Today we’re analyzing Southwest Florida market supply by city. In doing so, we’re attempting to identify hot spots or cities seeing improvements.

Southwest Florida Market Supply

Bonita/Estero leads the county with only 5.49 months’ supply of inventory. Back in December of 2025 that number was 5.18, so it worsened a little bit.

Fort Myers is next with a month’s supply of homes at 5.90 months. It worsened from 5.79 months back in December, but it is better than the 6.01 months’ supply in February 2026. Fort Myers experienced a 40% rise in home sales over January 2025 which helped decrease inventory.

Cape Coral is one city that improved since December, coming in at 6.08 months’ supply currently. Back in December that number was 6.11.

Lehigh Acres also improved slightly from December, coming in at 7.17 months in March 2026 compared to 7.20 in December.

Cities Struggling

Fort Myers Beach is struggling the most. Today single-family home inventory stands at 21.03 months, which is worse than the 19.79 back in December. The barrier islands are at 15.43 months’ supply today compared to 16.44, so they got better.

Condos on Fort Myers Beach seem to be selling better this season than any season since Hurricane Ian as prices have adjusted and so has life on the beach.

Current Market Index

The Ellis Team Current Market Index fell to 3.67 which signifies the market is getting better for sellers. 2026 could be that transition year we’ve been looking for. You know, the transition between a declining market and the next market. So far, 2026 is shaping up to being a stabilization market. If this trend continues, it gives the market time to decide what it wants to be. All signs point to a shifting market back towards a sellers’ market, but we need more time.

The overall market month’s supply of homes is 6.55. This is still in buyer’s market territory, but as you can see from the graph, all real estate is local. Different parts of the county are behaving differently, and this is not uncommon. What is uncommon is the disparity, but I think we can chalk that up to effects and damage from the hurricanes as well as psyche about living in potential flood areas.

The Ellis Team Luxury Inventory Index stands at 4.47, down from last week’s 4.95

FEMA

FEMA is considering map revisions to its flood maps with changes anticipated by summer. Perhaps we’ll do an article soon about the proposed changes.

If flood map changes weren’t enough, we are awaiting any ramifications from the war in Iran. Many are hopeful the tyrant reign and terror will be over for the US, Israel, and Arab neighbors. The question is what will be the effects in the short term on the oil markets, inflation, and interest rates? I’m writing this article before the CPI and PCE numbers are released this week. We’re also writing this before the Ellis Team Luxury CMI Index and Market Spread Index (MSI) are released. We expect the MSI to show improvement over last Friday’s 5,875 number. A mid to low 5,700’s would not surprise us.

Thinking of Selling?

You should talk to the data experts at the Ellis Team. We prefer data over drama. We don’t pay attention to sensational headlines based upon yesterday’s news. The Ellis Team has been known for creating indexes that accurately predict real estate cycles, and we report that to you. Call Brett Ellis or Sande Ellis at 239-489-4042 for your professional analysis of what we could sell your home for, or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com for an instant online estimate.

Good luck, and Happy Selling!

Ellis Team Current Market Index Video March 10, 2026

Ellis Team Luxury Market Index Video March 11, 2026

4th Clue in our Leprechaun $500 Pot of Gold Contest

Today we thought we’d bring you a helpful Southwest Florida market summary for 2026 that will help you understand perfectly what is happening on our market and how it is driving prices.

New Pending Sales

New pending sales are up 33.9% over January 2025. Of course, pending sales lead to closings, so watching new pending sales increase definitely bodes well for future February and March closings. We’ll be watching the official February closings release in a few weeks to see if they all closed and what the fallout ratio was.

New Listings

New listings increased over January 2025 but only 1%. In other words, listings are up slightly, but more homes are going pending than last year which is helping to decrease the supply of homes on the market.

