Welcome to Issue #11 of The Gulf Coast Report, your weekly guide to real estate and life on Florida's Gulf Coast. This week I'm looking at what happened to mortgage rates, why Manatee County turned in such a strong August, and why Palmetto deserves a closer look if you want value without giving up the coast. I've also lined up the best of the week ahead, from a season-opening street party to a paddle on the bay. Let's get into it.
The Market Minute
Real Estate
Mortgage rates moved up again. Freddie Mac's survey for the week ending September 24 put the average 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.03%, up from 6.95% the week before. It is a small move, but it keeps the same message on the table: rates are unlikely to fall far on any given timetable, so the right time to buy is when the numbers work for you, not when a headline says they might improve.
Manatee County was the standout in August. The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee reports single-family homes at a $495,000 median sale price, up 5.9% from a year ago, with 687 closed sales and a median 45 days from listing to contract, 15.1% faster than last August. Months of supply tightened to 3.9, down 15.2% year over year. Manatee condos and townhomes followed the same tune: median price up 5.4% to $307,000 on 241 closed sales, 20.5% more than a year ago. In Sarasota County, single-family prices held steady at a $470,000 median, while condos climbed 3.3% to $310,000.
What this means for you: For buyers, Manatee County is where prices are climbing and homes are moving fast, so pre-approval and a clear budget matter more than ever. For sellers, inventory is tight, days on market are dropping, and a well-priced home is drawing real attention.
The takeaway in one line
- For buyers: Rates are at 7.03% and Manatee prices are rising, so lock in what works for your budget now instead of waiting on a rate you can't control.
- For sellers: Homes are selling faster, especially in Manatee County, and supply is tightening. Present it well, price it fairly, and the market will do its part.
Market figures: Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, August 2026. Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week ending September 24, 2026. Updated September 2026.
Featured Spotlight
Palmetto: Historic Riverfront Charm, Real Value
Palmetto sits on the northern bank of the Manatee River, and it may be the most underrated value play in Manatee County. Founded in 1868 and incorporated in 1897, its historic downtown still has tree-lined streets, early 20th-century architecture, and locally owned shops, with the Palmetto Historical Park preserving the town's heritage nearby. The Riverwalk offers sweeping views across the mile-wide Manatee River, with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge visible in the distance.
Why it stands out: The median home price sits around $350,000 to $375,000, well below Sarasota and even parts of Bradenton, which makes it attractive to first-time buyers, young families, and investors. Waterfront properties along the river and Palma Sola Bay are the most sought-after, while newer planned communities north and east of downtown offer modern floor plans and amenities at prices that are hard to match.
Who it's best for: Buyers who want small-town character and a slower pace without isolating themselves. Palmetto is about 10 minutes from downtown Bradenton, 25 from Sarasota, and roughly 35 from Tampa, with the beaches of Anna Maria Island and the Skyway fishing piers close by. If you want more home for your money on the Gulf Coast, Palmetto is where I point you first.
Thinking about Palmetto? From historic downtown cottages to riverfront homes and new construction, I work the Palmetto market every day. Let's talk about what fits your goals.
Explore PalmettoThis Week on the Gulf Coast
Fresh Fridays Season Kickoff
Downtown Sarasota, Main Street between Pineapple and Palm | Friday, October 2 | 7 - 10 PM | Free
The City of Sarasota opens its Fresh Fridays season with "Sunset Soundwaves: A Yacht Rock Experience," a free Friday-evening block party on Main Street with live music, food vendors, drinks, and giveaways. It is the friendliest way to ease into fall downtown, and the kind of night that reminds you why Sarasota's street life is special.
Downtown Bradenton Public Market Season Opener
Old Main Street, downtown Bradenton | Saturday, October 3 | 9 AM - 2 PM | Free
The Downtown Bradenton Public Market begins its October-to-May season on Old Main Street, with farm produce, local art, and live music filling the historic street between the river and the shops. October is the best month to catch it, before the season hits full stride and the crowds grow.
Music on Main
Lakewood Ranch Main Street, 8100 Lakewood Main Street, Bradenton | Friday, October 2 | 6 - 9 PM | Free
Lakewood Ranch's free first-Friday concert series returns with The Blind Squirrel Band, and this month the block party benefits the Humane Society of Sarasota County. Bring a chair, grab dinner from the Main Street restaurants, and enjoy live music under the October sky in one of the region's best-planned town centers.
Ride and Paddle at The Bay
The Bay Park, Bayfront Park, Sarasota | Friday, October 2 | 6 - 7:30 PM
As part of The Bay's fourth-anniversary community celebration, Ride and Paddle pairs a guided kayak tour with a bike loop around the park, a great way to see Sarasota Bay from the water as the light turns gold. The celebration runs through November 1 with more than 70 free events, but an October sunset paddle is hard to beat as a way to start it off.
Sarasota Opera Food & Wine Festival
Sarasota Opera, downtown Sarasota | Saturday, October 3
The Sarasota Opera Food & Wine Festival brings together local restaurants and wines for an afternoon that supports the opera company's work. It is a classic Gulf Coast fusion of dining, culture, and giving back, and a lovely excuse to spend a Saturday in downtown Sarasota.
Local Pick of the Week
The Spot
Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood.
1435 Main Street, downtown Sarasota | Open for lunch and dinner daily
Duval's has been a downtown Sarasota staple since 2011, and its name is the whole philosophy: fresh, local seafood, brought in daily from area fishermen and farmers and filleted in-house. Locals have rewarded it year after year, voting it the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Readers' Choice Best Seafood Restaurant for 11 years running, with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the shelf to match.
What to try: Start with the renowned Duval's Po' Boy, an award-winning sandwich in its own right, or go for the Seafood Sampler with grilled lobster tail, shrimp, and U10 sea scallops. Happy hour runs daily from 3 to 6 PM on the patio, which is dog-friendly for those who refuse to leave the family home.
Why Roger loves it: It is the rare spot that nails both halves of the equation, serious seafood and a relaxed room. On Main Street after work, with the patio filling up and the fish coming straight off the boat, you remember exactly why you moved to the coast.
Watch This
When you're comparing a place like Palmetto to the coast, or wondering what any Gulf Coast neighborhood is really like, video helps in a way listings can't. Roger's YouTube channel posts video tours and community guides so you can feel what a place is actually like before you visit, with new videos going up regularly. Subscribe so you don't miss the next tour.
Subscribe on YouTube for new videosThat's Issue #11. If October opens the way it usually does around here, the weather is about to turn bright and comfortable, and there's no better month to explore a market you've been wondering about. Have a question about Palmetto, Manatee County, or anything you read this week? Hit reply. I read every message.
To your success,
Roger Reed
Questions? Reach Roger directly at 941-402-0083 or roger@rarpropertygroup.com
RAR Property Group | eXp Realty | See you next Wednesday!
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