It has been a busy week on the islands and for The SanibelSusan Team.

Occupancy is high with it being the last real week of “season”. Many accommodations also are booked for the next two weeks, but some winter residents already have headed home.

We had busy days in the office and SanibelSusan made it through our three BIG ARTS Community Chorus performances too. Tuesday was an especially productive day with another nice closing, an offer negotiated on a listing, and an offer written and accepted on a replacement property.

Teammate Dave held an open house all day on Wednesday, I showed property Thursday, and on various days Dave opened listings for showings too. All-in-all, a great week. I won’t mention the traffic.

Below are a few news items followed by the activity posted in the Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing service this week.

PAWS (Protection of Animal Welfare Society)

Wednesday evening was a fundraiser for PAWS (Protection of Animal Welfare Society) at The Community House. PAWS is a non-profit that cares for stray and abandoned animals on Sanibel and Captiva.

Next time you at SanibelSusan Realty, check out the colorful beach-scene quilt hanging near our entry. I was the successful bidder for that piece which was made and donated by our friend, Sheila Rodriguez.

PAWS has cared for over 1000 animals (mostly cats and dogs) since it began in 1987. If you are interested in helping them too, call Pam 239-472-4823 or Diane at 484-574-6419. They are always happy to accept donations and looking for those willing to foster and/or adopt.

Upcoming Island Events

CROW’s Southern Comfort Benefit – Tomorrow night (Sat, April 2) from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Community House.

SCCF’s Beer in the Bushes Fundraiser – Next Sat (April 9) from 6 to 10 p.m. on the grounds of SCCF’s new Nature Center.

Lighthouse Day Celebration at Sanibel Historical Village – Wed (Apr 13) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Civic & Cultural Core Project (CCP) Community Working Group Presents Plans at City Council

Good news here…the below press release was issued on Monday.

“A volunteer community working group comprised of leaders from the following organizations presented  updated plans for the creation of a new Civic and Cultural Core campus and community green at a special workshop of the Sanibel City Council on March 28, 2016:  The Sanibel Community House/Community Association (SCA), represented by Board members Tom Sharbaugh and Richard Johnson; Katie Reid and Shirley Schulz of Island Seniors, Inc.; and Ralph Clark and Chuck Ketteman, Board members of BIG ARTS.  The volunteer group worked closely with City staff in developing the proposal.

“The vision of the CCP is to create a place consistent with the Sanibel Plan where people of all ages can gather to celebrate community, the arts, culture, life-long learning and healthy living.

“The Civic Core project is an extremely positive move by major non-profit organizations working together, to provide a better quality of life for all Sanibel residents and visitors.  It will meet the social, educational, cultural and recreational needs of the total community,” said Katie Reid of Island Seniors, Inc.

“The civic and cultural core campus would be constructed on approximately 25 acres of land owned by the City of Sanibel and other participants, stretching east and south of The Sanibel Library.

“Under the current design concept, the new Center 4 Life building, the performance hall, theater, and learning center would be inter-connected to the existing Library, City Hall and Sanibel Historical Museum by meandering walkways and generous  bike and pedestrian paths. It includes additional green space and a large community green for public gatherings.

“The inter-connected campus design creates new and easier access to all these public facilities, significantly increased parking and much-needed new homes for BIG ARTS and The Center 4 Life, whose current buildings have exhausted their useful life and are incurring increasing annual maintenance costs in the face of growing  community need for services.  Two new outdoor pavilions on the community green will allow SCA’s major outdoor events to be moved away from Periwinkle Way, resulting in improved pedestrian and vehicular safety.

““One of the challenges we face as a community is congestion during our peak season. The Civic and Cultural Core design addresses this issue by moving traffic off Periwinkle Way to convenient, shared parking.  Without pedestrian crossings, traffic will flow effectively and safely for all our residents and guests,” said Richard Johnson, SCA Board member.

“The current CCP construction cost is projected at $42M, not including the value of land being designated to the project by the City. The construction cost of the new facilities would be paid for from public and private sector funding and, once built, would be owned by the City and leased to the nonprofit organizations.

“The CCP vision, concept, budgets and design have been honed over a two and ½ year period marked by multiple public workshops and numerous revisions in response to community comments, City requirements, and sensitivity to smart traffic planning and safety. Multiple site access points, as well as ongoing comprehensive and detailed analysis of current and projected attendance and traffic patterns at all times of year and in all parts of the day, have been integral to the design.

