Are Sarasota home prices dropping? What sellers should know
September 2026 numbers for Sarasota and Manatee: median prices, inventory and days to contract for homes and condos, and what they mean for pricing.
Not according to the latest numbers. In September 2026, the median sale price was higher than a year earlier for single-family homes in both Sarasota and Manatee counties and for Sarasota condos and townhouses, and unchanged for Manatee condos and townhouses (Florida Realtors data published by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, September 2026). Fewer homes were for sale than a year ago and homes went under contract faster, but an overpriced home can still sit.
What do the September 2026 numbers show?
The reports split single-family homes from townhouses and condos, and that split matters here, because the two markets have been moving differently. Here are the main figures, this September against last.
| Sept 2026 | Sept 2025 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family median sale price | $485,000 | $450,000 | Up 7.8% |
| Single-family active listings | 2,629 | 3,137 | Down 16.2% |
| Single-family median days to contract | 51 | 64 | Down 20.3% |
| Single-family months supply | 3.7 | 4.8 | Down 22.9% |
| Condo and townhouse median sale price | $335,000 | $315,000 | Up 6.3% |
| Condo and townhouse active listings | 1,601 | 1,820 | Down 12.0% |
| Condo and townhouse median days to contract | 77 | 108 | Down 28.7% |
| Condo and townhouse months supply | 4.9 | 6.8 | Down 27.9% |
Source: Florida Realtors Monthly Market Summary, Sarasota County, September 2026 (released October 16, 2026), published by RASM.
| Sept 2026 | Sept 2025 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family median sale price | $485,000 | $470,000 | Up 3.2% |
| Single-family active listings | 2,610 | 2,656 | Down 1.7% |
| Single-family median days to contract | 53 | 60 | Down 11.7% |
| Single-family months supply | 3.9 | 4.2 | Down 7.1% |
| Condo and townhouse median sale price | $296,500 | $296,500 | No change |
| Condo and townhouse active listings | 1,191 | 1,384 | Down 13.9% |
| Condo and townhouse median days to contract | 76 | 92 | Down 17.4% |
| Condo and townhouse months supply | 5.0 | 6.3 | Down 20.6% |
Source: Florida Realtors Monthly Market Summary, Manatee County, September 2026 (released October 16, 2026), published by RASM.
A few terms, once each. The median sale price is the middle price of all homes that closed that month: half sold for more, half for less. Days to contract is how long homes were on the market before a buyer signed. Months supply is how long it would take to sell everything now listed at the current pace of sales if nothing new came on the market.
Why do people think prices are dropping?
Partly because the market feels different than it did a few years ago. Homes take weeks to go under contract instead of days, sellers are cutting asking prices, and buyers are negotiating again. All of that is real, and it can feel like falling prices even when the median sale price is up.
The reports show it. In September 2026, the typical Sarasota single-family seller received 94.3% of the original list price, and the typical Sarasota condo seller received 93.0%. In Manatee the figures were 95.7% for single-family homes and 91.5% for condos and townhouses. Those numbers were all higher than a year earlier, but they still mean most sellers ended up below where they started.
Condos are also a separate story. Florida’s newer condo safety laws have pushed many associations to raise reserves, and some buildings have large repair projects or special assessments ahead. Buildings like that can sell for less than the county numbers suggest. We cover it in selling a Sarasota condo under Florida’s newer condo laws.
Can one month’s numbers mislead you?
Yes. A median moves with the mix of homes that happened to close that month. If more waterfront homes or more new construction closed, the median rises even if no single home gained value.
Averages swing even more. In September 2026, the average sale price for Sarasota County condos and townhouses was $1,082,129, against $419,617 a year earlier, while the median rose only 6.3% (same source). A handful of very expensive sales can do that. That’s why we watch medians, and why we look at several months together before calling a trend.
Are more homes selling?
In most of the market, yes. Closed sales in September 2026 compared with September 2025 (same source):
- Sarasota single-family homes: 681, up from 646 (up 5.4%)
- Sarasota condos and townhouses: 309, up from 230 (up 34.3%)
- Manatee single-family homes: 636, down from 662 (down 3.9%)
- Manatee condos and townhouses: 224, up from 216 (up 3.7%)
Cash is a big part of the condo market. In Sarasota County, 195 of the 309 condo and townhouse sales in September 2026 were paid in cash, and 287 of the 681 single-family sales were. Cash buyers can close quickly and usually skip the lender appraisal, but they also tend to negotiate hard. For a seller, a cash offer isn’t automatically a better offer. Read the terms.
More sales and fewer listings at the same time is the opposite of what a falling market usually looks like. It doesn’t promise anything about next year, but it’s worth knowing before you decide to wait.
What do inventory and days on market mean for your price?
Inventory is the number of homes for sale. When it falls, as it did in both counties from September 2025 to September 2026, buyers have fewer choices and well-priced homes tend to sell faster. That shows up in the shorter days to contract.
Months supply puts the two together. A common rule of thumb is that around six months is a balanced market, with lower numbers leaning toward sellers. By that measure, single-family homes in both counties were well below that mark in September 2026, and condos and townhouses had gone from above it a year earlier to below it.
None of that means you can price high and wait. Buyers here compare homes closely and walk away from ones that are priced above the recent sales. A home that’s priced right from the first week usually does better than one that starts high and comes down.
What’s our read on the last few months?
[NEEDS RICHARD: a real example of what you’re seeing in the last quarter (no names): how showings, offers and price reductions have looked on your listings, in your words]
What should sellers do with this?
Use the county numbers for context and price your home on its own sales. The median for a whole county can’t tell you what your home is worth, because your building, street, view and condition matter more. Our post on what your Sarasota home is worth explains why online estimates often miss here and how to read comps.
If the price you’d get today isn’t enough for your plans, there are other paths. Some owners rent the home for a year or two, and some take a cash offer to skip repairs. We compare those choices in cash offer or list it. If you’re on the buying side, these numbers matter too, and our buyer consultation is a good place to start. You can also see the areas we cover.
What’s the next step?
Get a price for your home, not the county. Fill out our home value form and we’ll send a written pricing opinion, usually within 24 hours, based on recent sales near you and what’s under contract now.
