Many Fort Myers Sellers Reset This Year Before Buyers Stepped Back In
The Fort Myers real estate market closed November on a more encouraging note. Pending sales rose, closed sales improved, and buyers responded to homes that reflected the prices supported by recent sales. The challenge has been the large number of properties that tried to sell earlier in the year at higher numbers and then stepped back off the market. Other Southwest Florida cities saw similar patterns, but Fort Myers carried the highest share of returning listings in 2025. The result is a market that rewards realistic pricing and solid preparation more than anything else.
All data comes from the Royal Palm Coast REALTOR® Association and Florida Gulf Coast MLS via Stellar MLS, current as of December 1, 2025. November figures are preliminary and will be finalized mid-December.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- Pending sales reached 414 in November, up 13.7% from last year.
- Closed sales reached 335 in November, up 11.3%.
- The median sale price finished November at $335,000, which is 18% lower than last year.
- Just under half of this year’s listing attempts reached a successful closing.
- About 30% of today’s active and pending listings are returning inventory that tried to sell earlier in the year.
Fort Myers Buyer Activity Picked Up Toward the End of the Year
Buyers stepped back into the Fort Myers real estate market in November. Pending sales improved, closed sales increased, and homes priced in line with 2025 numbers found traction. The buyers who are out there now have more homes to consider than they did during the last boom years, so they compare every listing carefully with the most recent sales in the neighborhood. Homes listed close to those numbers are the ones moving. Homes priced closer to last year’s expectations tend to wait.
Part of the progress this fall came from sellers who adjusted their numbers to match where buyers were actually writing contracts. When sellers reset with realistic pricing, contracts followed. When they held to higher numbers from earlier in the cycle, the results were mixed. The YTD picture shows this clearly. Through November, Fort Myers recorded 4,691 completed sales compared with 4,766 over the same period last year. Activity may have softened earlier in the year, but it finished the fall on a stronger trajectory.
These Fort Myers numbers match the broader regional trend in our December 2025 Southwest Florida Market Update.
Shadow Inventory Returned Through the Fall
A large part of the Fort Myers real estate market this year involved homes that tried to sell in the spring or summer, did not reach a contract, and then returned later at more realistic prices. This returning inventory is what creates the “two speeds” feeling many homeowners noticed. Fresh listings priced on solid comparable sales tend to move. Older listings that held on to higher numbers often sit longer.
Across the Fort Myers FL housing market, that returning inventory makes up about 30% of everything buyers see when they search for homes. Many of these homes adjusted their prices by about 10% before returning. Some needed more. Others waited for the right moment to come back after stepping off the market for a few months. That 49.8% success rate is the lowest among major Southwest Florida cities this year, which is why pricing discipline matters more in Fort Myers than in neighboring markets.
Regional Comparison: Active Inventory and Pricing Patterns
Southwest Florida Market Comparison (November 2025)
| City | Active Listings | YoY Closed Sales | YoY Pending Sales | Returning Inventory | Avg Price Adjustment |
| Fort Myers | 3,300 | +11.3% | +13.7% | 30% | -6.1% |
| Cape Coral | 2,986 | +5.7% | +22.4% | 24% | -6.0% |
| Estero | 740 | +30.6% | +24.4% | 28% | -6.3% |
| Bonita Springs | 1,134 | +28.0% | +7.6% | 32% | -4.3% |
| Naples | 5,486 | +6.3% | +9.5% | 29% | -5.6% |
What It Took to Reach a Contract in Fort Myers
The homes that reached a successful closing in Fort Myers shared a few consistent traits. They reflected the prices supported by the most recent comparable sales. They presented well. And they often made one small adjustment early enough to stay in front of buyers.
Across the sold homes this fall, the average adjustment needed to reengage buyers was about 10%. Some neighborhoods required more and others required less, but the pattern was steady throughout the city. Once a home reset to match where similar properties had actually sold, buyers responded with new interest. The homes that held on to higher expectations tended to sit in longer stretches of inactivity.
Time on market tells the story. Homes that sold this year reached a contract at a median of 60 days. Homes that expired or terminated sat for 120 days or more. Once a listing moves past 90 days without a meaningful price adjustment, the path to a closing gets much harder.
How Six Featured Fort Myers Communities Performed in 2025
Lexington Country Club
Lexington Country Club shows 61 active listings at a median asking price near $329,000. Active price-per-foot averages $227 compared with $210 on this year’s closed sales. There are 9 pending homes at a median of $377,450.
The community recorded 75 sold and 97 failed listings in 2025 for a 43.6% success rate and roughly 9 months of inventory. About 41% of active homes are returning listings, and most reduced their prices before coming back on the market.
Performance varied widely across Lexington’s neighborhoods this year. Sutton Walk led the community with a 61.1% success rate, followed by Wedgewood at 52.9% and Southmont Cove at 46.3%. The main Lexington neighborhood finished at 39.3%, with Waterford close behind at 38.5%. Sommerset Villas had the slowest movement at 24%. Buyers consistently favored the listings priced closest to recent comparable sales, and the sections aligned with those numbers saw the strongest results.
Pelican Preserve
Pelican Preserve has 60 active listings at a median asking price of $487,200. Active price-per-foot averages $267 compared with $251 on this year’s closed sales. There are 21 pending homes at a median of $315,000.
