December Pending Sales Rise 31% as Fort Myers Prices Decline 12% Year Over Year
December closed out 2025 with a clear shift in Fort Myers buyer activity. Pending sales rose 31.4% year over year as prices moved lower and inventory declined from last December for the first time since the correction began. The market still carries a large amount of older, relisted inventory, but buyers are responding where pricing aligns with recent comparable sales. This January 2026 update looks at how those forces came together at the end of the year, what the data says about supply and demand today, and how pricing accuracy is shaping outcomes heading into 2026.
All data in this Fort Myers real estate market report comes from the Royal Palm Coast REALTOR® Association and Florida Gulf Coast MLS via Stellar MLS and is current as of January 13, 2026. December 2025 figures are preliminary and will be finalized mid-January.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- Median prices declined 12.1% year over year to $338,500
- Pending sales increased 31.4% year over year
- Active inventory declined 10.1% year over year, ending a multi-year expansion
- About 33% of active Fort Myers listings failed at least once in 2025 and returned to market
- The tightest supply is in the $300K–$500K range, while supply below $300K remains elevated
Fort Myers Real Estate Market Update: December 2025 Activity and Early-2026 Momentum
Buyer activity increased late in 2025 and continued into early 2026. December closed sales rose 12.7% year over year, while pending sales finished the month up 31.4%. December dollar volume reached $185.4 million, with movement across both entry-level and higher-priced homes.
Inventory responded to that activity. Active listings declined 10.1% from December 2024, ending a multi-year pattern of growth. New listings also declined 17.4%, showing that fewer sellers entered the market than a year ago.
Single-family homes accounted for 57% of December closings and posted stronger year-over-year gains than condos and townhomes. Condo and townhome listings continue to show higher failure rates and longer average days on market.
As of January 13, 2026, Fort Myers has 498 properties under contract. The pending pool skews toward single-family homes, representing roughly 60% of active contracts, with activity concentrated in Fort Myers City Limits, Gateway, and East Fort Myers.
Lower prices, improving demand, and moderating inventory suggest the market is adjusting to current conditions. Outcomes increasingly depend on how accurately listings are priced at launch.
Fort Myers Shadow Inventory: What the Data Shows
Why Many Fort Myers Homes Reappear in Searches
If you’ve been watching the Fort Myers market for a while, you may have noticed the same homes showing up again.
About 33% of active Fort Myers listings failed at least once in 2025 through expiration, withdrawal, or termination. These listings returned with new list dates, while their cumulative exposure remained.
The median total exposure for these relisted properties, including prior failed attempts, is 278 days. Nearly 47% of all active listings exceed 90 days of total exposure when cumulative time on market is considered.
This history shapes buyer perception and affects negotiation behavior.
How Pricing Adjustments Shape Outcomes in Fort Myers
Pricing behavior explains much of what happens next.
Among properties that failed in 2025 and later sold, the median reduction from original asking price to final sale price was 10.0%. Nearly 30% of successful relists reduced pricing by more than 10%. Properties that failed and remain active show a higher share of minimal or reversed adjustments.
Recent Fort Myers closings averaged 95.7% of final list price, reflecting buyers anchored to current comparable sales rather than prior pricing expectations.
Southwest Florida Market Comparison (December 2025)
How Fort Myers compares with neighboring Southwest Florida markets based on December 2025 MLS data.
| Market | Active | Median Price | YoY Price | YoY Pending | Mos Supply | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers | 3,211 | $338,500 | -12.1% | +31.4% | 7.3 | 43 |
| Cape Coral | 2,869 | $363,800 | -3.5% | +31.3% | 6.0 | 57 |
| Estero | 730 | $499,950 | -13.8% | +12.0% | 6.5 | 72 |
| Bonita Springs | 1,135 | $550,000 | -6.0% | +30.3% | 8.1 | 41 |
| Naples | 5,437 | $570,000 | -7.0% | +14.6% | 8.2 | 58 |
Pending sales increased across all five markets. Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Bonita Springs posted gains above 30%, while Naples showed more moderate growth at a higher price point.
For more, check our our full Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update – January 2026.
Where Buyers Are Buying: Supply and Demand by Price Segment
Buyer demand varies meaningfully by price range. Comparing 2025 sales to current inventory highlights where supply is tightest.
| Price Segment | Active Listings | 2025 Sales | Months Supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $200K | 572 | 779 | 8.8 |
| $200K–$300K | 873 | 1,120 | 9.4 |
| $300K–$400K | 639 | 1,207 | 6.4 |
| $400K–$500K | 397 | 791 | 6.0 |
| $500K–$750K | 499 | 811 | 7.4 |
| $750K–$1M | 178 | 260 | 8.2 |
| $1M+ | 199 | 277 | 8.6 |
The $300K–$500K range shows the fastest absorption, with months of supply between 6.0 and 6.4. Inventory below $300K remains elevated, reflecting a concentration of older properties and mobile homes.
Neighborhood Snapshots: How Six Fort Myers Communities Are Actually Performing
Across Fort Myers, buyer behavior in 2025 was shaped less by location and more by what buyers encountered once they began comparing options. Inventory age, repeated listing attempts, and overlap among similar homes influenced how quickly properties moved and how pricing outcomes played out within each community.
Lexington Country Club
Lexington Country Club, a bundled golf community with a median price of $349,000, showed a high concentration of extended listing exposure during 2025. 60% of active listings exceeded 90 days of cumulative market time, and the overall success rate finished at 41%. Successful relists required a median 6.3% price adjustment. Housing stock from the late 1990s competed against newer nearby options, which influenced buyer selectivity. When pricing aligned with recent comparable sales, homes still moved, with sold properties closing in a median of 39 days.
