Three years ago, buying a home in Citrus County, Florida, meant competing for scarce inventory in a market where sellers had no reason to negotiate. That dynamic has reversed. For buyers, the shift in leverage may matter more than any change in prices.
Bruce Brunk, an agent with The Citrus County Dream Team at Keller Williams Realty Elite Partners II, has worked Citrus County since 2005. He says that at the market’s peak around 2023, sellers routinely collected 99.6 percent of their asking price. Inventory was so thin that homeowners hesitated to list because they had nowhere to go. Today, that figure has slipped to roughly 95 to 96 percent of asking price, and inventory has grown considerably.
This distinction matters because buyers often judge a market mainly by price. According to Brunk, Citrus County’s median age is 57, and roughly a third of transactions are cash deals. In that market, the ability to find a home and negotiate on it can matter as much as the price.
Three years ago, the problem was scarce supply, not high prices. “The problem three years ago is you could easily sell a home, but you couldn’t find a home to buy,” Brunk says. Sellers who could not find a next home held off on listing, which tightened supply further.
That cycle has loosened. Brunk says buyers today can choose from several homes in the most active communities, such as Pine Ridge. The 55-plus community sits at the end of the recently extended Suncoast Parkway, which now offers a direct route to Tampa. Sellers still have a working market. Homes are selling for a few percentage points below asking price.
Single-family prices are still rising slightly, up a couple of percentage points year over year. That figure comes from data Brunk’s team compiles for a monthly mailer sent to about 3,000 residents. Buyers are not saving through lower prices. They are gaining leverage: the ability to negotiate, walk away from a deal that does not work, and find a property that fits.
Not everything is working in buyers’ favor. Brunk says interest rates remain a significant obstacle, especially for buyers who cannot pay cash. Many Citrus County buyers are retirees who skip financing entirely. But the county also has first-time buyers and younger workers who support the local service economy.
Rates in 2026 have also defied expectations. “Those didn’t go the way we thought they were going to go at the beginning of the year,” Brunk says. The slow movement in rates hits hardest for buyers who need a mortgage, especially where cash offers are common.
The result is an uneven playing field. A retiree moving from the Northeast with proceeds from a home sale can make an all-cash offer and close quickly. A younger buyer who needs a loan must deal with rates, appraisal requirements, and sellers who may prefer the certainty of cash. Brunk’s team recently lost a deal when the appraisal came in below the purchase price. Cash buyers do not face that risk.
Single-family prices have held steady or risen slightly. Condo and townhome prices, however, have dropped 20 to 25 percent from their peak roughly three years ago, according to Brunk. He says the South Florida condo collapse made many buyers wary of attached housing, which explains part of the decline. In communities such as Royal Oaks, near the Inverness airport, listings have sat unsold for six to eight months.
This split shapes where investors find opportunity. Brunk says the flat single-family market makes flipping difficult because prices are not rising enough to generate returns. He sees better opportunity in buy-and-hold rentals, especially in the Citrus County community of Beverly Hills. Entry-level two-bedroom homes there sell for around $165,000 and rent for roughly $1,400 to $1,500 a month after renovation. At a higher price point, Citrus Springs offers new-construction three-bedroom homes for $250,000 to $275,000 that rent for around $1,900 a month.
Brunk describes the current market as close to ideal. “Now you’ve got inventory for buyers to choose from, but you also have good opportunity for sellers,” he says. That balance does not mean bargains are easy to find. Sellers still collect 95 to 96 cents on the dollar, and well-priced listings in well-connected communities sell without sitting for months.
What has changed is the pace and pressure of each transaction. Buyers now have time to decide, backup options if a deal falls through, and room to ask for concessions sellers would have rejected three years ago. Brunk points to a planned Tampa General Hospital facility and a dozen new restaurants recently opened in the county center. He says the local economy is adding the jobs and infrastructure that support lasting housing demand. If that demand grows, inventory could tighten again and narrow the room buyers now have to negotiate.
About the Expert: Bruce Brunk has worked in Citrus County, Florida since 2005 with The Citrus County Dream Team at Keller Williams Realty Elite Partners II.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The views and opinions expressed herein reflect those of the individuals quoted and do not represent an endorsement of any company, product, or service mentioned. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult qualified professionals before making any investment decisions.
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