NewsSarasota MagazineJune 18, 2026Sarasota County
Sarasota and Manatee Housing Market Update: May 2026
Real estate activity increased in Sarasota and Manatee counties in May 2026, even as the number of homes available for sale continued to drop. Buyers are showing more analytical behavior, and while sales are rising, homes are still taking several weeks to sell.
Read the full story at Sarasota MagazineWhy It Matters
Local residents looking to buy or sell property face a tightening inventory of available homes, which influences competition and pricing trends across both counties.
Key Facts
- Sarasota County single-family closed sales rose 7.2% to 845 units with a median price of $475,000.
- Manatee County single-family closed sales remained nearly flat at 782 units, with a median price of $460,000 (a 3.8% decrease).
- New pending sales increased year-over-year in all four major market segments (Sarasota/Manatee single-family and condos/townhomes).
- Active single-family listings fell 25.2% in Sarasota County and 11.8% in Manatee County.
- Both counties ended May with 4.4 months of single-family housing supply.
- Sarasota condo/townhome sales rose 8.5% to 371 units; median price rose 4.9% to $336,829.
- Manatee condo/townhome sales rose 8.7% to 288 units; median price fell 5.1% to $297,000.
- Transactions for condos/townhomes under $200,000 in Manatee County increased by 94%.
- Sellers received a median of 94.2% of original list price for Sarasota single-family homes and 95.4% for Manatee single-family homes.
- Sarasota single-family homes took a median of 50 days to go under contract; Manatee homes took 47 days.
- Sarasota condos/townhomes took 67 days to go under contract; Manatee condos/townhomes took 61 days.
Who's Mentioned
organizationMichael Saunders & Co.“Real estate firm employing Lynn Morris.”organizationRealtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee“Source of the monthly real estate market report.”personLynn Morris“Local realtor with Michael Saunders & Co. providing market analysis.”locationSarasota County“Primary geographic area of the report.”locationManatee County“Primary geographic area of the report.”