Statewide new-home permits fell 7% through Q2 2026, yet Northwest Florida, Manatee County and Walton County bucked the trend with meaningful gains, according to HBW Building Activity Trend Report data.
Source: Original report
Florida's residential construction market continued to soften during the first half of 2026, with statewide permit volume slipping 7% compared to the same stretch in 2025 — but a handful of regions and counties pushed back against that trend with notable year-over-year gains.
According to the latest HBW Building Activity Trend Report from DeBary-based permit data firm HBW, a total of 51,444 new residential construction permits were recorded statewide through the second quarter. That follows a 4% annual decline the year before, suggesting the slowdown predates 2026 rather than representing a sudden shift.
HBW framed the numbers cautiously, noting that mid-year data can be misleading and that the results appear to reflect a market that is cooling rather than one facing structural problems.
Regional Breakdown
West Florida held its position as the state's most active construction region, logging 12,489 permits despite a 14% year-over-year drop. Southwest Florida ranked second with 10,988 permits, also down 7%.
Northwest Florida stood out as the strongest-performing region, recording 7,093 permits — an 11% increase from the prior year. Southeast Florida edged up 1% to 5,069 permits.
The steepest regional decline came from Central Florida, where permits fell 17% to 7,039. Northeast Florida recorded 8,766 permits, a 4% decrease.
County-Level Divergence
Performance at the county level showed even sharper contrasts. Lee County led the state in total volume at 3,333 permits, though activity there dropped 30%. Pasco County fell 23% to 3,130 permits, and Polk County declined 18% to 3,224.
Manatee County was a standout, posting 3,179 permits — a 39% surge compared to the first half of 2025, making it one of the biggest year-over-year gainers among high-volume counties.
Other counties that recorded growth included:
- Walton County: 855 permits, up 41%
- Palm Beach County: 1,264 permits, up 10%
- Lake County: 1,637 permits, up 7%
- Bay County: 1,210 permits, up 5%
- Marion County: 2,921 permits, essentially flat year-over-year — potentially a stabilization signal after a 23% drop in 2025
Premium Homes Holding Steady
High-value construction remained a relative bright spot. West Florida led with 1,762 permits for homes valued at $500,000 or more, followed by Southwest Florida at 1,381 and Southeast Florida at 1,344. HBW noted that demand for premium homes appears to be holding firm even as overall volume softens.
What It Means for Builders and Agents
HBW emphasized that statewide figures can obscure wide variation at the local level, making county-specific data especially valuable for builders and real estate professionals trying to gauge where new inventory is expanding or contracting. The report characterized Florida's construction market through mid-2026 as cooling but still active — declining in aggregate, but far from distressed.
