Are Big Investors Really Buying Up All the Homes? Here’s the Truth for Sarasota & Lakewood Ranch

Are Big Investors Really Buying Up All the Homes? Here’s the Truth.

If you spend any time on social media or real estate forums, you’ve probably seen this claim repeated again and again:

“Big investors are buying up all the homes.”

For buyers in Sarasota or Lakewood Ranch who have faced multiple-offer situations or rising prices, that narrative can feel very real. When competition is strong and affordability is top of mind, it’s easy to assume large corporations are quietly purchasing everything behind the scenes.

But when we step away from the headlines and look at verified housing data, a very different picture emerges especially for markets like Sarasota, Manatee County, and Charlotte County.

What the Data Actually Shows

One of the most overlooked facts in this conversation comes from John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC). According to their national data, large institutional investors defined as companies that own 100 or more homes accounted for just 1.2% of all home purchases in Q3 2025.

To put that into perspective:

• Out of every 100 homes sold, only about one was purchased by a large institutional investor.

• This level of activity is consistent with historical norms.

• It is well below the recent high of 3.1% in 2022, which itself was still a relatively small share of the overall housing market.

In other words, large investors are not dominating home purchases nationally or locally.

Why It Feels Like Investors Are Everywhere

Even though the numbers are small, investor activity often feels larger than it is. There are two key reasons for this perception, especially in desirable Florida markets.

1. Investor Activity Is Highly Localized

Investor purchases are not evenly distributed across the country. Certain neighborhoods and regions attract more rental-focused buyers than others. As Lance Lambert, Co-Founder of ResiClub, explains:

“On a national level, ‘large investors’ those owning at least 100 single-family homes only own around 1% of total single-family housing stock. That said, in a handful of regional housing markets, institutional and large single-family landlords have a much larger presence.”

This means buyers in high-demand areas like Sarasota or parts of Lakewood Ranch may feel increased competition, even though overall investor ownership remains limited.

2. The Word “Investor” Gets Misused

Another major source of confusion is how the term investor is used in headlines. Many reports lump together:

• Large Wall Street-backed institutions

• Small local investors

• Individuals who own one or two rental properties

These are very different types of buyers. In reality, the majority of investors are small, local owners not national corporations. When all investors are grouped into a single statistic, it dramatically inflates the perception that large institutions are crowding out everyday homebuyers.

Yes, institutional investors exist. Yes, they do purchase homes. But their impact is often overstated, especially when compared to other forces shaping the Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte County housing markets.

What’s Really Driving Affordability Challenges

The biggest pressures on home prices and competition have far more to do with:

• Long-term housing supply shortages

• Population growth across Southwest Florida

• Years of underbuilding

• Strong demand in lifestyle-driven markets like Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch

Investor activity plays a role, but it is not the primary driver of today’s affordability challenges.

Understanding these dynamics is essential if you’re deciding whether now is the right time to buy, sell, or relocate within the region.

Bottom Line

If you’re hearing that big investors are buying up all the homes, the data tells a different story especially here in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch. Context matters, and local insight makes all the difference.

If you’d like to review what investor activity actually looks like in your specific neighborhood, and how it may or may not affect your buying or selling strategy, connect with a trusted local expert.

Reach out to Darren Dowling, Sarasota-based broker-owner of Beyond Realty, for a clear, data-driven view of today’s market and personalized guidance for Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Manatee County, and Charlotte County.

Beyond Realty
2170 Main Street, Suite 103, Sarasota, FL 34237
941-204-0493

Darren Dowling is a Sarasota-based real estate broker-owner specializing in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch residential real estate, new construction, and relocation.