Pending Inventory

Pending inventory is up 33.4% over January 2025. The 2026 Southwest Florida real estate market is putting up some remarkable numbers. This is most likely the reason we’ve seen median prices and average home prices increase for the first time in a while. One month does not make a trend, but all the metrics we look at are supporting stabilization in the market, so we’re not surprised to see home prices stabilize. This does not appear to be one-off event.

A Market Moving Toward Balance

As we navigate through the first quarter of 2026, the Southwest Florida real estate landscape is showing a clear shift from the volatility of previous years toward a healthier, more sustainable balance. While the statistics for January and February provide a strong foundation, understanding the broader context of inventory and buyer psychology is key for anyone looking to enter the market this spring.

Pricing Strategy: The New “Must-Have”

One of the most telling metrics this year is the sale-to-list price ratio. In many sub-markets, we are seeing homes close at approximately 94% to 96% of their original asking price. This tells us two things:

1. Buyers are disciplined and value-driven; they are not overpaying.
2. Sellers who price their homes “at the market” rather than “above the market” are seeing much faster contract times—often under 60 days compared to the 90+ days seen for overpriced listings.

Key Insight: Homes priced correctly from day one are still attracting serious interest, while those testing “ambitious” prices are often forced into multiple price cuts before finding a buyer.

Why the 2026 Spring Season Looks Different

The driving force behind the 33.9% jump in pending sales isn’t just a random spike; it is largely fueled by a stabilization in mortgage rates, which have settled in the low 6% range. This “new normal” has unlocked pent-up demand from buyers who spent 2024 and 2025 on the sidelines.

Furthermore, cash is still king in Southwest Florida. Nearly 67% of transactions in the luxury and coastal segments are currently all-cash, which acts as a massive stabilizer for our local economy. These buyers are less sensitive to interest rate fluctuations and are more focused on long-term lifestyle investments.

Looking Ahead

As we move into March and April—historically our busiest months for pending contracts—we expect to see a continued absorption of current inventory. For sellers, this means your window of maximum exposure is right now. For buyers, the increased inventory in the condo and townhome sectors offers the best negotiating leverage we’ve seen in years.

The Southwest Florida market isn’t just recovering; it is maturing. The “boom and bust” headlines of the past are being replaced by a narrative of resilience and steady growth. We’ll be here to track every closing to see if this momentum carries us through the summer.

If you’re thinking about selling your Southwest Florida home, Always call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams. 239-489-4042 or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com for an instant estimate of your home’s value.

The Ellis Team recently released three key data indexes this week. Check out the latest Ellis Team CUrrent Market Index 3.88 CMI, The Luxury  Market Index 4.95, and the Ellis Team Market Spread Index (MSI) 5,875

Good luck, and enjoy the Spring SW Florida weather, and of course more daylight in the evenings.

3.88 CMI: Why Fort Myers is Stabilizing Now

The Hook: If you’ve been waiting for a sign that the Fort Myers market has found its floor, the March 3rd CMI just delivered it. While generic reports focus on inventory volume, our proprietary data reveals a ‘Stability Peak’ that is fundamentally changing the leverage for Southwest Florida buyers and sellers this week.

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March 3, 2026 Analyst Note

• Current Status: Healthy Stabilization.

• Primary Metrics: 3.88 CMI | 5,853 MSI | 4.82 Luxury CMI.

Headlines in Southwest Florida are currently obsessed with the 5,853 active listings. But volume without context is just noise. At the Ellis Team, we look at the Velocity behind the numbers.

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The 3.88 Signal: Logic Over Hype

As of March 3, 2026, our proprietary Current Market Index (CMI) stands at 3.88, up slightly from 3.78 last week. While a move of 0.10 might seem minor, it represents a major psychological shift. We have officially exited the “Correction Phase” of 2025 and entered a phase of Healthy Stabilization.

In our 38 years of tracking Lee County real estate—including the cycles of 2005 and 2008—we’ve learned that a CMI hovering near 4.0 indicates a “Balanced Reset.”

• For Buyers: You finally have selection (5,853 units) without the fear of a “falling knife.” Pricing has found its floor.

