A notable shift in seller attitudes is changing the tone of listing appointments across Sarasota, with about half of potential sellers now acknowledging market conditions at the outset, according to Joey Lamielle, team leader at RE/MAX Alliance Group. This marks a significant change from the seller confidence that prevailed just two years ago.

“Over the last three months, I’d say, I mean, I average three to five listing appointments a week, and it seems like half of the sellers now are like, listen, I know this is not the best time to sell. They start off the conversation that way,” said Lamielle, who has worked in Sarasota real estate since 2012.

The Sarasota market has shifted from the extreme seller’s market of 2022, with properties seeing a 5-6% year-over-year decline depending on the sector. This shift has prompted homeowners to adjust their expectations.

Lamielle notes that the biggest challenge in current listing appointments is helping sellers understand the new market dynamics, “from 2019 to 2022 I mean, your property jumped over 50% right? 55-60% even close. And now, yes, we’re having a little bit of correction. Nothing goes up forever.”

He often compares real estate to other markets to provide context: “Look at the stock market, look at the crypto market, look at any market you choose. We went on a steady rise for a very long time, and so now things are changing.”

Lamielle emphasizes the importance of honesty and professionalism: “You have to present facts, and you have to present them in a very truthful manner that it can be perceived as okay, like this agent is not just trying to do a quick sale. He’s really educating me on the market.”

Lamielle has become more selective about the listings he takes, particularly when sellers are unwilling to price realistically. “I have walked away from taking some listings that are just so atrocious that, and one of them was honestly with my neighbor in my own neighborhood,” he explained.

He bases his decision to take a listing on what market data supports, “I’m very straightforward, and I say this is what I can prove, and if it’s within a certain percentage sure, we can try to kind of bump up the price a little bit to leave room for negotiation. But I have walked away from taking some listings” where sellers wanted “$90,000 over what I can prove.”

The change in mindset is not limited to sellers. “I would suggest that it’s more of a buyer’s market now. We balanced out. I think that balancing kind of changed about six to nine months ago, and now it’s more into a buyers type market where they have a lot of options.”

Buyers are focusing on properties with longer market times, “starting to go after the properties that have been on the market six nine months, and coming in a little bit lower to try to hopefully get a solid deal.”

Lamielle’s method focuses on preparation rather than making promises, “you prep them for the best case and you prep them for worst case, and as long as they’re educated going into the process, whether it’s buying or selling, you’re going to have a successful transaction if you prep your clients properly.”

This educational approach has become increasingly important as the market moves from the strong seller’s advantages of recent years to a more balanced environment where realistic pricing and solid market knowledge are key to a successful outcome.