VERO BEACH, Fla. - s4story -- House prices in Vero Beach are up from last year, but houses take longer to sell and most close below their first asking price. Condo prices went the other way and fell 11% across the Sebastian-Vero Beach area. Jon Sterling, a Vero Beach real estate agent with The Real Brokerage and publisher of jonsterling.com, says buyers and sellers need different plans this winter.

In September 2026, 67 single-family homes closed in Vero Beach at a median price of $385,000, according to BeachesMLS data. That's up from $365,000 in September 2025. Sales fell from 76, and the median time to contract rose to 64 days from 54.

Sellers got a median of 94.4% of their original asking price. Through Sept. 30, 656 houses sold in Vero Beach this year at a median of $395,500.

The wider Sebastian-Vero Beach area shows the same pattern. Florida Realtors reported a September single-family median of $390,000, up 3% from last year, on 197 closed sales, down 3%. Pending single-family sales fell 6%.

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"Vero Beach houses are holding their value," Sterling said. "But buyers won't pay whatever you ask. Most sellers end up below their first price. The ones who price it right on day one sell faster."

Condos and townhomes moved the other way. The area's median condo price fell 11% to $231,500, and closed sales held flat at 62. Pending condo sales rose 26%, and months of inventory fell 30% even as new listings rose 17% to 105.

"If you've waited on a condo, the price is better now than it was a year ago," Sterling said. "Buyers have noticed. Contracts are up by a quarter. I wouldn't wait for spring."

As of Oct. 30, Vero Beach had 355 houses for sale at a median asking price of $451,900. That's about $67,000 above September's median sale price. The city had 5.3 months of house inventory. Five to six months usually marks a balanced market, where neither side has the clear upper hand.

Insurance costs have eased a little. Citizens Property Insurance's approved 2026 average premium for Indian River County is $3,113, down 3.7% from $3,232.

"Insurance is still a big part of the monthly cost here," Sterling said. "Get a quote before you make an offer, not after."

To search properties for sale in Vero Beach and the surrounding areas, or get a cash offer for your property, visit https://jonsterling.com.