Florida remains one of the most active property preservation markets in the country, and the data heading into 2026 backs that up.
The state recorded 3,250 foreclosure starts in February alone — third highest in the nation behind Texas and California. Florida also ranks among the top three states for overall foreclosure rates, with metros like Lakeland (one filing per 1,075 housing units) and Punta Gorda consistently showing up at the top of the national charts.
A few factors make Florida’s market unique for property preservation vendors.
Insurance is a massive factor here. Florida’s property insurance market has been in crisis for several years now — carriers leaving the state, premiums doubling and tripling, Citizens (the state insurer of last resort) taking on enormous risk. When homeowners who are already stretched thin see their insurance go from $2,000 to $6,000 a year, mortgage payments become unmanageable. That pipeline feeds directly into foreclosure starts, which feeds directly into preservation work orders.
Hurricane risk compounds the insurance problem. Even properties that haven’t been directly hit by a storm are seeing premiums rise because of the overall risk profile. And when a storm does hit, it creates a temporary surge in disaster-related preservation work on top of the normal foreclosure pipeline.
Florida is also a judicial foreclosure state, which means foreclosures go through the court system and take longer to complete. Longer timelines mean properties sit vacant longer, which means more ongoing maintenance orders — grass cuts, inspections, re-secures — stretching over months or even years per property.
For vendors operating in Florida, the volume is there and it’s growing. The challenge is managing the logistics across a geographically spread-out state while keeping quality consistent. The vendors who build efficient routing, maintain reliable crews, and nail their documentation every time are the ones who’ll capture the most market share as this volume continues to build.