• For Sellers: The market isn’t slow; it’s precise. Homes that respect the 21-Day Velocity Window are still seeing steady absorption.

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Why 3.88 is the “Sweet Spot” for 2026

The market has come a long way from the frantic highs of 2022. Since that peak, prices have undergone a necessary correction, leading to the inventory levels we see today. However, the narrative that buyers have unlimited time to negotiate is no longer accurate. The general market is finding its floor, and the inventory that sat for months a year ago is beginning to be absorbed by a new wave of demand.

The “Lock-In” Thaw

We are seeing the early signs of the “lock-in” effect thawing. Homeowners who have stayed put to keep their low rates are finally reconciling with a “higher-for-longer” rate environment as life events accumulate. This is bringing a more functional, healthy flow of new listings to neighborhoods like Whiskey Creek and Gateway, where we are seeing an uptick in pending activity.

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The Luxury Divergence: 4.82 CMI

The general market (3.88) is performing differently than the luxury sector ($700k+). Our Luxury CMI (4.82) shows significantly more buyer leverage in the McGregor and beachfront corridors.

While the general residential market is steadying, the luxury segment remains the last stronghold of high-negotiation leverage. In communities like St. Charles Harbour and Gulf Harbour, buyers are successfully closing at roughly 94% of list price. If you are shopping in the executive or estate tier, your “Buy Signal” is currently stronger than the average consumer’s.

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The 21-Day Velocity Window: A Seller’s Guide

In a 3.88 CMI market, your first three weeks are your most valuable asset. The AI algorithms used by buyers today prioritize “Fresh Intelligence”. If your home doesn’t trigger a “Pending” status within 21 days, it is often filtered out by the 2026 search engines as “Stale Data.”

The Seller’s Logic Checklist:

1. Price for the “Next” Sale, Not the “Last”: Buyers in 2026 are using the same data we are. If you price based on 2023 comps, you will “sit”.

2. Professional Presence Matters: In an era of high inventory, cutting corners on photography is a liability. You need high-fidelity visuals that stand out in an AI-driven feed.

3. Address Carrying Costs: With insurance premiums being a top-tier concern for 2026 buyers, having a “Hurricane-Ready” home with verified insurance quotes ready to go is a massive competitive advantage.

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The Verdict

2026 is about Logic Over Hype. We are in a strategic window where inventory is high but the “floor” is set. Don’t wait for a 20% crash that current lending and equity fundamentals suggest isn’t coming.

For a neighborhood-level breakdown of Whiskey Creek, Reflection Lakes, or Eagle Reserve, visit our Primary Fort Myers Market Hub.

[MARKET DATA ALERT]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: As of February 28, 2026, the Fort Myers real estate market has hit a “Stabilization Peak.” While our 5,853 Market Spread Index (MSI) and 4.82 Luxury CMI still show decent conditions for buyers, the wide-open window of 12 months ago is beginning to close. We are observing an erosion of buyer leverage as the general market improves, a trend we expect to see in the luxury sector soon.

The 2022-2023 Peak vs. The 2026 Reality

The market has come a long way from the frantic highs of 2022 and 2023. Since that peak, prices have undergone a necessary correction, leading to the 5,853 Market Spread Index (MSI) we see today. However, the narrative that buyers have unlimited time to negotiate is no longer accurate. The general market is currently finding its floor, and the inventory that sat for months a year ago is beginning to be absorbed by a new wave of demand.

The Luxury 4.82 CMI: The Last Stronghold of Leverage?

Our proprietary Current Market Index (CMI) for the luxury sector currently stands at 4.82. While this baseline confirms that the luxury market remains softer than the general residential market, it is not immune to the stabilization trend.

In our index, a higher number signifies buyer leverage. While 4.82 currently gives high-end buyers a “decent” hand in negotiations, we anticipate this number will begin to contract as the broader market recovery moves up into the luxury price points.

