The Lakeland-Winter Haven market right now
Sales figures: Redfin Data Center, market tracker (Redfin, a national real estate brokerage), Lakeland, FL metro area, May 2026, all residential property types. Typical value: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026, mid-tier homes, seasonally adjusted. These are area-wide figures, not a value for any one home.
With about 4.1 months of supply, this is a fairly balanced market by the usual rule of thumb, and homes sold for about 1.8% below their list price on average.
Show the numbers
| Month | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | $316,945 |
| Apr 2026 | $310,306 |
| Mar 2026 | $312,995 |
| Feb 2026 | $305,000 |
| Jan 2026 | $311,490 |
| Dec 2025 | $310,000 |
| Nov 2025 | $313,205 |
| Oct 2025 | $313,428 |
| Sep 2025 | $322,500 |
| Aug 2025 | $314,990 |
| Jul 2025 | $312,000 |
| Jun 2025 | $315,000 |
| May 2025 | $318,490 |
| Apr 2025 | $315,000 |
| Mar 2025 | $310,000 |
| Feb 2025 | $315,000 |
| Jan 2025 | $310,000 |
| Dec 2024 | $313,990 |
| Nov 2024 | $315,000 |
| Oct 2024 | $317,000 |
| Sep 2024 | $314,092 |
| Aug 2024 | $318,499 |
| Jul 2024 | $316,000 |
| Jun 2024 | $322,990 |
| May 2024 | $318,900 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Lakeland, FL metro area. Monthly figures, not seasonally adjusted, so some ups and downs are just the time of year.
What the metro area covers
The Census Bureau counts about 852,878 people in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area. Property taxes, recording fees and some transfer taxes are set county by county, so check the county your home is in.
| County | Population (2024 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Polk County, FL | 852,878 |
Towns with the most ZIP codes in the area: Lakeland, Winter Haven, Davenport, Lake Wales, Bartow, Haines City, Alturas, Auburndale, Babson Park, Bradley, Dundee, Eagle Lake.
Population and counties: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2023 metro delineations.
Florida rules that affect sellers
Transfer tax
Florida charges a documentary stamp tax on deeds of 70 cents per $100 of the sale price (Miami-Dade County: 60 cents per $100, plus a 45 cent per $100 surtax that does not apply to single-family homes). All parties to the deed are legally liable, but in most residential sales the seller customarily pays the tax on the deed and the parties can negotiate otherwise in the contract.
Local add-ons: Miami-Dade County uses a 60 cent base rate plus a 45 cent per $100 surtax on sales other than single-family homes.
Source: Florida Department of Revenue, Documentary Stamp Tax
Seller disclosure
Florida has no general statutory seller disclosure form. Instead, under the Florida Supreme Court case Johnson v. Davis (1985), a home seller who knows of facts that materially affect the property's value, are not readily observable, and are not known to the buyer has a duty to disclose them. Separate statutes do require specific written disclosures, including a property tax disclosure summary and a flood disclosure.
Source: Johnson v. Davis, 480 So. 2d 625 (Fla. 1985), opinion text
Who handles the closing
In Florida, either a licensed title agent or an attorney may handle a real estate closing, and an attorney is not legally required. Many closings are handled by title agencies, and the consumer may choose the title agent or attorney.
Source: Florida Department of Financial Services, Title Insurance consumer guide
Also worth knowing
Sellers of residential property must give buyers a written flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is signed, covering known past flood damage, flood insurance claims, and federal flood disaster assistance received.
Source: Florida Statutes section 689.302
Also worth knowing
Sellers of residential property must give buyers a property tax disclosure summary at or before contract signing, warning that the buyer's taxes may be higher than the seller's because a sale can trigger reassessment.
Source: Florida Statutes section 689.261
Also worth knowing
The documentary stamp tax on the deed is often the largest government fee a Florida seller pays. By custom it usually falls on the seller, but who pays is negotiable in the purchase contract.
Source: EPGD Business Law, The Documentary Stamp Tax (secondary source)
Checking an agent's license
Real estate agents in Florida are licensed by the Florida Real Estate Commission (Department of Business and Professional Regulation). You can look up any agent before you work with them.
Florida Real Estate Commission (Department of Business and Professional Regulation) license lookup
Rules checked 2026-09-30. They change, and local practice varies: confirm with your title company, closing attorney or agent before relying on them. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.