Check out current homes for sale in Lexington Country Club, Fort Myers.
Pelican Preserve
Pelican Preserve, Fort Myers’ largest 55+ community with a median price of $450,000, recorded 154 sales in 2025, reflecting steady activity throughout the year. Relist share measured 31%, and 44% of active listings exceeded 90 days of exposure. Successful relists required a median 3.5% adjustment, consistent with buyer sensitivity in higher-volume communities where comparable options are readily available. Outcomes were shaped by how listings positioned themselves among similar floor plans and pricing.
Find current homes for sale in Pelican Preserve, Fort Myers.
The Plantation
The Plantation, a golf community with a median price of $550,000, showed balanced behavior across key measures in 2025. Relist share finished at 36%, the stale rate at 46%, and the success rate at 53%. Successful relists required a median 1.3% adjustment, indicating pricing that generally tracked recent comparable sales. Homes closed in a median of 56 days. Internal competition between similar models influenced timelines, but listings aligned with current market conditions avoided extended exposure.
See current homes for sale in The Plantation, Fort Myers.
Timber Creek
Timber Creek, a newer construction community with a median price of $585,000, showed relatively quick resolution of listings throughout 2025. Sold properties closed in a median of 34 days, and 36% of active listings exceeded 90 days of exposure. Relist share measured 27%. Larger floor plans and newer inventory reduced overlap among comparable options, limiting extended marketing periods when pricing aligned with recent sales. Buyer response here reflected how newer stock and clearer expectations influenced outcomes.
Browse homes for sale in Timber Creek, Fort Myers.
Verandah
Verandah, a golf community with a median price of $565,000, reflected the effects of internal competition more than pricing adjustment alone. Active listings (69) closely tracked total 2025 sales (81), and relist share measured 38%. The success rate finished at 43%, with sold properties closing in a median of 61 days. Successful relists required a median 0.6% adjustment, suggesting that outcomes were influenced by the number of similar options available to buyers at any given time rather than resistance to pricing.
Explore homes for sale in Verandah, Fort Myers.
WildBlue
WildBlue, a lakefront community with a median price of $1.41 million, showed a relatively low level of recycled inventory in 2025. Relist share measured 20%, and 24% of active listings exceeded 90 days of exposure. The overall success rate reached 60%. Newer construction from the early 2020s limited pricing history, and buyer activity aligned closely with recent comparable sales when listings entered the market. Inventory overlap was more defined, helping expectations reset earlier within this segment.
Explore current homes for sale in WildBlue, Fort Myers.
Fort Myers Home Prices: Context From the Peak
Fort Myers prices peaked in November 2024 at $410,000 and declined 17.4% to $338,500 by December 2025. While the adjustment has been larger than neighboring markets, prices remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Compared to January 2020, median prices are roughly 47% higher. The pandemic-era run-up added approximately 78% to values, with about 22% of those gains given back during the correction.
Price per square foot declined from $230 in December 2024 to $208 in December 2025, a 9.6% decrease. Since July 2025, prices have generally ranged from the mid-$330Ks to low-$360Ks.
Inventory, Days on Market, and Supply Conditions
Inventory peaked in March 2025 at 4,478 active listings and declined 28% to 3,211 by December. December marked the first year-over-year inventory decline since the correction began.
Median days on market for December closings was 43 days, down from 49 days a year earlier. That figure reflects properties that sold, most of which were priced appropriately from the outset or adjusted early.
Nearly 47% of active listings currently exceed 90 days of total exposure, driven largely by relisted properties and pricing misalignment.
Months of supply finished December at 7.3 months, down from 8.4 months one year earlier.
What Fort Myers Homeowners Are Asking
About 33% of active Fort Myers listings failed at least once in 2025 and returned after expiring, withdrawing, or being terminated. Their days-on-market clocks reset, making them appear fresh, but cumulative exposure often exceeds 278 days. This recycled inventory explains why the market can feel slow even as new activity picks up.
Properties that failed and later sold accepted a median 10% reduction from their original asking price. Relisting without a meaningful adjustment typically produces the same result. Pricing aligned with recent comparable sales consistently outperforms testing higher and adjusting later.
Extended listing history often signals flexibility. Properties that failed one or more listing cycles tend to allow more room for negotiation once they return. Relists with minimal price cuts often have room to move, while relists already reduced 10% or more are typically priced to transact. Fresh listings priced in line with recent comps generate early activity.
Properties that sold on their first attempt moved faster and closed closer to list price. Properties that failed and later sold required a median 10% reduction and accumulated months of additional exposure. Sellers who price to current comparable sales at launch consistently outperform those who test higher and adjust later.
Buyers have more selection and negotiating room than in recent years. Prices are down 17% from peak, pending sales are up 31% year over year, and many sellers—especially those with extended listing history—are responsive to offers aligned with recent comparable sales.
Final Thoughts
December data shows a Fort Myers market adjusting to current pricing. Pending sales rose 31% year over year, inventory declined from last December, and listing history is playing a larger role in determining outcomes. Homes aligned with recent comparable sales are moving. Homes priced above those benchmarks are accumulating exposure.
If you want to see how these trends apply to your home or neighborhood, you can search Fort Myers homes for sale, explore community-level data, or contact our team to walk through the numbers together.
Most homeowners feel overwhelmed when it’s time to move. At Worthington Realty, we provide personalized guidance and clear communication so 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 address-level review of active, closed, expired, and relisted properties in Fort Myers from January through December 2025.
