Top 10 ZIP codes for buyers, sellers

Jobs, construction help create hotspots in Clay, Duval, St. Johns Counties

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Right now, North Florida leads the state in real estate sales, thanks to job growth and a construction boom from Duval down to St. Johns County. That means, there are places where homes are selling quickly -- and in some cases -- in a matter of hours.

Recently, a desirable Jacksonville home was put on the market, and then had a buyer in 6-hours and 30-minutes.

News4Jax asked the owner of Round Table Realty, Howard Flaschen, to help us sift through the latest data from real estate website Zillow, to reveal the ZIP codes that are best for buyers right now and the ones that are best for sellers.

To get that information, Zillow looked at how long homes were on the market, how many homes had their prices cut, and how close to the listing price homes sold for.

Buyer's Market: Top 5 ZIP codes

#1: 32081
#2: 32204
#3: 32095
#4:32080
#5: 32223 

St. Johns and Duval Counties control the top 5 list for buyers.

32081 (St. Johns County): This is the Nocatee community, with the state's top-rated school system and a variety of new homes creating a definite draw. 

32204 (Duval County): This is the Five Points/Riverside area, which takes the second spot as it has become another popular spot for homebuyers.

32095 (St. Johns County) is the World Golf Village area and 32080 (St. Johns County) is St. Augustine Beach. It's in these type neighborhoods where realtors report multiple bidding wars and homes selling in just days -- even hours.

32223 (Duval County):  Mandarin makes the top 5 list, offering the most number of scenic water views compared to other areas of Jacksonville.

"It's a very affordable place to live, we have no state income tax, great support of jobs, military," said Flaschen.

Seller's Market: Top 5 ZIP codes

#1: 32246
#2: 32216
#3: 32257
#4: 32244
#5: 32073

The data shows a shift in dynamic for those looking to sell their homes, with Clay, Duval and St. Johns Counties with hotspots for sellers.

32246 (Duval County): This is the area of Jacksonville just north of the sprawling St. Johns Town Center. Flaschen said homeowners in this ZIP code are in the best position to sell right now, compared to other parts of the region.

32216 (Duval County): This is the area of Jacksonville just west of the St. Johns Town Center, taking the second spot on the list for those looking to sell their homes.

"Not only is it in an area where people want to be because it's close to the new shopping, it's close to the Town Center, close to the jobs and things like that, there is still affordable homes to be had in that area," said Flaschen. "You can still get a home for $220,000, $230,000 or below."

32257 (Duval County): Mandarin takes the third spot for sellers, with the median price of a home on the market listed at $218,000.

32244 (Duval County): This area covers Argyle Forest west to Jacksonville Heights.

32073 (Clay County): Orange Park rounds out the top 5 list when it comes to success for people looking to sell their homes. 

It's a good time for homeowners & buyers

Angela Decampo thought it would take at least a month to sell her home.

"With showings left and right, some to a point where they were showing the same time," said Angela Decampo, who recently sold her home in St. Johns County. "Of course, it sold right away."

Decampo thought it would take at least a month to sell her St. Augustine home, but it only took four days.

In fact, her 3,000 square foot house was the subject of a bidding war, which gave her the power to name her price.

"I didn't expect four offers, I thought maybe one, but not four," she added.

Decampo's experience is just one example of what it's like selling and even buying prime real estate. In fact Forbes magazine just named North Florida the hottest real estate market to watch this year. If you're buying or selling, the zip code you choose, can make the process much faster.

"Pick up Jacksonville, put It anywhere else in the country, and say you can live 15 minutes from the ocean in an 1,800 square-foot home in a nice area for under $250,000, people would be blown away in other parts of the country," said Flaschen.

We wanted to know how long our area will say in this sweet spot for both buyers and sellers.

"With inventory this low and interest rates as low as they are, and Jacksonville kind of being a place where people want to be, it's hard to see an end to appreciation," explained Flaschen. "I certainly think that it's not going to keep up with the pace it has been over the last few years."

The National Association of Realtors, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all agree that sales will increase at least 6 percent this year in Jacksonville. But with that, home prices are also on the rise. For example, the average home for $225,000 last year is up to $242,000 so far this year.

Explore the interactive map below to find out if your ZIP code is a buyer's market or a seller's market.  A higher Buyer-Seller Index indicates a buyer's market, while a lower number indicates a seller's market.  All data from Zillow, as of June 2017.


About the Authors:

Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.