The December 2025 single-family home market in Sarasota County shows mixed signals: closed sales rose 18% year-over-year to 711, while the median sale price fell 8.3% to $485,000, indicating more activity at the lower end of the market. Active inventory decreased 5.7% to 3,211, and new listings dropped sharply 19% to 748, even as new pending sales inched up 1.6% to 524. Cash sales declined to 38.7% of closed transactions from 44.0% a year earlier.
Tag: home selling
The December 2025 single-family home market in Manatee County shows modest cooling compared with a year earlier. Closed sales fell to 612, a 5.6% decline year-over-year, while median sale price remained essentially flat.
Supply and market composition shifted slightly toward more choices for buyers. Active inventory rose to 2,687, up 6.7%, and new listings dipped marginally to 724 (down 1.5%), indicating more homes were available overall even as fresh supply slowed a touch. Cash sales made up 30.2% of closed transactions, a small decline from 31.5% a year ago, and new pending sales edged down 1.6% to 493, pointing to slightly softer buyer urgency.
In October 2025, Sarasota County’s single-family home market saw a notable uptick in activity, with closed sales rising 30% year-over-year to 668 transactions. New listings surged by 32%, reaching 1,004, while new pending sales jumped an impressive 55%, indicating strong buyer interest. Active inventory also increased by 11%, suggesting more options for buyers. Cash sales accounted for 40.4% of all closed transactions, slightly higher than the previous year’s 39.6%, reflecting continued demand from cash-ready buyers.
Despite the rise in sales volume and listings, the median sale price declined by 9.2% from the prior year, settling at $445,000, indicating stronger activity at the lower end of the market. Overall, the data suggests a dynamic market with growing momentum, where increased supply is meeting robust demand, albeit at slightly softened price points. The infographic below from Florida Realtors contains more.
The real estate market for single-family homes in Manatee County showed improved activity in October 2025. Closed sales surged by 27% compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 596 transactions. The median sale price experienced a modest increase of 0.2%, settling at $481,000, demonstrating a balance in the closed sales. Inventory also grew, with active listings rising 12% to 2,671 homes. However, cash sales as a percentage of closed sales declined from 30.2% to 27.2%, indicating a possible shift in buyer financing trends.
New listings and pending sales both saw substantial growth, suggesting heightened market engagement. New listings jumped 42% year-over-year to 816, while new pending sales climbed 43%, totaling 622. These figures reflect a dynamic and competitive housing environment, likely driven by increased buyer demand and seller confidence. Overall, the data points to a robust and expanding market as we head into season. The infographic below from Florida Realtors contains more.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently updated their view on real estate sales in 2026. The graphic below has some interesting insights.
Last year at this time, I had expected 2025 to be materially better than 2024 for existing home sales. Of course, that didn’t happen. NAR is painting a pretty rosy picture for positive change next year, but it could be as wrong as I was last year. That said, the local market in Q4 2025 definitely feels like it is headed in a positive direction. Assuming we build on this initial momentum, NAR’s forecast could be on point.