Don’t Price for the Past

Sellers who are still anchoring their expectations to the 2022-2023 peak are the ones currently “sitting” on the market. Conversely, buyers who expect the same aggressive terms that were available 12 months ago may find themselves missing out. The market has reset, and the window for maximum negotiation is starting to narrow. Properties that respect the 21-Day Velocity Window are the ones successfully transitioning in this new environment.

DEEPER DATA: This report is a snapshot for our blog readers. For the full, verified interactive data sets—including the neighborhood-specific shifts in Whiskey Creek, Reflection Lakes, and Eagle Reserve—visit our market authority site.

Visit the Ellis Team Fort Myers Market Hub for Live 2026 Data →

 

SW Florida home sellers took a big sigh of relief as January home prices leveled off as we predicted. Lee County single family median home prices rose by .1% in January from last year to $400,000, up from $399,500. Average single family home prices rose by 2% to $611,708, up from $599,658 last year.

Ellis Team Current Market Index Predicted Leveling Off

The Ellis Team Current Market Index predicted a leveling off in home prices, Our latest reading stands at 3.78 and can be found at https://www.topagent.com/current-market-index/ The index tells us there is less downward pricing pressure on sellers. We’ve recommended buyers in the past few months now is the time to purchase if they’ve been on the fence because they are losing negotiating leverage. We are heading into a balanced market, and the low offers and incentives sellers were forced to accept are over. Sellers in SW Florida had their day, and so did buyers. We are at or very close to that balanced market.

January Home Prices Leveled

As January home prices leveled off, a few other things happened in January. Closed sales were 15.4% higher than last year. New pending sales were up 33.9% from last January. And inventory declined 1% to 9,344. Officially we have a 7.9-month supply of homes on the market, which would still suggest a buyer’s market. We have been tracking smaller numbers in our MLS, closer to the 6-month supply number. For instance, Fort Myers has a 6.01-month supply of homes in January. Cape Coral has a 6.16 months supply of homes on the market presently.

Why the Difference?

The official numbers use data from multiple MLS systems. It’s possible for outside brokers to list properties here in Lee County and place them in an outside MLS. Those listings are invisible to many brokers in Lee County because the Florida Gulf Coast MLS is the primary MLS in Lee County. The Ellis Team has access to the other MLS’s and can list seller’s homes in multiple MLS, but many brokers cannot. The real risk is listing with someone who lists in an outside MLS but does not list it in the primary MLS here.

Dangerous Time

When market transition it becomes a dangerous market for uninformed buyers and sellers.  Most consumers negotiate based on the market we are from rather than the market we are in. This is because consumers don’t have access to the data. Real estate agents know if they are busy, but they don’t always have the time or expertise to dive deep into the numbers, so they can miss a transition. Eventually everyone figures it out, but the smart buyers and sellers act sooner, beating the market by weeks or months. The real estate market isn’t as efficient as the stock market. You cannot look up on the big board and see how every property is changing in value hourly or minute by minute. Official data comes out slowly and is behind by weeks. It pays to study the market, and the submarkets. Each neighborhood can behave differently and buck a trend.

If you’re considering selling your home in Lee County, call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams. We are the real estate authority on data and market analysis. You can reach Sande Ellis and Brett Ellis at 239-489-4042, or visit www.SWFLHomevalues.com to get an instant Free online estimate.

If you’re a buyer, we have specialists who can help you make a good decision for your family and beat other buyers to Hot New Listings. Good luck, and Happy Selling!

Always Call the Ellis Team, we’re here to help!

Danger Zone in Real Estate Market

If you’ve lived in the same place for nearly two decades, you may be looking for a clear roadmap selling your home can often feel overwhelming without. At The Ellis Team, we understand that moving after 15+ years isn’t just a real estate transaction; it’s a major life transition that requires balancing logistical steps with emotional milestones.

For many homeowners in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, a house is far more than a structure of stucco and tile. It’s a living scrapbook of your life in Lee County. It’s where you raised your children, hosted holiday dinners, and watched the neighborhood canopy grow. Perhaps it’s the home you bought when you first arrived, back when traffic on US-41 was lighter and “hidden gems” were still secret.

When you’ve lived in a home for decades, selling is rarely just a financial choice. We call this the “Downsizer’s Dilemma.” It’s the paralyzing feeling that occurs when the desire for a maintenance-free lifestyle clashes with the weight of years of memories. If you feel overwhelmed, you aren’t alone. Here is your roadmap to navigating this journey.

Moving After 15+ Years: Quick Tips

The Goal: Focus on the life you are moving toward, not just the home you are leaving.

The Process: Tackle one room a week to avoid downsizing burnout.

The Advantage: Leverage your equity to secure your future in Southwest Florida.

 

Acknowledge the “Emotional Equity”

You aren’t just selling real estate; you’re closing a major chapter. Before you reach for the packing tape, give yourself permission to grieve the transition.

The Pro Tip: Take “legacy photos.” Before you declutter, capture the house exactly as it looks today—the growth marks on the door frame or the sun hitting your favorite chair. By “bottling” the memories digitally, it becomes significantly easier to let go of the physical space.

The 15-Year Rule: Tackling “Invisible” Clutter

When you stay in one place for 15+ years, you stop “seeing” your belongings. Closets and garages become time capsules. In Southwest Florida, we often see the “Attic Trap”—spaces where items are stored and forgotten in the heat, often deteriorating over time.

The Strategy: Use the “One Room a Week” rule. Start with the room that has the least emotional attachment—like the laundry room or garage—to build your momentum.

The “Keep, Gift, or Donate” Framework

The hardest part of downsizing is deciding what to do with your “stuff.” Use these filters:

Keep: Does it fit the lifestyle of your next home? If you’re moving to a condo, you won’t need that heavy-duty lawnmower.

Gift: Does a family member truly want it? Ask them directly. If they don’t have room for the heirloom china, don’t take it personally.

Donate: If you haven’t touched it in five years, let it find a new home where it will be used.

Updating a “Time Capsule” Home

If your home hasn’t been on the market since the mid-2000s, today’s buyers have different expectations. Focus on high-impact, low-cost refreshes like neutral paint, updated light fixtures, and ensuring your HVAC and roof are in top shape—major concerns for Florida buyers.

Pricing for the Future

Separating what you paid from what the market says it’s worth today is vital. While you likely have significant equity, the market is driven by current inventory and rates. At The Ellis Team, we use our Current Market Index https://www.topagent.com/current-market-index/ to protect the equity you’ve spent nearly two decades building.

The Bottom Line

Selling after 15+ years isn’t about “leaving” a home; it’s about “transferring” your life to a space that fits who you are today. You’ve done the hard work of maintaining a large home; now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of that labor.

Ready to start? Call the Ellis Team at 239-489-4042. We offer a confidential, no-pressure “Senior Transition Strategy Session” to map out your timeline and your home’s true value.

Check out our latest Ellis Team Current Market Index 4.00 and what it means for buyers and sellers. Find out what your home is worth instanty online.

Roadmap Selling Your Home Video

Price Reductions Don’t Mean the Market is Falling Video

Real Estate Headlines Video

Our Latest Gulf Coast Real Estate Insider Podcast Video

 

Keep it short so you don’t compete with your own content for SEO, but include the key “Entity” keywords.

“We have just released a comprehensive analysis of the early 2026 housing trends across Lee County. In this update, we use the Ellis Team Current Market Index to show why seller pressure is easing in neighborhoods like McGregor, Whiskey Creek, and Gateway.

You can read the full breakdown and see the neighborhood-specific data on our official LinkedIn Market Analysis Article.

The Ellis Team Current Market Index predicts better times ahead for sellers in SW Florida. What exactly does better times ahead mean?

There is less downward pressure on sellers today than last year. This does not mean that home prices are going to rise. We are simply stating that there is less pressure on the downside, and a trend is developing.

Momentum Swings

Pricing trends are like momentum in a football game. Just because one side gains momentum doesn’t mean they will win the game. You must follow through and continue that momentum. The team must fight through shifts until an outcome is determined. Much like a football game, the market is fighting. Momentum is on the seller’s side, but they haven’t won the game yet. The scoreboard still shows the buyers winning, but the score is tightening.

Coaches will tell you it doesn’t matter what you did in the first half, you’ve got to win the second half. It feels like two teams are coming out of halftime and the team that takes control will win the game.  Will it be a defensive struggle or will the offenses come out swinging with a flurry?

Current Market Index Predicts Price Stability

So far inventory has risen a bit, but pending sales are rising fast. The Ellis Team Current Market Index, now published online at https://www.topagent.com/current-market-index/ has fallen to 4.23. Our page explains the index and what the numbers mean. That number is lower than any point in 2025. Last January the number stood at 7.04 and fell to a low of 4.31 in May. Already in 2026, we are below last year’s low, and significantly below last year at this time.

We are not at that 3.0 level where things begin to get interesting, but 4.23 is a welcome sight amongst sellers who were looking 5’s 6’s and 7 in 2025. 1,126 few single-family homes are on the market this year, thanks to the 4^th best year on record for home closings last year. While sellers may not like the prices homes are selling at in 2026, sellers have met the moment and acted. Like football, you play with the players on your roster today. It doesn’t matter what hall of famers were on your roster two or three years ago, you’ve got to compete today with today’s players.

The real estate market is similar. It doesn’t matter how much your home was worth two to three years ago. We’ve got to play the game today based on today’s competition. Today, buyers are still winning, but you can feel the momentum swing just a bit, The crowd is getting louder. Everyone is anticipating what will happen. Can the sellers pull ahead?

Great Game Ahead

 No matter who wins, a balanced market makes for a great game. It can be argued that when neither the buyer nor seller wins, everybody wins. Homes are more affordable, and there is a liquid market to sell and reasonable prices. Hopefully we can get back to that normal 4% appreciation rate per year soon. When the market gets too out of whack, it causes fluctuations that take time to recover. Are we nearing the end of that time? Are we closer to normal? We’ll keep an eye on the scoreboard for you. We hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl and the football analogies this week.

To reach Sande Ellis or Brett Ellis, call us at 239-489-4042 To get an instant online estimate of your home’s value, check out https://www.SWFLhomevalues.com

Good luck, and Happy Home Selling!

Ellis Team Current Market Index Video Explained

Southwest Florida pending home sales are up 3.3% from this exact same week last year. They are also up 5.7% from last week. We are measuring the cumulative pending home sales and not the new pendings. Of course, new pending home sales will help add to the total until they either close or fall out.

Why Do We Track Southwest Florida Pending Home Sales?

 Pending sales lead to closings, and we are constantly evaluating what kind of market we are in an where we are headed. Being able to predict future closings helps keep our clients ahead of other buyers and sellers in the market. The Southwest Florida pending home sales metric is perhaps the easiest and most basic metric we track, and yet it tells us important information.

How Do Sellers Use This Information?

We always want to price at the market, or ahead of the market. Sellers never want to price behind the market. If the market is declining, pricing behind the market just gets you further behind as time passes. In a rising market, you can afford to price ahead of the market as the market will catch you eventually. This is where we study absorption rates and how long it will take for the market to catch you. Then we can align with your goals and help you decide how to market your home.

Buyers Need Help Too

Buyers can easily get caught negotiating in yesterday’s market, to their own detriment. In a declining market, buyers may want to be more aggressive with their offers. But what happens when the market begins to turn back positive? Buyers wonder why they keep missing out on offers, only to watch the listing sell to another buyer. Many times, the buyer was using outdated information in their decision process.

