Q3 2026 Real Estate Market Report: Trends in Sarasota and Manatee Counties

The REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) has released its Q3 2026 real estate market report, showing growth in closed sales and median sale prices across the single-family and townhouse/condo markets in both counties. Condos and townhomes led the sales gains, while available inventory ended the quarter below year-ago levels.

From July through September, the four major market segments recorded a combined 5,699 closed sales, an increase of 8.0 percent compared to the third quarter of 2025. Condo and townhome sales increased 20.9 percent across the two counties, compared to 3.6 percent for single-family homes.

New listings increased across all four segments during the quarter, yet active inventory and months supply were lower at the end of September than one year earlier. Sellers received a larger share of their original asking prices, and median time to contract shortened in every segment.

September reinforced the strength of condo and townhome activity, particularly in Sarasota County, where closings increased 34.3 percent year-over-year. Single-family results were more mixed, with closed sales increasing in Sarasota and declining in Manatee. New pending single-family sales declined year-over-year in both counties, showing that activity varied as the quarter ended.

“The trend line continues to show a strengthening market across multiple data points,” said David Crawford, 2026 RASM President and REALTOR® with The Catalist Group at The Keyes Company. “Even with new listings increasing across all segments, inventory continues to shrink, showing buyer demand is outpacing current supply.”

Key Trends in Sarasota/Manatee Q3 2026

• Condo and Townhome Sales Led Growth: Closed sales increased 26.8 percent in Sarasota County and 13.9 percent in Manatee County during Q3. New pending sales also increased in both markets. These figures show more completed transactions and more properties going under contract, pointing to stronger buyer activity in the condo and townhome segment. Pending sales can indicate future closings, although not every contract results in a completed sale.
• More New Listings, Lower Available Inventory: New listings increased across both counties and property types during the quarter, but active inventory ended September below year-ago levels. Months supply estimates how long current inventory would last at the recent sales pace. Supply of 3.7 to 3.9 months for single-family homes indicates tighter conditions than the 4.9 to 5.0 months for condos and townhomes, which are closer to balance. Fewer available listings generally mean less competition for sellers and fewer choices for buyers than one year earlier.
• Prices and Selling Conditions Improved: Median sale prices increased across all four segments, with gains ranging from 2.3 to 6.4 percent. Sellers received a larger share of their original asking prices, and homes generally reached contract sooner than in Q3 2025. Together, these trends suggest sellers were finding buyers sooner and selling closer to their original asking prices. Median prices reflect the midpoint of homes sold and can also change as the mix of properties sold changes.

Single-Family

In Sarasota County, 2,071 single-family homes sold during the third quarter, an increase of 3.0 percent compared to Q3 2025. The median sale price rose 3.7 percent to $485,000, while the average sale price increased 20.2 percent to $807,627. Cash purchases represented 37.6 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 94.4 percent of their original list price, compared to 91.9 percent one year earlier.

At the end of the quarter, active listings were down 16.2 percent year-over-year to 2,629 homes, with months supply declining from 4.8 to 3.7 months. During Q3, homes spent a median of 52 days on the market before going under contract and 92 days from listing to closing, down from 68 and 107 days, respectively. New pending sales increased 1.7 percent to 2,008.

In Manatee County, single-family closed sales increased 4.2 percent to 2,017 transactions during Q3. The median sale price rose 3.2 percent to $490,000, while the average sale price increased 4.4 percent to $657,172. Cash purchases represented 27.5 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 95.6 percent of their original list price, compared to 93.8 percent in Q3 2025.

At the end of the quarter, active inventory totaled 2,610 homes, down 1.7 percent year-over-year, while months supply declined from 4.2 to 3.9 months. Properties spent a median of 49 days on the market before going under contract and 99 days from listing to closing during Q3, compared to 59 and 104 days one year earlier. New pending sales were nearly unchanged, declining 0.3 percent to 1,877.

Townhomes and Condos

The Sarasota County condo and townhome market recorded 908 closed sales during Q3, an increase of 26.8 percent year-over-year. The median sale price increased 6.4 percent to $324,380, while the average sale price rose 77.2 percent to $718,721. Cash buyers accounted for 60.9 percent of sales. Sellers received a median of 92.0 percent of their original list price, up from 88.4 percent in Q3 2025.

At the end of the quarter, active inventory was down 12.0 percent year-over-year to 1,601 units, lowering months supply from 6.8 to 4.9 months. New pending sales increased 20.0 percent to 870 during Q3. Median time to contract edged down from 87 to 86 days, although median time from listing to closing increased from 129 to 133 days.

In Manatee County, condo and townhome sales increased 13.9 percent to 703 transactions during Q3. The median sale price increased 2.3 percent to $307,000, while the average sale price rose 5.7 percent to $348,886. Cash purchases represented 49.4 percent of closed sales. Sellers received a median of 92.8 percent of their original list price, compared to 90.3 percent in Q3 2025.

At the end of the quarter, active inventory was down 13.9 percent year-over-year to 1,191 units, lowering months supply from 6.3 to 5.0 months. During Q3, properties spent a median of 73 days on the market before going under contract and 114 days from listing to closing, down from 82 and 125 days, respectively. New pending sales increased 14.5 percent to 639.

Luxury Highlights

In the single-family market, Sarasota County recorded nine sales of $10 million or more during Q3, up from one in Q3 2025, an 800 percent increase. Sales from $5 million to under $10 million increased 175 percent to 11, compared to four one year earlier. Manatee County also recorded two single-family sales of $10 million or more, compared to none in Q3 2025.

Sarasota’s condo and townhome market also recorded a substantial increase at the highest price points. Ten properties sold for $10 million or more during Q3, compared to none one year earlier. Another 15 sold for $5 million to under $10 million, up from one in Q3 2025. These large transactions are important context for Sarasota’s average sale price increases, since averages are more sensitive than medians to a small number of very high-priced sales.

September Highlights

September single-family results were mixed. Sarasota County recorded 681 closings, an increase of 5.4 percent year-over-year, while Manatee County recorded 636, down 3.9 percent. Both counties reported a median sale price of $485,000, up 7.8 percent in Sarasota and 3.2 percent in Manatee. New pending sales declined in both counties, falling 2.8 percent to 619 in Sarasota and 3.6 percent to 559 in Manatee.

September condo and townhome sales increased year-over-year in both counties. Sarasota recorded 309 closings, up 34.3 percent, and a median sale price of $335,000, up 6.3 percent. New pending sales increased 19.3 percent to 291. In Manatee, closed sales increased 3.7 percent to 224, the median sale price was unchanged at $296,500, and new pending sales rose 3.6 percent to 173.

September accounted for five of Sarasota’s nine Q3 single-family closings at $10 million or more and all ten condo and townhome closings at that price level, concentrating much of the quarter’s highest-priced activity in its final month.

Summary

The third quarter brought increased closings and higher median sale prices across all four major market segments in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Condos and townhomes accounted for most of the regional sales growth, while both property types ended September with lower inventory than one year earlier. September’s mixed single-family results also show that growth was not uniform at the close of the quarter.

Conditions continue to vary by location, property type and price point. Buyers and sellers should work with a REALTOR® who can interpret local data, assess current competition and develop a strategy based on the factors affecting a specific property. Accurate pricing and an understanding of the local market remain essential as sales activity and available inventory change.

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