Southwest Florida has been in a buyer’s market since late 2023. Local MLS data shows inventory has stayed above six months of supply for more than a year, peaking near eleven months in early 2025 and still sitting around 7.4 months as of August.
Buyers are cautious. They average only about three showings per listing, and homes often need ten or more showings to go pending. This slow pace leaves many listings stuck. In this kind of market, a real estate strategy to help sellers gain momentum is the Seller’s Offer. A simple, proactive step that can turn interest into action and help your sellers move forward with confidence.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- Seller’s Offers turn interest into action without a public price cut
- They work best when a listing gets steady showings but no offers
- This strategy helps sellers regain control and reduce days on market
- It is especially effective for overpriced homes with built-in negotiation room
How Buyer Behavior Has Shifted in Southwest Florida
Months of supply passed the six-month threshold in late 2023 and climbed as high as 10.9 months by March 2025. Even though supply has eased to 7.4 months as of August, buyers are still firmly in control. Florida Realtors’ Florida Market Reports show similar trends across the state, with elevated inventory and slower buyer activity shaping market conditions.
Today’s buyers move slowly, tour carefully, and often walk away if they think the price is too high. Most listings only see 2.5 to 3.0 showings each month, and it now takes an average of ten or more showings to go under contract.
When buyers know they have plenty of options, they hesitate to act. Some will not risk offending a seller with a low offer. Others prefer to keep looking. Either way, they disappear quietly and listings grow stale while sellers wait for action that never comes.
Why Overpriced Listings Need a Different Approach
In Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, and Naples, many sellers listed high so they would have room to negotiate. The problem is that buyers rarely negotiate in a buyer’s market. They simply move on.
This creates a silent stalemate. A listing might get four, six, even eight showings but never reach the ten-showing market average to go pending.
Momentum fades while the seller waits for an offer that never comes. And as days on market climb, so does the pressure to cut the price publicly—which can weaken their position.
The Seller’s Offer: A Real Estate Strategy for Sellers in Today’s Market
A Seller’s Offer is a standard purchase and sale contract that the seller signs first. Instead of waiting for an offer, the agent delivers a signed contract to an interested buyer.
It lays out the terms the seller is ready to accept to get a deal done. This can include their preferred price, closing timeline, and contingencies such as inspections, financing, or repairs. By putting these terms in writing, the seller shows exactly how they are willing to move forward.
Presenting a Seller’s Offer shifts the dynamic. The buyer now has a clear choice to accept, counter, or decline. It moves them out of shopping mode and into decision mode.
A Seller’s Offer shows commitment. It reframes the conversation around real, actionable terms and turns hesitation into movement.
When to Use a Seller’s Offer in Fort Myers and Nearby Cities
This real estate strategy to help sellers works best when a listing has passed the curiosity stage and is approaching decision territory.
If it has more than three showings (above the market average) and is nearing eight to ten showings without an offer, it is likely in the ideal seller’s-offer window.
You might also use it when a buyer has toured more than once, requested detailed information, or shown verbal interest but still will not commit. These are the moments when listings are at risk of going stale and need a spark.
Presenting It to Your Sellers
Many sellers are just waiting for someone to make an offer. Explain that buyers do not want to start a fight with a low offer. They simply walk away.
Position the Seller’s Offer as a private way to test buyer interest. Let them know it keeps their asking price intact while showing they are ready to move forward.
Guide your sellers to choose the price, timeline, and conditions they are truly prepared to accept. This builds trust and helps them feel confident that you are actively working on their behalf.
FAQs
Here are answers to the most common questions agents are asking as they adapt to today’s buyer’s market in Southwest Florida.
A Seller’s Offer is a standard purchase contract that the seller signs and delivers to an interested buyer. It includes the price, timeline, and conditions the seller is ready to accept to get a deal done.
In places like Fort Myers and Cape Coral, inventory has stayed above six months of supply for over a year, which signals a buyer’s market. Homes often need ten or more showings to go pending. A Seller’s Offer cuts through hesitation by presenting a real decision and showing buyers that the seller is ready to move forward.
This strategy works best when a listing has more than three showings and is approaching ten without an offer. In Estero, Bonita Springs, and Naples, many homes are getting steady traffic but no offers as buyers move slowly. A Seller’s Offer can spark movement before the listing goes stale.
No. It is a private strategy that shows initiative, not desperation. It works especially well in today’s Southwest Florida market, where buyers have plenty of choices and sellers need a way to stand out without cutting the price publicly.
Many sellers in these areas listed high to leave room for negotiation, but buyers are simply moving on. A Seller’s Offer lets them quietly adjust expectations and open negotiations without a visible price drop, which can protect their leverage and keep control of the conversation.
Final Thoughts
A buyer’s market can stall listings that might have sold quickly in another season. This real estate strategy to help sellers gives you a way to spark movement and help them move forward without weakening their position.
It shows buyers a clear path while showing your sellers that you are working strategically for them. That combination builds trust—and builds your reputation as a results-driven agent.
If you’re an agent working through these same challenges, you don’t have to wait for the market to shift. Use tools like this to move your listings forward. Explore our local market insights, connect with buyers using our property search tools, or take the next step in your career and join our team at Worthington Realty.
Most agents are looking for something more from their brokerage. At Worthington Realty, we provide personalized guidance and clear communication so that you feel heard, valued, and confident in your decisions.
