In partnership with
Welcome to week two.
A bunch of you hit reply on the first issue — way more than I expected for a list that's basically just getting off the ground. So first: thank you. It means something.
Here's what the poll said:
Investing / growing wealth — biggest group
Buying a home — close second
Just vibing on the Gulf Coast — solid third (I respect it)
Selling — almost no one
That last one tracks. The market right now rewards patience more than it rewards listings, and y'all seem to know it.
So this week, I'm leaning into what you asked for: where prices actually are now that March data is in, one money move that saves you four figures if you act before Memorial Day, and a local spot that's already running and free.
Let's get into it.
Market Pulse
The Gulf Coast just had a role reversal.
For years, the conventional wisdom was: Sarasota is the pricey one, Manatee is where you go for value. February flipped it.
Sarasota County single-family median: $475,000 — down 5.0% year-over-year
Manatee County single-family median: $489,634 — up 2.9% year-over-year
Manatee is now the more expensive market. That hasn't happened in recent memory.
What's driving it:
Sarasota has more for sale. Single-family supply sits at 5.0 months (balanced). Condo supply is 8.6 months (oversupplied). When supply catches up to demand, prices soften.
Manatee kept pace. Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, and Palmetto corridors keep pulling new-construction demand. Supply there is tighter — 4.8 months.
Both markets are slower. Sarasota single-family days-to-contract jumped 28% year-over-year to 59 days. Condos are taking 76 days (up 73% YoY). Buyers are patient. Sellers aren't always.
The takeaway: if you're buying single-family, Sarasota offers more negotiation room than Manatee right now. If you're selling, price it to move — overpriced listings are sitting, and the reset is real.
Source: RASM February 2026 Monthly Market Statistics
Money Moves
Hurricane season starts June 1. Your homeowners premium is already locked in for it — unless you move in the next six weeks.
Here's the mistake most Florida homeowners make: they auto-renew. And in a market this volatile, auto-renewing is almost always leaving money on the table.
Three moves to make before Memorial Day:
Update your Wind Mitigation Inspection. If yours is older than 2 years — or if you've replaced your roof, upgraded your garage door, or added hurricane shutters — get a new one. It can knock 20-40% off the wind portion of your premium. Inspection costs $100-$150. Usually pays back in one cycle.
Get quotes from Citizens + two private carriers. Citizens (the state-backed insurer of last resort) is "depopulating" aggressively right now — shedding policies to private carriers. That churn is the first actual rate competition Florida's seen in years. Use it.
Pull your flood policy separately. FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 may have quietly changed your zone. If you're in AE or VE, this isn't optional. If you're in X zone, get a quote anyway — coverage is often $400-$600/year for real peace of mind.
One inspection, two phone calls, one policy review. Realistic savings: $1,000-$3,000/year.
Do it before Memorial Day, because once June 1 hits, most carriers freeze new binding until the season ends.
Local Spotlight
The best Saturday morning in Sarasota is free.
If you're still learning the rhythm of this town, start here: the Sarasota Farmers Market runs every Saturday, 7am to 1pm, rain or shine, right downtown on N Lemon Avenue.
It stretches from First Street on the north end down to Pineapple Avenue, with vendors spilling over onto State Street. Produce, baked goods, local makers, coffee — the whole thing.
Go early. Parking downtown tightens up by 9am, and the best of everything is gone before 10. Bring a tote bag and cash (most vendors take cards now, but small bills move things faster).
Where: N Lemon Ave, Downtown Sarasota
When: Every Saturday, 7am–1pm (rain or shine)
Cost: Free
Source: sarasotafarmersmarket.org
Quick Bites
Things worth knowing this week:
Tax Day was yesterday. If you didn't file and didn't extend, file the extension today — the penalty for not filing is 10x the penalty for not paying. Florida's no-state-income-tax still keeps you well ahead of most of the country.
Mortgage rates dropped this week. The 30-year fixed fell to 6.30% (from 6.37% last week). The 15-year is 5.65%. First meaningful move in the buyer-friendly direction in a while.
Cash is still king on the Gulf Coast. In February, 47% of Sarasota single-family sales were cash purchases. Condos hit 68% cash. That's not regular buyers getting priced out — that's investors leaning in.
Sellers are holding back. New listings in Sarasota dropped 21.7% year-over-year in February, and active single-family inventory is down 20.3%. Buyers have more room on price, but less selection on what's available.
Next Thursday: March data drops. RASM releases the March 2026 monthly market report tomorrow (April 17). We'll break down what changed in Issue #3.
Sources: Freddie Mac PMMS 04/16/2026; RASM February 2026 Monthly Market Statistics.
Every headline satisfies an opinion. Except ours.
Remember when the news was about what happened, not how to feel about it? 1440's Daily Digest is bringing that back. Every morning, they sift through 100+ sources to deliver a concise, unbiased briefing — no pundits, no paywalls, no politics. Just the facts, all in five minutes. For free.
Your Turn
Quick poll — which Money Move are you actually going to do before Memorial Day?
Hit reply with the emoji. I'll share what everyone picked next week.
Know someone who’d enjoy this? Forward it to them.