It is SanibelSusan reporting that it seems these Friday updates are getting closer together. Maybe it is because the islands are busy and exciting things are happening here.

There was more cool weather this week so some of us now-Floridians have exhausted our long-sleeved wardrobe choices and are ready for a warm-up. Forecasters say that weekend temperatures should bet back into the 70’s, before another cool front arrives.

There was some excitement in Southwest Florida this morning with severe thunderstorms passing through including warnings of damaging winds, lightening, heavy rain, and brief tornadoes possible.

 

The island remained under tornado watch until just before noon.

There are patchy blue skies now (mid-afternoon) and they say that later tonight, even drier air is expected to filter in.

Hopefully there will be a few hours of sunshine tomorrow before another front is expected to move across the gulf late Saturday/early Sunday, bringing another round of rain, thunderstorms, and gusts.

Monday through Wednesday next week, more sunshine is expected, but temperatures may be cooler with highs only in the mid to upper 60’s. I bet the shelling will be fabulous though!

Below are some news items followed by the postings in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service this week.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors

To say that the Association’s Installation and Awards Banquet on Saturday night was memorable is probably an understatement. Nothing like being under the outside pavilion at The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club during tornado warnings. It probably was good that we didn’t know the seriousness of the warnings which didn’t go off on most of our smart phones until after the twister hit in Cape Coral.

Kudos to the management team and restaurant staff at The Dunes who delivered full-course meals to all 125+ attendees during horrendous downpours and several losses of electricity. We certainly will not forget that evening for a long time.

Congratulations to all who received awards and were installed as officers and board members for 2016. A large group earned Honor Society status. I got my plaque for the 23^rd consecutive year and also a gift from the Past President for chairing the Association’s Grievance Committee last year.

The Association’s Thursday Caravan meeting yesterday was well attended, but only nine properties were open for viewing, including our new listing at Sandpiper Beach. This January, more sales are being reported than new listings. I got to announce two new sales. At only two weeks into the year, it already has been a good one for us!

Fine Art Festival This Weekend

Like the successful two-day event held after Thanksgiving each year at The Sanibel Community House, there is a similar event this weekend.  A Fine Art Festival which likely was canceled today due to the storms is expected to be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow (Sat 1/16). About 70 craftsmen will be displaying and selling their wares, ranging from bronze artists to jewelers and photographers.

Advance Notice for Next Friday

The Marching Mullet Band Parade with a salute to veterans and a mullet-friendly nod to “clean water” begins at Jensen’s Twin Palm Resort on Captiva at 5:40 p.m. on Fri, 1/22.  Mullet fun, through art, education, and entertainment precedes the parade from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Foreign Investors See Big Opportunity in U.S.

From Monday’s “Daily Real Estate News”:

“Foreign investors are expected to pour more money into U.S. real estate this year than they did last year, according to a newly released survey by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate….The survey showed that 64% of respondents said they intended to make modest to major increases in U.S property investments this year. Thirty-one percent said they plan to maintain their holdings or reinvest sales proceeds into other U.S. assets.

“New York remains the top target market globally, according to the survey.

““This is a very strong response,” says Jim Fetgatter, chief executive of AFIRE. He noted to Bloomberg that China’s economic slowdown, Brazil’s recession, and Europe’s immigration crisis have instilled in international investors that “the U.S., at the moment, really is the safest place for them to go.”

“The U.S. ranked as the country with the best opportunities for price appreciation in 2016, followed by Brazil, Spain, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, according to the survey.

“Investors from Canada, Asia, Europe, and Australia in search of higher yields have been making investments in office towers, warehouses, apartment buildings, shopping malls, and hotels.

“In the residential sector, foreign buyers have remained strong too….What’s more, foreign buyers, on average, paid nearly $500,000 for a home – compared to about $256,000 overall for the U.S. average house price. NAR’s report showed that the four states accounting for 50% of international sales last year were Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona.

“Source: “U.S. Real Estate to Draw More Foreigners in 2016, Survey Says,” Bloomberg (Jan 3, 2016)”

What’s Hot & What’s Not – in Home Decor in 2016

As quoted in a recent issue of “Daily Real Estate News” on-line:

“The Wall Street Journal recently had interior designers weigh in on the top design trends likely to make a big splash in 2016 as well as what’s likely to fall out of style. Here are some design trends to keep in mind…

“What’s In

Black metals: This metal was once reserved for outdoor furniture or bed frames, but not anymore. This unflashy metal is appearing as simple hardware, bathroom fixtures, and even flatware, British interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard told The Wall Street Journal. Black metal is also being blended into wood and glass.

Curvy home décor: Rounded tables and curvy aesthetics will likely appear in more furnishings. Radial and bullnose edges soften hard materials like marble, says Glenn Lawson of Lawson Flenning in Los Angeles.

Old-world style: “People want the traditional and dressy, with a shot of nostalgia, to feel like everything is going to be OK,” Tobi Fairley, an interior designer in Little Rock, Ark., told The Wall Street Journal. Expect to see more brocades, tapestries, Georgian and Empire antiques, as well as fringe, cording and tassels.

Scandinavian flat weaves: “With elegantly balanced geometric compositions, these rugs are a sophisticated answer to the omnipresent neutrals and sisals,” said Los Angeles designer Madeline Stuart. The Scandinavian designs are being weaved into both contemporary and traditional spaces.

