August 2026 Real Estate Market Report: Trends in Sarasota and Manatee Counties

The REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) has released its August 2026 real estate market report, showing broader buyer activity, continued inventory tightening and faster transaction timelines across the single-family and townhouse/condo markets in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Closed and pending sales increased across all four major market segments, signaling that buyer demand remained active through late summer. The strongest gains continued to come from townhouses and condos in both counties.

At the same time, active inventory and months supply declined across every county and property type. With fewer homes available compared to recent sales activity, market conditions continued to tighten across both the single-family and townhouse/condo segments.

Seller leverage also continued to improve. Homes generally moved to contract and closing faster than a year ago, and sellers received a larger share of their original asking prices across all four segments. Price trends remained relatively steady overall, with modest gains in most segments and limited softness elsewhere.

"The trend line continues to tell the story of buyers and sellers finding common ground and seeing a true market value through a similar lens,” said David Crawford, 2026 RASM President and Broker/Owner of Catalist Realty. “It's exciting to see this trend of increased sales and shorter sales cycles continue even through the end of summer!"

Key Trends in Sarasota/Manatee August 2026:

Sales and Pending Activity Strengthened: Buyer activity remained broad-based, with both closed sales and new pending sales increasing across every major property segment. Townhouse and condo activity continued to post the strongest gains, while single-family sales also remained positive in both counties.

Inventory Continued to Tighten: Active listings and months supply declined across both counties and property types, continuing the shift toward a more competitive market. Single-family inventory remained especially tight, while townhouse and condo supply remains closer to balanced conditions.

Homes Moved Faster as Seller Position Improved: Marketing times shortened across every major segment, and sellers generally received a larger share of their original asking prices. Prices were comparatively stable, with modest gains in most segments, suggesting buyers and sellers are becoming more aligned on current market value.

Single-Family

In Sarasota County, 646 single-family homes sold in August, an increase of 0.8 percent compared to August 2025. The median sale price declined 1.1 percent to $470,000, while the average sale price decreased 1.9 percent to $670,413. Cash purchases represented 37.3 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 94.7 percent of their original list price, compared to 92.3 percent one year earlier.

Active listings fell 20.8 percent to 2,619 homes, reducing months supply to 3.7 months in August 2026. Homes spent a median of 47 days on the market before going under contract and 91 days from listing to closing.

Higher-priced single-family activity was mixed in Sarasota County. Sales of homes priced at $1 million or more decreased 8.2 percent to 78 transactions. However, sales between $1.5 million and $1.99 million increased 46.2 percent to 19, while sales between $2 million and $2.99 million increased 18.2 percent to 13 transactions.

In Manatee County, single-family closed sales increased 5.7 percent to 687 transactions. The median sale price rose 5.9 percent to $495,000, while the average sale price was nearly unchanged, declining 0.3 percent to $663,878. Cash purchases represented 26.6 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 95.6 percent of their original list price, compared to 94.8 percent in August 2025.

Active inventory fell 7.0 percent to 2,616 homes, while months supply declined to 3.9 months. Properties spent a median of 45 days on the market before going under contract and approximately 95 days from listing to closing.

Higher-priced single-family activity was also mixed in Manatee County. Sales of homes priced at $1 million or more declined 6.6 percent to 71 transactions. Sales between $1 million and $1.24 million increased 26.1 percent to 29, while sales between $1.25 million and $1.49 million and between $1.5 million and $1.99 million declined year-over-year.

Townhomes and Condos

The Sarasota County condo and townhome market recorded 281 closed sales in August, an increase of 13.8 percent year-over-year. The median sale price increased 3.3 percent to $310,000, while the average sale price rose 4.7 percent to $441,558. Cash buyers accounted for 59.8 percent of sales. Sellers received a median of 91.6 percent of their original list price, up from 88.5 percent in August 2025.

Active inventory decreased 11.8 percent to 1,659 units, lowering months supply to 5.2 months in August 2026. Properties spent a median of 83 days on the market before going under contract and approximately 124 days from listing to closing.

Higher-priced condo and townhome activity remained active in Sarasota County. The county recorded 21 sales of $1 million or more in August, an increase of 10.5 percent year-over-year. Sales between $1.5 million and $1.99 million held steady at four transactions, while sales between $2 million and $2.99 million increased to six from two one year earlier.

In Manatee County, condo and townhome sales increased 20.5 percent to 241 transactions. The median sale price increased 5.4 percent to $307,000, while the average sale price rose 5.0 percent to $372,591. Cash purchases represented 50.6 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 93.4 percent of their original list price, compared to 90.4 percent in August 2025.

Active inventory fell 16.1 percent to 1,171 units, lowering months supply to 4.9 months in August 2026. Properties spent a median of 72 days on the market before going under contract and approximately 116 days from listing to closing.

Summary

The August 2026 housing market reinforced the shift toward tighter and more active conditions across Sarasota and Manatee counties. Sales and pending activity improved across every major segment while available inventory continued to decline, helping homes move through the market more quickly and giving well-positioned sellers somewhat more leverage.

Even with the broader improvement, conditions remain highly dependent on location, property type and price point. Buyers continue to evaluate value carefully, while sellers benefit most when homes are priced and positioned for current conditions. Buyers and sellers should work with a REALTOR® who can interpret hyper-local data, assess current competition and develop a strategy based on the factors affecting a specific property.

Monthly reports are provided by Florida Realtors® with data compiled from Stellar MLS. For comprehensive statistics dating back to 2015, visit www.MyRASM.com/statistics.