Originally, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) was bullish on a rebound for 2026 existing home sales, with an expected 14% increase in sales when compared to 2025. While there were a lot of drivers for that expectation, I believe two of the main ones were mortgage interest rate declines and pent-up demand from a few years of low sales.
Mortgage interest rates continued to rise slowly over the past 30 days. As of this week, the average U.S. rate for a 30‑year fixed mortgage is 6.48%, compared with 6.37% a month ago. While most forecasts anticipated a gradual decline continuing through 2026 earlier this year, there are currently as many showing increases as decreases throughout the remainder of the year.
Sometimes, the highest offer doesn’t win in real estate transactions. Florida Realtors has put together the infographic below to highlight other considerations that may just win the day.
Florida Realtors has put together the infographic below to help people avoid some common mistakes when purchasing their first home.
Sarasota County’s single‑family home market in April 2026 showed modest growth in sales and prices. Closed sales reached 824, up 0.9% year‑over‑year, while the median sale price rose to $490,000, an increase of 4.3% from a year earlier. New pending sales were strong at 874, up 17%, indicating continued buyer activity despite mixed listing trends.
Supply tightened significantly compared with last year: active inventory fell to 3,258, down 27%, and new listings dropped to 989, down 12%. Cash purchases accounted for 43.9% of closed sales, a slight decline from 46.1%. See the infographic below, from Florida Realtors, for more.
