Treasure Coast Realtor Joe Tumolo Wins Multiple-Offer Battle for Buyers on $556K Stuart Pool Home

In a split Martin County market, an escalation clause helped his buyers beat competing bids on a 4-bedroom River Forest home

STUART, FL, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Joe Tumolo, a Treasure Coast real estate agent with RE/MAX GOLD, helped his buyers win a competitive multiple-offer situation on a 4-bedroom, 2-bath pool home at 9034 SW Caprice Circle in Stuart’s River Forest community. The home sold for $556,000, just over 101% of its $549,999 list price. Tumolo structured the buyers’ offer with an escalation clause, which automatically raises an offer above a competing bid up to a set limit, so they could win without overpaying.

Key takeaways

• Strategy won the home. An escalation clause let Tumolo’s buyers beat competing offers without guessing what the other side would bid.
• Well-priced homes still draw bidding wars. The Stuart pool home sold for about 101% of list price, well above the Martin County norm of 94.2%.
• The market is split. Single-family closed sales in Martin County fell 11.3% in August 2026 year over year, yet the median time to contract dropped to 56 days from 77.
• Inventory is tightening. Active listings fell to 644 homes from 823, leaving just 3.4 months of supply.
• Both July listings have closed, including a $1,275,000 Stuart Yacht & Country Club waterfront estate.

A split Martin County Market

The sale reflects a Martin County market that favors neither side outright. Buyers have leverage on homes that are priced too high, since the typical seller received only 94.2% of their original list price in August 2026. Homes priced accurately are a different story: median time to contract fell to 56 days from 77, and the county has just 3.4 months of supply. In that kind of market, the strategy behind an offer matters as much as the price on it.

“There’s a perception that homes are just sitting right now, and some are,” said Tumolo. “But when a desirable home is priced accurately and shows well, buyers still compete for it. An escalation clause let my clients compete with confidence without guessing what the other side would offer. Who you work with matters on the buying side just as much as the selling side. My job is to make sure my clients come out on top without overpaying.”

Accurately priced homes can still draw multiple offers, and the Caprice Circle sale is a clear example. For buyers competing for homes like this, the strategy behind an offer matters as much as the price on it.

SOLD | BUYER REPRESENTATION
9034 SW Caprice Circle, Stuart, FL 34997 | River Forest
List Price: $549,999 | Sold Price: $556,000
4 Bed · 2 Bath · 1,625 SF · Pool · 2-Car Garage

• Single-story pool home built in 2003 with vaulted ceilings
• Remodeled kitchen with quartz counters, large island and stainless appliances
• Den/home office with French doors
• Community clubhouse, pool, fitness center, dock and RV parking

MLS #A12072548

Both July listings have closed

The sale follows Tumolo’s July release announcing two homes under contract. Both have since closed, including the Stuart Yacht & Country Club waterfront estate at 3374 SE Fairway E, which sold for $1,275,000.

About Joe Tumolo, RE/MAX GOLD

Joe Tumolo is a broker associate with RE/MAX GOLD, based in Port St. Lucie. He has lived on the Treasure Coast for more than 15 years and serves buyers, sellers and relocating clients in Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Hutchinson Island and the greater Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches. He holds the CLHMS, PSA and SFR^® designations and is licensed in Florida and New Jersey.

Joe Tumolo, Broker Associate
RE/MAX GOLD | REMAX Revolution
+1 772-877-1875
Joetumolorealtor@gmail.com
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