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Home Buying Home Selling Real Estate

Manatee County Market Update for Single-Family Homes

The February 2026 snapshot for Manatee County single‑family homes shows 550 closed sales, a 10% increase year‑over‑year, and a median sale price of $489,634, up 2.9% from a year earlier. Overall activity appears stronger than last year, with closed transactions and prices both rising. These headline figures indicate continued market momentum heading into spring.

On the supply side, active inventory stands at 3,031 units, down 2.1% from a year ago, while new listings totaled 1,016, up 4.7% year‑over‑year. At the same time, new pending sales reached 714, an 11% increase, signaling that a larger share of inventory are moving quickly into contract prior to the end of our busy season. The combination of slightly lower inventory and rising pending sales points to persistent buyer demand relative to available supply.

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Home Buying Home Prices Home Selling Real Estate

Our FL Market

Florida Realtors has put together the infographic below on why our local Florida real estate market continues to be robust.

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Home Buying Real Estate

Home Buying Later in Life

With the median age of today’s homebuyer now at 59, it’s clear that it’s never too late to purchase your next home. But what if you’re 65 and retired; does buying still make sense? The answer depends largely on your financial position and whether you can comfortably manage the rising costs of homeownership. Still, many experts agree that for those who are financially stable, owning a home remains a smart investment at any age, with the added benefit of creating long‑term security for your family.

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Home Buying Mortgages Real Estate

Mortgage Rate Update

Despite a lot of noise, Mortgage interest rates have largely remained flat over the past 30 days. As of this week, the average U.S. rate for a 30‑year fixed mortgage is 6.11%, compared with 6.09% a month ago. While most forecasts earlier this year anticipated a gradual decline continuing through 2026, the likelihood of that decline is now probably no more likely than a likelihood of a small increase.

Relative to the long‑term average of 7.7%, today’s rates still offer meaningful savings, roughly $105 less per month for every $100,000 borrowed. Rates are also lower than they were a year ago. Over the past 12 months, the average monthly payment on a $100,000 30‑year fixed mortgage has dropped by about $35. For a borrower taking out the 2026 maximum conventional loan of $832,750, today’s payment would be approximately $290 lower than it would have been in March 2025.

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Home Selling Real Estate

Home Selling Prep

Florida Realtors has put together the infographic below regarding items to get in order prior to listing your home for sale.