Home not selling?
Home Not Selling in St. Johns, Fruit Cove or RiverTown?
When a resale home in St. Johns, Fruit Cove or RiverTown sits, it usually comes down to price against today's competition, including the new homes builders are selling down the road, how the home shows online, or the right buyers never seeing it. Acting while the home is still listed matters, because resale homes here that came off the market and sold later took more than five months in total and sold for less. Joey Larsen, a REALTOR® with La Rosa Realty North Florida, helps St. Johns, Fruit Cove and RiverTown homeowners in St. Johns County sell after their home didn't.
- What's happening in St. Johns right now
- Why resale homes stall in St. Johns
- What Joey Larsen does differently with a home that didn't sell
- Already listed with another agent?
- Questions St. Johns sellers ask
- Get a second opinion
What's happening in St. Johns right now
Over the past 12 months, 433 of 1,646 resale homes (26%) in ZIP code 32259, which takes in St. Johns, Fruit Cove, Julington Creek Plantation, Durbin Crossing and RiverTown, came off the market at least once without selling. Resale homes that sold on their first listing spent a median of 31 days on the market and sold for 96.8% of their highest asking price. Resale homes that came off the market first spent a median of about 166 days on the market in total and sold for 90.4%.
Builders are a big part of this market. 467 of the 1,520 homes sold (31%) were new construction, and only 21 of 692 new homes came off the market without selling. Builders reported a seller concession on two out of three of their sales, with a median of $25,000. Right now, 160 of the 294 resale homes listed have been on the market 60 days or more, and 172 have already cut their price (median cut: 4.0%).
| ZIP code 32259 | Resale homes | New construction |
|---|---|---|
| Came off the market without selling | 433 of 1,646 (26%) | 21 of 692 (3%) |
| Sold on first listing: median days on market | 31 | 68 |
| Sold on first listing: % of highest asking price | 96.8% | 96.1% |
| Sold after coming off: median total days on market | 166 | 7 homes, too few to compare |
| Sold after coming off: % of highest asking price | 90.4% | 7 homes, too few to compare |
| Closed sales with a seller concession | 430 of 1,056 (41%) | 315 of 472 (67%) |
| Median seller concession | $7,500 | $25,000 |
Source: realMLS and St. Augustine & St. Johns County Board MLS data for ZIP code 32259, October 2025 to October 2026, analyzed by Joey Larsen. Resale figures leave out homes marked as new construction. Homes are counted once even if they were listed more than once or in both MLSs. Total days add up each listing's days on the market within this 12-month window. Concessions are seller concessions reported in the MLS on closed sales. Builder incentives offered through a preferred lender may not appear there.
Why resale homes stall in St. Johns
- Price against today's competition, new homes included. A buyer touring a resale in Durbin Crossing or Julington Creek Plantation may tour a new build in RiverTown or Beachwalk the same weekend. They compare the price, the monthly payment and what's included.
- Builder incentives. Builders here reported a seller concession on 67% of their sales, often aimed at the buyer's rate or closing costs. A resale that offers nothing can look expensive next to that, even at a lower price.
- The first impression online. The first photo and the first two lines of the description decide who clicks. Lead with what a new build can't offer yet: the finished yard, the mature trees, the screened lanai, no construction next door.
- Townhomes and monthly costs. Resale townhomes came off the market without selling more often than single-family homes (38% vs. 25%). Buyers ask early about HOA and CDD fees and what they cover.
- The terms. Many buyers shop by monthly payment and cash to close. A closing-cost credit or a seller-paid rate buydown can bring a buyer back when a price cut wouldn't.
What Joey Larsen does differently with a home that didn't sell
- Finds out who is really buying. Joey looks at recent sales of homes like yours nearby: how those buyers paid and where they were moving from. Then the description, the lead photo and the places it's promoted get rewritten for that buyer.
- Changes the terms before the price. When a seller doesn't want to lower the price, Joey puts the net numbers side by side: a seller-paid rate buydown or closing-cost credit next to a price cut, using the concessions nearby buyers actually received, the builders' included.
