Southwest Florida Pending Sales in September 2026
At a glance
Buyers across Southwest Florida kept signing more contracts than a year earlier in September 2026, even as the 30-year mortgage rate climbed to 7.03%. The number of homes for sale fell for a seventh month in a row, and price per square foot finished level with September 2025.
Pending sales turned higher in May 2025, and active listings fell below the year before starting in December 2025. Price per square foot caught up to last year's level in August 2026. Each of the five city reports linked below covers the same reporting cycle using the same MLS source framework.
September's InfoSparks figures from the Florida Gulf Coast MLS (FGCMLS via Stellar MLS) are preliminary. We will update this report following the October 10 data pull and revise any affected comparisons or conclusions. Matrix listing counts and property histories reflect the October 1 snapshot. MLS records can change as more information is reported, so comparisons use the latest records and earlier months can differ from figures published before.
Key Takeaways
- Buyers signed 2,257 new contracts in September 2026, up 5.1% from 2,147 a year earlier. Pending sales have now run above last year for 17 months in a row.
- Active listings fell to 14,955, down 18.8% year over year. The count has dropped in each of the last seven months, though September usually adds listings here.
- Price per square foot held at $233, the same as September 2025. In April 2025, it was 10.4% below the year before. That gap has now closed.
- Months of supply was 5.4, down from 7.6 a year earlier, and homes sold in a median 58 days against 72.
- The 30-year mortgage rate averaged 7.03% in the week of September 24, up from 6.66% in late August and 6.30% a year earlier.
Southwest Florida Pending Sales Rose 5.1% Over September 2025
A pending sale is a home that has gone under contract but has not yet closed.
Southwest Florida recorded 2,257 new pending sales in September 2026, up 5.1% from 2,147 in September 2025. New contracts have outnumbered the same month a year earlier for 17 months in a row, beginning in May 2025.
The count fell 7.8% from August's 2,447. Pending sales have dropped from August to September in every year since 2021. A September dip is common here, so a seller learns more from the year-over-year comparison than from the monthly change.
Buyer traffic also held above last year. Showings per listing averaged 3.0 in September against 2.8 a year earlier. The median listing needed seven showings to reach a contract, the same as September 2025.
Closings Reflect Contracts Written in July and August
Southwest Florida recorded 2,123 closed sales in September 2026, down 7.0% from 2,283 a year earlier. Dollar volume came in at $1.46 billion, up 0.6%.
For a homeowner deciding whether to list this fall, the pending count is the better guide because it counts contracts signed in September.
Demand Moved First, Supply Followed, and Prices Are Catching Up
Over the past 18 months, contracts changed direction first, the supply of homes for sale followed, and price per square foot came last. Part of that delay is timing, because sale prices are recorded at closing. Mortgage rates, affordability and the mix of homes selling also shape prices. That order fits this cycle, and markets do not always follow it.
- DemandBeganMay 2025More pending sales than the year before17 months in a rowMay 2025 through September 2026
- SupplyBeganDecember 2025Fewer homes for sale than the year before10 months in a rowDecember 2025 through September 2026
- PriceBeganAugust 2026Price per square foot matched the year before2 monthsAugust and September 2026
Price per square foot was 10.4% below the year before in April 2025. The decline narrowed to 6.0% by September 2025 and 0.9% by July 2026. It reached 0.0% in both August and September.
For a seller, it means recorded prices can lag what buyers are doing today. For a buyer, it means a shrinking supply of homes can sit alongside nearly flat prices for several months. Each city has moved on its own schedule, and the city reports show where each one stands.
Active Listings Fell for the Seventh Month in a Row
Southwest Florida had 14,955 active listings in September 2026, down 18.8% from 18,407 a year earlier. The count has fallen every month since February, when it reached 21,901. It has also been below last year for 10 months in a row.
In 2022, 2023 and 2024, the number of homes for sale went up from August to September as sellers listed ahead of winter. This year it went down 0.9%.
New listings came in at 3,706, down 5.4% from 3,917 in September 2025. The active count falls for several reasons at once, including completed sales, expirations and withdrawals. A smaller pool reflects more than buyer activity alone.
For a seller listing this fall, fewer competing homes are on the MLS than a year ago. For a buyer, the same smaller pool means fewer homes to choose from overall than a year ago.
Months of Supply Fell to 5.4
Regional months of supply stood at 5.4 in September 2026, down from 7.6 a year earlier. The measure divides active listings by a 12-month sales pace. It estimates how long the homes listed today would take to sell at the recent rate of sales.
Four to six months is generally read as balanced. Southwest Florida's peak buying period runs January through April, so a September reading falls in the slowest part of the year. The year-over-year comparison carries more weight than the monthly move.