““The working group of the Civic Core has been carefully listening to our residents every step of the way as we work together. We are convinced that what is developing is a community resource that will help solve serious existing problems and provide a wonderful gathering place for citizens and visitors,” said Ralph Clark, Vice President of the BIG ARTS Board of Directors

“The purpose of the March 28 special workshop was to afford Council members and the community a chance to learn more about and discuss the project. Next steps include approval of the revised project master plan at the Council’s planned April meeting, and pursuit of additional funding partners. The project will require a referendum vote by Sanibel citizens for final approval.”

End of Internet Tax Will Boost Real Estate

Recently posted on “Daily Real Estate News” on line:

“Ten states today levy what are known as Internet access taxes.

“That might come as a surprise to many people, since the taxes are largely invisible. They’re levied on companies like Verizon and Comcast, the Internet service providers (ISP) that manage the infrastructure through which Internet traffic flows. These companies pass the taxes on to consumers in the form of higher fees.

“Back in 1998, Congress limited the taxes to just the 10 states—Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin—by passing the Internet Tax Freedom Act. Since then, Congress has gone back and reauthorized the law every few years, because the original ban was only temporary.

“That will change now. Congress just a few weeks ago passed the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, and, as the name implies, makes further bans unnecessary. What’s more, the 10 states that levy the taxes will have to stop by June 30, 2020. The National Association of REALTORS® has been one of the biggest advocates for making the ban permanent and ending the taxes because of the importance of the Internet to the industry.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity March 25-April 1, 2016

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sanibel Arms West #L4 2/2 $524.9K, Atrium #201 3/3 $1.695M, Atrium #203 3/2 $1.795M.

7 price changes: Sandpebble #2B 2/2 now $424.9K (our listing), Coquina Beach #4C 2/2 now $489.9K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #1-1 2/2.5 now $635K, Bayview Village #2A 3/3 now $693K, Sundial East #S404 3/2 now $825K, Tanglewood #1A 3/2 now $1.1999M, Shorewood #2B 3/3 now $1.349M.

 

4 new sales: Cottage Colony West #126 1/1 listed at $649K (our buyer), Sanctuary Golf Villages I #2-2 3/3 listed at $710K, Nutmeg Village #309 2/2 listed at $799K.

 

5 closed sales: Sundial East #O402 2/2 $615K, Surfside 12 #A2 3/2 $632K, Wedgewood #306 3/3.5 $1.28M, Gulfside Place #317 2/2 $1.4M, Atrium #302 2/2 $1.5575M.

HOMES

4 new listings: 2114 Egret Cir 3/2 $498K, 9468 Peaceful Dr 3/2 $769K, 500 Periwinkle Way 3/3 $1.248M, 4449 Waters Edge Ln 3/2/3 $4.795M.

16 price changes: 575 Piedmont Rd 3/2 now $425K, 9292 Belding Dr 3/2.5 now $449K, 535 Birdsong Pl 3/2 now $535K, 1602 Serenity Ln 4/2 now $539K, 1410 Causey Ct 3/2 now $649K, 5303 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/2 now $649K, 1125 Captains Walk St 3/3 now $649.9K, 1133 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $679K, 677 Durion Ct 3/2 now $748K, 2549 Harbour Ln 3/2 now $779K, 3335 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 now $779K, 9027 Mockingbird Dr 4/3 now $799K, 1121 Skiff Pl 3/3 now $949K, 1317 Eagle Run Dr 4/3.5 now $1.195M, 932 Whelk Dr 3/3 now $1.495M, 513 Lighthouse Way 3/3 now $2.26M.

4 new sales: 1258 Par View Dr 3/2 listed at $749K, 557 N Yachtsman Dr 4/3 listed at $749K, 645 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 listed at $789K, 4355 West Gulf Dr 4/3 listed at $3.8M.

5 closed sales: 847 Casa Ybel Rd 2/2 $395K, 9012 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 $492K, 1065 Fish Crow Rd 2/2 $655K, 5743 Baltusrol Ct 3/3/2 $1.35M (our listing), 1656 Hibiscus Dr 4/3.5 $2.1M.

 

LOTS

1 new listing: 1837 Buckthorn Ln $439.9K.

No price changes.

2 new sales: 6159 Starling Way listed at $619K, 837 Limpet Dr listed at $749K (our listing).

 

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Beach Homes #20 3/3 listed at $2.499M.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 16979 Captiva Dr 7/6.5 now $4.485M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: 16297 Captiva Dr $1.4M.

(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.)

Happy Friday!

Susan Andrews aka SanibelSusan