Written by The Pope Team | Christine Pope & Paul Pope
If you're thinking about selling your home in Sarasota, one of the first questions on your mind is probably: "How long will this take?" It's a practical concern—after all, timing affects everything from your moving plans to your financial strategy. Let's look at what the current market data tells us about how quickly homes are selling in Sarasota County.
The Current Timeline: What to Expect
Based on September 2025 data, here's what we're seeing in the Sarasota market:
Single-family homes are taking a median of 64 days to go under contract and 105 days total to close. That's about 2-3.5 months from listing to closing—roughly 33% longer than a year ago, when homes were going under contract in just 48 days.
Townhouses and condos are moving a bit slower, with a median time to contract of 108 days and 139 days to sale. These timelines have increased even more significantly year-over-year, nearly doubling in some cases.
What's Behind These Numbers?
The slower pace reflects a market that's found its balance. We're no longer in the frenzy of 2021-2022 when homes sold in days. Instead, we have what many would consider a healthier, more normalized market. Here's what's contributing to current timelines:
Inventory is up significantly. Single-family home inventory has increased about 10% compared to last year, with 3,137 active listings. Townhouses and condos show similar growth with 1,820 properties available. More choices for buyers naturally means homes take longer to sell.
Months supply of inventory sits at 4.8 months for single-family homes and 6.8 months for townhouses/condos. While this represents a more balanced market than we've seen recently (up from 4.5 and 5.4 months respectively last year), it's still relatively healthy. For context, 5.5 months is generally considered a balanced market.
Price Matters—A Lot
Your pricing strategy will significantly impact how quickly your home sells. Looking at the data by price range reveals some interesting patterns:
Properties in the $300,000-$599,999 range for single-family homes are seeing median contract times of 64-77 days—fairly consistent with the overall market average. However, homes priced under $200,000 are moving considerably faster, with some price points seeing contract times as quick as 8-34 days.
On the higher end, luxury properties over $1 million are taking about 55 days to contract for single-family homes—actually faster than mid-range properties. This suggests strong demand continues at the upper price points.
For condos and townhouses, the story is similar. Properties in the $250,000-$399,999 range are seeing 79-114 days to contract, while those under $150,000 move much faster when available.
Market Conditions Are Still Favorable for Sellers
Despite longer timelines than recent years, several indicators suggest sellers remain in a relatively strong position:
Buyers are still paying close to asking price. The median percent of original list price received is 92.2% for single-family homes and 88.3% for townhouses and condos—healthy numbers that indicate buyers are willing to negotiate but not making lowball offers.
Sales volume remains solid. With 646 single-family homes and 230 townhouses/condos sold in September, transaction activity is robust. Year-to-date sales are actually up over 5% for single-family homes.
New pending sales are increasing. September saw 637 new pending sales for single-family homes (up 23%) and 244 for townhouses/condos (up 6.6%), suggesting continued buyer interest.
The Bottom Line
If you're selling in Sarasota right now, plan on about 2-4 months from listing to closing, depending on your property type and price point. This is longer than the ultra-hot market of recent years, but it's far from slow by historical standards.
The key to selling within this timeframe? Price it right from the start. Homes that sit on the market tend to take even longer and often sell for less than they would have with strategic initial pricing.
Want a more specific timeline for your particular property? Market conditions vary by neighborhood, property condition, and price point. Contact us today to discuss your home's unique selling timeline and how we can position it for a successful sale.
Data sourced from Florida Realtors® and compiled from MLS feeds as of September 2025.
Written by Paul Pope, Realtor with Michael Saunders & Co., serving Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and Bradenton, Florida. 941-685-1156 | [email protected]