St. Petersburg Listings Average 75 Days on Market as Hurricane Damage Alters Housing Inventory

Written by:

Rudi Davis

Date:

02 Mar 2026

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Two major hurricanes in fall 2024 flooded properties across St. Petersburg, creating a surge of damaged inventory and changing how agents price and market homes. Jake Maisner, COO and Partner at Jac Smith Group with Keller Williams St. Pete Realty, says the flooding pushed a large number of damaged properties onto the market, forcing agents to rethink pricing strategies and abandon assumptions formed during the pandemic-era seller’s market.

“We experienced something horrible in September and October 2024, with two major hurricanes flooding properties in ways we’d never seen,” Maisner says. The event shifted the market from scarcity to greater listing availability, but the additional inventory has not benefited all buyers equally.

Hurricane Damage Creates a Two-Tier Housing Market

Hurricane damage has created a two-tier housing market. Homes in desirable neighborhoods that avoided flood damage and are in good condition continue to attract multiple offers and sell quickly. In contrast, damaged properties are sitting much longer. Maisner notes that properties that meet three criteria (no flood damage, good overall condition, and competitive pricing) still move quickly despite the broader slowdown.

“If you have a house in a desirable neighborhood that didn’t flood, is in good condition, and is priced reasonably, it’s going to sell quickly, potentially with multiple offers — even in this market — because there’s still a lack of affordable single-family homes,” Maisner says.

Average days on market in the St. Petersburg area have climbed to about 75 days, with single-family homes typically selling faster than condos. This is a marked change from the pandemic years, when homes often sold within days, sometimes above asking price.

The quality gap among available homes now matters more than the overall number of listings. Buyers have more choices, but many homes carry flood history, deferred maintenance, or insurance complications that reduce their appeal. As a result, inventory levels suggest a buyer’s market, but the best properties still spark competitive bidding.

Competitive Pricing Below Market Comparables

Market changes have pushed agents to adopt pricing strategies that were uncommon during the rapid appreciation period from 2020 to 2022. Maisner says his team now advises sellers to price homes at or slightly below market comparables to avoid long listing periods, which signal distress to buyers.

“Pricing things competitively, rather than letting them sit on the market, is now standard,” Maisner says. He points out that the sharp appreciation during the pandemic has led sellers to expect conditions that no longer align with current conditions.

Sellers now face more difficult conversations about realistic home pricing. Maisner’s team focuses on transparency, not optimism, when counseling clients about price.

“We want to tell people the truth, not just what they want to hear,” Maisner says. He adds that overpriced homes are not getting showings, which is immediate feedback that the price is too high.

Pricing below comparables marks a significant change in approach. During the pandemic, agents could confidently price at or above recent sales, knowing buyer competition would likely push prices higher. Now, pricing below recent comparables is necessary to generate early interest and avoid the stigma of a stale listing.

Using Pre-Listing Inspections to Reduce Transaction Risk

With so many flood-damaged properties on the market, disclosure and transparency have become critical for sellers who want to avoid late-stage deal failures. Maisner says his team now encourages sellers to get pre-listing home inspections, so they can accurately disclose property conditions and avoid surprises during buyer due diligence.

“When we take listings, we encourage the seller to get a pre-home inspection so they know the condition of the property and can disclose accordingly,” Maisner says. This strategy shifts the discovery of property issues to the start of the transaction, enabling more accurate pricing and informed offers.

Pre-listing inspections also reduce the likelihood that transactions will fail after the buyer’s inspection. Maisner reports his team’s transaction failure rate is about 7%, compared to a market average of 25%. He attributes this lower rate in part to proactive disclosure and realistic pricing.

Sellers also gain leverage in negotiations by disclosing issues upfront. When a seller can show that problems have already been identified and disclosed, buyers have less room to renegotiate the price or demand repairs after their own inspection. This creates more certainty for both sides and lowers the risk of last-minute deal failures.

Agent Strategy and Team Operations After the Hurricanes

The Jac Smith Group has responded to the post-hurricane market by focusing on transparent communication and data-driven pricing. The team holds daily calls to review active listings, showing feedback, and market trends, followed by practice sessions where agents role-play listing appointments and handle objections.

Maisner explains that the team’s structure, which includes 15 agents supported by a marketing director and a director of operations, enables comprehensive client service and maintains steady communication with clients. Over the past seven years, the team has completed more than 700 transactions totaling over $400 million in sales.

The group also builds close relationships with trusted vendors, including lenders, inspectors, and insurance agents, to provide accurate cost estimates and help buyers understand the full cost of ownership beyond the purchase price. Maisner emphasizes that proactive insurance quotes and detailed HOA information are critical, as online estimates often fail to capture key local factors.

Looking Ahead: Navigating a Changed Market

As St. Petersburg’s market continues to adjust to the aftermath of the hurricanes, Maisner says managing seller expectations is essential. Buyers now have negotiating leverage that was rare in recent years but need to be selective given the varying quality of available homes. The Jac Smith Group is expanding into South Florida, where Maisner is opening a new office to serve the Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach markets.

The post-hurricane market rewards transparency, accurate pricing, and proactive risk management. For sellers, realistic expectations and upfront disclosure are crucial to closing deals. For buyers, the market offers more choices, but careful evaluation is necessary to avoid hidden costs and pitfalls. The lessons from St. Petersburg’s post-hurricane recovery are shaping how agents and clients approach real estate across Florida in 2025.