Woohoo, Tonight Is Sanibel Luminary

It is another happy Friday with holiday news from SanibelSusan. Tonight, being Sanibel Luminary, the island already is sparkling with lights and trimmings. With daytime temperatures this week in the 60’s and 70’s, perhaps it will be cool enough tonight to wear Christmas sweaters. It is always fun to see the luminary trail filled with folks in those, and shorts with flip flops. The luminary trail will be lit from 5:30 to 9 p.m., from one end of Periwinkle Way to the other.

Midweek, across the street from SanibelSusan Realty, at Sanibel’s Community Park, we watched as City employees finalized decorations on the bike path there. The display begins with an archway at the playground entrance next to the Community House. Guarded by a nutcracker soldier, the delightful display continues through a tunnel of lights, ending with a “photo op” banner and bench which will be staffed tonight by City lifeguards and Recreation Department staff.

When I told the team that I thought they were installing life-size mechanical snowmen, teammates Dave and Elise corrected me saying these snowmen had faces and were really bending over and moving. Then, later when City Manager Judie Zimomra posted on social media about this upcoming photo op event and I shared my snowman story, she also corrected me – saying they really are snow-women.

Yesterday afternoon the display expanded when an igloo appeared – made by teens in the City’s Rec Center after school program – and using empty water jugs. According to a City post, it contains 422 1-gallon plastic jugs, 24 half-gallon jugs. It took a month to collect the jugs and about 18 hours to construct with 285 glue sticks. It’s 5’2” high and weights just over 42 pounds. Thanks to our City Manager for sharing her photos!

If you are in the neighborhood tonight, stop in and get your picture taken with the igloo which is framed by two blow-up snowmen. It and the live Sanibel snow-gals will be at the bench at the tunnel’s end until 9 p.m.

Looking for other holiday festivities? Info about a few more posted below, followed by some other island news and our weekly reports of the action with our listings and as posted since last Friday in the Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service.

Holiday Festivities, Shopping, & Helpers

• 35^th Annual Sanibel Holiday Luminary Stroll – From one end of Periwinkle to the other, tonight until 9 p.m. At 6 p.m. SanibelSusan and other BIG ARTS Chorus pals will be singing Christmas carols inside Bailey’s General Store. Come and join us! Sanibel Luminary Update from the City’s website: (mySanibel.com): This year there will be designated “Walk Your Bike” zones in the traditionally high traffic portions of the Shared Use Path.  ALL path users, pedestrians and cyclists, are reminded that all users should wear bright, reflective clothing and carry a light such as a flashlight at Luminary.  Please use caution and common sense at the event, including only crossing the road at designated crosswalks and carefully following all instructions of on-site law enforcement. The Sanibel Chief of Police reminds all cyclists that Florida’s bicycle law requires any bicycle in use between sunset and sunrise be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500’ to the front and a lamp and reflector on the rear each exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 600’ to the rear.
• Sanibel-Captiva Lions Christmas Tree Sale – next to Island Cinema at the Bailey’s Center, Wed through Sun, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., selling Michigan Fraser firs from 5’-10’, wreaths, & stands.
• 10^th Annual Golf Cart Parade Followed by 35^th Annual Captiva Holiday Luminary Stroll – tomorrow, Saturday, 12/7. Golf cart parade beginning at 2 p.m. near the entrance of South Seas Island Resort. Judging at 2:30 p.m., then parade begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by luminary from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
• South Seas Holiday Stroll – at the resort’s Yacht Harbour Marina & north end, Fri & Sat nights, 12/6 & 7, 12/13 & 14, 12/20 & 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring “ice” skating, entertainment, arts & crafts, treats, & more. Complimentary to resort guests, public entry with $10 donation to benefit Captains for Clean Water, children under 12 free. More info at SouthSeas.com
• BIG ARTS Community Chorus Holiday Concert – Tues, 12/10 at 7 p.m. at the Sanibel Community Church as the new BIG ARTS performance hall is under construction. Tickets ($12, with children under 12 free) at the door or on-line at BIGARTS.org.
• Art Under the Stars – Thur, 12/12 from 5 p.m. a collaboration between Hirdie-Girdie Gallery (2490 Library Way), Tower Gallery (751 Tarpon Bay Rd) & Suncatcher’s Dream (630 Tarpon Bay Rd, #2)
• Captiva’s First Ever Blues on the Beach – Sat, 12/14 at 15951 Captiva Dr from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets on-line ($15) at Tween-Waters.com/shop or at the door ($20).
• Friends Who Care – Remember last month when island Realtors® collected toys and gift cards at their annual “Fall Into Christmas” event? These donations go to Friends Who Care who coordinates the annual Santa Run which delivers the gifts to needy island children and seniors on Dec 23. If you are available to help sort and wrap the many donations, sorting day is at The Community House on Wed 12/18 at 2 p.m., followed by wrapping on Thu 12/19 at 9 a.m. Adult volunteers are needed, please bring your own scissors on wrapping day.

