Central Florida new-construction listings hit 1,526 with 40% already discounted

A Stellar MLS pull across Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties found 1,526 active new-construction listings on Sept. 2, 2026, with 607 already priced below their original asking price. The data underscore how builders are leaning on incentives and rate buydowns to move inventory as mortgage costs remain elevated.

Why it matters: - Central Florida buyers are seeing more new homes advertised with incentives instead of outright price cuts. - The pricing gap matters because builder-paid rate buydowns can lower monthly payments without reducing purchase prices or loan balances. - The inventory level also shows where builders may be under pressure to compete, especially in Seminole and Volusia counties.

What happened: - A Stellar MLS analysis by The Homes In Orlando Team found 1,526 active new-construction residential listings across Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties on Sept. 2, 2026. - Of those listings, 607 were priced below their original list price, equal to 39.8% of the total. - Lake County had the largest pool of active new-construction listings at 611. - Orange County followed with 549 active listings, then Volusia County with 249 and Seminole County with 117. - The share of listings already reduced ranged from 33.5% in Orange County to 54.7% in Seminole County.

The details: - The full county table and payment calculations are published in the full analysis. - The U.S. Census Bureau and HUD reported Aug. 25 that the national median price of new single-family houses sold in July 2026 was $393,800. - That July median price was down 2.3% from June and 0.9% from July 2025. - Census figures showed 488,000 new houses for sale and a 9.6-month supply at the July sales rate. - Those Census contract prices do not include builder-paid incentives. - Builder programs in Central Florida include permanent rate buydowns on 30-year FHA fixed loans in the 4.875% to 4.99% range. - Other offers include temporary 2/1 buydowns that start at 3.99% and rise to a 5.99% note rate in year three. - Builders are also offering cash credits of up to $50,000 for upgrades or closing costs. - Each program is tied to financing through the builder's affiliated lender and includes a contract or closing deadline. - Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the 30-year fixed rate at 6.66% for the week of Aug. 27, 2026. - Using a $412,392 FHA loan from one builder example, a permanent 4.875% rate produces a principal-and-interest payment of about $2,182 a month. - The same loan at 6.66% would cost about $2,650 a month. - The monthly difference is about $468. - Matching that payment at the market rate would require a price reduction of roughly $72,800. - A 2/1 buydown on a $500,000 loan with a 5.99% note rate saves about $7,300 in year one and $3,800 in year two. - That equals roughly $11,100 in total before the payment resets to the note rate for the remaining 28 years. - The county medians for active new-construction list price were $605,051 in Orange, $466,990 in Seminole, $424,900 in Lake and $424,990 in Volusia. - The median list price for all active listings was $430,000 in Orange, $395,000 in Seminole, $389,900 in Lake and $370,000 in Volusia.

Between the lines: - The data suggest builders are using financing incentives to protect headline prices while making monthly payments more attractive. - That approach can help move inventory, but it can also make advertised affordability look better than the underlying contract price. - Brenden Rendo said buyers should compare incentive dollars in three forms: toward price, toward a permanent buydown and split between the two. - Rendo also said buyers should read the loan type carefully because some advertised rates are adjustable loans with caps near 9%, not 30-year fixed mortgages. - The methodology excludes builder inventory not entered in MLS, so the true new-home count is higher. - Osceola County is excluded from the coverage area.

What's next: - The Homes In Orlando Team said it publishes weekly market data drawn directly from Stellar MLS. - The team said it can provide county or city-level breakdowns on request. - Press users may use the figures with attribution, and Brenden Rendo can be reached at 407-616-9019.

The bottom line: - Central Florida's new-home market is still moving, but builders are increasingly competing on payment relief rather than sticker price alone.