It is yet another glorious Friday on Sanibel and Captiva Islands with the sun shining and temperatures in the high 60’s. Warmer days are expected next week, 80’s by Wednesday. There are plenty of fun events going-on this weekend and we had good showing activity with many of our listings this week.

Vacationers, visitors, snowbirds, and locals continue to remark about how wonderful island weather is this time of the year. Funny thing is, the weather is pretty terrific year-’round. January is usually when we see the most temperature differential (though it’s not too difficult to have 50 degree nights and 80 degree days). When you live here, it’s a treat to dig out our long sleeves occasionally. (Mine all coordinate well with my various flip flops.)

A favorite island past-time continues to be watching weather reports elsewhere while being very thankful to be here. Sunsets are now getting later and later – almost 6:30 p.m. today. We really like longer days which give us more time to enjoy the many great outdoor activities of the islands. Reports this week were that the fishing is excellent, the shells are plentiful, the birding is extra special with ospreys building nests like crazy, and the golf courses and tennis courts in near-perfect condition. Why would anyone be up north shoveling if they could be here? The rental organizations report that rooms are available, so those of you reading this from somewhere where it is chilly. Come on down…consider purchasing your own piece of paradise. There are still plenty of “good deals” here. 

Did You Know?

This tidbit was in the January Issue of “The Junonia” the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club’s newsletter:

“In a recent article in the Los Angles Times titled “Men and Their Groom Habits”, a timeline stated: “30,000 BC: Stone Age man begins using sharpened flint and seashells to scrape the hair from his body, inventing the morning shave.””

 The Sanctuary Golf Club

Here’s an update on Sanibel’s private golf and tennis community. Many islanders don’t realize that Sanctuary home ownership is not longer a requirement to become a member of The Sanctuary Golf Club. The club opened 18 years ago in 1993 and sits on 400 acres with 50% dedicated to conservation land. It currently has 415 members with 60% living outside of The Sanctuary community. It has a 50,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, Arthur Hills championship golf course, practice facilities, full-service golf shop, fitness center, 5 Hydro tennis courts, and swimming pool. The golf course is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and is the only course controlled by the Department of the Interior through the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The club has been designated a “Platinum Club” since 2009 by Club Leaders Forum (the equivalent of a Mobil 5-star rating). It also has received the Emerald Award since 2009 by Board Room Magazine, Distinguished Clubs of America (one of only two clubs in the U.S. to receive this designation). A variety of club memberships are available including Equity, Introductory, Associate, Social, and Temporary. I can arrange for introductory tours, including golf, tennis, lunch/dinner, attendance at the monthly member cocktail reception, and more – or check out their website at www.sanctuarygc.net.

Own a Rental Property?

The latest “Realtor®” magazine has an article called “The IRS Needs to Know”. It discusses a new law that requires you to issue an IRS 1099 form to handymen and other vendors doing at least $600 worth of work for you. This requirement is not a new one. It is something that larger rental property owners already must do. But last year when the federal government enacted the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (H.R. 5297), it expanded this requirement to all property owners, no matter how small. Even property owners who are just doing rentals as a sideline – maybe as part of a family investment fund or as part of a retirement savings plan – are not considered to be “conducting a trade or business,” so the 1099 reporting requirement now applies to them. If you own a rental, that means you have a legal obligation to obtain certain info from your vendors – generally their name, address, and Social Security number or other tax id – and to keep a record of the amount you pay them over the year. The requirement applies to all independent contractors or freelance workers that typically provide services in a rental real estate context. These include plumbers, electricians, painters, cleaning services, gardeners, landscapers, accountants, and handymen – in short, virtually all service providers to the property who don’t receive a W-2 form from you and who provide at least $600 in services for the year. It’s a cumulative amount so good to start keeping those records annual records now.

Sanibel & Captiva MLS Activity January 21-28

Sanibel

Condos

8 new listings: Colonnades #12 1/1 $189K, Tennisplace #A34 2/1.5 $266.9K (our listing), White Caps South #7 1/1 $399K, Sundial #T403 2/2 $625K, Sundial #R404 2/2 $650K, Pointe Santo #D2 2/2 $685K, Junonia #202 2/2 $899K, Gulfside Place #318 2/2 $1.2M.

8 price changes: Sundial #C204 1/1 now $299K, Donax Village #3 2/2 now $349K, Sundial #H306 2/2 now $549K, Sandpiper Beach #204 2/2 now $645.9K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #3-2 now $649K, Sedgemoor #203 3/3.5 now $2.35M.

3 new sales: Tennisplace #A31 2/1 listed for $235K, Captains Walk #B8 2/2 listed for $299K, Pointe Santo #D36 2/2 listed for $599K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

5 new listings: 951 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $499K, 610 Donax St 5/3 triplex $549K, 950 Cabbage Palm Ct 3/2 623K (short sale), 5657 SanCap Rd 3/2 $630K, 1210 Par View Dr 3/2 $699K.

7 price changes: 966 Fitzhugh St 2/1 now $374K, 1027 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 now $419K (short sale), 4248 Old Banyan Way 3/2 now $530K, 549 East Rocks Dr 3/2.5 now $749K, 5379 Shearwater 4/3 now $1.195M, 2332 Troon Ct 4/5 now $1.445M (short sale), 2899 Wulfert Rd 4/4/2 now $2.995M.

10 new sales: 5151 SanCap Rd 2/2 listed for $324.9K, 743 Martha’s Ln 2/2 listed for $379K, 1440 Sandpiper Cir 3/2.5 half-duplex listed for $425K, 1809 Farm Tr 3/2 listed for $479.9K, 1262 Par View Dr 3/2 listed for $650K, 799 Conch Ct 3/2.5 listed for $725K (short sale), 486 Surf Sound Ct 3/3.5 listed for $749K, 4996 Joewood Dr 3/3 listed for $895K, 6004 White Heron Ln 4/4/2 listed for $1.895M, 4741 Tradewinds Dr 3/3 listed for $1.995M.

2 closed sales: 1105 Skiff Pl 3/2 $435K, 9028 Mockingbird Dr 4/3 $500K.

LOTS Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Homes #32 3/2.5 $1.979M.

1 price change: Sunset Beach Villas #2336 2/2 now $769.9K.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 51 Oyster Ct 2/2.5 $915K.

7 price changes: 14970 Binder Dr 4/2 now $949K (short sale), 11540 Gore Ln 3/3 now $949K, 16167 Captiva Dr 3/3 now $1.295M, 11504 Wightman Ln 4/3 now $1.295M, 16727 Captiva Dr 5/3 now $1.395M, 11537 Andy Rosse Ln 4/4 now $1.725M, 16171 Captiva Dr 4/4.5 now $1.875M.

No new of closed sales.

LOTS Nothing to report.

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.