Home sales in Sarasota and Manatee: Latest report reveals key trends.

Ella Thompson Sarasota Herald-Tribune, AI

4 Key Points:

• The Sarasota-Manatee real estate market showed resiliency in September with an increase in closed sales for single-family homes.

• Median sale prices for single-family homes and condos dropped in both counties, contrasting with a national price increase.

• Sales activity for single-family homes climbed significantly in both Sarasota and Manatee counties compared to the previous year.

• Housing inventory remains high in the region, with supply for all property types increasing year-over-year.

The Sarasota-Manatee area’s September real estate market showed resiliency, according to the most recent industry report.    

The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s September findings showed an increase in closed sales for both Sarasota and Manatee in the single-family homes segment year-over-year. Manatee saw an increase in sales of townhomes and condos, while Sarasota’s closed sales for the segment stayed the same year-over-year. 

The median sale price on single-family homes dropped 8.2% in Sarasota County year-over-year from $490,000 to $450,000. In Manatee County, the median price of homes didn’t change from September 2024, instead holding steady at $470,000. Both counties also saw dips in the median sale price for townhomes and condos, with a 17.1% decline from $380,000 to $315,000 in Sarasota and a 7.3% decline from $319,990 to $296,500 in Manatee compared to 2024.

Are Sarasota and Manatee counties’ median home prices aligning with national trends?

The trend in Sarasota and Manatee counties’ median price is counter to national figures. Nationwide home prices increased 1.7% compared to last year, with a median price of $435,295.  

Sales activity was similar across the two counties, with single-family home sales in Sarasota County climbing 25.9% from last September, while Manatee saw a 24.4% rise. The two counties differed in closed sales of townhomes and condos, with Manatee’s sales up 31.7% while Sarasota stayed the same year-over-year. 

The rise in sales activity in the single-family home segment could be a side effect of more affordability in the market, lower interest rates or demand from buyers who waited, according to the RASM press release.

Sarasota and Manatee are following a national trend of increased sales. The number of homes sold was up 7% nationwide year-over-year in September. The supply of homes nationally is still three months, which is up 0% year-over-year, Redfin reported.  

Inventory is still high on the Suncoast. Sarasota County reported a 4.8-month supply of single-family homes, a 6.7% year-over-year increase, and a 6.8-month supply of condos and townhomes, a 25.9% spike from last year. Manatee County saw similar trends, with a 7.7% year-over-year increase yielding a 4.2-month supply of single-family homes, with the townhome and condo supply increasing 5% year-over-year to 6.3 months

What is the median time to sell a home in Sarasota and Bradenton area?

Although active listings increased from September 2024, RASM reports inventory has been trending down for months, indicating stabilization. 

Median time to sale is still over 100 days across all types of housing in both Sarasota and Manatee counties, which is an increase year-over-year in every segment, but not unusual for the market in 2025. The slow pace could mean buyers have more negotiating power and time compared to recent year, according to the report. 

“As single-family inventory stabilizes and months supply approaches a more typical range, the market is shifting from one-sided to one where both sellers and buyers can engage productively,” said Debi Reynolds, 2025 RASM president.