The SanibelSusan Team had a little boost of activity this week. Maybe, it was related to schools starting here next week and families getting in their last summer island vacations. Several of our listings had good showing action and Wednesday in arranging appointments to show investment condos, we found that only a handful were vacant.

Not much was announced yesterday at our Thursday morning Association of Realtors® Caravan Meeting which was lightly attended. Guess many Realtors® are getting in their last summer vacations too. Only two properties were on the following Caravan, including our new listing at 533 Rabbit Road.

It is a sweet near-beach home with more than $38K in rentals booking with just 4 long-term tenants from November 1 through June 1. Great opportunity for someone to buy now and enjoy that income. Click here to view the streaming video.

The activity posted since last Friday in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follows a few news items below, but first a few more photos from our friend Scott who was still in town snapping his wonderful bird shots. I am so thankful that he happily allows me to share them with you too. He said these Great White Egret pix were taken Sunday in Tarpon Bay. Each one is special, so I had to share them all!

Now or Neverglades Declaration

Also yesterday morning, a diverse crowd of supporters gathered in front of The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce to sign the “Now or Neverglades Declaration”. It calls for a scientific solution to stopping the damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee. In addition to many business owners, Realtors®, local leaders and concerned citizens, participants included Daniel Andrews of Captains for Clean Water, SCCF’s Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel, and City Natural Resources Director James Evans – all speaking about the issues facing Southwest Florida waters and what needs to be done to save it.

“One of the most critical things we need to do now is communicate with the governor and ask him to move the planning process for storage south of (Lake Okeechobee) up to this summer,” Wessel told the crowd. “(It needs to happen) while they plan storage for north of the lake.”

The declaration calls for the use of Amendment One money to create storage and treatment and move water south from the lake to The Everglades. More than 200 scientists say that it is essential to restoring the Everglades, Florida Bay, and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie River estuaries.

There are currently more than 21,000 supporters who have signed the declaration. To learn more or sign it, visit gladesdeclaration.org.

Baby Boomers Chart New Direction in Housing

As a Baby Boomer who has no intention of retiring anytime soon, I enjoyed this recent article from “Daily Real Estate News” on line by “Realtor®Mag” who sourced it to “Mortgage New Daily” (July 19, 2016).

“Economists are having a tough time figuring out what housing market moves baby boomers will make next.

“Americans over the age of 55 are veering from previous generations, opting not to retire but instead launching second or even third careers. They are shunning the traditional patterns of retirement and that could have a big impact on their housing choices, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Insight report focusing on the baby boomer generation.

“Baby boomers are a critical piece to the housing market puzzle. Americans over the age of 55 make up a quarter of the population and control about two-thirds of the single-family home equity in the nation. Sixty-five-year-olds who, on average purchased a home 35 years ago now tend to have a home value that is likely 3.7 times what they purchased it for.

“Nearly a quarter of baby boomers recently surveyed by Freddie Mac say they need major renovations in their current home in order to stay there as they age. Many say they may face financial constraints to take on those remodels. For others who do plan to age in place, they may be underestimating the extent of the financial costs of outfitting their home with features so they can do so, says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

“As such, about 18 million home owners over the age of 55 may be shopping for another house in the next few years, according to the Insights Report.

“The main reasons to move aren’t due to downsizing either. Instead, the survey showed the key influences making these generations move are: Affordability of the community, the need for retirement amenities, and a home with less maintenance.

“Bottom line, the authors note, the 55-plus population likely is to be an active part of the housing economy for years to come still.

Source: “Boomers Ignoring Conventional Housing Wisdom,” Mortgage News Daily (July 19, 2016)

Banner Year for Sea Turtles Continues

It was so much fun on Wednesday when showing property to hear the prospect say that she can’t wait to move here and become a “turtle” volunteer. A 1-hour session with SCCF’s Education Director, Kristie Anders, and a few beach strolls talking to some already-trained turtle patrollers have her excited. She loved hearing that our Association of Realtors® years ago got Kristie approved to teach a segment of the continuing education required for Realtors® to maintain our real estate licenses. Every two years in Florida, 14-hours of classroom instruction are required. Each fall our local association offers a new curriculum meeting that meets that annual requirement. I am all signed up for September where Kristie will be one of the instructions and will update us on island environmental considerations.

Back to the turtles…According to today’s “Island Sun”: “Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) officials are reporting a banner year for loggerheads nesting on Sanibel and Captiva. As of August 1, the nest numbers for the east and west end of Sanibel were 164 and 422, respectively. The previous records for these beaches were 120 and 376 (both set in 2015). As of August 1, 183 nests have been laid on Captiva, also breaking the previous record of 179 nests laid in 2000.

“With 722 total loggerhead nests on the two islands, and scattered nesting continuing into August, this year has shattered the all-time record of 622 nests for the two islands combined.

“While records are being broken on Sanibel and Captiva, the statewide numbers won’t be totaled until the end of the season in October.

“At least for the SCCF Sea Turtle Program, these numbers show that decades of coordinated conservation efforts are starting to pay off, including nest protection, reducing fisheries interactions and limiting artificial lighting in coastal communities.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 29 – August 5, 2016

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sanibel Arms West #J6 2/2 $495K, Sundial A208 2/2 $799K, Somerset #D302 3/2.5 $1.85M.

2 price changes: Sanibel Arms West #B8 2/2 now $529.9K, Gulfside Place #115 2/2 now $1.595M.

3 new sales: Tennisplace #D21 1/1 listed at $229K, Ibis at The Sanctuary #A302 2/2 listed at $485K, Sandalfoot #5A1 2/2 listed at $799K.

4 closed sales: Casa Blanca #6 1/1 $248K, Blind Pass #A102 2/2 $385K, Sealoft Village #106 2/2 $570K, Tarpon Beach #201 2/2 $715K.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 4995 Joewood Dr 4/3 now $2.995M.

2 new sales: 975 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 listed at $769K, 923 S Yachtsman 3/2 listed at $867K.

6 closed sales: 5131 San-Cap Rd 2/2 $445K, 9475 Beverly Ln 3/2 $492.5K, 4737 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $629.9K, 242 Christopher Ct 3/2 $715K, 3335 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $751.5K, 824 Limpet Dr 3/3 $1.225M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new sale: Beach Villas #2416 1/1 listed at $519K.

No price changes, new or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 11524 Andy Rosse Ln 5/5.5 $2.695M.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 11530 Paige Ct 4/5.5 listed at $3.585M.

1 closed sale: 17130 Captiva Dr 4/4 $3.4M.

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 another sunset photo from Scott…each one just gets better and better!

Happy weekend all! Susan Andrews aka SanibelSusan