The region’s housing inventory grew in January, as did the average time for sales, according to the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. That follows a trend over months as the market becomes more friendly to buyers.

“While closed sales have increased, inventory growth continues to outpace demand, leading to an extended months’ supply,” said Debi Reynolds, 2025 RASM President and Managing Broker of SaraBay Real Estate. “This shift presents opportunities for buyers while emphasizing the importance of strategic pricing for sellers.”

The townhouse and condominium market in Sarasota County saw the median sales price drop 17.4%, to $347,000, while the median sales price price in Manatee County slid 6% to $335,000. Meanwhile, both counties saw inventory grow significantly, to an 8-month supply in Manatee and an 8.5-month supply in Sarasota. Those supplies put the condo market arguably in the posture of a buyers’ market. 

“Median home prices have adjusted in response to increasing inventory, particularly in Sarasota’s condo market,” Reynolds said. “With townhomes and condos in both counties exceeding eight months of supply, market conditions now favor buyers.”

Price drops were not as sharp in the single-family home market, at least in Sarasota where the median sales price on homes dropped 1% to $529,750 compared to the prior January. But in Manatee, the median home price sunk 8.6% to $480,000. The market appears closer to balance in single-family homes, which is generally considered a 6-month inventory. Manatee still has a 4.6-month supply of home listings, while Sarasota’s supply should last about 6.4 months at current sales rates.

Across the Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port metropolitan area, the median time to contract for home sales grew to 47 days to contract and 90 days to sale, both increases since last year. For condos across the market, median time to contract grew to 58 days while time to sale grew to 96 days.

Graphic courtesy Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee..

U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Vacations, Best Cruise Lines, and Best Travel Rewards Programs, has unveiled its 15th annual rankings of the Best Hotels, including 21 award-winning Opal Collection properties stretching from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Key West, Florida. Highlighting more than 31,000 hotels in more than 400 destinations, the rankings follow a comprehensive, transparent methodology that factors in each hotel’s star rating, the aggregate opinion of published travel experts, and the overall customer satisfaction expressed in online guest reviews of luxury hotels and resorts. The full list of winners can be found online. For more information on Opal Collection hotels and resorts, visit OpalCollection.com. 

On Saturday, March 1, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Vistera of Venice will host a grand opening for The Club, the central amenity of the gated, award-winning community. Attendees can enjoy Cicchetti, refreshments, and entertainment at The Club and tour all eight model homes and villas from premier home builders David Weekley Homes, M/I Homes, and Neal Communities. Located at 321 Vistera Blvd., Vistera of Venice is a master-planned community by local land developer Neal Land & Neighborhoods.  To learn more about Vistera of Venice, visit www.visteravenice.com.  

The City of North Port, in partnership with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Sarasota County and Benderson Development Company, participated Thursday in a site preview of North Port Business Park Phase II, a premier industrial campus set to open by spring 2025. This Phase II expansion of the state-of-the-art business park offers 15,800 to 476,000 square feet of new light industrial and office space. Ideally located near Interstate 75 and Toledo Blade Boulevard in the heart of North Port’s I-75 Innovation Corridor, the campus provides businesses with high visibility and easy access to regional and national markets. Including Phase I, the project is comprised of 678,000 square feet of class A, dock-high industrial space. “This expansion marks an exciting milestone for North Port,” said City Manager Jerome Fletcher. “We’re eager to see the economic growth and jobs it will bring to our flourishing city.”  

Caldwell Trust Company is excited to announce the promotion of Alisa Ivey Craton, CTFA®, to Vice President and Trust Officer. A resident of Bradenton for nearly 30 years, Alisa has earned a stellar reputation for her financial expertise and community involvement, making her a trusted figure in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Since joining Caldwell in 2021, Alisa has played a key role in managing relationships with trust and investment clients. In her new leadership role, she will continue to bring her deep knowledge and commitment to delivering personalized, client-focused services across the region. To contact Alisa Craton, CTFA, email acraton@ctrust.com or call 941.926.9336. To learn more about Caldwell Trust Company, visit www.ctrust.com or email info@ctrust.com. 

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has appointed Jen Rosati as Chief Financial Officer, effective Feb. 17, 2025. Rosati, who previously served as Sarasota Memorial’s Vice President of Financial Operations, has nearly 20 years of comprehensive health care financial management. Rosati grew up in Nokomis, graduated high school in Osprey and attended the University of Miami, where she graduated with a B.B.A in Accounting and Finance. “As Sarasota Memorial expands to meet the community's needs, we are fortunate to have an exceptional leadership team focused on maintaining our 5-star patient care, supportive work environment and strong operating and financial performance,” Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder said. 

