why is nobody noticing?

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 1-3-2026

Recorded 12-31-2025

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 on the phone 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 MTD stats:

• 283 Homes sold via the Flagler MLS at $377,900 vs 230 homes at $355,000K last December DOM = 80 this year %/List 98% (estimated next few months = $377,202)
• $250K and lower = 12, 4 for cash, DOM=16. %/List 93%
• $1M or higher – 19, 15 for cash, DOM=16. %/List 96%
• Homes listed – 1,152
• Homes Pending – 252
• 4.1 months of inventory
• Median Price of homes pending – $384.9K
• 868 MF permits and an estimated 1,700, totaling 2,568 or 5.136 new residents

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. 

With more December sales to be reported over the next week, the month has already revealed a strength in the local housing market that has gone unnoticed (except by this show).

Highlights to date:

Highest median selling price since May 2024 and the highest total sales since June 2024.

Based on today’s December numbers, we have only 4.2 months of listed inventory.

The high end of the market is very strong, with 19 $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.

2025 New Construction vs existing homes compared:

Median Price

• NC – $352,990
• EH – $380,000

Square Feet heated

• NC – 1,836
• EH – 1,944

$/SF

• NC – $191.93
• EH – 205.29

Filler News:

For Sale by Owner transactions – better known as FSBOs – comprised just 5% of home sales during the past few years, beating out last year’s lowest on record of 7%, according to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Meanwhile, a record high of 91% of home sellers sold their homes with the assistance of a real estate agent.

The FSBO market share has been gradually shrinking over the last four decades, even as technological advances have entered more aspects of a real estate transaction. In 1985, FSBO sales accounted for up to 21% of home sales. The FSBO share has stayed mainly in the single digits since 2010.

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