It’s SanibelSusan reporting the end of a week of mixed-bag weather and real estate activity. After a rainy morning, we saw the sun for a few hours today, now it has clouded over again, but more sun is expected. The sprinkles today were nothing compared to the multiple heavy deluges with gusts that we experienced last Saturday – during real estate showings too.

If a prospect likes a property during a shower, we always know that they will love it when the sun comes. Looks like next week’s weather will be better – sunny and mid-70’s for highs expected all week.

At SanibelSusan Realty Associates

Teammate Dave held an Open House all day yesterday at High Tide. Having an Open House coincide with a Thursday Realtor Caravan usually brings lookers, but he only had two couples all day. Some days are more productive with Open Houses and there seems to be not a lot of reason for it.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® 2017 Installation & Awards Presentation

Incoming Sanibel/Captiva Realtor® Association President Joel Goodman chose a breakfast rather than evening banquet for his installation event which was yesterday. It was great to see so many attendees – considering it was at 7:30 a.m. at The Sanctuary and just past a speed trap after The Sanibel School. I think a few colleagues got pinched!

FloridaRealtors® 2017 President Maria Wells from Fort Pierce installed the new Sanibel/Captiva Board of Directors and Officers. Other attendees included FloridaRealtors® new CEO Bill Martin, now from Orlando, who came to Florida from the Michigan Association (smart man), representatives from our surrounding Associations in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, and Marco Island, and over 100 of our own Realtors® and affiliates.

 

Joel’s theme for the year “Together, Realtors® Make a Difference” will be the topic of conversation next week at our first Communications/Public Relations Committee Meeting. It will be fun to Chair that committee again. Last time I did was 2006.

At the Caravan meeting which followed the installation and awards program (my 24^th year as an Honor Society recipient), only a couple of sales were announced, but I was happy to announce our new listings at Cottage Colony West and Seagull Estates. More info the MLS activity posted this week is after a couple of news items below.

Sanibel Civic Core Project Gone by the Wayside

It was disappointing to hear the $42-million Sanibel Civic Core Project has gone by the wayside.

City Council voted in early December to put two items on the upcoming March ballot: an $8M-million bond issue (needed for Sanibel’s share of the project) and use of 13.5 acres of land from the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Conservation District needed to accommodate the project.

Rumor has it that it’s conjecture just how sensitive that land really is; but, it got enough citizenry riled up that Council this week withdrew both items. The press also reports that the County Commissioners were not onboard either, so the money needed from outside the island probably would have come up short.

The project which would have created a walking central civic core in the area surrounding BIG ARTS, the Museum, City Hall, and the Library also would have included The Center-4-Life which is in desperate need of expansion, room for classes, meetings, etc. Just what will be done with the Center-4-Life remains to be seen, but they, like BIG ARTS, want upgrades and may need to move forward independently.

Schein Performance Hall at BIG ARTS is now 20 years old and in need of better seating and acoustics. The Community Chorus has grown so much through the years, that the stage is now too small to hold us – which resulted in three performances of the spring program last year.

I bet that eventual improvements at The Center-4-Life and at BIG ARTS will be made without them being part of a Civic Core project. It’s just too bad that Sanibel won’t get a central area for the community to congregate and enjoy. Stay tuned.

Insurance Blind Spots: 5 Coverage Gaps That Could Cost You

The article below from the Associated Press was reposted today on FloridaRealtors® on-line. It has some good advice:

“You might think you have airtight insurance protection against storms, car accidents and other mishaps. But you’d hate to discover hidden cracks in your coverage once it’s too late.

“Here are five insurance problems you might not be as prepared for as you think – and how to plug the coverage gap.

“1. No flood insurance

“Flooding has occurred in every state in the country over the past five years, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Yet only 12% of homeowners nationwide carry flood coverage, an Insurance Information Institute poll found.

“Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding; you’ll need a separate policy. You can find local agents through the National Flood Insurance Program. You can also ask your home insurer for help starting a policy through the federal program, or whether there are companies in your state that offer private flood insurance.

“There’s a 30-day waiting period before coverage kicks in, so get flood insurance squared away well ahead of coming storms.

“2. No way to pay off a lease or loan on a totaled car

“Gap insurance helps you avoid owing money on a car loan or lease even if your vehicle has been totaled or stolen. Along with comprehensive and collision coverage, gap insurance is a smart addition if you lease or finance a car.

“Say you lease a $20,000 car at payments of $400 a month. Five months later, your car is totaled in an accident. If the car’s value has dropped to $15,000, that’s the amount your collision claim check will be, minus your deductible. That won’t be enough to cover the $18,000 left on your lease.