Golfers in Lakewood Ranch now have a state-of-the-art, members-only facility that offers luxury, convenience, and cutting-edge golf technology—accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. The Golf Society is redefining the golf experience by providing private, climate-controlled suites, world-class simulator technology, and an exclusive community for golf enthusiasts who want to play and practice on their schedule.  Located in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, The Golf Society is an exclusive, 24/7 members-only golf facility that offers world-class technology, luxurious private suites, and an elite club atmosphere. By combining innovation, convenience, and premium hospitality, The Golf Society delivers a revolutionary indoor golf experience for passionate golfers.  

After fifty years of growth from a quiet coastal city, Sarasota now faces real tensions between the growth of desirable housing for retirees and tourists and the need for affordable homes for the workforce that serves the community. In recent surveys, 73 percent of local businesses say the lack of affordable housing hampers their ability to recruit and retain workers. Another study found 1,500 workers turned down jobs in the area because of the cost of housing and half of local young professionals have thought of leaving the area because of the high cost of housing. Don't miss this expert discussion of how the local housing shortage is affecting our area and what can be done.

Tuesday, March 4, Sarasota Yacht Club,. Registration - 11:30am, Lunch - 11:55am, Program, Q&A - 12:30 - 1:30pm. 

Click here to register.

In 2023 Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation announced the selection of Renzo Piano Building Workshop as the architectural firm to create the new Performing Arts Center at The Bay.  The firm recently revealed this conceptual rendering of the building as viewed from the 10th Street Canal.
 

courtesy image.

This year marks the 46th year for Manatee Heritage Days, the time when Manatee County’s historical organizations and sites come together to celebrate our community’s heritage by providing opportunities for our area’s residents and visitors to experience the past. Reenactments, lectures, classes, walking tours, open houses and family programming will highlight the celebration’s events. A schedule of events is available on the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s website at https://www.manateeclerk.com/departments/historical-resources/manatee-heritage-days-event-schedule-page/. Most events are free, though some require a reservation or admission fee. For specific information about an event, please call the number listed on the schedule. For more information about the Manatee Heritage Days, in general, please call (941) 741-4070.

To learn more, visit

Mike McNichols has been selected as the county’s new Director of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), and he’s expected to assume the role in late February. McNichols is joining the team ahead of Director Chris Louria’s retirement in April to ensure a smooth transition. McNichols has more than 12 years of human resources leadership experience. In addition, he has experience in workforce planning, employee relations, benefits, risk management, and data management.
For additional information, please call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 311 or visit scgov.net. 

On Tuesday  the League of Women Voters of the United States and League chapters from all 50 states and the District of Columbia sent a letter to congressional leaders expressing strong concern over abandoning its duties and authorities under Article I of the US Constitution, urging leaders to address the unprecedented executive branch overreach threatening American democracy.  In the detailed letter to Congress, the League — a nonpartisan organization with over one million members and supporters across all 50 states and the District of Columbia — highlighted several recent executive branch actions that are causing significant harm to millions of Americans, including the undermining of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, attempts to end birthright citizenship, pause distribution of congressionally allocated federal funds, and dismantle federal agencies without proper congressional oversight.   

Click here to. read the letter.

Tuesday, January 28th, SRQ Magazine hosted the annual Giving Coast and Good Hero Philanthropic Awards Luncheon. Local nonprofits, foundations, corporate donors, individuals and civic leaders came together to celebrate the community's spirit of giving and recognize leaders in philanthropy. Attendees were invited to share their “giving wishes” on behalf of area nonprofits by writing their wishes on gift tags and hanging them for display on the SRQ Giving Wish Tree.

All Faiths Food Bank wishes for backpacks for the children of our region. To help facilitate this wish, reach out to Denise Cotler (dcotler@allfaithsfoodbank.org).

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens wishes for help with repairing and restoring the seawall found at the Historic Spanish Point. To help with repairs, reach out to Caitlin Whiteaker (cwhiteaker@selby.org).

Walk a Teacher to Poland wishes for donations to send a teacher to Poland to learn and share awareness about the Holocaust. To make this happen, reach out to Katherine Adams-Love (theoaksend@aol.com).

Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) wishes for help with their Housing Stability Program.  To make a gift, please reach out to MaryEllen Mancini (Mmancini@sparcc.net).

Take Stock in Children manatee wishes for donations for scholarships to fund their students' education. To help facilitate this wish, reach out to Michael Higley (michael@takestockmanatee.org).

As these organizations call on the community to fulfill their wishes, click on each organization to learn more and find ways to give back. The spirit of giving is for all who want to give back to our local community!