“What’s Out

Rosy metallic: Copper and rose-gold metals were big in 2015, but, alas, the rosy-gold hues may have a look of being “cheap” in 2016, warns Barclay Butera, a designer with offices in Los Angeles and Park City, Utah

The industrial look: “Enough of looking like we are living in the garage,” says Joe Lucas of Lucas Studio in Los Angeles. The millennial-coffeehouse design is finally showing signs of fading, co-signs Timothy Brown, an interior designer based in New York.

Sisal and jute: These two types of fiber rugs may have overstayed their welcome in home décor, designers say. “They don’t feel soft or cushy on bare feet and are not very child- or pet-friendly,” says Timothy Corrigon, a Los Angeles designer. “It wears quickly, stains easily and is virtually un-cleanable,” adds Philip Gorrivan, a designer in New York.”

“Source: “Top 5 Interior Design Trends for 2016,” The Wall Street Journal (Dec. 29, 2015)”

 Five Things to Never Say When Selling a Home

Here’s a good one posted Wednesday on line and sourced to Realtor.com:

“It’s a lesson worth remembering: Home sellers need to watch what they say to home buyers and their real estate agents. Real estate professionals recently shared with realtor.com® the phrases they say sellers should never utter:

1. “Our house is in perfect condition.”

“The home inspection may reveal otherwise, and, as a seller, you don’t want to wind up putting your foot in your mouth,” says Cara Ameer, a real estate professional with Coldwell Banker. “There simply is no such thing as ‘perfect condition.’ Every house, whether it is brand new or a resale, has something that needs to be fixed, adjusted, replaced, or improved upon.”

2. “We’ve never had a problem with …”

Sellers need to be careful to not utter any fibs, even those that seemingly are small, when selling their home. “You’re setting yourself up for potential liability,” Ameer says. “You may not even be aware of the problem at first, but it could translate into an embarrassing moment upon inspection.”

3. “It’s been on the market for …”

Sellers should never talk how long the home has been on the market with potential buyers, says Pam Santoro, a real estate professional with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The information is available on the home’s information sheet for buyers to see for themselves. Sellers who wish to highlight this may find buyers believing they can get cheaper since it’s been on the market longer or have buyers wonder what’s wrong with the home that it has been lingering.

4. “We spent a ton of money on X, Y, and Z.”

Sellers who think that just because they spent a ton of money on some upgrade to the home shouldn’t believe that upgrade will be so desired by home buyers nor will it necessarily get them a ton of money back at resale. “The buyer doesn’t care whether you spent $10,000 or $100,000 on your kitchen,” says Ameer. “They are only going to offer what they feel the home is worth in relation to area comparable sales.”

5. “I’m not taking less than X amount for my home.”

“If you send a message that you are inflexible or not open to negotiating, it may not invite buyers to even try to work out acceptable price and terms as they will feel defeated from the start,” says Ameer. “Word may spread that you have this sentiment as a seller, and people may start to avoid the house.”

View all of the phrases at realtor.com®.

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity January 8-15, 2016

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Lighthouse Point #111 2/2 $650K, Sundial East #P205 2/2 $825K, Golden Beach #2 3/2.5 $1.575M.

2 price changes: Sand Pointe #213 2/2 now $635K, Coquina Beach #2C 2/2 now $695K.

5 new sales: Tennisplace #D31 1/1 listed at $239K, Mariner Pointe #811 2/2 listed at $499K (our listing), Loggerhead Cay #223 2/2 listed at $559.9K, Loggerhead Cay #202 2/2 listed at $559.9K, Clam Shell #C 2/2 listed at $999K.

 

2 closed sales: Seashells of Sanibel #28 2/2 $350K, Seawind #105 2/2.5 $502.5K.

HOMES

6 new listings: 847 Casa Ybel Rd 2/2 $425K, 9292 Belding Dr 3/2.5 $499K, 9106 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 $650K, 2499 Harbour Ln 3/3 $795K, 563 Hideaway Ct 3/2 $849K, 907 Kings Crown Dr 4/3 $2.295M.

7 price changes: 2407 Shop Rd 3/2 now $364K, 1024 S Yachtsman Dr 3/2 duplex now $539K, 600 East Rocks Dr 3/2 now $685K, 1525 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 now $787K, 5267 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/2 now $845K, 626 Kinzie Island Ct 3/2.5 now $1.995M, 5075 Joewood Dr 4/4.5 now $3.99M.

4 new sales: 1576 Wilton Ln 3/2 listed at $439K, 1121 Sabal St 3/2.5 listed at $749K, 1224 Par View Dr 3/3 listed at $1.095M, 1306 Seaspray Ln 3/4 listed at $4.195M.

2 closed sales: 564 Hideaway Ct 3/2 $570K, 2543 Tropical Way Ct 3/2.5 $1.05M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 5407 Osprey Ct now $489K.

2 new sales: 1304 Eagle Run Dr listed at $219K, 1466 Sand Castle Rd listed at $239K (our listing).

 

1 closed sale: Sabal Sands Rd, lot 8 $240K.

Captiva

CONDOS

2 new listings: Sunset Captiva #201 2/2 $1.069M, Lands End Village #1608 3/3 $2.595M.

1 price change: Bayside Villas #4206 1/2 now $285K.

1 new sale: Beach Villas #2618 2/2 listed at $659.9K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

3 price change: 15000 Binder Dr 3/2 now $1.89M, 11535 Wightman Ln 3/3 now $1.175M, 16251 Captiva Dr 7/4/1 now $2.495M.

1 new sale: 16697 Captiva Dr 2/2 listed at $3.25M.

No 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 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 there are blue skies & sunshine here, there, & everywhere!

Susan Andrews, aka SaninbelSusan