Real Estate

Lee County Housing Market: Is Now the Time to Buy Amidst Price Drops?

Lee County’s median home list price fell to $399,900 in September, a 7% drop year-over-year.

October 31, 2025, 11:49 AM

A "For Sale" sign stands in front of a luxurious waterfront property, representing high-end real estate.

The stunning waterfront estate, complete with a "For Sale" sign, beckons potential investors to indulge in the world of high-end real estate. By MDL.

Executive Summary

The median home list price in Lee County fell to $399,900 in September, a 1.3% decrease from August and a 7% drop compared to September 2024.

Lee County’s housing market experienced slower activity, with homes listed for a median of 101 days and new listings decreasing by 4.8% from September 2024.

Although Florida and national median home prices also saw slight dips, Lee County’s year-over-year price decline of 7% is more significant than the broader state and national trends.

The Trajectory So Far

Lee County’s housing market is currently experiencing a decline in median home list prices, both monthly and annually, alongside a general slowdown characterized by homes remaining on the market for significantly longer periods and a decrease in new listings, reflecting a broader trend of slight dips in median prices observed across Florida and nationally.

Assessing Risk and Value

The decline in Lee County’s median home list price and price per square foot, alongside homes staying on the market for significantly longer periods, indicates a cooling market with potential depreciation risks for investors. This slower activity suggests reduced buyer demand and lower liquidity, which could challenge quick exits for property owners and necessitate a longer investment horizon for those seeking value.

Expert Predictions and Forecasts

The Lee County housing market is experiencing a significant cooling trend, marked by a 7% year-over-year decline in median home list prices and homes remaining on the market for a median of 101 days, considerably longer than the national average.

New listings in Lee County have decreased by 4.8% compared to the previous year, suggesting a reduction in the influx of new inventory despite slower sales activity.

While Lee County’s median home list price is lower than the state and national averages, the overall trend of a slight month-over-month dip in median prices is consistent across Florida and the entire nation.

The median home list price in Lee County, encompassing areas like Fort Myers and Cape Coral, saw a decline in September, according to an analysis of data from Realtor.com. The median listing price stood at $399,900, marking a 1.3% decrease from the previous month’s $405,000. This trend also represents a more significant 7% drop compared to September 2024, when the median list price was $430,000.

Lee County Market Overview

Homes in Lee County were listed at a median of $244 per square foot for the month, with the average home measuring 1,669 square feet. This price per square foot reflects a 6.3% decrease from September 2024. The local housing market experienced slower activity, with listings remaining on the market for a median of 101 days, considerably longer than the national median of 62 days. This is a slight improvement from the previous month’s median of 106 days.

New listings in Lee County also decreased, with approximately 2,098 homes added to the market in September. This figure is a 4.8% reduction from the 2,204 new listings recorded in September 2024.

State and National Context

Across Florida, the median home list price in September was $425,000, a slight dip from August. The typical Florida home listed for sale had 1,623 square feet and was priced at $259 per square foot. Nationally, the median home price mirrored Florida’s at $425,000, also a slight decrease from the prior month. The median American home for sale was larger, at 1,840 square feet, with a price of $226 per square foot.

Understanding Median Prices

The median home list price, as reported by Realtor.com, represents the midpoint of all houses or units listed during the specified period. Experts prefer the median over the average list price for market analysis, as the median offers a more accurate view by being less susceptible to distortion from exceptionally high or low individual listing prices. It is important to note that these statistics specifically pertain to houses listed for sale, not those already sold, and typically exclude most new construction, as well as pending and contingent sales.