“This is where gap insurance kicks in. It makes up the difference between what your car is worth when it’s stolen or totaled and how much you owe on a car loan or lease.

“You can buy gap insurance from the car dealership or your lender. Or you can go through your car insurance company – which is typically cheaper unless you want gap coverage for several years.

“3. No plan for sewage backups

“You may not realize that you’re responsible for the sewer line that runs from the main pipeline in the street to your house. Yet standard home insurance typically doesn’t cover backups in this part of the line. Enter sewer backup coverage. It pays for cleanup and repairs from spewed sewage in your house.

“Sewer backup coverage is relatively affordable — $40 to $50 a year, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Talk to your home insurer about adding this kind of coverage.

“4. No income after a disability

“Among 20-year-olds, more than 1 in 4 will suffer a disability before retirement age, according to the Social Security Administration. If you aren’t able to work because of an illness or accident, you need a plan to pay the bills.

“Social Security disability insurance is available only to people with long-term disabilities lasting at least one year. Some employers offer short-term disability insurance, but it isn’t as common as you might think. Just 38% of workers have access to short-term disability insurance through their employers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“You don’t have to rely on your workplace for coverage. Individual disability insurance is available from several insurers, such as State Farm, MetLife and Mutual of Omaha. If your employer doesn’t offer short-term disability insurance, or your current benefits fall far short of replacing your full salary, look into getting a policy elsewhere.

“5. No financial safety net for earthquakes

“Most homeowners, even those who live in high-risk areas, go without earthquake insurance. They risk financial ruin if their homes and belongings are destroyed. Only 10% of California residents have earthquake insurance, and 14% of people in western states, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

“Standard homeowners’ insurance won’t pay to fix damage caused by earthquakes. Home insurers might offer earthquake coverage as a policy add-on for an extra cost – and in California they’re required to. Or you might need to look for stand-alone earthquake insurance.

“Californians can shop for a policy through the California Earthquake Authority. For those living in other states, ask your home insurer or agent for help finding companies that sell earthquake coverage, or check your state’s department of insurance website.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity January 6-13, 2017

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sandy Bend #5 2/2 $749.9K, Sunset South #1C 2/2 $769K, High Tide #A102 2/2 $1.75M.

1 price change: Mariner Pointe #1412 1/1 now $375K.

3 new sales: Loggerhead Cay #234 2/2 listed at $579K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #3 2/2.5 listed at $650K, Sundial West #E304 2/2 listed at $814.5K.

2 closed sales: Loggerhead Cay #574 2/2 $542K, Sanibel Surfside #127 2/2 $1.137M.

HOMES

7 new listings: 1036 S Yachtsman Dr 3/3 $649.9K, 978 Black Skimmer Way 2/3 $724.9K, 1020 White Ibis Dr 3/2 $739K, 1410 Albatross Rd 3/3 $775K, 239 Daniel Dr 3/2 $1.099M (our listing, photos below), 2507 Blind Pass Ct 3/3 $1.495M, 1314 Seaspray Ln 3/3 $2.7M.

 

9 price changes: 1851 Farm Trl 3/2 now $525K, 2134 Egret Cir 3/2 half-duplex now $559K, 1772 Serenity Ln 3/2 now $649K, 1073 Fish Crow Rd 3/2.5 now $799K, 243 Southwinds Dr 4/2.5 now $899K, 1234 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 now $1.249M, 598 Kinzie Island Ct 3/3.5 now $1.595M, 513 Lighthouse Way 3/3 now $1.778M, 984 Oyster Ct 3/3.5 now $1.95M.

4 new sales: 1411 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex listed at $439K, 1983 Roseate Ln 2/2 listed at $539K, 539 East Rocks Dr 5/5 listed at $1.3M, 4449 Waters Edge Ln 3/3 listed at $4.495M.

1 closed sale: 8991 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 $800K.

LOTS

1 new listing: 1246 Seagrape Ln $2.995M.

No price changes or new sales.

2 closed sales: 592 Sea Oats Dr $315K, 690 Birdie View Pt $360K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Tennis Villas #3121 1/1/2 listed at $255K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

3 price changes: 11535 Chapin Ln 4/4 now $1.449M, 11411 Old Lodge Ln 4/3 now $1.775M, 16979 Captiva Dr 7/6.5 now $4.435M.

No new sales.

2 closed sales: 11536 Andy Rosse Ln 3/3 $1.675M, 11400 Dickey Ln 4/6.5 $7.5M.

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 activiislty in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.)

Until next Friday, here’s wishing you sunny beach days with lots of shells – like this one!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan