Woohoo…it’s another sunny 70-degree Friday on Sanibel Island

It’s another happy Friday for The SanibelSusan Team. The sun is out, the sky is blue, the temperatures are a pleasant 70 degrees, and we are told that the shelling is great after several breezy days this week. Lots of real estate is being shown and contracts written too.

Following a couple of news items, below is the action posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service over the last seven days.

Sanibel & Captiva Island Association of Realtors® Thursday Caravan Meeting

It was unusual to have only four properties on our Association of Realtors® East-End Caravan yesterday. Maybe an indication that few new listings are coming on the market this year. Usually there is a flurry of new listings each January, but not so many this year.

Beach Erosion Near Blind Pass

At Sanibel City Council Meeting on Tuesday, the City’s Director of Natural Resources advised that he and staff have been closely monitoring the sand being lost along the Sanibel shoreline adjacent to San-Cap Road across from The Sunset Grill and Lazy Flamingo Restaurant. He reported that the 4’ escarpment is only about 30’ from the roadway. After discussion on a number of solutions, Council approved City staff taking “appropriate action” if conditions worsen in the affected area. With two cold fronts forecast, with increased wind having the potential to accelerate the escarpment, Council also authorized the use of emergency funds if needed. City staff will provide Council members with daily status reports on the situation.

Road Trips

Sometimes islanders call it a “road trip” when they venture off-island, whether it be for chores or to partake of what else Southwest Florida offers. This week, I noticed a few fun February “road trip” events, some that I have enjoyed in past years. Maybe you will like these reminders too:

Feb 7-8             ArtFest Fort Myers, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the waterfront in downtown Fort Myers, www.artfestfortmyers.com

Feb 15              Edison Festival of Light 67^th Junior Parade at 2:30 p.m. in the downtown Fort Myers River District, www.edisonfestival.org

Feb 20              MusicWalk Fort Myers, 6 to 9 p.m., monthly event on the 3^rd Friday where there is live music in various the River District locations, www.fortmyersmusicwalk.com

Feb 21              Edison Festival of Light 75^th Grand Parade & Fireworks, beginning at noon at Centennial Park, parade at 7 p.m., www.edisonfestival.org

Feb 22              Edison Festival of Light “Mutt Strutt, noon, corner of Hendry & Edwards in downtown Ft Myers, www.edisonfestival.org

Feb 28              Burrowing Owl Festival at Rotary Park, Cape Coral, day-long event.

Island Crime Down 40%

As reported in today’s “Island Sun”:

“During his annual presentation to the city council, the chief of the Sanibel Police Department reported a dramatic 40% decrease in criminal activity on the island in 2014, reduced from 210 federal reportable crimes (UCR) in 2013 to 125 last year.

““Within the federally reportable crimes, there were several noteworthy statistics,” Chief Bill Tomlinson told the council on Tuesday morning. “There was a 50% decrease in the report of thefts, a 40% decrease in the reported burglaries and a 75% decrease in vehicle theft.”

“The crimes category includes all non-UCR, such as trespass, drug violations, DUI, criminal traffic violations, criminal mischief, harassment, city ordinance violations and criminal citations.”

Dated Kitchens Get Long Overdue Makeovers

Recently, I have had more than one conversation with clients considering remodeling their kitchens and wondering if that renovation will make their property more saleable when the time comes. The answer usually is “yes”, so when I saw the below article posted in “REALTOR®” Magazine on January 19, it reminded me of those conversations.

“Dated kitchens are getting a makeover in many homes this year. About a quarter of about 3,500 home owners recently surveyed say they are remodeling kitchens that are more than 30 years old and another 41% are updating kitchens that are 16 to 30 years old. Wow, have styles changed in three decades too – when red oak cabinets, laminate countertops, and brass fixtures were “in.”

“Here’s an interesting stat: Home owners seem to be more committed to their kitchen than their spouse. Most kitchens last two to four times longer than the typical U.S. marriage – which is 8 years, according to Houzz’s Kitchen Remodeling Survey. That means when home owners remodel a kitchen, they devote a lot of time to making sure it’s just right since they’ll likely stick with it for many years to come.

““We already know that kitchens are the biggest driver of discretionary spending in the remodeling market,” says Nino Sitchinava, principal economist at Houzz. “As the economy has improved, many home owners who delayed spending on kitchen updates feel like they now have the means to remodel. We should continue to see an uptick in discretionary spending on home improvements into 2015.

“So, what are home owners’ kitchen renovation plans?