Competitive Inventory is a narrower look at supply. It counts homes listed fewer than 180 days and leaves out relisted homes that came back less than 3% below their prior price. In September it read 4.1 months in Fort Myers, 3.6 in Cape Coral, 3.2 in Estero, 4.1 in Bonita Springs and 4.0 in Naples. Table 2 carries it for each city. It is a screening tool, not a forecast.
Price Per Square Foot Matched September 2025
The regional median sale price was $395,000 in September 2026, up 0.3% from $394,000 a year earlier. Price per square foot was $233, the same as September 2025 and the same as August.
Price per square foot is the sale price divided by the home's living area. It helps compare months when the homes that sold were bigger or smaller than usual. A waterfront home, or one on a bigger lot, usually sells for more per square foot than a similar house without those features. So if more of those homes sell in a given month, the number can go up even if home values haven't changed.
Two months at last year's level is a short record. The measure would need to hold through the coming season to count as a sustained turn.
Sellers received a median 96.5% of their most recent asking price, up from 96.0% a year earlier. The regional sale-to-list ratio uses the list price in place when the home went under contract. It measures where closings landed and is not a target for any individual offer.
Homes sold in a median 58 days on market, down from 72 in September 2025.
Mortgage Rates Climbed Through September
The 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.03% in the week of September 24, 2026, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. It was the first reading above 7% since January 2025, up from 6.66% in late August and 6.30% a year earlier. The October 1 survey reported 7.28%.
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by a quarter point on September 16, its first increase since 2023, citing inflation that has stayed above its 2% goal. Mortgage rates follow longer-term Treasury yields more closely than the Fed's own rate, and those yields rose through the month as well.
A buyer putting 20% down on the regional median of $395,000 would borrow $316,000. At 7.03%, principal and interest come to about $2,109 a month.
Est. monthly principal and interest
- September 2026$2,109/mo$395,000 median at 7.03%
- At last year’s rate$1,956/mo$395,000 median at 6.30%
- September 2025$1,951/mo$394,000 median at 6.30%
- At the October 1 rate$2,162/mo$395,000 median at 7.28%
The regional median is nearly unchanged from a year ago, so the roughly $158 monthly increase comes almost entirely from the rate. Each city report carries the same calculation at its own median.
These figures exclude property taxes, insurance and association fees. The survey average is not a rate quote available to any particular buyer. Cash purchases are not tied to a mortgage payment, but financed buyers entering October face a higher monthly cost than in August.
Many Active Listings Had Been Listed Before in the Past Year
The Re-list Rate is the share of active listings with an expired, withdrawn or terminated listing at the same address within the past 12 months. In September it was 23.9% in Fort Myers, 20.9% in Cape Coral, 25.0% in Estero, 27.4% in Bonita Springs and 25.5% in Naples.
When a home returns to the MLS under a new listing, its days-on-market counter starts over at zero. A buyer looking at a listing that appears new should check the property's full history first.
Homes that sold on their first listing attempt went under contract much faster than relisted homes. The median days on market for first-attempt homes against relisted homes ran 66 against 245 in Fort Myers, 49 against 224 in Cape Coral, 64 against 240 in Estero, 86 against 231 in Bonita Springs and 78 against 246 in Naples. Table 2 carries both figures for each city. The two groups differ in price, property type, condition and seller circumstances, so the data does not establish that relisting caused the difference.
The Ask-Bid Gap Compares Asking Prices With Recent Sales
The Ask-Bid Gap compares asking prices with recent sale prices, both measured per square foot. One side is the median for active listings, and the other is the median for closings over the past 120 days. A reading of 7.0% means recent sales came in 7.0% below what active listings are asking per square foot.
Worthington calculates it for each city, since the mix of homes for sale differs from place to place. Table 2 carries the citywide readings. In September, Fort Myers ran 7.0%, Cape Coral 5.4%, Estero 6.3%, Bonita Springs 18.5% and Naples 10.3%.
Each city report also breaks its own market out by price range. In all five cities, the reading was highest above $1.5 million. In Bonita Springs, that top range narrowed to 28.6% from 34.0% in August, its third decline in a row. In Cape Coral, homes from $400,000 to $750,000 read -2.3%, meaning active listings in that range ask less per square foot than recent buyers paid.
The active homes and the sold homes are different properties. They can differ in condition, location, age and finish. A wider reading means asking prices sit further from recent results, and it is not an offer discount.
Core Market Metrics, September 2026
Use these tables for reference, then read each city against its own recent history. Figures are preliminary.