The community posted 140 sold and 107 failed listings for a 56.7% success rate and about 4 to 5 months of inventory. Roughly one-third of active homes are returning listings, and nearly all of those sellers adjusted their pricing before returning to the market.
Homes in the low to mid-$400,000s saw the most consistent demand. Higher price points needed closer alignment with recent sales, and the homes nearest those numbers were the ones that moved.
The Plantation (Somerset and Bridgetown)
The Plantation shows 45 active listings at a median asking price of about $515,000. Active price-per-foot averages $277 compared with $267 on this year’s closed sales. There are 14 pending homes at a median of $657,450.
This year, the community reached 93 sold and 82 failed listings for a 53.1% success rate and roughly 5 to 6 months of inventory. About 51% of current active listings are returning homes, most with mid-single-digit price reductions.
Somerset posted a 46.9% success rate, while Bridgetown performed more steadily at 58.5%. Buyers favored the homes closest to the most recent comparable sales, and those aligned with today’s pricing saw clearer movement.
Timber Creek
Timber Creek currently has 27 active listings at a median asking price of $579,000. Active price-per-foot averages $224 compared with $215 on this year’s closed sales. There are 8 pending homes at a median of $637,450.
The community recorded 81 sold and 55 failed listings for a 59.6% success rate and about 3 to 4 months of inventory. About 48% of active listings are returning homes, and most reduced their prices before coming back to the market.
Newer single-family homes between $400,000 and $500,000 saw the steadiest movement. Homes priced above recent sales waited longer and often paused before adjusting.
Verandah
Verandah shows 75 active listings at a median asking price of $499,900. Active price-per-foot averages $261 compared with $277 on this year’s closed sales. There are 6 pending homes at a median of $601,000.
This year, Verandah saw 76 sold and 63 failed listings for a 54.7% success rate and about 10 to 11 months of inventory. About 51% of active listings are returning homes, most with mid-single-digit price reductions.
Homes priced near the low to mid-$500,000s saw the most stable activity. Higher tiers required closer alignment with recent sales to attract buyers and earn stronger engagement.
WildBlue
WildBlue shows 24 active listings at a median asking price of $1,522,500. Active price-per-foot averages $573 compared with $480 on this year’s closed sales. There are 8 pending homes at a median of $1,574,450.
The community posted 77 sold and 43 failed listings for a 64.2% success rate and about 3 to 4 months of inventory. About 46% of active listings are returning homes, and most of those sellers reduced their prices before reentering the market.
Homes between $1.1 million and $1.4 million saw the clearest movement. Buyers responded to listings that reflected the 2025 pricing landscape rather than earlier expectations, and the homes closest to today’s comparable sales were the ones that moved.
Prices, Inventory, and the Pace of the Market
The median sale price in November reached $335,000, which is 18% lower than last year but still 46% higher than January 2020. Price per square foot has settled near $204 after peaking above $250 in late 2023. Active inventory finished the month above 3,300 homes, down from more than 4,400 earlier in the year. Months of supply sits at 7.6, which leans toward buyers but has improved from the spring peak. Homes that sold in November spent a median of 42 days on the market. The ones that presented well and priced in line with recent sales found ready buyers. Others waited or returned later after adjusting.
What Fort Myers Homeowners Are Asking
Homes that sold this year reached contract at a median of 60 days. Homes that sat for 120 days or more often stepped back off the market before adjusting.
Yes. About 30% of today’s active and pending homes are returning listings from earlier in the year.
Buyers are still active. They are simply more careful and compare every listing with the most recent sales in the area.
Gateway remained one of the stronger performers this fall. Other neighborhoods with realistic pricing also saw steady activity.
Look closely at the homes that actually closed in the past few months. Those numbers give the clearest picture of where buyers are saying yes.
Final Thoughts on the Fort Myers Real Estate Market
The Fort Myers real estate market is working through a year of resets. The homes that entered the market with accurate pricing or made early adjustments saw strong interest. The homes that waited for yesterday’s prices often paused their listings before returning later. Buyers are engaged, and they respond quickly when a home is priced and prepared well.
If you want to see how your home fits into the Fort Myers real estate market, start by reviewing the most recent sales in your neighborhood or connect with us for a clear look at today’s conditions. Or see current available homes for sale.
Most homeowners feel overwhelmed when it is time to move. At Worthington Realty, we provide personalized guidance and clear communication so that you feel heard, valued, and confident in your decisions.
Sources & Methodology: All data in this report comes directly from the Royal Palm Coast REALTOR® Association, Florida Gulf Coast MLS, and Stellar MLS, combined with multi-year InfoSparks trend analysis and a full address-level review of more than 13,400 Fort Myers listings from January through November 2025. Citywide metrics, including prices, pending sales, closed sales, days on market, months supply, and inventory, are based on finalized MLS trend data. Community-level insights, including shadow inventory rates, price adjustments, negotiation patterns, and success rates, come from matching individual properties across multiple listing attempts to track how pricing and time on market influenced outcomes. This blended approach gives a clear, evidence-based view of how the Fort Myers FL real estate market is moving as we head into the 2026 season.
