With many in the real estate industry relieved that an underwhelming 2025 is now behind us, it’s a fitting moment to reflect on how the year concluded, and to consider what may lie ahead.
Nationally, 2025 marked the third consecutive year in which home sales barely cleared the 4 million mark, well below levels one might expect based on historical patterns and long-term demographic trends. That result comes as little surprise given persistent affordability challenges, the lock-in effect of higher mortgage rates and a broader sense of economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Mobility in America, simply, was at an all-time low.
Along our Gulf Coast, the market faced additional headwinds stemming from the lingering effects of past storms, impacts that remain visible in several areas today. Even so, both the Sarasota and Naples markets managed to finish the year with gains in the number of homes sold, particularly within the single-family segment, driven by improving momentum in the second half of the year. Average prices continued to rise in Naples, while Sarasota experienced modest softening…