Real Estate Happenings

Usually the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas are busy with holiday preparations, but it also can be a good time for real estate. Just ten new listings were open for Realtor® Caravan yesterday morning, but Dave and Lisa were both out showing Captiva property yesterday afternoon and I have a full line-up of Sanibel homes and condos to show on Saturday. I always remind myself about the time I sold a house on Christmas Day. Sometimes the hype of the season helps spark the sale.

Sanibel Scoop

• New Location for Center-4-Life – At their Tuesday meeting, Sanibel City Council voted to purchase the commercial property at 2475 Library Way (currently Sanibel-Captiva Community Bank). It will be the future home of the City’s new Center-4-Life facility. More and updated space is needed for the expanded Island Seniors membership, programs, and activities. The sale is expected to finalize before the end of the year.
• SCCF & Sanibel Sea School Join Forces – Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and Sanibel Sea School will begin 2020 as a united force to better conserve the coastal ecosystems. As announced this week, starting January 1, the Sanibel Sea School will become SCCF’s education department. The two organizations will become a single nonprofit with Dr. Bruce Neill of the Sea School becoming SCCF’s director of education. SCCF currently is renovating its former Nature Center on Sanibel-Captiva Rd into an education hub with an auditorium that will feature presentations and displays on SCCF’s varied programs. Coastal Watch, an island-based advocacy arm of the Sanibel Sea School, also will become part of SCCF. Dr Neill summed it up nicely, saying, “We can best support nature and serve our community with a single unified voice, broadcast across multiple wavelengths, to promote nature resources conservation.”

Changes at Island Eats

• Cielo – was remodeled and renamed this summer (formerly Il Cielo). It reopened this week at 1244 Periwinkle Way with a new bar room featuring small plates and exotic drinks. More info at https://cielo-sanibel.com .
• Sanibel Chocolate Shop & Patisserie – in the former location of Pinocchio’s at 362 Periwinkle Way, open daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving artisan sandwiches & fresh baked pastries, muffins, crumb cake, croissants, and quiche. Also, Norman Love confections and homemade ice cream.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity November 29-December 6, 2019

Sanibel

CONDOS

5 new listings: Sanibel Moorings #311 2/2 $599K, Loggerhead Cay #222 2/2 $649K, Lighthouse Point #114 3/2 $679K, Loggerhead Cay #134 2/2 $995K, Sunward of Sanibel #201 3/2 $1.35M.

3 price changes: Mariner Pointe #642 2/2 now $585K, Loggerhead Cay #553 2/2 now $679K, Cottage Colony West #102 1/1 now $609,906.

1 new sale: Sanctuary Golf Villages I #5-1 2/2.5 listed at $754.5K.

3 closed sales: Sundial #H307 1/1 $412.5K, Breakers West #A5 2/2 $489K, Wedgewood #305 3/3.5 $1.425M.

HOMES

7 new listings: 965 Beach Rd 3/2 half-duplex $499K, 433 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $665K, 2010 Wild Lime Dr 3/3 $729K, 1056 S Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $879K, 1271 Par View Dr 3/3 $949K, 2569 Coconut Dr 3/2 $989K, 5855 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 3/2 $995K.

10 price changes: 1684 Bunting Ln 2/2 now $491.5K; 1356 Jamaica Dr 2/1.5 now $575K; 1536 Bunting Ln 3/2 now $589,995; 4619 Brainard Bayou Rd 3/2 now $595K; 280 Southwinds Dr 3/3.5 now $699K; 218 Daniel Dr 3/2.5 now $745K; 1031 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 now $799K; 5835 Pine Tree Dr 3/2 now $844.5K; 5186 Sea Bell Rd 3/3 now $875K; 1285 Par View Dr 4/2.5 now $879K.

5 new sale: 401 Raintree Pl 3/1.5 listed at $475K; 1805 Ibis Ln 2/2 listed at $519K, 707 Cardium St 3/2 listed at $729K; 632 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 listed at $719,007; 247 Christofer Ct 3/2 listed at $799K

1 closed sale: 2414 Wulfert Rd 4/4.5 $1M.

LOTS

3 new listings: 2002 Wild Lime Dr $319K; 0 Dixie Beach Blvd $525,555; 6419 Pine Ave $889K.

2 price changes: 2279 Wulfert Rd now $318K, 3945 West Gulf Dr now $3.495M.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 898 Rabbit Rd $160K (our listing & sale).

Captiva

CONDOS

2 new listings: Tennis Villas #3137 2/2 $474K, Beach Cottages #1404 2/2 $1.245M.

1 price change: Beach Villas #2417 1/1 now $505K.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: Beach Homes #11 4/3 $2.285M.

HOMES

1 new listing: 53 Sandpiper Ct 2/2.5 $889K.

4 price changes: 11501 Laika Ln 3/3 now $1.3M, 11547 Laika Ln 4/4 now $1.995M, 11528 Andy Rosse Ln 1/2.5 now $2.6M, 15147 Captiva Dr 6/5.5 now $4.595M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 11525 Murmound Ln now $795K.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 13470 Palmflower Ln $1.375M.

This representation is based in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® 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 the 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, may your holiday festivities also be fun!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan