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!