Lake Forest
Homes for Sale in Jacksonville, FL
True comps, carrying-cost math, and listings before the portals.
Market Heat
Photo courtesy of ROUND TABLE REALTY · via realMLS
Homes For Sale Right Now in Lake Forest
Live MLS inventory for Lake Forest. 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 · 25 daysTop listing
Active · 7 days
Active · 15 days
Active · 19 days
Active · 55 days
Active · 216 days
Active · 69 days
Active · 55 days
Active · 32 days
Active · 199 days
Active · 167 days
Pending · 14 days
Pending · 47 days
Pending · 10 daysActive and pending Lake Forest listings as of 2026-10-23, priced high to low. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Tap any home to ask about it.
Lake Forest's numbers point to an older, established pocket of Jacksonville rather than a new-construction corridor: the median year built is 1952, inside a much wider 1906–2024 range, and the median living area is 1,404 square feet. At a $155,000 median price and $129.39 per square foot, this is priced-in, condition-driven housing stock — the spread between a 1906 build and a 2024 build in the same neighborhood means two buyers can pay very different amounts per square foot for very different reasons, and that has more to do with individual home condition than with the neighborhood median moving.
The posture right now is quiet. A market-heat score of 32 and a median 40 days on market both say this is not a bidding-war environment, and at the moment of this snapshot there were zero active listings, so anyone circling this community needs to be ready to act the day something lists rather than assume a deep pool to choose from. Year-over-year the median is essentially flat at 0.6%, which for a seller means pricing to the last closed comps, not to a hot trend line, and for a buyer means there is little urgency premium baked into today's number.
Figures in this note are as of July 14, 2026. The live market numbers elsewhere on this page update nightly and are newer.
Lake Forest right now
🟢 Buyer-leaning market. 11.0 months of supply and 21% of the inventory already under contract give buyers above-average negotiating leverage.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 October 23, 2026. Confidence: Very High (14 active and pending listings, 41 closed sales in 12 months).
🟢 Still climbing. The trailing-12-month median ($176K) is up 18.9% from the prior 12 months ($148K) and up 733% since 2012.Momentum Research, record-level realMLS closed sales, 12-month windows ending October 23. Confidence: Very High (41 and 63 sales in the two windows).
Jump to: Price history & scorecard · Homes for sale · Schools · FAQ
· Updated October 23, 2026 · Live data: realMLS, refreshed twice daily · MLS facts carry their source; interpretation lines are Momentum Research · Data sources & freshness
The 60-Second Overview
Lake Forest market snapshot (as of October 23, 2026): the median sale price is about $176K ($136 per sq ft over the trailing 12 months of closed sales), a median 39 days on market for closed sales, and 11.0 months of supply, a buyer-leaning market. The trailing-12-month median is up 19% from the prior 12 months and up 733% since 2012, computed from record-level realMLS closed sales (41 closings in the current window).
Lake Forest is a community of 602 homes in Jacksonville, Duval County, built between 1924 and 2023 (median 1949.0), with a median living area of about 1,553 square feet. 56% of parcels are homesteaded, the owner-occupancy proxy in the Florida DOR assessment roll (2025 roll, public records).
Lake Forest is a Duval County community of 2,163 homes carried on the realmls feed, with a housing stock old enough that renovation history and lot condition, more than square footage alone, tend to explain price differences between similar homes.
The setting & the homes.
Aerial and on-site photos of Lake Forest. Swipe to explore the community.
Swipe or use the arrows → tap any photo to enlarge
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Lake ForestPhotos from realMLS listings in Lake Forest; content deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Who Lake Forest is best for.
Best for
- Buyers targeting the neighborhood's median $155,000 price point who are comfortable assessing renovation condition home by home.
- Buyers willing to move quickly once a listing appears, given the current zero-active-listing snapshot.
- Long-horizon buyers or sellers who care more about the multi-decade, 634%-since-2012 trend than this year's flat 0.6% reading.
Probably not for
- Buyers who want a like-for-like comparison shopping experience across a uniform, newer housing stock.
- Buyers who need a large active inventory to choose from right now.
- Buyers unwilling to budget for condition and systems work on an older median-1952-built home.
Price History: What Homes Here Have Actually Sold For
Median sale price over the trailing 12 months ending October 23 of each year, from record-level realMLS closed sales. Same methodology as every appreciation figure on this page: the 2026 point ($176K) IS the median in the snapshot above, and the move from 2025 ($148K) IS the +18.9% one-year change.
Windows contain 39 to 82 sales each (41 in the current window); every figure carries its sample size. Source: Data provided by realMLS. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
24% of homes for sale in ZIP 32208 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 (2026-10-20).
Lake Forest Market Scorecard
Lake Forest is currently a buyer-leaning market. About 11.0 months of supply, a median asking price of $180,000, and homes go under contract in about 55 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 Lake Forest, Jacksonville
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.
Lake Forest 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.
Life at Lake Forest
- Marion Park · Approximately 2-acre neighborhood park with tennis courts, a covered picnic area, and a playground; a water-feature playscape was added in 2001.
- Concord Park · Approximately 2-acre park with a playscape and open fields under mature pine trees; picnic facilities, benches, and a water fountain were added in a 1999 upgrade.
- Lake Forest Elementary School · Public magnet elementary school for the Visual and Performing Arts, offering instruction in dance, strings, guitar, piano, orchestra, chorus, drama, and visual arts.
Sources: The Jaxson (Jacksonville Today) - 6 historical facts about Lake Forest; Metro Jacksonville Archive - Neighborhoods: Lake Forest. Amenity access and membership terms vary and can change; verify current details with the community.
How far is everything?
Everyday stops around Lake Forest are close: the nearest groceries is about 3 minutes away.
- Kroger · Groceries3 min
- SABOR LATINO JAX LLC · Dining3 min
- Carvill Park · Parks5 min
- Kangaroo Express · Coffee5 min
- Lem Turner Family Medical Care · Health7 min
- Gateway Town Center · Shopping8 min
Approximate drive times via Mapbox Search + Directions, 2026-07-03. Verify for a specific address.
Schools
- Duval County Public Schools
- Verify the zoned schools by address
- Magnet and choice options may be available
- North Shore Elementary SchoolFLDOE grade C · Public PreK-5
- Jean Ribault Middle SchoolFLDOE grade C · Public 6-8
- Jean Ribault High SchoolFLDOE grade A · Public 9-12
Grades are official Florida Department of Education school grades for 2025-26. Assignments are reported as of the 2025-26 year and can change; always confirm with Duval County Public Schools for a specific address.
Buying with schools in mind? We can confirm the exact zoned schools for any Lake Forest address.
Recent Developments in Lake Forest
Development, infrastructure, retail, and school activity affecting Lake Forest, tracked by our team and summarized from public reporting and official sources, with links to the original coverage. Last updated October 2026.
- October 2026Retail & Dining
Council committee defers vote on incentives for Downtown Publix at 119 W. Beaver St.
The Finance Committee deferred a $49.65 million incentive package for Gateway Jax's $140.15 million high-rise anchored by a Publix at 119 W. Beaver St. The tower is planned with 259 apartments and about 400 parking spaces. The committee is scheduled to revisit the bill Nov. 4, the day after the Amendment 3 vote.
What it may mean for the marketThe timing of the first full-size grocery store in the Downtown core depends on the incentive vote, affecting nearby retail access. The site is about 5 miles south of Lake Forest.
Source: Jacksonville Today - September 2026Infrastructure
JEA advances about $690 million in infrastructure projects including Fulton Cut transmission line raise near JAXPORT
JEA is moving forward with three water reclamation projects (Blacks Ford in northwest St. Johns County, over $220 million; near Jacksonville International Airport, about $193 million; East Arlington, just under $165 million) and the $117 million Fulton Cut transmission line clearance over the St. Johns River near Blount Island. Fulton Cut, shared with JAXPORT and the city, is expected to finish in summer 2027 and all four projects by 2030.
What it may mean for the marketRaised power lines support larger ship access to port terminals, and new reclamation capacity supports growth in surrounding areas. The site is about 9 miles east of Lake Forest.
Source: News4JAX - September 2026Development
Gateway Jax seeks more than $70 million in city incentives for Riverfront Plaza tower and Hotel Merrydelle
Gateway Jax is requesting about $55.4 million in incentives for a 17-story, roughly $271.5 million Riverfront Plaza tower with 130 to 170 hotel rooms and 50 to 150 residences on Independent Drive. It also seeks a $15 million loan for the nearly $50 million renovation of the former Ambassador Hotel at 420 Julia Street. The Downtown Investment Authority board votes Sept. 16 and City Council has the final say.
What it may mean for the marketIf approved, the projects would add hotel rooms, residences and restaurants along the Downtown riverfront. The site is about 5 miles south of Lake Forest.
Source: Jacksonville Today - September 2026Development
Downtown review board approves concept for first new University of Florida graduate campus building in LaVilla
The Downtown Development Review Board voted 7-0 on Sept. 10 for a six to eight story, roughly 185,000 square foot academic building on a 2.34-acre site bounded by West Bay, Forsyth and North Lee streets. It is the first new building in a multiphase UF graduate and semiconductor institute campus estimated at $345 million. UF hopes to break ground in December, pending final design review and permitting.
What it may mean for the marketA large graduate campus adds education and technology jobs and daytime foot traffic to the western Downtown core. The site is about 5 miles south of Lake Forest.
Source: Jacksonville Today - July 2026Development
Culinary Institute of America selects Jacksonville for Southeast campus
News4Jax reported that the Culinary Institute of America chose downtown Jacksonville for its Southeast hub, to be located at 330 E. Bay Street on the Northbank riverfront. The campus would anchor a $160.5 million hotel and convention center development. The city previously approved up to $35 million in incentives, and the Downtown Investment Authority is finalizing agreements on design and property details.
What it may mean for the marketAnchors a major downtown riverfront redevelopment that pairs an educational campus with hotel and convention space, adding institutional and commercial investment to the urban core alongside Riverfront Plaza and Pearl Square. The project is about 5 miles south of Lake Forest, elsewhere in Duval County.
Source: News4Jax - February 2026Infrastructure
JAXPORT details $250M Blount Island modernization and record cargo in 2026 State of the Ports
At its February 2026 State of the Ports address, JAXPORT outlined a $250 million modernization of Blount Island's container and vehicle-handling capabilities and reported record fiscal-2025 cargo volumes. The port also said an air-draft expansion to accommodate larger ships is on track to finish by the end of 2026.
What it may mean for the marketContinued heavy investment in the Blount Island port complex anchors long-term industrial employment on the northeast side, a structural demand driver for the surrounding area. The site is about 9 miles east of Lake Forest.
Source: News4Jax
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.
The Lake Forest buying strategy.
If we were buying in Lake Forest 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.
Use your leverage. With inventory sitting, there is room to negotiate on anything dated or overpriced and to ask for repairs or a rate buydown.
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 Lake Forest.
An established stock, priced by condition
Forty-three closings in the tracked window is enough to read a trend but not enough to call this a high-volume market — this is a neighborhood that turns over steadily, not one flipping constantly. The median $155,000 price and $129.39 per-square-foot figure sit against a median living area of 1,404 square feet, and with homes built anywhere from 1906 to 2024, buyers evaluating two listings at a similar price point should expect meaningfully different renovation states, systems age, and lot layouts rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Just over half of homes here, 50.6%, carry a homestead exemption, which is a reasonable proxy for owner-occupancy levels in the neighborhood's housing stock. Longer term, the median price is up 634% since 2012 — a reminder that the multi-decade trend and this year's flat 0.6% reading are two different stories, and a seller or buyer should be clear on which one they're actually pricing against.
The location and the amenities are priced into every listing in Lake Forest. 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 Lake Forest 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 5 factors (6.1). Basis: Long-Term Appreciation +733% since 2012; Recent Direction +18.9% year-over-year; Liquidity & Demand 11.0 months of supply; Owner Commitment 56% owner-occupied; Pricing Power 92.6% sale-to-list. Refreshed with each data update.
Why work with Momentum here
With zero active listings at this snapshot and a housing stock spanning more than a century of construction, Lake Forest rewards someone who already knows which comps matter and can move the moment a listing appears. We track this community's closings, days-on-market, and price-per-square-foot on the realmls feed continuously, so when something does list, we can tell you quickly whether it is priced to the neighborhood's real condition-adjusted market or to its long-term trend line — and help you act on that distinction instead of guessing at it.
Lake Forest in 15 seconds.
Tools for a Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest sales matched to your home.
Price it to the comps and condition, not an automated estimate.
If you are thinking about selling in Lake Forest, the right list price comes from recent comparable sales matched to your home's condition and location, not an automated estimate.
What is your Lake Forest home worth?
Get a no-obligation home value based on real comparable sales in Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest on the map →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Lake Forest?
How long do homes in Lake Forest take to sell?
Is Lake Forest a buyer's or seller's market right now?
How many homes are in Lake Forest?
What share of Lake Forest is owner-occupied?
When were the homes in Lake Forest built?
Have Lake Forest home prices gone up?
What schools serve Lake Forest?
Who is the best real estate agent for Lake Forest?
How do I find a top Jacksonville real estate agent who knows Lake Forest?
Can Momentum Realty connect me with an agent for Lake Forest?
Should you buy in Lake Forest?
An honest fit check. We will tell you when it is not your community.
Nearby Communities
Explore more neighborhoods near Lake Forest with Momentum Realty’s local guides.
Data sources & freshness
| Live listings | realMLS, refreshed twice daily (last: October 23, 2026) |
| Community market stats | realMLS closed sales, 12-month windows ending October 23, 2026 |
| Housing stock & ownership | Florida DOR assessment roll (street-list match (7 streets, ZIP 32206/32208/32209/32216/32218/32299)) |
| Under-contract shares | realMLS records, as of 2026-10-20 |
| Schools | 2025-26 district assignments + FLDOE school grades; verify with the district |
| Historical depth | Closed-sale records back to 2001 (1,381 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?
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See how Lake Forest fits the bigger picture — live prices, inventory, and Momentum Scores: