Home Sale Trends

Now that 19 homes have closed since January, the sales team is seeing some trends for 2026 regarding pricing and what home buyers want in a pre-owned home. Waterfront property is still popular, but buyers are picky.

They want a dock and lift and usually a newer home that is built higher to offset any effects from storm surges. If it’s an older home, buyers want the home to be remodeled and well maintained. For interior homes, buyers want the home to have something “extra” that makes it stand out from other homes. The added value can be a screened lanai at the same level as the living room to create easy indoor/outdoor living. Having the washer and dryer inside of the home is always a popular feature.

The open concept living/dining/kitchen area is still very popular and desired by buyers as well as step-in showers without tubs. “Buyers still want a lot of value,” explains Broker Marty Pozgay. “Pricing the home correctly makes a big difference in whether your home sits on the market or sells quickly.” What are the mistakes that sellers make when pricing a home? Sellers too often are very emotional about their home especially if they have updated or remodeled.

They also often want a dollar-for-dollar return on whatever they put into the home. “In a strong buyer’s market, it is difficult to get every dollar that you may have put into the home back out,” explains Pozgay. “Sellers have to be very price competitive and unfortunately, emotion takes over. They may have spent a lot of effort remodeling a kitchen and want every dime they put into the kitchen to reflect in the listing price.

That strategy often doesn’t work in a strong buyer’s market.” Pozgay encourages sellers to look at the sold pricing as that doesn’t lie. “Looking at what comparable homes have sold for is the only way to determine what you will obtain for your home. It doesn’t matter how much you wish you could get for your home, if the wish doesn’t align with the sold pricing then the home will not sell.”