Hillcrest
Homes for Sale in Palatka, FL
True comps, carrying-cost math, and listings before the portals.
Photo via realMLS
Price in Hillcrest is driven by condition and vintage, not by any tidy tier. With a median build year of 1954 and stock stretching all the way back to 1884, you are buying into a housing pool where two homes of similar size can trade far apart depending on what has been updated underneath. The median home runs about 1,438 square feet, so this is a market of modest footprints where renovation work and mechanical updates do most of the talking on price.
For buyers, the wide spread rewards patience and a good inspection — the value is in separating a cosmetically dated house from a structurally tired one. For sellers, the same logic holds in reverse: documented updates to roof, systems, and foundation are what defend your number here, not square footage alone. With homesteads at roughly 55% of homes, a meaningful share of the inventory that does list has been owner-occupied rather than churned as rentals.
Figures in this note are as of July 12, 2026. The live market numbers elsewhere on this page update nightly and are newer.
Hillcrest right now
🟡 Balanced market. 3.0 months of supply and 0% of the inventory already under contract put buyers and sellers on roughly even footing.Why it matters: months of supply is how long today's inventory would last at today's sales pace; under-contract share is the portion of homes for sale that already have a buyer.Momentum Research analysis of realMLS records, as of November 12, 2026. Confidence: Low (1 active and pending listings, 3 closed sales in 12 months).
Jump to: Price history & scorecard · Homes for sale · Schools · FAQ
· Updated November 12, 2026 · Live data: realMLS, refreshed twice daily · MLS facts carry their source; interpretation lines are Momentum Research · Data sources & freshness
The 60-Second Overview
Hillcrest market snapshot (as of November 12, 2026): the median sale price is about $228K ($158 per sq ft over the trailing 12 months of closed sales), a median 30 days on market for closed sales, and 3.0 months of supply, a balanced market.
Hillcrest is a community of 57 homes in Palatka, Putnam County, built between 1884 and 1991 (median 1955.0), with a median living area of about 1,370 square feet. 41% of parcels are homesteaded, the owner-occupancy proxy in the Florida DOR assessment roll (2025 roll, public records).
Hillcrest is an older, established section of Palatka in Putnam County where the housing runs small and the age range is unusually deep, so no two blocks price quite the same. This is a condition market first and foremost.
The setting & the homes.
Aerial and on-site photos of Hillcrest. Swipe to explore the community.
Swipe or use the arrows → tap any photo to enlarge
Hillcrest
Hillcrest
Hillcrest
Hillcrest
HillcrestPhotos from realMLS listings in Hillcrest; content deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Who Hillcrest is best for.
Best for
- Buyers targeting a compact, established home who will budget for updates as part of the purchase
- Renovation-minded buyers who can price mechanical and structural work into an offer
- Long-hold buyers who value an older core and mature lots over new construction
Probably not for
- Buyers who need move-in-ready, recently built stock with modern systems throughout
- Buyers who want larger square footage as a baseline
- Buyers unwilling to underwrite the condition variance that comes with older homes
Price History: What Homes Here Have Actually Sold For
Median sale price over the trailing 12 months ending November 12 of each year, from record-level realMLS closed sales. Same methodology as every appreciation figure on this page: the 2026 point ($228K) IS the median in the snapshot above.
Windows contain 0 to 6 sales each (3 in the current window); every figure carries its sample size, and thin markets swing on single closings. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
21% of homes for sale in ZIP 32177 are already under contract (under contract ÷ under contract + active listings) — a read on how much of the available inventory buyers have already claimed. Source: MLS data (2026-11-12).
Hillcrest Market Scorecard
Hillcrest is currently a balanced market. About 3.0 months of supply, a median asking price of $178,000, and homes go under contract in about 91 days.
Go deeper: ZIP market scorecard · county scorecard · true cost calculator · affordability calculator.
Live data: realMLS, refreshed twice daily. Market metrics only; these describe homes for sale and recent sales, not residents.
Housing distress & ownership in Hillcrest, Palatka
Who owns here, how much is not owner-occupied, and how much for-sale inventory is under distress.
Source: Momentum Realty Research. Ownership & parcels from the FL DOR 2025 tax roll; distress from MLS active-listing status/remarks; price from MLS closed sales. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Homes For Sale Right Now in Hillcrest
Live MLS inventory for Hillcrest. Every active listing, what is under contract right now, and the last 12 months of closed sales, refreshed twice a day. Closed comps beat an algorithm's guess every time.
Active and pending Hillcrest listings as of 2026-11-12, priced high to low. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Tap any home to ask about it.
Hillcrest on the map.
Every active, pending, and recently sold home, plotted. Toggle the layers and tap a home for the details.
Listing locations from realMLS. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The Hillcrest buying strategy.
If we were buying in Hillcrest today, this is the order of operations we would run for our clients.
Underwrite the condition first. Price the roof, HVAC, and systems honestly before judging any list price; condition swings value here more than square footage alone.
Match the home to real comps. Recent sales of similar condition and lot, not the asking price, tell you what a home is worth.
Move deliberately, not desperately. Neither side has a decisive edge, so a well-prepared, fairly-priced offer wins without overpaying.
Line up financing and inspection early. A pre-approval and an inspection plan let you act fast and negotiate from evidence.
Keep an agent in your corner. The listing agent works for the seller; we represent you and prepare a hand-built valuation before any offer in Hillcrest.
A vintage stock that prices by condition
The defining fact of Hillcrest is age. A median build year of 1954, with homes dating as far back as 1884 and as recent as 2023, means you are shopping across more than a century of construction standards in a single community. Wiring, plumbing, roofing, and foundations vary enormously, and that variance — not a neat price ladder — is what sets the spread. The median living area of about 1,438 square feet tells you these are generally compact homes; the leverage on price sits in what has been renovated, not in size.
The upside of an older core is character and lot maturity you cannot replicate in newer construction. The tradeoff is homework. Budget for inspection, and read the difference between a house that has been maintained and one that has merely been lived in. On the ownership side, homesteads making up roughly 55% of homes points to a base of long-term owner occupancy rather than a heavily investor-flipped stretch.
The location and the amenities are priced into every listing in Hillcrest. The deal is won or lost on condition, the comps, and the renovation math.
Momentum Buy Score.
Our proprietary 0 to 10 read across the factors that decide how a home in Hillcrest buys, holds, and resells. Momentum Research; not an appraisal.
Momentum Intelligence Scores are our proprietary, qualitative assessment on a 0 to 10 scale, built from the record-level market data on this page. They are a framework for comparing communities, not a guarantee of future value and not advice on a specific home; unlike an automated value estimate they do not price your home, they grade the community on evidence you can inspect. Composite is the plain average of the 3 factors (4.8). Basis: Liquidity & Demand 3.0 months of supply; Owner Commitment 41% owner-occupied; Pricing Power 90.1% sale-to-list. Refreshed with each data update.
Why work with Momentum here
A community this old rewards a broker who reads condition, not just comps. We help buyers price the gap between a cosmetic project and a systems overhaul, and we help sellers build the update documentation that actually defends a number in a market where age varies house to house. In Hillcrest, the inspection and the renovation history are the negotiation.
Hillcrest in 15 seconds.
Tools for a Hillcrest buy.
Free calculators to pressure-test the real cost before you tour.
Selling here is won on condition and pricing to real comps, not an automated estimate. The right number comes from closed Hillcrest sales matched to your home.
Price it to the comps and condition, not an automated estimate.
If you are thinking about selling in Hillcrest, the right list price comes from recent comparable sales matched to your home's condition and location, not an automated estimate.
What is your Hillcrest home worth?
Get a no-obligation home value based on real comparable sales in Hillcrest, not an automated guess. Tell us about your home and we will personally prepare your numbers and a pricing strategy. No obligation, no spam.
See homes for sale in Hillcrest on the map →
Recent Developments in Hillcrest
Development, infrastructure, retail, and school activity affecting Hillcrest, tracked by our team and summarized from public reporting and official sources, with links to the original coverage. Last updated November 2026.
- October 2026Infrastructure
Crill Avenue in Palatka to close Nov. 2 for railroad work
The city of Palatka will close both lanes of Crill Avenue from Osceola Street to South 13th Street near the railroad underpass on Monday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The closure could extend to Nov. 3 if needed. No traffic can pass under the tracks until the railroad work is finished.
What it may mean for the marketDrivers in central Palatka should expect short detours and added travel time on the day of the closure. The project is about 6 miles north of Hillcrest, elsewhere in Putnam County.
Source: Palatka Daily News - October 2026Infrastructure
Port Putnam receives $285,000 state grant for infrastructure planning
Port Putnam, off Comfort Road in Palatka, received a $285,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund planning grant from FloridaCommerce with no county match required. The money covers studies and preliminary designs for port upgrades. The port authority also voted to let its chairperson sign port documents and discussed a workshop on broadening the board.
What it may mean for the marketPlanning for port upgrades could eventually expand industrial and freight capacity near Palatka, supporting local employment and commercial land demand. The site is about 7 miles north of Hillcrest.
Source: Palatka Daily News - October 2026Development
Georgia-Pacific plans $150 million replacement of paper machine at Palatka mill
Georgia-Pacific announced a roughly $150 million project to replace the No. 4 paper machine, installed in 1980, at its Palatka mill. Completion is expected in the second quarter of 2028. The company says the project will not directly add permanent jobs at a mill that employs 1,032 people, though construction will bring in contractors.
What it may mean for the marketThe investment signals long-term commitment to a major Putnam County employer and should bring temporary contractor activity to the Palatka area through 2028. The site is about 7 miles north of Hillcrest.
Source: Palatka Daily News - October 2026Development
Palatka commissioners give first approval to annex 10 parcels
The Palatka City Commission voted 3-2 on its Thursday meeting to give the first of two required approvals to annex 10 parcels into the city, against legal advice to wait. Parcel locations, acreage and planned use were not published in the visible report.
What it may mean for the marketAnnexation would extend city services and zoning to additional parcels around Palatka, potentially adding developable land inside city limits. The project is about 6 miles north of Hillcrest, elsewhere in Putnam County.
Source: Palatka Daily News - September 2026Development
Putnam Habitat completes fifth and final home in Veterans Village of Palatka
Putnam Habitat for Humanity finished the fifth home in the Veterans Village off Westover Drive on about 2 acres, a project begun in 2018. Infrastructure cost nearly $500,000, and Habitat plans another home on an adjoining lot.
What it may mean for the marketSmall-scale affordable infill adds a handful of owner-occupied homes to the Palatka housing supply. The project is about 6 miles north of Hillcrest, elsewhere in Putnam County.
Source: Palatka Daily News - May 2026Development
Palatka Planning Board advances downtown redevelopment PUD
The Palatka Planning Board unanimously approved a Planned Unit Development for multiple downtown parcels at St. Johns Avenue and Reach Street. The plan includes the James Hotel with 30 to 70 rooms, commercial spaces, and a rooftop bar and restaurant at the former Bingo Palace building, described by the developer as a tens of millions of dollars investment. The project now advances to the city commission for final consideration.
What it may mean for the marketA downtown hotel and mixed use redevelopment adds lodging and commercial space to the Palatka core and supports the downtown property market. The project is about 6 miles north of Hillcrest, elsewhere in Putnam County.
Source: The Local Lens
Summaries reflect public reporting and official sources linked above as of the dates shown. Project details, timelines, and approvals can change. Commentary on potential market effects is general observation, not investment advice or a prediction for any specific property. For the freshest items across the whole region, see This Week in Northeast Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Hillcrest?
How long do homes in Hillcrest take to sell?
Is Hillcrest a buyer's or seller's market right now?
How many homes are in Hillcrest?
What share of Hillcrest is owner-occupied?
When were the homes in Hillcrest built?
Who is the best real estate agent for Hillcrest?
How do I find a top Palatka real estate agent who knows Hillcrest?
Can Momentum Realty connect me with an agent for Hillcrest?
Should you buy in Hillcrest?
An honest fit check. We will tell you when it is not your community.
Nearby Communities
Explore more neighborhoods near Hillcrest with Momentum Realty’s local guides.
Data sources & freshness
| Live listings | realMLS, refreshed twice daily (last: November 12, 2026) |
| Community market stats | realMLS closed sales, 12-month windows ending November 12, 2026 |
| Housing stock & ownership | Florida DOR assessment roll (street-list match (1 streets, ZIP 32177/32181)) |
| Under-contract shares | realMLS records, as of 2026-11-12 |
| Historical depth | Closed-sale records back to 2011 (46 transactions analyzed) |
Verify the primary sources yourself: Florida DOR · U.S. Census · FEMA flood maps · Citizens Property Insurance.
Momentum Research figures are our own analysis of realMLS records; MLS data is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Methodology: how Momentum market scores are computed. Market metrics describe homes for sale and recent sales, not residents.
Own a home here?
You just read the data. Now see what your home is worth.
The numbers on this page move markets in the aggregate. The number that matters to you is what a buyer pays for your address. Momentum listings in Northeast Florida sold at 99.1% of final list price vs. 98.6% for the market, in a median 31 days vs. 41 (realMLS, 12 months to Nov 2026). A Momentum agent can price yours against live local comps.
Looking to buy here? Search homes for sale →
What’s your home worth in your area?
A real valuation with real comps from a local listing agent, not an instant algorithm. Response within one business day.
See how Hillcrest fits the bigger picture — live prices, inventory, and Momentum Scores: