The real estate market in Florida remains hot despite the departure of agents: "It's not an accident"

The National Association of Realtors reports that the number of companies fell from the 2022 record of 1.6 million to 1.5 million last January
With new data on the number of U.S. realtors indicating a decline in membership growth this year, as agents stand at the door in once-hot markets, real estate experts predict Florida will remain hot despite the exodus.
“It's no accident,” said National Association of Home Builders CEO Jerry Howard, “that there's 1.9% [population] growth in Florida. Florida encourages growth in all sectors, as well as the Carolinas. And that's where people move. You can still build there."
On "Varney & Co.", Howard's commentary was paired with two Florida real estate leaders who made it clear they are not leaving the Sunshine State anytime soon - even though home sales have been down since last year.
"There are just fewer deals," Echo Fine Properties owner Jeff Lichtenstein told FOX Business' Madison Elworth of Miami Beach. "We are down about 40% from December last year compared to December this year. And so all this money from the stimulus funds, interest rates dropped from 3% to 7%, all of which simply made fewer transactions out there."
Not creating a headwind due to a drop in sales opportunities didn't stop Echo Fine Properties agent Aviva Wittenberg from starting her career in Florida four months ago.
"Something that has really worked for me is choosing a broker that offers a lot of support, mentoring and lead generation. It was really essential to my success in the beginning," Wittenberg also told Elworth.
Their comments contradict the latest report from the National Association of Realtors in which the trade group expects membership to decline this year after January numbers showed a significant drop from its peak in October 2022.
Other market experts echoed the sentiment that Florida will resist a cost fix in 2023, and its market will continue to grow.
"As long as California and states like Massachusetts pass measures like the estate tax or the millionaires tax and continue to drive ultra-high-net-worth individuals out of their states, I believe this year will show healthy growth for Miami and South Florida," said real estate expert Dina Goldentier on "Mornings with Maria" " Last month.
Howard, who oversees the largest network of tradesmen and home renovators, added that Democratic-led states are making it harder to promote housing affordability and supply.
“California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, they're all very, very difficult for builders to build any housing, let alone housing for the first-time home buyer market. So, yes, there are still some real problems."
FOX Business hosts Katrina Campins and Cheryl Kasson also argued on "Mornings with Maria" last month that Florida could see further growth as more residential supply comes on the market.
"Reasonable price is the main issue here," Campins said. "The average mortgage interest rate is projected to be $2,430 in 2023, which is a 28% increase from what we saw last year and almost double what we saw in 2021. I think the positive side is that there is more inventory in the market, 33.5% to be exact, which provided the buyers with negotiating power and more relief from the sellers."
The "Mansion Global" host further predicted growth in the rental market, and for Florida "to continue to rise in front of the entire nation."
"What I see in Florida is yes, there are fewer sales, but there is more growth than anywhere else in the country," Campins added. "You also have states like Texas and Tennessee. We continue to see this migration, especially in Florida."