It is Susan and The SanibelSusan Team reporting that it was back to sunny days on-island this week. An absolutely picture-perfect one today, with temperatures in the mid-70’s. A little more Florida-winter type weather is expected on Sunday when a breezy cool front arrives with a few showers. Luckily those fronts don’t last long here and it again is expected to be sunny and back to the mid-70s by mid-week.

Island Real Estate Action

We still are not seeing lots of real estate activity which traditionally picks up each year sometime from mid-to-late January. Could be that the Saturday visitor turn-over this weekend will bring more action. The rental organizations tell us that will be the 1^st week of the year with high-season occupancy. Even more check-ins are expected the following weekend as it gets closer to the 1^st of the month.

You will notice from the report below of the activity posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service that homes continue to be the predominate seller. Many price changes were posted this week too, with sellers recognizing that just 2+months of “high season” remain.

Over the last seven days on Sanibel, there were just two condo sales and two lot sales, but 12 home sales. One our new listing in Seagull Estates. During the same period, there were 17 price changes. That is a lot for a week mid-January.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

At the Thursday Realtor® Caravan meeting yesterday, I gave a quick spiel about our 2017 Communications & Public Relations Committee kick-off meeting.

We discussed reaching out to local non-profits & becoming a year-‘round collection point for donated goods: things like non-perishable food items for the FISH pantry, old cell phones and hotel-sized toiletries for ACT, gently-used clothing for church charities in Immokalee; bedding for Bedz for Kidz which is part of Lee County’s Guardian ad Litem Foundation.

The committee is looking for more ways to be involved in the community in a cooperative way so are soliciting suggestions from local organizations and non-profits for what donation items they need and if here is a particular time of the year when most needed. Also, if there are small hands-on projects that could use a team of 5-10 volunteers to get them done.

With this year’s message “Together, We Make a Difference”, you will see monthly press releases about our members’ community involvement. Those members include not just Realtors® and their office staff, but also our affiliate members, including the bankers, inspectors, builders, decorators, contractors, title companies, attorneys, and other service business partners, who also are an important part of our organization.

Looking Back on Hurricane Season

Interesting tidbit noticed when I was catching up on my reading last weekend. The Winter 2016 issue of the “IWA Pipeline” (Island Water Association’s newsletter) said:

“Believe it or not, once more, the National Weather Service reports it has been over eleven years since a major hurricane has made landfall on the continental United States. Hermine was a Category 1 hurricane, and although Matthew was a Category 3 storm as it approached the Florida coast, technically it never made landfall, as the eye stayed just off the coast.”

Prospective buyers often ask about flooding and storms. What can we tell them? I often remind them that the island is mostly sand, so that water even after a heavy rain usually disperses quickly. We also can tell them about how the Sanibel River has a lock system and how water can be released, but that it’s rarely necessary. We also can say that weathermen tell us that we are in an area where there is probability of a hurricane every 100 years. Then the question is – do we start counting the 100 years from Hurricane Charley in 2004 or from the last time the island flooded from a hurricane – in the 1920’s? Either way, it’s just part of island life. From May to November, residents should have a hurricane plan and listen carefully to weather reports.

Sanibel Signs Water Quality Compact

The following was posted yesterday on-line at the “Santiva-Chronicle”.

“Much of Sanibel’s definitive white paper, Caloosahatchee Watershed Regional Water Management Issues, was adopted in the water quality compact of 164 communities and 19 counties.

“Sanibel was instrumental in the drafting of a new water quality compact that is the largest compact in Florida history, and on Tuesday, January 17, the City Council put its name to it.The City Council voted unanimously for a resolution pledging the city’s support in the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact.

“The compact calls for cooperation among the 164 towns and cities and 19 counties in the Northern Everglades and Lake Okeechobee watershed. It calls for all to work together toward a comprehensive plan addressing environmental and economic challenges associated with discharges from Lake Okeechobee and to develop a joint strategic plan to successfully meet those challenges.

“Mayor Kevin Ruane and Sanibel Director of Natural Resources James Evans were instrumental in the drafting of the resolution through the Florida League of Cities. Evans is the author of Sanibel’s definitive white paper on water quality, Caloosahatchee Regional Water Management Issues. Ruane chaired the session where the resolution was adopted.

““It’s the largest compact the state of Florida has ever done,” Ruane said. “It’s a compact for all 164 cities and we are pleased that the resolution was adopted with the majority of the white paper in it.”

