Closes sales for single-family homes were down 12% YoY in March in Sarasota County. The continued reduction in sales has brought inventory levels up 77% when compared to the same time last year. While that may seem drastic, it was actually needed to bring the market back into balance. It continues to be a reasonable time to be on either side of a transaction in Sarasota. The infographic below from Florida Realtors contains more information from March.
Cash sales made up almost 50% of the closed transactions for single-family homes in Sarasota County in February. There is still money moving into this housing market. That said, listings are continuing to outpace closed sales at almost a two to one clip. As overall inventory is just under six months of sales, we are still in a well-balanced market. In other words, it remains a solid time to be either a buyer or a seller in Sarasota County. The infographic from Florida Realtors below contains more information.
To successfully navigate your home-buying journey, I recommend that you adopt a balanced approach of being thoughtful yet decisive in today’s market. The list below reflects some of the main points of that balance.
The inventory levels in Sarasota County continued their material rise in January. The strong seller’s market is very much a thing of the past as we head into peak season for the year. While the market is still largely in balance, buyers have more leverage than at any time in the past several years. It is definitely pointing to a buying opportunity, which may be why we are seeing such a high percentage of cash sales in the county. See the infographic from Florida Realtors below for more.
The snowbird lifestyle, traditionally popular among retirees, has expanded its appeal in the post-pandemic era, thanks to the rise of full-time remote work. This shift allows individuals of various ages to divide their time between two different cities or locales, typically seeking warmer climates during the winter months, especially for those residing in the northern parts of the country.