The numbers are in and 2015 has now officially been reported as a record-breaking year for Manatee and Sarasota real estate. While monthly reports throughout the year indicated that 2015 would likely shatter 2014’s records, the feat may not have been a surprise, but is certainly no less impressive. And it wasn’t just 2015’s closed sales that outperformed last year’s numbers. The two-county area also saw reduced days on market, higher median sale prices and fewer distressed sales in 2015.
Increased Manatee & Sarasota Property Sales
Sarasota and Manatee County had a combined total of 20,691 closed sales in 2015. This included both single-family homes and condos, and was 6.7% higher than 2014’s sales. In Sarasota County alone, 8,371 single-family homes were sold, an increase of 6.4% from last year, while 3,763 condos were sold, an increase of 5.6% from 2014. Manatee County’s single-family home sales totaled 6,129, an increase of 6.3% from 2014, while condo sales totaled 2,428, an increase of 7.1% from last year.
Higher Median Sale Prices for Condos & Homes
2015’s median sale prices in the two-county area also increased over the previous year. Single-family homes for sale in Sarasota went for a median of $224,000, up almost 15% from 2014, while those in Manatee sold for a median of $259,900, an increase of 14.5%. Median sale prices for Sarasota condos increased by 8.3% for a median of $195,000, while Manatee condos increased by 14.2%, for a median price of $159,900.
The increase in median sale prices was a result of fewer homes for sale. The inventory of available homes in the two-county area was typically between a 3 and 4 month supply, indicating that both Sarasota and Manatee were in a seller’s market.
Fewer Foreclosures, Short Sales & Distressed Sales
Another indication of the real estate market’s health was 2015’s fewer foreclosures, short sales and distressed sales.
Foreclosures and short sales in 2015 decreased by more than 30% from the previous year.
There was a total of 1,803 distressed sales in Sarasota County, a decrease of 25.7% from 2014. In Manatee County, distressed sales dropped 35.9% from last year, for a 2015 total of 1,210. Several years ago, distressed sales accounted for almost 50% of closed sales in the two-county area. This year, that number was only 14%.
If you have questions about the Manatee or Sarasota real estate market and what 2016 could have in store for you, simply Contact Team Coffey & Co. today!