Jacksonville-area buyers seeking a deal may want to keep newly built homes in the mix.
As WJXT News4JAX reported, the extra cost that usually came with new construction in Northeast Florida has shrunk to almost nothing, and sales recorded in 2026 even show some new homes coming in below resales on a per-square-foot basis.
Here's what to know
Figures from a 25-year review of local home sales show that, on a price-per-square-foot basis, new and existing homes in the region are now landing at about the same level, according to the station. That marks a sharp break from the wider gap buyers faced in earlier years.
Jon Brooks, a market analyst and co-founder of Momentum Realty, found that new homes carried about a 39% per-square-foot premium in 2011, but by 2024 that difference had been reduced to 2.4%.
"Typically, new construction has a 15 to 20% premium over existing homes," Brooks told WJXT. "So from a historical standpoint, what we're seeing right now is very different than what we were normally used to."
By 2025, the gap was down to 0.3%. The station also reported that sales recorded in 2026 show new homes edging slightly below resales on a per-square-foot basis.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
More background
The change appears to reflect two trends moving at once as existing-home values climbed quickly, while builders stepped up their efforts to win over buyers, WJXT reported. Together, those forces helped erase a pricing divide that had lasted for years.
Builders are doing more than trimming asking prices. Many are also using buyer incentives, especially on financing, to improve affordability. A major example is the mortgage rate buy-down, which can bring a buyer's interest rate below prevailing market levels.
"The builders are willing to not only give the concession on the mortgage, but also cut the price of the house to make deals work with buyers," Brooks explained to the station.
That means two homes with similar list prices may not carry the same monthly cost if the new build includes financing help or a lower mortgage rate.
The trend could also put pressure on sellers of existing homes. If buyers can get a comparable price, a lower rate, and fewer immediate repair concerns with a new home, resale sellers may need to adjust their expectations.
What can be done?
A lower per-square-foot figure can still come with tradeoffs. Competition no longer comes only from nearby resale listings.
Builders offering financing perks may now be setting the standard for value, which could shape pricing and negotiations across the broader Jacksonville-area market.
"Some of them are losing money," Brooks told WJXT. "The majority of them, their margins are much less than what they're used to getting."
In a market where affordability can determine whether a move is possible, the narrowing gap gives households more options. It could also one day lead to the unthinkable in falling home prices.
"We could see prices actually come down further moving forward now that the ratios have flipped," Brooks predicted to the station.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
