Lee County Inventory and Days on Market: Is It a Buyer’s or Seller’s Market?
Is Lee County a buyer's market or a seller's market? Right now it's close to balanced. Lee County has about 5 months of supply, with roughly 6,040 active single family listings and 1,203 closed sales in August 2026. Inventory has tightened by about 21 percent over the past year, and homes in Cape Coral are selling faster than they were a year ago.
I'm Erin Harrel, a Realtor with the Harlan Group at Keller Williams in Fort Myers, focused on waterfront and commercial real estate across Lee County. Here is what inventory and days on market tell us about the local market this fall.
What does months of supply mean in real estate?
Months of supply measures how long it would take to sell every home on the market at the current sales pace. Around 6 months is generally considered balanced. Less than that tilts toward sellers, and more tilts toward buyers.
The national picture
Nationally, supply stood at 4.9 months in August, up from 4.6 a year ago. That still leans slightly toward sellers but is moving toward balance. Homes are going under contract in about 29 days, roughly the same as last summer.
Is Florida housing inventory going up or down?
Florida's single family inventory fell 13 percent from last August and is now below where it was two years ago. Tighter supply is a major reason statewide prices have held firm.
Lee County by the numbers
Florida Gulf Coast MLS data for Lee County single family homes, pulled September 23, 2026:
Active listings: about 6,040
Closed sales, August 2026: 1,203 (1,194 in August 2025)
Pending sales: 1,601
Months of supply: about 5.0
By area, active listings break down to about 2,181 in Cape Coral, 1,451 in Lehigh Acres, 1,324 in the Fort Myers areas and 1,084 across the rest of Lee County.
Supply has come down meaningfully. Lee County active listings were down about 21 percent year over year as of July, one of the largest declines in Florida.
How long does it take to sell a home in Cape Coral?
Homes here take longer to sell than the national average. In Cape Coral, the median days on market over the three months ending in August was about 66 days, down from 77 days a year earlier. That's real improvement, but still about double the national pace.
What this means for sellers
Pricing matters more than ever. The homes selling in weeks rather than months are priced to current comparable sales, not to 2022 values. Start at the right number and you avoid chasing the market down.
What this means for buyers
You still have time for inspections and due diligence. But well priced homes, especially updated waterfront properties, are moving faster than they did a year ago. When the right home appears, be ready to act.
Curious how your neighborhood compares? I'm happy to pull the inventory and days on market numbers for your specific area.
Want more? Comment "INVENTORY" below, or send me a message, and I'll send you the inventory and days on market numbers for your neighborhood.
Frequently asked questions
How many homes are for sale in Lee County right now? About 6,040 single family homes were actively listed in Lee County as of September 23, 2026, according to Florida Gulf Coast MLS data. Cape Coral accounts for about 2,181 of them.
How long are homes taking to sell in Cape Coral? The median was about 66 days over the three months ending in August 2026, down from 77 days a year earlier.
Is Southwest Florida still a buyer's market? Not exactly. At about 5 months of supply, Lee County is at or near a balanced market, while inventory is down roughly 21 percent year over year.
Erin Harrel, Harlan Group at Keller Williams
Sources: KW Research State of the Industry, September 2026; Florida Realtors August 2026 report; Momentum Florida housing tracker; Redfin Cape Coral housing market; Florida Gulf Coast MLS, pulled 9/23/2026.