Emotional Transactions

Both buyers and sellers are guilty of using data to convince themselves their position is correct. They get frustrated when the other side doesn’t understand where they are coming from and why. Sometimes they seek out another agent who can better convince the other side of their position. Sometimes this is true, the agent you’re working with may not understand the market. However, sometimes it is the buyer or seller who doesn’t understand what’s happening today.

Headlines Are a Problem

How many times have you read a headline only to find out the story doesn’t match the headline, or the reporter didn’t seem to understand the data. It might surprise you to know that reporters often write the story and a headline writer creates the headline. The headline is meant to sell the story, not 100% match the story. That is frustrating. Worse is when the writer doesn’t understand the data. How could we expect them to? If some agents don’t understand, how could a reporter outside our industry understand the data? Reporters have to be a jack of all trades, covering finance, medicine, local, crime, weather, etc. There is no way they can know the story without speaking with a professional.

Thinking of Buying or Selling?

It pays to speak with a professional who knows the market. Each neighborhood can act differently than the overall market, and savvy buyers and sellers study micro-markets to find the best value. To help you track these trends, we’ve launched dedicated resources for some of the area’s most sought-after locations. You can now explore the latest market data and listings on our new Brightwater community page and our Pelican Preserve real estate guide.

If you’re looking for an agent to market your home and differentiate you from all the other sellers, always call the Ellis Team at 239-489-4042 or visit our website at www.topagent.com.   Good luck, and Happy Selling!

Good luck, and Happy Selling!

View Our Latest Podcast Episode

Is the SW Florida Real Estate Market Stabilizing?

Introducing the Ellis Team Market Spread Index™ for January 2026. Currently the index stands at 6,259. This index effectively measures the gap between the current available single-family listings and the total pending sales. The distance between the two measures market intensity. As the gap widens it can signal that buyers are turning off or rejecting current market conditions and choosing less to participate. As the gap narrows it signifies buyers and sellers are on the same page and both are participating in an efficient market. In this case, demand is closer to supply and closer to equilibrium.

Ellis Team Market Spread Index History

If you go back to 2022 you will see the Ellis Team Market Spread Index was below zero. This means that more homes were coming off the market than coming on. It created a tremendous imbalance. Demand outpaced supply, and it caused prices to soar. On the other end of the spectrum, February 11, 2025, saw the height of the index. At that time, supply far outpaced demand, and the index stood at 7,403. This means there was a difference of over 7,400 homes on the market and pending demand.

The extreme in 2022 led to what would come in 2025 when the market shifted. Markets love to be in balance, but they can’t stay there. Something always happens to cause a shift. How extreme the shift becomes can lead to the next shift. This is why we like to keep our shifts in range, but of course we are not in charge of anything. As real estate agents we simply work in the market we are in and help buyers and sellers interpret. Indexes such as the Ellis Team Current Market Index™ and the Ellis Team Market Spread Index™ help us as agents interpret the market.

How Most Agents Interpret the Market

Most agents interpret the market by how they feel. If their phone is ringing, and if they’re working with buyers and sellers, they feel like the market is busy and things are popping. Conversely, if they are not busy, they interpret the market as slow. Both can be incorrect. The market is not hot or cold based upon how busy an agent is. Some agents take the summers off, so when they come back, they have no pipeline because they haven’t been in the market or lead generating. Does that mean the market is soft when they come back? Absolutely not.

Data Driven Strategy

The Ellis Team works year-round and judges the market by the data, not our feelings. If we are busy, it is because we actively market our properties and are lead generating. If we are slow down, then it is up to us to go out and create business. We are not busy or slow because of the market. We will never use the market as an excuse. Many properties sell even in the slowest of markets, and somebody is selling them. This is why we never stop marketing, never stop working. Our clients depend on us, and so do our team.

If you have a property to sell, give Brett or Sande Ellis a call at 239-489-4042. We’re easy to talk to, and we never stop working. Or visit www.SWFLhomevalues.com for a Free instant home evaluation. Always Call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams, and put our advanced marketing system, never give up attitude, and data driven strategies to work for you.

Good luck, and Happy Selling!