Small figures show the change from September 2025.
| City | Median Sold Price | Median Price per Sq. Ft. | Active Listings | Months of Supply | Sold-to-List | Closed Sales YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers | $340,000−1.3% | $197−3.4% | 2,460−18.6% | 5.3−27.4% | 96.0% | +1.7% |
| Cape Coral | $367,000+3.4% | $212−1.4% | 2,439−19.0% | 4.8−27.3% | 97.4% | −10.2% |
| Estero | $475,000−12.8% | $253−1.2% | 456−30.2% | 3.6−42.9% | 96.8% | −3.2% |
| Bonita Springs | $575,000+3.6% | $297−3.9% | 715−24.8% | 4.6−35.2% | 95.4% | −21.6% |
| Naples | $599,000+5.1% | $329+2.5% | 3,916−20.3% | 5.3−32.1% | 95.7% | −4.1% |
Source: FGCMLS, pulled October 1, 2026 (preliminary). Single-month data unless otherwise noted. Sold-to-list uses most recent list price at time of contract.
Worthington Market Lens, September 2026
| City | Competitive Inventory (Months) | Re-list Rate | Ask-Bid Gap (PPSF%) | Pending-to-Active Ratio | First-Attempt Median DOM | Median Total DOM After Relisting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers | 4.1 | 23.9% | 7.0% | 22.7% | 66 days | 245 days |
| Cape Coral | 3.6 | 20.9% | 5.4% | 26.1% | 49 days | 224 days |
| Estero | 3.2 | 25.0% | 6.3% | 31.6% | 64 days | 240 days |
| Bonita Springs | 4.1 | 27.4% | 18.5% | 22.8% | 86 days | 231 days |
| Naples | 4.0 | 25.5% | 10.3% | 20.8% | 78 days | 246 days |
Source: FGCMLS (preliminary). Proprietary metrics use Worthington's address-matched property export, so active-listing denominators differ slightly from the published MLS counts in Table 1. Competitive Inventory MOI divides the filtered active-listing count by the city's total trailing-three-month closing pace. It is a supplemental indicator and is not calculated the same way as published MLS months of supply. Competitive Inventory uses a 180-day cutoff beginning with this report. Earlier reports used 90 days, so those figures should not be compared directly. This month, Pending-to-Active counts every home under contract on October 1, including contracts signed more than 120 days ago. We usually count only the past 120 days.
Fort Myers
The Fort Myers median sale price was $340,000 in September 2026, 1.3% below a year earlier. That makes 19 months in a row below last year. Pending sales have run above last year for seven months.
| September 2026 | vs. August | vs. last year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sold price | $340,000 | ↑ 1.5% | ↓ 1.3% |
| Price per square foot | $197 | ↓ 1.0% | ↓ 3.4% |
| New contracts (pending sales) | 371 | ↓ 11.5% | ↑ 1.6% |
| Homes sold | 354 | ↓ 13.4% | ↑ 1.7% |
Fort Myers had 2,460 homes for sale in September, 18.6% fewer than a year earlier, for 5.3 months of supply against 7.3 a year ago. Competitive Inventory read 4.1 months. Sellers received 96.0% of their final asking price, and 23.9% of active listings had been listed before in the past year, unchanged from August.
Read the September 2026 Fort Myers median sale price reportSearch Fort Myers homes for sale
Cape Coral
Cape Coral listings averaged 4.4 showings in September 2026, up 25.7% from 3.5 a year earlier. Showings have run above last year for 14 months in a row through September.
| September 2026 | vs. August | vs. last year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sold price | $367,000 | ↓ 3.4% | ↑ 3.4% |
| Price per square foot | $212 | ↓ 3.6% | ↓ 1.4% |
| New contracts (pending sales) | 467 | ↓ 2.7% | ↑ 3.8% |
| Homes sold | 404 | ↓ 17.2% | ↓ 10.2% |
Cape Coral had 2,439 homes for sale in September, 19.0% fewer than a year earlier, for 4.8 months of supply against 6.6 a year ago. Competitive Inventory read 3.6 months. Sellers received 97.4% of their final asking price, and 20.9% of active listings had been listed before in the past year, up from 19.8% in August.
Read the September 2026 Cape Coral showings reportSearch Cape Coral homes for sale
Estero
Estero sellers received a median 96.8% of their final asking price in September 2026, up from 95.8% a year earlier. The ratio has run above last year for five months in a row through September.
| September 2026 | vs. August | vs. last year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sold price (3-month rolling) | $503,250 | ↓ 2.8% | ↑ 0.6% |
| Price per square foot (3-month rolling) | $250 | ↑ 0.8% | ↓ 0.4% |
| New contracts (3-month rolling) | 299 | ↑ 1.4% | ↑ 8.7% |
| Homes sold (3-month rolling) | 284 | ↓ 12.6% | ↓ 2.4% |
Estero had 456 homes for sale in September, 30.2% fewer than a year earlier, for 3.6 months of supply against 6.3 a year ago. Competitive Inventory read 3.2 months. Of the active listings, 25.0% had been listed before in the past year, up from 20.1% in August. Estero's figures use three-month totals because a single month holds only about 100 sales.
Read the September 2026 Estero sale-to-list ratio reportSearch Estero homes for sale
Bonita Springs
The Bonita Springs Ask-Bid Gap above $1.5 million narrowed to 28.6% in September 2026, down from 40.2% in June. The citywide reading widened to 18.5%.
| September 2026 | vs. August | vs. last year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sold price (3-month rolling) | $512,500 | ↓ 2.4% | ↓ 2.4% |
| Price per square foot (3-month rolling) | $293 | → flat | ↓ 3.6% |
| New contracts (3-month rolling) | 340 | ↓ 2.9% | ↓ 5.8% |
| Homes sold (3-month rolling) | 339 | ↓ 13.7% | ↓ 8.4% |
Bonita Springs had 715 homes for sale in September, 24.8% fewer than a year earlier, for 4.6 months of supply against 7.1 a year ago. Competitive Inventory read 4.1 months. Sellers received 95.4% of their final asking price, and 27.4% of active listings had been listed before in the past year, up from 22.3% in August. Bonita Springs figures use three-month totals because a single month holds only about 100 to 150 sales.
Read the September 2026 Bonita Springs Ask-Bid Gap reportSearch Bonita Springs homes for sale
Naples
Naples price per square foot reached $329 in September 2026, up 2.5% from a year earlier. It has been above last year in five of the last six months.
| September 2026 | vs. August | vs. last year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sold price | $599,000 | ↑ 1.6% | ↑ 5.1% |
| Price per square foot | $329 | ↑ 2.5% | ↑ 2.5% |
| New contracts (pending sales) | 545 | ↓ 8.4% | ↓ 5.5% |
| Homes sold | 557 | ↓ 6.9% | ↓ 4.1% |
Naples had 3,916 homes for sale in September, 20.3% fewer than a year earlier, for 5.3 months of supply against 7.8 a year ago. Competitive Inventory read 4.1 months. Sellers received 95.7% of their final asking price, and 25.5% of active listings had been listed before in the past year, up from 23.4% in August.
Read the September 2026 Naples price per square foot reportSearch Naples homes for sale
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Southwest Florida buyers still signing contracts?
Yes. Buyers signed 2,257 new contracts in September 2026, up 5.1% from a year earlier. Pending sales have been above last year for 17 months in a row through September, though the count fell from August, as it has each September since 2021.
Why are prices nearly flat if supply has fallen so much?
Sale prices are recorded at closing, so they tend to trail contracts and supply. Higher mortgage rates can limit what buyers can afford, and the types of homes selling in a given month affect the reported price measures. Regional price per square foot was 10.4% below the year before in April 2025 and reached last year's level in August 2026.
Did Southwest Florida home prices rise in September 2026?
The regional median was $395,000, up 0.3%, and price per square foot was $233, unchanged from September 2025. Each city report carries its own figures.
Is 5.4 months of supply a buyer's market or a seller's market?
Four to six months is generally read as balanced. September is a slow month here, and conditions differ by city and price range.
What to Watch in Southwest Florida in October
October began with the Freddie Mac survey rate above 7%. Buyers signed 2,362 new contracts across Southwest Florida in October 2025. An October count above that number would extend the pending sales run to 18 months.
Active listings are the second number to watch. Last year they rose 6.8% from September to October as sellers listed ahead of winter. The October count will show whether this fall follows that pattern or keeps falling from 14,955.
For a specific property, use its city, price range and closest comparable sales rather than the regional figures.
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Get notified when next month's report publishesAll data referenced in Worthington's market reports draws from the Florida Gulf Coast MLS (FGCMLS via Stellar MLS) unless otherwise noted.
Explore All Six September 2026 Reports
- Southwest Florida Pending Sales in September 2026
- Fort Myers Median Sale Price in September 2026
- Cape Coral Showings in September 2026
- Estero Sale-to-List Ratio in September 2026
- Bonita Springs Ask-Bid Gap in September 2026
- Naples Price Per Square Foot in September 2026
Explore Homes for Sale and Learn About Living In
For a full explanation of the indicators used in these monthly reports, see Worthington Realty's Southwest Florida market methodology.
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