• Classic finishes: Home owners mostly are sticking to the classics, with finishes like white cabinets (49%) in shaker (37%) or raised-panel (22% styles. They’re also staying loyal to granite countertops (45%) and stainless steel appliances (83%).
• Added storage: Ease of storage (65%) is a top priority driving remodeling trends. Organization features like a built-in pantry (44%), pull-out shelves (62%), deep cabinet organizers (38%), and built-in pet bowls (6%) are popular.
• Entertainment spaces: An open-concept layout (52%), bar with seating (27%), and built-in wine storage (21%) are making kitchens a gathering place for family and friends.
• Big makeovers with big dollars: When home owners choose to undergo a kitchen remodel, the majority are going big with projects requiring substantial construction (68%). As such, home owners are spending big too, with 36% planning to spend between $25,000 and $75,000 on updating their kitchens. More than half of home owners budget $25,000 or less for their upcoming remodels.
• Complimenting the rest of the house: Home owners want their kitchens stylish and beautiful (59%), but they also want to make sure that the remodel integrates with the rest of the home too (55%). Other characteristics they say are important is that it is filled with natural light, adds to the resale value of their home, energy-efficient appliances, and pro-style cooking set-up.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity Jan 30-Feb 6 

Sanibel

CONDOS

5 new listings: Seawind II #2 2/2.5 $685K, Lighthouse Point #127 2/2 $699.9K, Island Beach Club #P2E 2/2 $799.9K, Sundial #E408 2/2 $925K, Kings Crown #118 3/2 $1.299M.

6 price changes: Casa Blanca #6 1/1 now $259.9K, Sundial #H411 1/1 now $272.5K, Sundial #I104 1/1 now $369K, Sanibel Arms West #M8 2/2 now $495K, Loggerhead Cay #574 2/2 now $549.9K, Compass Point #111 2/2 now $1.149M.

3 new sales: Loggerhead Cay #191 2/2 listed for $660K, Yacht Haven #1 4/3 listed for $1.495M, Kinzie Island #A 4/3.5 listed for $2.495M.

5 closed sales: Spanish Cay #F6 1/1 $260K; Seashells #11 2/2 $321K; Sanctuary Golf Villages I #4-6 2/2.5 $684K; Compass Point #101 3/2 $1.13M; Wedgewood #204 3/3.5 $2,062,500.

HOMES

8 new listings: 766 Donax St 2/2 duplex $415K, 2065 Wild Lime Dr 3/2.5 $579K, 2582 Wulfert Rd 3/3.5 $789K, 0 Sea Pines 3/2 $849K, 276 Ferry Landing Dr 3/2 $999K, 4308 West Gulf Dr 3/3.5 $1.879M, 6019 Clam Bayou Ln 4/3 $1.999M, 2963 Wulfert Rd 4/6.5 $2.795M.

9 price changes: 1452 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex now $325K, 868 Rabbit Rd 3/2 now $385K, 450 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 now $549K, 625 Sea Oats Dr 3/3 now $769K, 1258 Par View Dr 3/2 now $775K, 566 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 now $939K, 428 Bella Vist Way E 4/4 now $1.749M, 2969 Wulfert Rd 6/6/2 now $2.19M, 696 Kinzie Island Ct 4/5 now $2.359M.

6 new sales: 548 Chert Ct 3/2 listed for $585K, 590 Lake Murex Cir 2/1.5 listed for $635K, 201 Violet Dr listed for $869.5K, 8987 Mockingbird Dr 3/3 listed for $749K, 6433 Pine Ave 4/3 listed for $875K, 1309 Seaspray Ln 5/5 listed for $1.898M.

4 closed sales: 1596 Bunting Ln 2/2 $375K, 735 Donax St 3/2 $450K, 1207 Par View Dr 3/2 $715K, 1130 Seagrape Ln 4/3 $815K.

LOTS

4 new listings: 1316 Par View Dr $320K, 0 Sabal Sands Rd $349K, 9023 Mockingbird Dr $399K, 2494 Blind Pass Ct $695K.

4 price changes: 9232 Dimmick Dr now $215K, 1820 Farm Trail now $229K, 247+255 Robinwood Cir now $229K, 3723 West Gulf Dr now $2.995M.

1 new sale: 6486 Pine Ave listed for $359.9K (foreclosure).

2 closed sales: 864 Birdie View Pt $345K, 860 Birdie View Pt $350K.

Captiva

CONDOS

Nothing to report.

HOMES

1 new listing: 953 South Seas Plantation Rd 5/5 listed for $6.499M.

2 price changes: 16183 Captiva Dr 4/3.5 now $3.985M, 16910 Captiva Dr 4/4 now $4.73M.

3 new sales: 43 Oster Ct 2/2.5 listed for $784.9K; 16585 Captiva Dr 5/4/2 listed for $2,799,585; 15747 Captiva Dr 6/6.5 listed for $5.995M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 925 South Seas Plantation Rd listed for $5M.

No closed sales.

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 general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.

Until next Friday, here’s hoping your weekend is bright & sunny too!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan