It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

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Sanibel Lighthouse

It has been a busy week for The SanibelSusan Team. Elise has been holding down the fort at the office, while Dave has been opening up properties for showings, finalizing closings, and following-up on re-inspections. I have worked with buyers for several days in a row now, written a few offers, and am in the throes of several negotiations.  Lisa has jumped in to help me. We all are very thankful for every minute of this last-minute action, during what is usually a quiet time. My favorite saying remains “in this business, always expect the unexpected.”
 
The islands are gearing up for the holidays, though I heard yesterday that there are not many visitor arrivals tomorrow. With week-long visit check-ins on Saturdays, it seems that the most vacationers this year are coming for Christmas to New Years, rather than before. If you know someone looking to make a getaway to warm weather, there are plenty of vacancies. (Our weather warmed up today too. It is expected to be in the 70’s for the next week plus.)
 
Here are a couple of news items followed by the MLS activity this week.


Reasonable Rates

For the 2nd consecutive year, Lee County Electric Coop has not increased rates. A flier enclosed with my recent electric bill said “Due to a comprehensive budget planning process & responsible management of operating & maintenance costs, LCEC customers will not see a base rate increase in 2011 either…The average monthly residential energy usage is approximately 1200 kWh and equates to approximately $4.50/day.” Thank you, LCEC. 


Foreigners Flock to Florida Real Estate Bargains

A Miami posting yesterday on Florida REALTORS® announced that foreign tourists are snapping up bargain-priced apartments & houses in FL, taking advantage of such deals as $70,000 to $100,000 apartments in popular South Beach. Most buyers hail from Latin America, Europe & Canada. High unemployment & foreclosure rates contributed to a 47% drop in housing prices in Miami since 2006, according to Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price index, & experts credit foreign investors for preventing further price declines. There has been an increase in foreign buyers on the West Coast of FL too, mostly from Europe and Canada. I already have had inquiries from earning the Transnational Referral Certification this summer. Real estate professionals from around the world use WorldProperties.com to find assistance for their clients looking to purchase in other countries. If you go to that site and look up “agents” in USA, Florida, Sanibel, you’ll find that my name pops up first. I’m one of only two Realtors on the island with the TRC designation which qualifies me to work with thousands of referring agents in 40+ countries. Consumers can also search for “properties” through this website too. All of our listings appear twice with multiple photos and details. That system is being further expanded in 2011.
 

Sanibel & Captiva MLS Activity – Dec 10-17, 2010: 

Sanibel
CONDOS
7 new listings:  Sanibel Arms #G3 1/1 $499K, Mariner Pointe #232 2/2 $599K, Cottage Colony West #118 1/1 $599K, Sundial #Q301 2/2 $649K, Nutmeg Village #106 2/2 $659.9K, Sedgemoor #105 3/3.5 $2.59M, Sedgemoor #202 3/3.5 $2.75M.
9 price changes:  Captains Walk #F7 2/1.5 now $246.9K, Mariner Pointe #1062 2/2 now $329K, Mariner Pointe #1073 2/2 now $399K, Blind Pass #C110 2/2 now $470K, Sundial I-101 1/1 now $485K, Sundial #H402 2/2 now $525K, Plantation Village #A112 3/2 now $999K, Plantation Village #A212 3/2 now $999K, Sedgemoor #206 now $3.399M. 
No new sales.
3 closed sales:  Heron at the Sanctuary II #3A 3/2.5 $600K, Sundial #M303 2/2 $635K, Tantara #301 3/3 $2.0875M.
 
HOMES
5 new listings: 1846 Ardsley Way 2/2 $349,555; 1046 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 $419K; 9003 Mockingbird 5/4 $775K; 1743 Venus Dr 3/3.5 $1.95M; 4249 West Gulf Dr 5/5.5 $5.295M.
11 price changes: 962 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $377K, 1133 Schooner Pl 5/3 duplex now $424K, 2143 Periwinkle Way 6/6 tri-plex now $446.25K (short sale), 5240 Caloosa End Ln 3/3 now $974K, 6001 Clam Bayou Ln 3/2 now $1.095M, 600 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2.5 now $1.164M (short sale), 791 Pen Shell Dr 4/3 now $1.499M, 4630 Rue Bayou 4/4 now $1.699M, 2255 Troon Ct 4/5.5 now $1.995M, 4453 Waters Edge Ln 3/3 now $2.889M, 4949 Joewood Dr 5/5 now $3.695M.
2 new sales:  4516 Bowen Bayou Rd 4/2.5 listed for $575K, 1192 Kittiwake Cir 4/3 listed for $595K.
No closed sales.
 
LOTS
1 new listing:  659 Anchor Dr $659K.
3 price changes:  5290 Punta Caloosa Ct now $349K, Bay now $379K, 3411 West Gulf Dr now $4.525M.
1 new sale: 978 Main St listed for $125K.
No closed sales.
 
Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
2 price changes: Bayside Villas #5204 1/2 now $314.9K, Gulf Beach Villas #2116 1/1 now $459K.
No new or closed sales.
 
HOMES
1 new listing: 6 Sunset Captiva Ln 3/2 $2.195M.
4 price changes: 11541 Wightman Ln 3/3 now $1.495M, 11536 Andy Rosse Ln 3/3 now $1.7M, 14971 Binder Dr 4/3 now $3.295M, 16730 Captiva Dr 5/4.5 now $5.685M.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 11410 Dickey Ln 5/6.5 $7M.
 
LOTS
Nothing to report.
 

NOTE: This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors or its Multiple Listing Service.  Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data maintained by the association or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.