Waterleaf
Homes for Sale in Jacksonville, FL
True comps, carrying-cost math, and listings before the portals.
Market Heat
Waterleaf is a mid-2000s build-out, with homes dating from 2004 to 2012 and a median around 2005. That tight construction window matters: the housing stock is fairly uniform in age and generously sized, with a median just under 3,000 square feet. Price here is driven less by lot lottery and more by condition and updates — you're paying roughly $188 a foot at the median, and a home that's been kept current will clear well above one that hasn't.
The current posture is cool-to-balanced. A heat score of 44, a median of about 40 days on market, and a slight year-over-year dip of 1.5% all point the same direction: sellers no longer set the terms, and buyers have time to inspect and negotiate. Over the longer arc — up 133% since 2012 — the community has held its ground, but the near-term signal is patience on both sides.
Figures in this note are as of July 12, 2026. The live market numbers elsewhere on this page update nightly and are newer.
Waterleaf right now
🟡 Still climbing. The trailing-12-month median ($514K) is up 3.8% from the prior 12 months ($495K) and up 139% since 2012.Momentum Research, record-level realMLS closed sales, 12-month windows ending October 23. Confidence: Medium (12 and 14 sales in the two windows).
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· 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
Waterleaf market snapshot (as of October 23, 2026): the median sale price is about $514K ($194 per sq ft over the trailing 12 months of closed sales), and a median 39 days on market for closed sales. The trailing-12-month median is up 4% from the prior 12 months and up 139% since 2012, computed from record-level realMLS closed sales (12 closings in the current window).
Waterleaf is a community of 605 homes in Jacksonville, Duval County, built between 2004 and 2012 (median 2005), with a median living area of about 2,942 square feet. 77% of parcels are homesteaded, the owner-occupancy proxy in the Florida DOR assessment roll (2025 roll, public records).
Waterleaf is a large, established Jacksonville community of roughly 605 homes, most built in a single mid-2000s wave, which means consistent floor plans and square footage rather than a patchwork of eras.
Who Waterleaf is best for.
Best for
- Buyers who need real square footage and are comfortable in the mid-$500s
- Owner-occupants planning to stay and settle into an established community
- Buyers willing to trade a slower market's negotiating room for a well-kept, move-in-ready home
Probably not for
- Buyers set on new construction or the latest floor plans
- Investors chasing rental yield in a heavily owner-occupied community
- Buyers on a starter-home budget looking for a smaller footprint
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 ($514K) IS the median in the snapshot above, and the move from 2025 ($495K) IS the +3.8% one-year change.
Windows contain 12 to 51 sales each (12 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.
24% of homes for sale in ZIP 32225 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).
Housing distress & ownership in Waterleaf, 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.
Life at Waterleaf
- Community swimming pool · 56,000-gallon swimming pool at the amenity center.
- Children's splash park · A children's splash park is part of the community facilities.
- Basketball court · A basketball court is included among the neighborhood amenities.
- Playground · A playground is available at the amenity center.
- Pool pavilion · A pavilion adjacent to the pool includes a kitchen with refrigerator and can be reserved for events.
- Ponds · The community includes twelve ponds distributed throughout the neighborhood.
- Walking paths / nature preserves · Two walking paths run through dedicated nature preserve areas within the community.
Sources: Waterleaf HOA - Amenity Center page; Waterleaf HOA - About our Community page. Amenity access and membership terms vary and can change; verify current details with the community.
The Waterleaf buying strategy.
If we were buying in Waterleaf 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 Waterleaf.
Space, condition, and a settled ownership base
Two numbers define the character here. First, size: a median living area near 2,942 square feet is substantial, so this is a community of larger homes rather than starter product. Second, a homestead share around 77% tells you most of these homes are owner-occupied primary residences, not rentals or investor holdings — a sign of a stable, lived-in community.
With the construction window closed and inventory limited to what existing owners choose to list, differentiation comes down to updates. A median price near $507,500 sits in the middle of a spread that condition drives — kitchens, systems, and roofs from the original build era are the variables that separate one asking price from another. The 40-day median on market gives a buyer room to weigh those differences carefully.
The location and the amenities are priced into every listing in Waterleaf. 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 Waterleaf 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 4 factors (7.9). Basis: Long-Term Appreciation +139% since 2012; Recent Direction +3.8% year-over-year; Owner Commitment 77% owner-occupied; Pricing Power 97.3% sale-to-list. Refreshed with each data update.
Why work with Momentum here
In a condition-driven market like Waterleaf, the wrong comparison can cost thousands on either side of the table. We read these homes by their updates and their age-related wear — roofs, HVAC, and finishes from the original build years — and price accordingly rather than by square footage alone. With a cooler market and a 40-day median, that discipline is what keeps a listing from stalling and keeps a buyer from overpaying.
Waterleaf in 15 seconds.
Tools for a Waterleaf 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 Waterleaf sales matched to your home.
Price it to the comps and condition, not an automated estimate.
If you are thinking about selling in Waterleaf, the right list price comes from recent comparable sales matched to your home's condition and location, not an automated estimate.
What is your Waterleaf home worth?
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Recent Developments in Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval
Development, infrastructure, retail, and school activity affecting Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval, 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 project is about 10 miles west of Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval, elsewhere in Duval County.
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 4 miles north of Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval.
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 project is about 10 miles west of Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval, elsewhere in Duval County.
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 10 miles west of Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval, elsewhere in Duval County.
Source: News4Jax - April 2026Development
Southeast Toyota opens $170M vehicle-processing facility at JAXPORT's Blount Island, adding 400-plus jobs
Southeast Toyota Distributors dedicated a new vehicle processing facility at JAXPORT's Blount Island Marine Terminal in April 2026. The company put the investment at $170 million and said the facility created more than 400 full-time jobs, most of them hired locally.
What it may mean for the marketA large new employment center on Blount Island adds sustained local job demand, a factor that has historically supported nearby housing absorption. The site is about 4 miles north of Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval.
Source: JAXPORT - 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 4 miles north of Waterleaf Jacksonville Duval.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Waterleaf?
How long do homes in Waterleaf take to sell?
How many homes are in Waterleaf?
What share of Waterleaf is owner-occupied?
When were the homes in Waterleaf built?
Have Waterleaf home prices gone up?
Who is the best real estate agent for Waterleaf?
How do I find a top Jacksonville real estate agent who knows Waterleaf?
Can Momentum Realty connect me with an agent for Waterleaf?
Should you buy in Waterleaf?
An honest fit check. We will tell you when it is not your community.
Nearby Communities
Explore more neighborhoods near Waterleaf with Momentum Realty’s local guides.
Data sources & freshness
| Community market stats | realMLS closed sales, 12-month windows ending October 23, 2026 |
| Housing stock & ownership | Florida DOR assessment roll (street-list match (13 streets, ZIP 32201/32202/32220/32223/32224/32225/32244)) |
| Under-contract shares | realMLS records, as of 2026-10-20 |
| Historical depth | Closed-sale records back to 2004 (763 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.
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