The Numbers

Are Orlando Vacation Homes Still a Good Investment in 2026?

If you’re considering buying a vacation home near Disney in Orlando, you’ve likely seen very different opinions online.

Some say these properties generate strong rental income and pay for themselves. Others warn that rising costs and increased competition have made it much harder to turn a profit.

So what’s the truth?

The reality sits somewhere in the middle — and understanding it properly is the difference between making a smart purchase and making a costly mistake.

The Honest Reality of Vacation Home Investments

Let’s start with what most buyers aren’t told:

Many vacation homes in Orlando do not produce strong positive cash flow.

That doesn’t mean they are bad…

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Published on 1st March 2026

February "figures" from the Resort Area Market

The resort area market saw 270 total closings during February, up from 227 in January but down from 362 in December 2025. The total number of homes shown as Pending—under offer/contract—totaled 583, up from 448 last month and a 434-home pipeline in December. A home that closed in February achieved an average of 97.3% of its final listed price, down from 97.5% the previous month but up from the 97.1% achieved 12 months ago.  The February resort-area median price remained unchanged from January at $385,000 but was down 3.3% from February 2025, when it stood at $397,900.  The average number of days a home has spent on the market over the last 30 days was 109, compared to 98 …

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 ***Published on 1st June 2025***  

May  “math”  from the Resort Area Market... 

A home sold during May achieved on average 97.1%  of its final listed price, unchanged from April but down from the 98.1% level achieved twelve months ago.  The average days a home took to close during April was unchanged from the previous month at 125, whilst the average days a home spent on the market over the past 30 days was 85, which compares to an 80-day average over the last 12 months. The April median price fell to $395,000 from $399,900 in April and was also down 2.3% from the April 2024 median price of $404,000.  The May sales total of 329 was down from the April total of 361 and the 444 sales recorded in May 2024.   The number of homes Pending- under…

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***Published on 1st September 2024***  

August “answers ”  from the Resort Area Market... 

The August median home price was unchanged from July at $400,000  but remained down 1.1% from the January median price of 404,418, whilst the average days that a home takes to close was up by 2 days from July at 114  and 3 higher than 111-day average recorded in June.  The trend of rising inventory slowed in August, with the total number of listings at 3,162. Little changed from 3,157 in July, but it was above the 2,767 total listings recorded in January 2024.  Total sales during August of 326 homes were down 96 on the previous month and down 75 on the resort area closings recorded during June.  A home that closed during August did so at an average of 97.8% …

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The September Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                               Community Reports

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The July Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                               Community Reports

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Published on 1st November 2016

October 'oracle' From The Resort Area...

Total closings across the resort area were down a net 17 homes from last month as 263 homes changed hands in October while year on year figures recorded 32 less closings than the October 2015 sold total. Overall inventory of homes was up 16 from last month at 1939 and up 76 from October last year. By type month on month figures revealed that normal owner listings increased by a net 16 at 1939, bank owned were up 1 at 40 and short sales increased by 2 to 29. The average days on market that a home takes to sell was down by 1 from last month at 133 whilst the average price that a sold home achieved considered against listing price was 97% which is unchanged from last month. The…

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The October Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                                Community Report

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September 'summations' From The Resort Area...

Inventory levels in September were up a net 33 homes from August to a revised 1923 listings which was 69 homes above the 1854 total of September 2015. By listing bank owned month on month listings were down 9 at 39 whilst short sale listings fell 4 at 27. Normal owner listings showed an increase in net inventory as 46 homes were added during the month to give a revised 1857 total.  The September activity report also detiled that 281 homes changed ownership in the short term rental communities during the month which was 50 below August and 39 lower than the 523 total closed in September 2015. The average days on market that a home takes to sell was down 3 to 134 but up 3 from the 131 level of September…

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The September Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                                Community Report

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