As Congress remains at a standstill, effects of the shutdown are rippling through the state's housing market. 

With government agencies on pause, flood insurance renewals are in limbo, builders are bracing for delays, and environmental permits are sitting unattended to. 

Housing shapes the US economy — and nowhere is that more evident than in Florida, where real estate configures 24.1 percent of the gross domestic product. 

Across the US, housing makes up about 18 percent of the economy, or around $4.9 trillion. 

But in Florida, each home sale has an even bigger impact. A typical sale adds about $125,000 to the local economy and helps support around two jobs in areas such as construction, retail, and home services. 

What Florida is enduring amid the government shutdown should serve as a cautionary tale for the rest of the US.

'Given Florida's large share of national housing activity, even a modest pullback in buyer engagement could visibly nudge national sales and inventory metrics,' said Realtor.com senior economist Anthony Smith. 

Because Florida's housing market drives a larger share of its economy than any other state, even small disruptions — such as stalled flood insurance or delayed permits — quickly expose how fragile the wider US housing system can be. 

Put simply: Florida's housing market affects more than just Florida. If the slowdown continues, it could signal trouble ahead for the entire US economy.

Florida is particularly vulnerable because it is one of the most flood-prone places in the country. It has around 1.8 million federal flood insurance policies — over a third of all in the US.

Right now, because insurance programs are on hold, Florida residents with homes along the coast and in wetlands cannot renew their flood coverage (around 150,000 policies in the state come up for renewal each month). 

While there is a 30-day grace period to fix lapsed policies, time is running out. 

If the shutdown stretches past late October, thousands of homeowners could find themselves uninsured in the middle of hurricane season.