Some communities across Florida and Texas are seeing steady rises in home inventory, and sellers are even reducing prices in light of greater competition for a component of the American Dream.
A recent Realtor.com report indicates that 168,717 homes hit the market in February in the Sunshine State, representing record-high inventory numbers for two months in a row.
Topping the list is Orlando, home to world-renowned attractions such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and countless others. The city saw an increase of almost 44 percent in inventory in February compared with the same month in 2024, followed by Cape Coral with a 42.7 percent increase and Miami with an increase of almost 40 percent.
“For-sale home supply has climbed annually in the state since May 2022, but has only exceeded pre-pandemic levels since mid-2024,“ Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com, said. “High home prices and mortgage rates have stifled demand in the state, leading to a buildup in home inventory.”
The report also shows two Gulf Coast cities, Sarasota and Bradenton, becoming more buyer-friendly.
“Buyers are likely to find more seller flexibility as homeowners aim to attract buyer attention,” Jones said.
In the city of Sarasota, which sits on the Gulf Coast south of Tampa, median list prices fell almost every month from November 2023 to January 2025, when they were holding at $575,000. This represents a significant drop from an all-time high median price of $725,000 in July 2023. Home sales also grew by 6.8 percent in January.
South of Tampa in Bradenton, median sales prices have experienced a steady decrease since March 2023. As of January, a typical single-family home in Bradenton cost $432,000—more than $100,000 less than a year and a half ago.
Debi Reynolds, president of the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, told The Epoch Times that single-family home prices in Sarasota remain steady, despite the rise in inventory.
“We’re starting to see a return to normal now, where inventory is more back in line than it was pre-COVID,” she said. “During that time, it was completely a seller’s market with bidding wars and very few homes on the market.”
Reynolds noted that in 2018, inventory for both counties was about 5,350, and in 2010, it dropped to a little more than 1,000. Today, it is back up to 5,900.
“This gives you a clear picture of where we were and where we are again,” she said.
Single-family home prices, however, have continued to rise from a median of just $305,000 in 2019 to $500,000 today for Sarasota and Manatee.
More than 63 percent of residents now living in this region are retirees.
“A lot of people started out as snowbirds, just coming here for the winter, and the next thing you know, they’re full-time residents,” Reynolds said. The area is one of the most popular places to retire because of the weather, beaches, and lifestyle attractions.
“Most of our retirees are from New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Texas,” Reynolds said. “Florida doesn’t have a state income tax, and property taxes are way lower than those in the Northeast and California.”
One of her clients from New Jersey had been paying $20,000 in property taxes for a ranch home there and is now paying just $6,000 for a similar property in the Sarasota/Manatee region.
Townhomes and condos in Sarasota, however, have experienced a market cooldown, with inventory at a high of 2,463 in February and a median sales price of $347,000—a 17.4 percent decline. In Bradenton, condo prices dropped by more than 6 percent to a new median price of $335,990.
Reynolds noted that high-rise condos have become a concern following the 2021 deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo complex in Surfside. Fifty-five of the 136 units in the 12-story building collapsed, killing 98 people.
“As a result, new legislation is now requiring that any condo buildings over 25 years old with more then three floors undergo a rigorous inspection to ensure that the buildings are structurally sound,” Reynolds said.
“Sometimes needed building improvements can require anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 in assessments per household. If you’re retired or living on a fixed income, a high-rise condo may no longer be a good financial option for you.”
According to Reynolds, there are still numerous condos that have only two floors, which she believes might be a better option for those on a budget.
“People still want to buy the lifestyle here,” she said.
Texas, meanwhile, is also experiencing something of a real estate renaissance, as a Realtor.com report shows that home prices declined by 2.2 percent last month compared with February 2024. The report indicates that sellers are adjusting their prices to meet slower market conditions, as homes are staying on the market longer than they did in 2024.
Inflation, mortgage interest rates, and home prices that had been skyrocketing are being blamed for keeping potential homebuyers at bay.
“While rates remain elevated, we are beginning to see green shoots in the market as sellers grow tired of waiting for significant changes in interest and mortgage rates,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said in the report.
Overall, the report indicates that throughout Texas, buyers may have more options, as active listings have increased by 27.5 percent compared with last February. This marks the 16th consecutive month of inventory growth. The state’s current median single-family home price slipped by 0.9 percent from 2024, to $327,000.
San Antonio was named one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas with the highest amount of newly listed homes, with inventory gains of 47 percent over 2024. Dallas followed next, with a 39 percent hike in new homes on the market. However, at the end of January, the median sales price in the Dallas–Fort Worth real estate market stood at $389,900, up 1.8 percent from January 2024.
Johnny Mowad, president of the MetroTex Association of Realtors, told The Epoch Times that the Dallas–Fort Worth market remains one of the most dynamic in the country.
“While inventory levels are rising in some pockets of the metroplex, it’s important to recognize that market conditions vary significantly by location and that there isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ philosophy here,” he said. “Some areas are presenting great opportunities for buyers, while others remain as competitive as ever, with prices continuing to increase.”
A metroplex is a large metropolitan area usually made up of two or more cities along with neighboring heavily populated areas.
With more than 27,000 members, the MetroTex Association is one of the largest real estate associations in the nation, covering 19 counties. In Collin County, home listings increased by 56 percent, while the median sales prices dipped by 2 percent. However, in Rockwall County, where listings grew by 54 percent, the median sales prices continued to increase by 6 percent over last year’s numbers.
“Median sales prices in the DFW [Dallas–Fort Worth] region are beginning to stabilize, which signals a more balanced market compared to the rapid spikes in 2021 and 2022,” Mowad said. “I think sellers are also adjusting expectations as buyers become more price conscious.”
Homes are spending an average of 70 days on the market there, the highest number since 2014.
Mowad noted that the real estate market is always closely tied to economic trends, interest rates, and political factors.
“With the new administration, we are very optimistic about potential policies that could impact mortgage rates, home affordability, and economic growth in the region positively,” he said.