Sarasota and Manatee counties’ January real estate market showed a market that’s adjusting rather than slowing down, according to the most recent industry report.
The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s January findings showed an increase in closed sales on single-family homes for Sarasota, but a double-digit decrease in Manatee for the same sector. However, the trends are similar in the townhomes and condos sector, with Sarasota seeing an increase in sales, while Manatee’s sales dropped year-over-year.
The median sale price on single-family homes dropped 7.5% in Sarasota County year-over-year from $529,750 to $490,000. In Manatee County, the median price of homes increased 0.1%, from $480,000 in January 2025 to $480,495 in 2026. Both counties also saw dips in the median sale price for townhomes and condos, with a 9.5% decline from $347,000 to $314,175 in Sarasota and a 9.2% decline from $335,990 to $305,000 in Manatee compared to 2025.
Are Sarasota and Manatee counties’ median home prices aligning with national trends?
The trend in Sarasota County differs from national trends, but Manatee is on par with national figures and the increase in the cost of housing. According to the real estate company Redfin, nationwide home prices increased 1.1% compared to last year, with a median price of $422,980, which is still much less than Sarasota-Manatee’s median sale price.
Sales activity differed across the two counties, with single-family home sales in Sarasota County climbing 0.6% from last January, while Manatee saw a 10.8% decline. Sales activity was also different in the condos and townhomes sector across both counties. Manatee’s sales dropped 1.7%, while Sarasota was up 9.1% year-over-year.
“As buyers and sellers evaluate their value propositions, we are seeing the market finding more of a balance and a feeling of confidence that we have settled into a more stable or “new normal” market compared to the swings we saw over the past few years,” said David Crawford, 2026 RASM President and Owner of Catalist Realty.
The number of homes sold was down 7.8% nationwide year-over-year in January. The national supply of homes remained at four months — unchanged from a year earlier, Redfin reported.
Inventory is still high on the Suncoast. Sarasota County reported a 5-month supply of single-family homes, a 21.9% year-over-year decrease, and a 8.9-month supply of condos and townhomes, a 4.7% spike from last year. Manatee County saw no year-over-year change, leaving a 4.6-month supply of single-family homes, while the townhome and condo supply decreased 10% year over year to 7.2 months.
What is the median time to sell a home in Sarasota and Bradenton area?
Median time to sale is still over 100 days in both counties across all sectors except single-family homes in Sarasota, which is sitting at 96 days.
The report indicates buyers have gained some breathing room within the market.
“Overall, the January 2026 statistics reflect a housing market settling into a more sustainable rhythm,” the report read. “With pending sales up sharply in both counties, the coming months could bring an uptick in closed transactions. Buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines may find more opportunities, while sellers who price realistically can still achieve strong results.”
Ella Thompson covers real estate and development for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Contact her at ethompson@usatodayco.com. Support local journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Is Sarasota’s housing market slowing? What the latest report shows
Reporting by Ella Thompson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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