Sarasota & Manatee Housing Market Update: July 2026 Trends
Beth Helvey August 22, 2026
Beth Helvey August 22, 2026
If you've been keeping half an eye on the local housing market, here's the short version: things are heating up a little, but not in a scary way. More homes are selling, there are fewer to choose from, and sellers are getting closer to their asking price than they were a year ago. Buyers haven't disappeared, either. They're just being more thoughtful about it.
Let's break down what the numbers from July actually mean for you, whether you're thinking about buying, selling, or just like keeping tabs on the neighborhood.
Sales went up just about everywhere this July, compared to July last year. That's true whether we're talking about single-family homes or condos and townhomes, and it's true in both Sarasota and Manatee counties. At the same time, the number of homes available to buy kept shrinking.
Put those two things together and you get a market that's a little more competitive than it was a year ago. Homes that are priced well and show well are moving. But buyers aren't just grabbing the first thing they see. They're still taking their time to make sure a home is worth it, especially with condos.
As David Crawford, this year's president of the local REALTOR® association, put it, buyers are getting back off the fence, and sellers are getting more realistic about pricing. That combination is what's helping deals actually come together.
In Sarasota County, 744 single-family homes sold in July, up about 3% from last year. The typical home sold for $493,500, up 5% from last year. Sellers, on average, are getting about 94% of their original asking price, compared to 91% a year ago. In plain terms: sellers don't have to cut the price as much to get a deal done as they did last year.
The number of homes for sale dropped sharply, down almost a quarter compared to last year. If sales kept happening at the current pace and no new homes came on the market, it would only take about 4 months to sell everything currently listed. That's a notably tighter market than we've seen in a while. Homes are also going under contract faster, typically within about 7 weeks of listing.
One more thing worth noting: homes priced at $1 million and up saw a real jump in activity, with sales up nearly 40% year over year. That upper end of the market is clearly active right now.
In Manatee County, the story is similar but a bit more pronounced on the sales side. Closed sales jumped over 11% compared to last year, to 694 homes. The typical sale price landed at $495,000. Sellers are getting about 95% of their asking price, up from roughly 94% last year, another sign that pricing expectations are lining up better between buyers and sellers.
Inventory dropped here too, though not quite as steeply as in Sarasota County. At the current pace, it would take a little over 4 months to sell through what's currently on the market.
In Sarasota County, condo and townhome sales jumped over 33% compared to last year, with 318 units sold. The typical sale price rose to $340,000. Sellers are getting closer to their asking price too, about 91% on average now versus 88% last year.
Here's the interesting wrinkle: even with sales climbing sharply, condos are taking longer to go under contract than single-family homes, a bit over 3 months on average from listing to going under contract. So while more condos are selling, buyers are still doing their homework before committing. That's a healthy sign, honestly. It means people are making informed decisions rather than rushing.
Also notable: sales of condos priced at $1 million or more more than tripled compared to last year. The higher end of this market picked up real momentum.
In Manatee County, condo and townhome sales rose about 18%, to 238 units. The typical sale price actually dipped slightly, down about 2%, to $313,950. Sellers here are getting about 93% of their original asking price, up from 91% last year. Homes in this segment are going under contract a bit faster than in Sarasota County, in a little over 2 months on average.
If you're thinking about selling: conditions are more in your favor than they were a year ago, especially for well-priced single-family homes. But "more in your favor" doesn't mean you can price however you want. Buyers are clearly still comparison shopping, particularly for condos. Pricing realistically from the start tends to pay off with a quicker sale and a better outcome.
If you're thinking about buying: you're not imagining it, there is genuinely less to choose from than there was a year ago, and homes are moving a little quicker once they're priced right. That said, you still have room to be selective, especially with condos, where buyers are clearly taking their time to find the right fit rather than settling.
Either way: the numbers above are countywide averages, and real estate is anything but one-size-fits-all. What's happening on your street, in your building, or at your specific price point can look pretty different from the county-level picture. That's where talking to someone who watches this market day in and day out makes a real difference.
Data compiled by Florida Realtors® from Stellar MLS, reflecting closed and pending transactions in Sarasota and Manatee counties for July 2026.
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