“The resolution calls for each local government to collaborate while also recognizing the individual needs of a diverse consortium of towns, cities and counties. It calls for a joint policy position to urge the U.S. Congress and the Florida Legislature to develop and fund the necessary plans to improve regional water conditions.

“The resolution states:

“The adopted Regional Action Plan shall, at a minimum, include the following components:

1. A list of those local and regional projects and programs all parties to this compact mutually agree are critical to Everglades restoration, protection and improvement of local water supplies and water quality, enhancement of natural area and the economic vitality of our communities.
2. Local Projects/Programs: Septic maintenance and septic to central sewer programs; local fertilizer ordinances and fertilizer education programs; storm water best management practices (BMP’s); agricultural BMP’s; golf course BMP’s.
3. Current Regional Projects: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the projects identified on Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) including, but not limited to, Rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike; Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP); C-43 West Basin Reservoir; C-44 Reservoir; Tamiami Trail Bridging Project; Lake Okeechobee Watershed Planning Project; and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project.””

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity Jan 13-20, 2017

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listings: Sunset South #2A 2/2.5 $749K.

4 price changes: Tennisplace #E33 2/1.5 now $319.5K, Blind Pass #F106 2/2 now $449K, Donax Village #3 2/2 now $478K, Loggerhead Cay #434 2/2 now $619K.

2 new sales: Loggerhead Cay #181 2/2 listed at $699K, Sunset South #4A 2/2 listed at $799K.

3 closed sales: Mariner Pointe #622 2/2.5 $600K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #3 2/2.5 $625K, Sandpiper Beach #504 2/2 $765K.

HOMES

7 new listings: 3021 Singing Wind Dr 3/2 $539K, 5299 Umbrella Pool Rd 3/2.5 $625K, 1807 Buckthorn Ln 3/2.5 $749K, 519 Lagoon Dr 4/2 $849K, 863 Lindgren Blvd 3/2 $979K, 3944 West Gulf Dr 3/3 $1.099M, 815 Birdie View Pt 3/3 $1.199M.

13 price changes: 1714 Bunting Ln 3/2 now $499.9K; 1602 Serenity Ln 4/2 now $499,999; 1710 Sand Pebble Way 3/2 now $699.9K; 5100 Sea Bell Rd 4/2.5 now $729K; 1334 Junonia St 3/2 now $739K; 1943 Sanibel Bayou Rd 3/3 now $775K; 1683 Bunting Ln 3/3 now $779,555; 225 Daniel Dr 3/2.5 now $799K; 2920 West Gulf Dr 3/2 now $939K; 789 Pyrula Ave 4/2.5 now $1.095M; 4428 Waters Edge Ln 3/2.5 now $1.199M; 518 N Yachtsman Dr 3/3 now $1.449M; 6111 SanibelCaptiva Rd 5/4/3 now $22.095M.

12 new sales: 2401 Shop Rd 2/1 listed at $278K, 474 Lake Murex Cir 2/2 listed at $399K, 1390 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 half-duplex listed at $529K, 810 Elinor Way 3/2 listed at $599K, 174 Southwinds Dr 2/2 half-duplex listed at $659K, 1153 Sabal St 3/2.5 listed at $699K, 525 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 listed at $749K, 239 Daniel Dr 3/2 listed at $1.099M (our listing), 785 Birdie View Pt 3/2.5 listed at $1.149M, 2302 Wulfert Rd 4/5 listed at $1.595M, 775 Conch Ct 4/3 listed at $1.595M, 1314 Seaspray Ln 3/3 listed at $2.7M.

 

5 closed sales: 3118 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $550K, 3941 Coquina Dr 3/2 $650K, 2549 Harbour Ln 3/2 $726K, 910 Victoria Way 3/3 $1.2M, 5125 Joewood Dr 4/4 $2.35M.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

2 new sales: 497 Sea Oats listed at $499K, 629 Lighthouse Way listed at $1.095M.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

2 new sales: Tennis Villas #3121 1/1/2 listed at $255K, Bayside Villas #5228 1/2 listed at $335K.

1 closed sale: Bayside Villas #4214 1/2 $315K.

HOMES

1 new listing: 14981 Binder Dr 3/1 $1.149M.

1 price change: 4 Sunset Captiva Ln 3/2.5 now $2.345M.

1 new sale: 11524 Andy Rosse Ln 5/5.5 listed at $2.695M.

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

Until next Friday, wishing you sunny days!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan