Data Analysis
Single-family homes priced under $400,000 were 30 percent of active Okaloosa and Walton listings on November 2, 2026, but took 46 percent of new contracts in the two weeks before.
Our Emerald Coast MLS data showed 785 houses for sale under $400,000 and 273 pending, 2.9 to 1, against 4.8 to 1 at $400,000 and up.
On November 2, 2026, our live Emerald Coast MLS map showed 785 single-family homes for sale under $400,000 in Okaloosa and Walton counties and 273 pending, about 2.9 listings for every house in a contract. Houses at $400,000 and up ran at 4.8 to 1, with 1,850 active and 383 pending. From October 19 through November 1, houses under $400,000 accounted for 78 of 169 new single-family contracts, about 46 percent, while making up 30 percent of active single-family supply. The median active house under $400,000 asked $324,900. All figures are ours, computed from Emerald Coast MLS records; information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
This is a read on the entry price tier for detached houses. Our Destin million-dollar homes article covers the top of the market, and the completed-month figures for all home types are in the Destin median price, days on market and closed sales articles and on the Destin market data hub.
How fast are houses under $400,000 going under contract?
Faster than any tier above them except $400,000 to $499,999. The live map split this way on November 2:
| Single-family asking price | Active | Pending | Listings per contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300,000 | 306 | 128 | 2.4 |
| $300,000 to $399,999 | 479 | 145 | 3.3 |
| $400,000 to $499,999 | 268 | 106 | 2.5 |
| $500,000 to $749,999 | 383 | 100 | 3.8 |
| $750,000 to $999,999 | 240 | 49 | 4.9 |
| $1 million and above | 959 | 128 | 7.5 |
Source: Momentum Research, computed from Emerald Coast MLS records, live map snapshot, November 2, 2026. Detached single-family homes only. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Across all price points, the map showed 2,635 active houses and 656 pending, 4.0 to 1. Houses under $400,000 were 42 percent of all pending single-family homes. The median active house under $400,000 had been listed 80 days, against 96.5 days for houses at $400,000 and up. Of the 785, 168 had been listed less than 30 days and 122 had been listed 180 days or more.
Where are the houses under $400,000?
Mostly north of the bay and inland. Crestview alone held 319 of the 785.
| City | Active under $400,000 | Pending | Listings per contract | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crestview | 319 | 107 | 3.0 | $319,000 |
| Freeport | 133 | 40 | 3.3 | $350,000 |
| DeFuniak Springs | 123 | 35 | 3.5 | $247,490 |
| Fort Walton Beach | 81 | 29 | 2.8 | $339,500 |
| Mary Esther | 34 | 9 | 3.8 | $332,500 |
| Niceville | 27 | 11 | 2.5 | $340,000 |
| Laurel Hill | 21 | 17 | 1.2 | $294,240 |
Source: Momentum Research, live map snapshot, November 2, 2026. City follows the listing address. Smaller places not shown. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
By county, Okaloosa had 509 active houses under $400,000 and 193 pending, 2.6 to 1. Walton had 276 and 77, 3.6 to 1. The coastal towns have almost no supply in this tier: Santa Rosa Beach had 14 active houses under $400,000 and Destin had 3. Prices and trends for each place are on the Crestview, Freeport, DeFuniak Springs, Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, Niceville and Laurel Hill market pages.
Three-bedroom houses made up 406 of the 785 listings and four-bedroom houses 296. Townhouses under $400,000 ran slower than detached houses, at 184 active against 47 pending, about 3.9 to 1.
What changed in the last two weeks?
From October 19 through November 1, our feed logged this activity on detached single-family homes:
| Activity, Oct 19 to Nov 1 | Under $400,000 | $400,000 and up |
|---|---|---|
| New listings | 123 | 256 |
| Moved to pending | 78 | 91 |
| Price cuts | 172 | 263 |
| Median price cut | 2.8% ($10,000) | 2.9% ($24,100) |
| Back on market from pending | 17 | 10 |
Source: Momentum Research, computed from Emerald Coast MLS change log, October 19 to November 1, 2026. Each listing counted once per activity. Price tier for cuts follows the price before the cut. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Under $400,000, new listings outnumbered new contracts about 1.6 to 1. Above $400,000 the ratio was about 2.8 to 1. Crestview logged 53 new listings, 32 new contracts and 55 price cuts under $400,000 in the two weeks. Freeport logged 23 new listings, 14 contracts and 44 cuts, plus 21 price increases, the most of any city in this tier. In the same tier, 17 houses returned to active from pending while 78 went pending.
What does this mean for buyers and sellers?
For buyers shopping under $400,000, this tier is among the most competitive parts of the Emerald Coast house market by contract pace, with only the $400,000 to $499,999 band moving at a similar rate. The median cut of about $10,000 means room to negotiate is usually modest. Insurance and taxes still vary by place; compare the Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Freeport and DeFuniak Springs insurance estimates and the Okaloosa County and Walton County HOA fee pages before writing an offer. Our Florida property tax after purchase tool shows how the tax bill resets on a sale.
For sellers in this tier, the competition is lighter than for higher-priced houses, but 172 cuts in two weeks show that pricing above recent comparable sales still stalls a listing. Newer communities in the area are listed in our Destin area new-home communities roundup.
People also ask
How many homes under $400,000 are for sale in the Destin area?
Our Emerald Coast MLS map showed 785 detached single-family homes under $400,000 for sale in Okaloosa and Walton counties on November 2, 2026, with 273 pending. Crestview held 319 of them.
Are cheaper homes selling faster on the Emerald Coast?
Yes, in our November 2, 2026 snapshot. Houses under $400,000 ran at 2.9 active listings per pending sale, against 4.8 for houses at $400,000 and up and 7.5 at $1 million and above.
What is the median price of a house under $400,000 near Destin?
The median active house under $400,000 in Okaloosa and Walton counties asked $324,900 on November 2, 2026. Crestview's median in this tier was $319,000 and DeFuniak Springs' was $247,490.
Limitations
The active and pending counts are a live map snapshot of the Emerald Coast MLS and can differ from monthly inventory counts. The two-week activity counts come from our feed's change log, which records a change when our refresh sees it; a listing that changed more than once in a category is counted once, and a change that reversed between refreshes may be missed. Pending counts include all listings in a pending status on the snapshot date, not only new contracts. City follows the listing address, not city limits. Median prices mix house sizes, lot sizes and ages. Figures may be revised as the MLS updates records. This article is general information, not advice about any specific property or transaction.
Sources and links
- Momentum Research, computed from Emerald Coast MLS records (live map snapshot, November 2, 2026; listing change log, October 19 to November 1, 2026). Listing data provided by the Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS®. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed by the MLS to be accurate.
- Momentum Research, Emerald Coast Market Pulse.
- Full monthly series and per-feed attribution: Destin market data
Disclosure: Jon Brooks is a co-founder of Momentum Realty, a Florida real estate brokerage that owns and funds Florida Housing Intelligence. Momentum has a financial interest in Florida real estate transactions, including in markets named here. See our editorial standards.
Market statistics in this article are computed from MLS data licensed by Momentum Realty, and are current as of the date shown. Data may be preliminary and subject to revision by its source. This article is general information, not advice about any specific property, transaction, or financial decision, and is not a representation about any specific property, community, builder, or association.
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