Sarasota, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Sarasota, FL short-term rentals averaged $396/night at 62.5% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 7.0% year over year.
Quick Answer: Sarasota, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Sarasota market area is 67%. average monthly revenue in the Sarasota market area is $7,241. average daily rate in the Sarasota market area is $406. the top operator in the Sarasota market area is AMI Locals with 517 listings. market score is 65/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the wider Sarasota market, which covers 13 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Sarasota.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Sarasota’s short-term rental market recorded an average daily rate of $396 and occupancy of 62.5% in April 2026, producing RevPAR of $247. Revenue per listing rose 7.0% year over year, while ADR gained 6.6%, signaling that rate growth is the primary revenue driver even as occupancy pulled back 4.8 percentage points from the prior year.
The market draws from a base of roughly 22,000 active listing-months across channels. Entire-place rentals dominate at 21,299 listings (96.5% of the market), with private rooms adding 763 and shared rooms a negligible 7. Bedroom mix skews toward two-bedroom properties (8,989 listings), followed by three-bedroom (5,798), one-bedroom (4,194), four-bedroom (2,115), and five-bedroom (959). That two-and-three bedroom core aligns with Sarasota’s strong draw from beach visitors and arts travelers who want full property access.
Channel distribution shows 13,503 listings appearing on both Airbnb and VRBO, 5,179 Airbnb-only, and 3,387 VRBO-only, indicating meaningful multi-channel inventory saturation. The market’s overall score of 64.5 out of 100 reflects a balanced but not frictionless environment: investability scores 74.5, revenue growth 80.4, and rental demand 70.0, offset by a regulation score of 59.1 and moderate seasonality score of 61.5.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 66% |
| Feb | 84% |
| Mar | 84% |
| Apr | 61% |
| May | 59% |
| Jun | 69% |
| Jul | 68% |
| Aug | 50% |
| Sep | 43% |
| Oct | 55% |
| Nov | 55% |
| Dec | 59% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Sarasota are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Sarasota market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Sarasota market as a whole, which includes Sarasota, so these counts are not Sarasota-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMI Locals | 517 | 14,805 | ★ 4.71 |
| 2 | SKLRP And LKV | 424 | 4,618 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Evolve | 342 | 10,676 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 298 | 10,778 | ★ 4.50 |
| 5 | RVA Resort Vacations | 212 | 7,775 | ★ 4.50 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Sarasota?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Sarasota are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 23.5% |
| vrbo | 15.3% |
| both | 61.2% |
Home Value Trends (Sarasota)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Sarasota are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Sarasota — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Sarasota operates under a layered STR regulatory framework combining state, county, and city requirements. All three apply independently and must all be satisfied.
At the state level, Florida DBPR requires a Vacation Rental Dwelling license for any property rented to transients more than three times per year for stays under 30 days. The annual fee is approximately $170 per unit.
At the city level, Ordinance 24-5506 (effective February 5, 2024) extended a Vacation Rental Certificate of Registration requirement to all non-owner-occupied single-, two-, three-, and four-family dwellings in RSF and RMF zones. Ordinance 25-5560 (adopted July 21, 2025) amended the framework, adding evacuation route posting requirements, formalizing owner-occupancy proof standards via Homestead Exemption documentation, making all fees nonrefundable, and expanding the advertising definition to include online media. The initial registration fee is $500 (includes safety inspection) with annual renewal at $350. Operators must maintain a 24/7 responsible party who can arrive on-site within one hour. The minimum rental period is 7 full days and 7 full nights. Occupancy is capped at 2 persons per bedroom plus 2, not to exceed 10 in RSF zones and 12 in RMF zones.
In unincorporated Sarasota County, most residential zones carry a 30-day minimum stay requirement, which effectively bars sub-30-day rentals except on barrier islands (Siesta Key, Casey Key, Manasota Key) where multi-family properties are excepted. Condominium, cooperative, and timeshare properties are exempt from city registration. The occupancy tax rate is 6%. Enforcement is classified as strict. SB 280, which would have limited local STR regulation statewide, was vetoed June 27, 2024, leaving local authority intact.
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR medians of approximately 55% occupancy and $220 ADR, Sarasota’s April 2026 metrics of 62.5% occupancy and $396 ADR place it meaningfully above both benchmarks. The ADR premium of approximately $176 over the national median reflects Gulf Coast beachfront positioning and the higher-income tourist draw that Sarasota’s arts and culture profile supports.
The top five property managers by listing count illustrate the competitive management landscape. AMI Locals leads with 517 listings and 14,805 reviews at a 4.71 average rating. SKLRP And LKV holds 424 listings (4,618 reviews, 4.71 rating). Evolve manages 342 listings with 10,676 reviews at 4.71. Vacasa operates 298 listings (10,778 reviews, 4.50 rating). RVA Resort Vacations rounds out the top five at 212 listings and 7,775 reviews (4.50 rating).
The top five managers collectively account for 1,793 listings. Against an estimated 22,000 active listing-months in the market, that represents roughly 8% concentration in the top five operators, indicating a fragmented market where independent operators hold the majority of inventory. The investability score of 74.5 out of 100 and revenue growth score of 80.4 suggest room for well-managed new entrants.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sarasota, Florida
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