Florida
South Florida takes home sales hit in June as inventory swells
South Florida’s housing market was sluggish in June, as single-family home sales and even condominium sales were well off the mark from a year ago.
The “Elliman Report,” which analyzes home sales on a monthly basis, found June was a gut-punch for home sales for Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
“Newly signed contracts declined annually for the fourth time as new listings have been added annually each month since September” in South Florida, per the report
Palm Beach County had the roughest June among the South Florida counties as there was a whopping 21.3% decrease in single-family home sales compared to June 2023. In raw numbers, that’s a drop from 347 home-sale contracts signed in June 2023 to 273 signed contracts closing on home sales a month ago.
Meanwhile, as home sales are dropping in Palm Beach County, the inventory on homes for sale is creating a glut in the market. The number of homes listed for sale in that county jumped to 1,016 in June, up from 865 a year ago, or a 17.5% increase.
Miami-Dade County fared a bit better in June, but not by much. There were 784 new signed single-family home contracts signed for sales in June. That’s a 17% drop from June 2023 when there 945 closed contracts on sales.
Miami-Dade is also seeing a glut in the market, with 958 new single-family home listings last month. That’s an 18.3% jump from a year ago, when there were 810 listings.
Broward County’s home sales slump was less dramatic, but still ended up in the negative side of the ledger. There were 417 closed contracts on single-family home sales last month, which is a 6.5% slide from a year ago when there were 446 homes sold.
The rush to list more houses for sale in Broward County was the most substantial in all the South Florida counties. There were 1,118 new homes listed for sale in June, a big jump over June 2023, when there were 862 new listings which is a staggering 29.7% increase.
Condominium sales were also hurting in South Florida in June. All three counties recorded at least a 26% drop in condo closed contract sales last month compared to June 2023.
The South Florida home sale slow-down is reflective of some other areas of Florida. The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) released its monthly home sales report last week.
In a six-county area, there was a notable drop in sales for the First Coast in June. There were 1,097 total closed single-family home sales in Northeast Florida in June, a 14.7% decline from the 2,236 closed purchases in May 2023.
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Florida
‘All over’: Florida mental health counselor finds 50 bats inside her office
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
Florida
Byron Donalds’ chances of winning Florida governor’s seat, new poll shows
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is trailing Democratic candidate David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor, according to a new poll from Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm.
The survey could be an encouraging sign for Florida Democrats, who have not won a statewide election since 2018 and have struggled as the state shifted steadily toward Republicans in recent election cycles.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026, won a second term by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, while Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage and maintained control of every statewide elected office.
Still, some recent polling has suggested the push to replace DeSantis could be a bit more competitive than many have expected.
President Donald Trump last month again vocalized his support for Donalds, saying in part, “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” The president added, “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump won the Sunshine State by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and no Democrat has won the Florida governorship in more than 20 years.
When reached for comment regarding the new poll, Donalds’ campaign referred Newsweek to the X post of Gates McGavick, the team’s communications director. McGavick said in reaction to the poll, “I hear Change Research also sells tremendous ocean front property in Arizona.”
The campaign also referred Newsweek to Ryan Smith’s post on X, while saying he is also affiliated with the campaign. Smith said, “This is a push poll by Democrats for Democrats. The truth is, Florida Democrats will be crying in their kombucha on November 3 when @ByronDonalds is elected governor.”
What To Know
The Change Research survey found Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and entered the race as a Democrat, leading Donalds in a hypothetical general-election matchup.
Jolly has centered his campaign on affordability issues surrounding insurance costs, housing and healthcare, while Donalds has campaigned as a conservative successor who will attempt to enact Trump’s agenda and fight illegal immigration.
According to the poll, Jolly leads Donalds 47 percent to 42 percent and has a slightly larger margin among likely voters with 49 percent compared to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,273 registered voters of which 1,015 said they will likely vote in the 2026 midterm election. The survey’s margin of error is 2.8 percent.
Also in the poll, Jolly garners 94 percent support from Democrats compared to Donalds’ 77 percent among Republicans.
What Other Polls Show
Another recent Change Research poll shows Jolly leading Donalds 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll was taken from May 13 to May 16 among 2,070 registered voters, of whom 1,593 say they will likely vote in the midterm election. The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.
In a survey at the end of March by Emerson College Polling, Donalds landed 44 percent of the vote compared to Jolly’s 39 percent. The poll shows that 17 percent are undecided. It was taken from March 29 to March 31 among 1,125 likely voters and has a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
Florida
‘You’ll get capped:’ New viral challenge could get teens shot in Florida, sheriff warns
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A recent viral trend — dubbed the “Door Kick Challenge” — has been causing issues as of late in Central Florida.
The challenge involves teens covering their faces, kicking or pounding stranger’s front door when it’s dark outside, and sprinting off into the night.
[WATCH: FCSO releases footage of ‘Door Kick Challenge’ in action]
But on Wednesday, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly warned there could be deadly consequences.
According to the sheriff’s office, these pranks may come across as an attempted home invasion for some, and with Florida being a “Stand Your Ground” state, neighbors have the right to treat it as such.
[ Central Florida deputy consoles 12-year-old accused in door-kicking incident]
“Parents, keep an eye on your children. We know they want to have fun, but they are taking huge risks when they mask up and kick strangers’ doors,” Staly said. “Be the sheriff of your own home, talk to your kids, know their friends, and make sure they know the risks associated with doing what the internet tells them to do.”
But in a release, the sheriff’s office delivered the message in a “language” that teens may better understand:
“This door kick ‘challenge’ is not the side quest you think it is.
It’s trendslop, pure brain rot straight off the FYP. You think you’re the alpha chad of the cul-de-sac? Nah bruh, you’re one hoodie masked-up sprint away from priors. The kind of rap that gets you cancelled before you ever stack any clout. Zero drip in our jail’s barbershop-looking mugshots.
Okay, real talk. Florida is a Stand Your Ground state. A NPC wakes up to two randos kicking their door at 1 a.m. wearing sheisties — they don’t see a flex, they get the ick, and think your side quest is a home invasion. And no cap, you’ll get capped.
Taking an L on TikTok? Recoverable. Taking a round to the chest? There’s no respawn.
So skip this one, chief. Find clout elsewhere.”
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
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