- Takes the home to the agents with matching buyers. Joey contacts the agents whose buyers match the home and the agents who recently closed similar homes nearby, instead of waiting on the MLS alone.
Already listed with another agent?
Your listing agreement is with your current brokerage, so start with a conversation with your agent about what's working and what isn't, and read your agreement before making other plans. If your listing has ended, or your brokerage has released you, Joey Larsen is glad to take a fresh look.
Questions St. Johns sellers ask
How long should a home take to sell in St. Johns?
Over the past 12 months, resale homes in 32259 that sold on their first listing spent a median of 31 days on the market: 29 days for single-family homes and 39 for townhomes. If you're past 60 days with showings and no offers, the market is telling you something about price, presentation or terms.
How do I compete with new construction?
Price against the new homes buyers are touring, not just other resales. Then match the part of the builder's offer buyers care about most, usually the monthly payment or the cash to close, with a closing-cost credit or a rate buydown. And sell what a new build can't: a finished yard, upgrades already in place, and a move-in date weeks away instead of months.
Should I lower my price or wait?
Waiting has been expensive here. Resale homes that came off the market and sold later got a median of 90.4% of their highest asking price, compared with 96.8% for first-time sales. Before you cut, compare the price change with a closing-cost credit or rate buydown.
Do CDD fees make a home harder to sell?
Not on their own. About two-thirds of resale homes in 32259 (1,057 of 1,646) carry a CDD fee, and they came off the market without selling about as often as homes without one (27% vs. 25%). What matters is that buyers see the full monthly cost up front, so put the CDD and HOA amounts in the listing.
Is it harder to sell in a 55+ community like Stillwater or Watersong?
A little, by the numbers. Over the past year, 29 of 93 resale homes in 55+ communities in 32259 came off the market without selling (31%), compared with 26% of resale homes elsewhere in the ZIP code. Price against the other 55+ homes for sale, new and resale, since that's what those buyers compare.
Can I get out of my listing agreement in Florida?
Most Florida listings use an Exclusive Right of Sale agreement with a set end date, and a seller usually can't cancel early on their own. You can ask your brokerage for a release; Florida Realtors forms allow a conditional or unconditional termination if the brokerage agrees. Read your agreement first. This isn't legal advice.
What happens if my listing expires?
The home comes off the MLS and the agreement ends, so you can relist with the same agent, hire a new one, or wait. Before relisting, update your disclosures: Florida sellers must disclose known defects, including anything a buyer's inspection turned up, and the Florida flood disclosure is due at or before contract.
Get a second opinion
If your St. Johns, Fruit Cove or RiverTown home has been sitting, or your listing just ended, Joey Larsen will walk through it with you: what the local numbers say, what buyers are seeing, and what Joey would change. No pressure and no obligation. Call or text Joey at (904) 863-6679.
About Joey Larsen
Joey Larsen is a REALTOR® with La Rosa Realty North Florida LLC who helps St. Johns, Fruit Cove and RiverTown homeowners in St. Johns County sell after their home didn't. A U.S. Army veteran licensed in Florida since 2014, Joey has lived in St. Johns County for more than a decade, first in Nocatee and now in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Retire Me To Florida Team at La Rosa Realty North Florida holds a 4.9-star rating from 102 Google reviews (October 2026).
La Rosa Realty North Florida LLC · 9250 Baymeadows Rd #230, Jacksonville, FL 32256 · (904) 863-6679 · Florida license 3296382
Sources
- Home sale data: realMLS and St. Augustine & St. Johns County Board MLS residential listings for ZIP code 32259, all statuses, October 18, 2025 to October 18, 2026, exported and analyzed by Joey Larsen. Homes listed more than once, or in both MLSs, are counted once. Resale figures leave out homes marked as new construction; concessions are seller concessions reported in the MLS.
- Florida listing agreements: Florida Statutes 475.25(1)(r) and Florida Realtors, conditional vs. unconditional termination.
- Florida flood disclosure: Florida Statutes 689.302.