Florida recorded $2.16 billion in new residential construction permits across five monitored regions in September, as permit activity declined 21%. Average construction values varied widely, from about $276,000 per permit in Jacksonville to nearly $491,000 in Southeast Florida. The figures reflect recorded construction values—not asking prices or eventual sale prices.
Key takeaways
September’s permit figures point to weaker activity across all five regions, while construction values differed substantially by location.
- Permits decreased 21% across Tampa, Southwest Florida, Jacksonville, Orlando and Southeast Florida.
- The regions recorded a combined $2.16 billion in new residential construction permits.
- Jacksonville had the lowest average construction value per permit; Southeast Florida had the highest.
Permit activity declined across the monitored regions
The September report showed a 21% decrease in home permits across the five Florida regions tracked by Home Builders Weekly. The available figures do not specify whether the decline was measured against the previous month or the same month in the prior year, so the comparison period is not clear.
Together, the regions recorded $2.16 billion in new residential construction permits. The total provides a broad measure of permitted construction activity, but the figures supplied do not break down the overall amount or the decline by region.
Construction values varied by region
Average recorded construction value ranged from $276,273 per permit in Jacksonville to $490,704 in Southeast Florida. That gap illustrates how reported project values can vary across the state’s housing markets.
These averages refer to construction values recorded with permits. They are not measures of the homes’ asking prices or the prices buyers ultimately pay, and should not be interpreted as direct estimates of home values.
What the figures indicate
A widespread decline in permits can offer a snapshot of residential building activity, but the September data alone do not explain what drove the change or establish whether it will continue. The total permit value and regional averages describe different aspects of the market: one captures combined recorded construction value, while the other compares average values per permit.
The report provides a statewide regional overview, but further detail—including permit counts, comparisons over time and region-by-region totals—would be needed to assess the scale and causes of the downturn more fully.