Southwest Florida has once again landed at the top of a national housing ranking ― and this time the distinction is tied directly to where new homes are being built, how they are priced and why Lee County, in particular, continues to stand apart from the rest of America.
A new first-quarter 2026 New Construction Insights Report from Realtor.com completed Thursday May 7 paints a clear picture of a divided U.S. housing market, with scarce and expensive urban construction on one side and more attainable suburban building on the other.
No metro exemplifies that situation more clearly in the United States than Cape Coral–Fort Myers, where, for example, you will pay less living a half-dozen to two dozen miles east of I-75, but that also could mean long commutes to work and other needs…