Sarasota, FL
Florida arts capital - Siesta Key and cultural tourism
Sarasota combines the arts (The Ringling, a world-class opera and ballet scene) with Siesta Key Beach - consistently rated the #1 beach in the US for its powdery quartz sand. The market attracts an affluent, culturally engaged visitor that generates strong ADR and multi-night stays. Siesta Key STR inventory is constrained and highly competitive; mainland Sarasota offers more accessible entry points.
Across 92 active STR-viable listings analyzed this month, Sarasota shows a 2.1% median cap rate at a $1.2M median list price, 41% occupancy, and $330/night. That ranks #47 of 57 markets in STRROI's live ranking. At typical prices, cash flow is tight: most listings only pencil out with a large down payment, a below-list purchase, or above-market nightly rates.
Sarasota real estate market right now
As of October 17, 2026, STRROI is tracking 92 homes for sale in Sarasota that could run as short-term rentals, at a median list price of $1,172,500. The middle half are priced between $630K and $2.9M. That works out to a median of $659 per square foot for a typical 1,808 square foot home. Homes here have been on the market 98 days on average, close to the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking. 35 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
These numbers cover the homes for sale STRROI analyzes as potential short-term rentals in Sarasota, mainly ZIP 34242. They are not every home sale in the area, so they can differ from MLS-wide figures. Month-by-month price history starts Oct 2026 and fills in as the market is re-checked each month.
What's for sale in Sarasota right now
Of the 92 homes for sale we analyzed in Sarasota, none project positive monthly cash flow with 20% down at a 7.5% rate, and none rate Buy or better on STRROI's 1-10 scale. 2-bedroom homes are the most common (40 for sale, median $639K). Returns are strongest in 1-bedroom homes at a 2.8% median cap rate, and weakest in 5+ bedroom homes at 0.9%. By property type, condos lead at a 2.6% median cap rate across 41 listings.
- Weak: 2
- Avoid: 90
| Beds | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | $385K | 2.8% |
| 2 | 40 | $639K | 2.5% |
| 3 | 13 | $1.4M | 2.1% |
| 4 | 22 | $2.8M | 1.5% |
| 5+ | 13 | $8.0M | 0.9% |
| Type | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | 41 | $2.7M | 1.5% |
| Condos | 41 | $630K | 2.6% |
| Multi-family | 7 | $2.9M | 2.5% |
| Townhouses | 3 | $875K | 2.1% |
Top-ranked homes for sale in Sarasota this month
Scored 1-10 against real Airbnb comps. Addresses, photos and the full underwriting are in the app.
- #1Weak · 3/104 bd · 4 ba multi-family propertyZIP 34242 · listed at $575K
- Cap rate
- 5.1%
- Cash flow
- -$782/mo
- Nightly
- $187 at 41%
- #2Weak · 3/103 bd · 3 ba multi-family propertyZIP 34242 · listed at $830K
- Cap rate
- 3.8%
- Cash flow
- -$2,030/mo
- Nightly
- $208 at 41%
- #3Avoid · 2/102 bd · 2 ba condoZIP 34242 · listed at $560K
- Cap rate
- 3.9%
- Cash flow
- -$1,301/mo
- Nightly
- $290 at 41%
How Sarasota compares
Sarasota ranks #17 of 21 Southeast markets in STRROI's live ranking; St. Augustine leads the region with a median cap rate of 5.7%. Its 2.1% cap rate is 0.8 points below the 2.9% median across all 57 ranked markets, and its $1.2M typical list price is pricier than the Southeast median of $633K.
| Rank | Market | Cap rate | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #42 | Asheville, NC | 2.3% | $750K |
| #43 | Anna Maria Island, FL | 2.2% | $3.5M |
| #45 | Hilton Head Island, SC | 2.2% | $950K |
| #47 | Sarasota, FL | 2.1% | $1.2M |
| #49 | Miami Beach, FL | 1.8% | $2.4M |
| #50 | Charleston, SC | 1.8% | $2.5M |
| #53 | 30A / Santa Rosa Beach, FL | 1.5% | $633K |
Rank is national, by median cap rate across active STR-viable listings. Cash flow uses STRROI's default financing assumptions. See the full ranking
Estimated Annual Performance
* Estimates based on market averages. Individual property performance varies. Always run a full underwriting analysis.
Why Investors Choose Sarasota
Sarasota STR investing, answered
Is Sarasota, FL a good short-term rental market?
Sarasota is a Southeast STR market with a 2.1% median cap rate, 41% annual occupancy, and $330/night across STR-viable listings, based on 92 active listings. It ranks #47 of 57 markets by median cap rate in STRROI's live ranking. This month none of its 92 homes for sale rate Buy or better.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Sarasota?
STR-viable properties in Sarasota average about 41% occupancy across the year. Peak season is Nov - Apr (snowbirds), summer families. Occupancy here reflects availability-adjusted booking performance, not raw calendar occupancy, so it represents what a full-time operated rental can realistically achieve.
How much do short-term rentals earn in Sarasota?
At $330/night and 41% occupancy, a typical Sarasota STR grosses roughly $49,144 per year before expenses, leaving an estimated $29,486 in net operating income. Across analyzed listings the median cap rate is 2.1%. Individual results depend on property, amenities, and management.
What types of properties work best for STR in Sarasota?
Among homes for sale right now, 1-bedroom homes post the strongest median cap rate by size (2.8%), and condos lead by property type (2.6%). With guests, the best-performing STR types here are Condo, Single Family, Beach Cottage, Villa. Matching the local guest profile and the amenities that drive bookings matters more than raw square footage.
How many homes for sale in Sarasota cash flow as an Airbnb?
0 of 92 STR-viable listings (0%) project positive monthly cash flow after the mortgage, assuming 20% down at a 7.5% rate on a 30-year loan. The top-ranked listing this month is a 4-bedroom multi-family property in ZIP 34242 listed at $575K, projecting a 5.1% cap rate and -$782 a month.
What is the median home price in Sarasota, FL right now?
The median list price of the 92 homes for sale STRROI tracks in Sarasota is $1,172,500, and the middle half are priced between $630K and $2.9M. The median price per square foot is $659. These are homes that could run as short-term rentals, mainly ZIP 34242, not every sale in the area. Against a 2.1% median cap rate, that price level sets the return baseline you'd underwrite against.
How long do homes stay on the market in Sarasota?
Homes for sale in Sarasota have been listed 98 days on average, close to the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking. 35 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
Market averages, not guarantees. Cap rates, occupancy, and nightly rates are market-wide averages based on active STR listings and historical data. Individual property performance depends on location, amenities, management, and listing quality. Always run a full underwriting analysis before purchasing.Stats sourced from 92 active listings · last updated Oct 17, 2026
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