It has been a week of nice weather on sunny Sanibel with a little extra breeze midweek as Hurricane Zeta churned out in the gulf. The forecast says early next week, we may experience daytime temperature highs only in the 70’s, nights in the 60’s, for the first time in many months. That usually is a good indication that the rainy season is wrapping up. Hooray!

Here at SanibelSusan Realty, teammate Dave and I both have been working offers. Those can become challenging when buyers leave the islands or when there are national and international events causing distractions. There certainly have been enough of those this year.

Daytime traffic on Periwinkle again has picked up as more snowbirds return. The activity since last Friday posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service follows a couple of news items below.

The ink is barely dry on our new listing on Olga Avenue which was professionally photographed this morning. Watch for those photos next week.

Openings & Re-Opening

Nature Store2 is expected to have its grand opening November 20 in Sanibel Square, so we will have a new neighbor. Launched by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society Friends, this new off-campus store will feature a monitor streaming images of the wildlife, scenery, and activities at the refuge. It will carry many of the same popular items at their flagship store and on ShopDingDarling.com, but it also will be more art oriented.

The Savoury Spoon which debuted four years ago at the Sanibel Farmers Market has now opened a breakfast, brunch, smoothie, sandwich, lunch spot in the Bailey Shopping Center, hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., phone 239-312-8132

T2 Restaurant at The Village Shops has re-opened & serving food and drinks all day, Tuesday – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Their nearby shop also is open Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m.

City of Sanibel – Emergency Declaration, COVID-19

Again, this week, Sanibel’s Mayor extended the declared state of emergency due to COVID-19 until November 3, 2020, unless further extended. (Per State Statute, the maximum duration for a Mayoral Declaration of Emergency is seven days and thus must be updated weekly as the emergency exists.) Additionally, the City face covering mandate was reaffirmed and remains in effect through the period.

Per the Florida Department of Health, Sanibel’s total accumulative number of COVID-19 cases since March 26 is 60. (No increase since last week. Please stay vigilant – continue social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, and avoid group gatherings.)

Best Places (Metro Area) to Retire?

13 of the ‘Top 25’ Are in Florida

Posted on FloridaRealtors® on October 14, 2020, by Kerry Smith:

“U.S. News & World Report’s latest ranking of top retirement communities could have almost said, “Pick any town in Fla.” Seven Fla. metros are in the top 10: Sarasota (No. 1), Fort Myers (2), Port St. Lucie (3), Naples (4), Ocala (6), Miami (9) and Melbourne (10).

“WASHINGTON – U.S. News & World Report unveiled its 2020-2021 Best Places to Live and Best Places to Retire in the United States. The new lists evaluate the country’s 150 most populous metropolitan areas based on affordability, job prospects and desirability.

“In the “Best Places to Retire” category, Florida metro areas stood out with seven out of the top 10 slots and 13 of the top 25 slots.

““After a prolonged period of staying at home, people are taking a critical look at where they live, and many are looking to find a place they can feel happier, afford more or pursue new opportunities,” says Devon Thorsby, real estate editor at U.S. News. “The Best Places rankings can help people examine the details they consider important in a larger community.”

“This year, U.S. News increased the number of metropolitan areas evaluated for both sets of rankings from 125 to 150, to provide a broader and more accurate reflection of where Americans can live and retire.

“Best places to retire

“U.S. News & World Report’s announcement of top retirement destinations says it’s “dominated by Florida metro areas, largely due to affordable homes, low taxes and high ratings for happiness and desirability.”

“An increase in Desirability and Job Market scores lifted Sarasota from No. 2 last year to No. 1 this year – but it overtook another Florida city, Fort Myers, which became No. 2. And while Port. St. Lucie’s Housing Affordability score decreased slightly, increases in Desirability, Job Market and Health Care scores helped it jump two places to No. 3.

“Miami also saw a decrease in Housing Affordability, but it broke into the top 10 this year, jumping five places to No. 9 thanks to Desirability and Job Market score increases.

“The top 25 places to retire also includes three Texas communities, and two places each in Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee.

““Moving to a new place for retirement can reduce your cost of living and improve your quality of life,” says Emily Brandon, U.S. News senior editor for retirement. “The Best Places to Retire includes information about housing costs, access to quality hospitals and the strength of the job market, which can help you find a retirement spot that will meet your needs.”

“The 2020-2021 Best Places to Retire were determined based on a methodology that factored in happiness, housing affordability, health care quality, retiree taxes, desirability and job market ratings. These measures were weighted based on a public survey of individuals across the U.S. who are nearing retirement age (ages 45-59) and those who are of retirement age (60 or older) to find out what matters most when considering where to retire.

“Data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as U.S. News rankings of the Best Hospitals.

“2020-2021 Best Places to Retire – Top 25

1. Sarasota
2. Fort Myers
3. Port St. Lucie
4. Naples
5. Lancaster, Pa.
6. Ocala
7. Ann Arbor, Mich.
8. Asheville, N.C.
9. Miami
10. Melbourne
11. Myrtle Beach, S.C.
12. Nashville, Tenn.
13. Jacksonville
14. Manchester, N.H.
15. Daytona Beach
16. Orlando
17. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
18. Lakeland
19. Chattanooga, Tenn.
20. Tampa
21. Grand Rapids, Mich.
22. Houston, Texas
23. Charlotte, N.C.
24. San Antonio, Texas
25. Pensacola

“U.S. News & World Report is a global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. © 2020 Florida Realtors®”

Taste of the Islands Reimagined

CROW’s (The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) 39^th Annual Taste of the Islands this year is a month-long fundraiser. For $10, attendees can purchase a passport that contains a list and map of the 31 participating along with the “Taste” items being offered at each restaurant. A portion of the proceeds from those designated food and beverage items will be donated to CROW. Items may be enjoyed dining in or ordered as take-out.

The restaurants participating are participating for the whole month of November, so the timing of your purchase is flexible. With each visit, the restaurant will stamp or punch your passport. With passport holders eligible to vote for their favorite eatery to win the coveted “People’s Choice Award.” Additional awards will be judged for “Best Appetizer”, “Best Seafood”, “Best Meat”, “Best Vegetarian”, “Best Dessert”, “Taste of the Taste”, and a new one, “Best Drink”.

Passport holders also will be eligible for prize drawings with ballot boxes set up around the islands. Passports must be turned in by December 4 at 4 p.m.

Another new element this year is a “CROW Crawl” each Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Each one focuses on restaurants in a different area of the island. These events will have CROW tent, sponsors, and giveaways. The CROW Crawls schedule is:

November 1 – Crow’s Nest, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille Captiva, The Green Flash, Lazy Flamingo (original), The Mucky Duck, Old Captiva House, & Sunset Grill.

November 8 – Great White Grill, Love Boat Ice Cream (Jerry’s Center), The Pecking Order Fried Chicken & Pies, Sanibel Deli, T2, & The Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market.

November 15 – Blue Giraffe, Island Pizza Company, Mudbugs Cajun Kitchen, Sanibel Fish House, Sweet Melissa’s Café, & Traders.

November 22 – The Clam Shack, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille Sanibel, Joey’s Custard, Normandie Seaside Café, Spoondrift Island Bowls, & Thistle Lodge Beachfront Restaurant.

November 29 – Cielo, Lazy Flamingo II, Matzaluna’s Italian Kitchen, Sanibel Fresh, Sea Breeze Café (Sundial), & Tipsy Turtle Restaurant & Bar.

Passports are for sale at CROW’s Visitor Education Center, Bank of the Islands, and Edison National Bank branches, Bailey’s General Store locations, and Huxter’s Market & Deli. They also can be purchased at any of the participating eateries or at www.CROWClinic.org (for pickup).

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity October 23-30, 2020

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Kimball Lodge #264 1/1.5 $570K, Kimball Lodge #302 1/1 $574K, Sundial #H203 2/2 $739K.

2 price changes: Coquina Beach #2B 2/2 now $479K, Mariner Pointe #732 2/2 now $564K.

6 new sales: Mariner Pointe #952 1/1 listed at $388,990; Spanish Cay #F4 2/2 listed at $399,999; Beach Road Villas #105 2/2 $479K, Loggerhead Cay #462 2/2 listed at $579K; Compass Point #232 2/2 listed at $599K (our listing); Sundial #O201 3/2 listed at $819K.

2 closed sales: Island Beach Club #P1A 2/2 $570K, Compass Point #222 2/2 $595K.

HOMES

2 new listings: 1467 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 $789K, 1120 Olga Ave 3/2 $950K (our listing).

3 price changes: 1035 S.Yachtsman Dr 5/4.5 now $1.05M, 1391 Jamaica Dr 4/3 now $1.299M, 1718 Jewel Box Dr 4/4.5 now $2.749M.

11 new sales: 1403 Sandpiper Cir 3/2.5 half-duplex listed at $490K, 1603 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 half-duplex listed at $580K, 753 Nerita St 3/2 listed at $589K, 1653 Bunting Ln 3/2.5 listed at $647K, 2480 Library Way 3/2.5 listed at $649K, 280 Southwinds Dr 3/3.5 listed at $699K, 1610 Sabal Sands Rd 3/2 listed at $714.9K, 3926 Coquina Dr 3/2 listed at $769K, 1308 Tahiti Dr 3/3 listed at $949K, 1720 Dixie Beach Blvd 3/3 listed at $995K, 1152 Buttonwood Ln 3/3.5 listed at $1.695M.

8 closed sales: 9455 Beverly Ln 2/2 $503K; 690 Durion Ct 3/2 $675K; 1223 Par View Dr 3/2 $680K; 4455 Gulf Pines Dr 3/2 $706.5K; 734 Anchor Dr 3/2 $830K; 979 Whelk Dr 3/2.5 $875K; 537 Lake Murex Cir 3/3 $1,044,750; 1352 Eagle Run Dr 3/2.5 $1.095M.

LOTS

2 new listings: 5398 Osprey Ct $299K, 575 Sea Oats Dr $389.9K.

1 price change: 6095 Dinkins Lake Rd now $269,555.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

2 new listings: Marina Villas #808 2/2 $779K, Lands End Village #1651 2/2 $1.265M.

1 price change: Bayside Villas #5118 1/2 now $399,999.

1 new sale: Lands End Village #1608 3/3 listed at $2.085M.

2 closed sales: Tennis Villas #3213 1/1 $350K, Lands End Village #1667 2/2 $1.02M.

HOMES

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: 16531 Captiva Dr 8/8 $2.35M.

LOTS

No new listings, price changes, new, or closed sales.

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.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Enjoy your Halloween! Stay safe!

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan