RASM's fresh September 2026 report just landed, and the headline is a coincidence: Sarasota and Manatee counties' single-family median sale prices converged at the exact same $485,000, even as Sarasota's annual price growth (+7.8%) ran well ahead of Manatee's (+3.2%). Both counties' inventory kept tightening and homes went to contract noticeably faster than a year ago. Plus real, dated events around Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota through mid-November.
The REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee has published its September 2026 report, and single-family homes in Sarasota and Manatee counties landed on the exact same median sale price — $485,000 — for the second time in recent months. This time the path there was lopsided: Sarasota's median jumped 7.8% year-over-year, its strongest annual price growth in over a year, while Manatee's rose a steadier 3.2%:
| Segment | Median Sale Price (YoY) | Active Listings (YoY) | Months Supply | Median Days to Contract | List Price Received | Closed Sales (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota Single-Family | $485,000 (+7.8%) | 2,629 (−16.2%) | 3.7 | 51 days | 94.3% | 681 (+5.4%) |
| Manatee Single-Family | $485,000 (+3.2%) | 2,610 (−1.7%) | 3.9 | 53 days | 95.7% | 820 (+3.3%) |
| Sarasota Condo/Townhome | $335,000 (+6.3%) | 1,601 (−12.0%) | 4.9 | 77 days | 93.0% | 309 (+34.3%) |
| Manatee Condo/Townhome | $296,500 (+0.0%) | 1,191 (−13.9%) | 5.0 | 76 days | 91.5% | 224 (+3.7%) |
Sellers are keeping more of their asking price in both counties than they were a year ago — 94.3% in Sarasota single-family (up from 92.2%) and 95.7% in Manatee (up from 93.3%) — and condo/townhome activity ran especially hot in Sarasota, where closed sales jumped 34.3% year-over-year on a 6.3% median-price gain.
Active single-family listings fell 16.2% year-over-year in Sarasota County and a more modest 1.7% in Manatee County, and months of supply in both counties slipped under 4 (3.7 in Sarasota, 3.9 in Manatee) — still a seller-leaning number, not an extreme shortage. That tightening shows up directly in how fast homes are moving: median days to contract fell to 51 in Sarasota (from 64 a year ago, a 20.3% drop) and 53 in Manatee (from 60, down 11.7%). Condos told an even sharper version of the same story in Sarasota, where months of supply fell 27.9% year-over-year even with 309 closed sales, a third more than a year ago.
Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey hasn't moved since last week's update — the 30-year fixed rate is still averaging 7.40% as of its October 15, 2026 release, the second straight flat reading after weeks of climbing. A year ago the same survey showed 6.27%, so financing costs remain meaningfully higher than they were in 2025 even with the recent pause.
A tighter, faster-moving market with prices still rising — especially in Sarasota, where price growth and condo demand both accelerated this month — is a better setup for sellers than a year ago, but it isn't a free pass to overprice: 51-53 median days to contract still rewards homes that are priced to this month's comps, not last year's. For buyers, Sarasota's sharper price growth and condo sales spike suggest that market segment is getting more competitive faster than Manatee's, where the pace is steadier; a financed offer in either county needs to be clean and well-prepared, particularly on condos given how quickly that inventory is thinning out. Either way, the countywide numbers are a starting point, not a verdict on any one neighborhood — reach out and I'll pull the real comps for yours.
The REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee's September 2026 report shows single-family median sale prices landing on the exact same figure in both counties — $485,000 — though they got there very differently: Sarasota's median jumped 7.8% year-over-year while Manatee's rose a more modest 3.2%. Active inventory fell in both counties (Sarasota −16.2%, Manatee −1.7%), months of supply tightened to under 4 months in both, and homes went to contract faster than a year ago (51 days in Sarasota, 53 in Manatee). Condo/townhome activity ran even hotter: Sarasota condo closed sales jumped 34.3% year-over-year. Those are countywide figures — ask me for a read on your specific neighborhood.
It comes down to inventory. Active single-family listings fell 16.2% year-over-year in Sarasota County and 7.9% in Manatee County as of September 2026, and when there's less to choose from, well-priced homes get snapped up faster — median days to contract dropped to 51 days in Sarasota (from 64 a year ago) and 53 in Manatee (from 60). It's a genuinely tighter market than a year ago, not just a seasonal blip, since the inventory pullback has been building for months. That's a countywide average — some neighborhoods and price points are moving much faster or slower than that number suggests.
Want the real numbers for your specific neighborhood, or a read on what a home you're watching is actually worth in this market? I track this data every week — reach out and I'll pull the real comps, not a generic estimate.
Market data: REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) September 2026 Real Estate Market Reports for Sarasota County and Manatee County (single-family and townhouse/condo), sourced from Florida Realtors and Stellar MLS, the most recent available at publication (myrasm.com/statistics/). Mortgage rate data via Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, October 15, 2026 release. Event details via Lakewood Ranch's official community events list (lakewoodranch.com/connect/events-list/), the City of Sarasota's events directory, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall's published schedule, and Sarasota Rising — confirm times before heading out, as schedules can shift.
Want the real numbers for your neighborhood, or a read on what your home is worth in this market? I track this data every week — reach out and I'll give you the real answer, not a generic estimate.