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

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

Closed sales increased across all four major market segments, while new pending sales remained positive in most segments. The broad-based increase in closings shows that buyer demand remains active throughout the region, even as the pace of activity varies by property type and price point.

At the same time, active inventory declined across every county and property type. Single-family supply tightened the most, while the townhouse and condo markets moved closer to balanced conditions after offering buyers more selection over the past year. The combination of stronger sales and fewer available properties is creating a more competitive environment for well-positioned listings.

Seller leverage also showed signs of improving, with homes generally closing closer to their original asking prices than a year ago. However, buyers are not necessarily rushing into every property. Single-family homes moved to contract faster in both counties, while Sarasota County condos took longer to reach contract despite a sharp increase in sales. Higher-priced transactions also continued to influence average sale prices, particularly in Sarasota County.

“The data suggests sellers and buyers are more in alignment with how they are viewing today's market value,” said David Crawford, 2026 RASM President and Broker/Owner of Catalist Realty. “Buyers are continuing to get off the fence and get back in the game while sellers are being more realistic about the value of their properties and are being rewarded with higher closing ratios and a quicker sales cycle.”

Key Trends in Sarasota/Manatee July 2026:

• Sales Activity Remained Strong: Buyer activity continued across the region, with closed sales increasing in every major property segment. Pending activity also remained positive across most of the market, suggesting continued demand heading into the late summer months.
• Inventory Continued to Tighten: Available inventory declined across both counties and property types, continuing the shift seen over the past several months. Single-family supply has tightened the most, while condo and townhome markets have moved closer to balanced conditions.
• Market Conditions Are Becoming More Competitive, but Buyers Remain Selective: Sellers are receiving a larger share of their original asking prices, and single-family homes are moving to contract faster than a year ago. Condo conditions remain more nuanced, particularly in Sarasota County, where sales have risen sharply even as buyers continue to take more time before committing.
  

Single-Family

In Sarasota County, 744 single-family homes sold in July, an increase of 2.9 percent compared to July 2025. The median sale price increased 5.0 percent to $493,500, while the average sale price rose 11.6 percent to $764,307. Cash purchases represented 33.6 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 94.2 percent of their original list price, compared to 91.0 percent one year earlier.

Buyer activity remained positive, with new pending sales increasing 6.6 percent to 724. New listings also increased 9.6 percent to 789, while pending inventory rose 9.6 percent to 913 properties.

Active listings fell 23.4 percent to 2,736 homes, reducing months supply to 3.9 months in July 2026. Homes spent a median of 52 days on the market before going under contract and 93 days from listing to closing.

Higher-priced single-family activity was particularly strong in Sarasota County. Sales of homes priced at $1 million or more increased 39.1 percent to 121 transactions. Sales between $1.25 million and $1.49 million rose 47.1 percent, while sales between $2 million and $2.99 million increased 50.0 percent and sales between $3 million and $4.99 million increased 62.5 percent.

In Manatee County, single-family closed sales increased 11.2 percent to 694 transactions. The median sale price rose 1.0 percent to $495,000, while the average sale price increased 7.1 percent to $675,943. Cash purchases represented 27.7 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 95.2 percent of their original list price, compared to 93.7 percent in July 2025.

New pending sales declined slightly, down 2.0 percent to 653, while new listings increased 9.6 percent to 821. Pending inventory increased 7.3 percent year-over-year to 957 properties.

Active inventory fell 7.9 percent to 2,724 homes, while months supply fell to 4.1 months. Properties spent a median of 50 days on the market before going under contract and approximately 100 days from listing to closing.

Higher-priced single-family activity remained strong in Manatee County. Sales of homes priced at $1 million or more increased 14.9 percent to 77 transactions. Sales between $1.5 million and $1.99 million doubled to 18, while sales between $2 million and $2.99 million increased 37.5 percent to 11 transactions.

Townhomes and Condos

The Sarasota County condo and townhome market recorded 318 closed sales in July, an increase of 33.1 percent year-over-year. The median sale price increased 13.3 percent to $340,000, while the average sale price rose 62.7 percent to $610,513. Cash buyers accounted for 59.7 percent of sales. Sellers received a median of 90.8 percent of their original list price, up from 88.3 percent in July 2025.

New pending sales increased 27.7 percent to 281, while new listings declined 5.3 percent to 284. Active inventory decreased 10.9 percent to 1,782 units, lowering months supply to 5.6 months in July 2026.

Properties spent a median of 92 days on the market before going under contract and approximately 138 days from listing to closing.

Higher-priced condo and townhome activity increased considerably in Sarasota County. The county recorded 41 sales of $1 million or more in July, up from 12 one year earlier. Sales between $1.25 million and $1.49 million increased to 10 from one, and sales between $1.5 million and $1.99 million also increased to 10 from one.

In Manatee County, condo and townhome sales increased 18.4 percent to 238 transactions. The median sale price declined slightly, down 1.9 percent to $313,950, while the average sale price increased 3.7 percent to $342,030. Cash purchases represented 49.2 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 93.2 percent of their original list price, compared to 91.0 percent in July 2025.

New pending sales increased 32.6 percent to 236, while new listings rose 17.6 percent to 294. Active inventory fell 15.8 percent to 1,277 units, lowering months supply to 5.4 months in July 2026.

Properties spent a median of 70 days on the market before going under contract and approximately 109 days from listing to closing.

Summary

The July 2026 housing market continued the shift toward tighter conditions, with stronger sales absorbing available inventory and giving sellers somewhat more leverage. However, the change is not uniform across every segment. Single-family markets are moving faster and carrying less supply, while condo and townhome conditions remain more nuanced, particularly in Sarasota County, where stronger sales coexist with longer decision times for buyers.

The result is a market that is more competitive than a year ago but still rewards realistic pricing and careful evaluation. Buyers and sellers should review conditions at the neighborhood, property-type and price-point levels and work with a REALTOR® who can interpret hyper-local data, evaluate current competition and develop a strategy based on the conditions 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.