Here it is another Friday with an update saying island weather again is beautiful. Sanibel and Captiva had plenty of sunshine over the last few days, with temperatures usually in the low 80’s, then cooling down a bit in the evenings. A quick shower last night might be indicating the rainy season is beginning. More of the same is expected next week.

A client that purchased his bayside home with us a few years ago also is a blog follower and knows we love island wildlife. His property has a huge osprey nest on the dock. He shared these recent pix so I could share them with you. Thank you, Scott.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® April Membership Meeting

Yesterday was the monthly membership meeting of the local Association of Realtors®. Speaker was Michael Nachef, Director of Government Relations for Lee Health. It was a Zoom meeting, apropos since Michael was calling from Tallahassee where Florida’s legislative session is wrapping up this week. His update on the pandemic offered some interesting info. Here are some takeaways:

COVID-19 Update

This Wed, Apr 28, 2021, there were a total of 188 COVID patients in Lee Health hospitals. Compare this to the highest number in July 2020, when there were 360 patients. The low was in Oct 2020, when there were only 44 patients.

Wondering why? During pandemic tracking, the median patient age has shifted downward. Leading into the high, the median patient age was 64/65. Today, the median age is 39, proving that vaccinating the primary (older) group is working and showing that younger residents re-engaging in social activities are not protected and urgently need vaccinations.

He said that it will take 70/80% of the population to be vaccinated for herd immunity. Once vaccinated, an individual has only a 10% chance of getting the virus and if they do get it a 95% chance that they will be asymptomatic or show no evidence of the disease.

Today just 54% of the population has had one dose, so everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated. Locally, more vaccines now are available than those wanting appointments.

Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate News

It was not a surprise that there were few real estate announcements during the Caravan portion of the meeting. No announced new listings, just one price reduction, and just one property open for viewing.

Usually after Easter, business slows on the islands. The activity posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service (MLS) follows a couple of news items below. First, the latest summary numbers from MLS. Hard to believe that on Sanibel there are only 83 properties for sale on the entire island – that includes just 27 homes. With 431 Sanibel sales already this year, it has been a buying frenzy!

Sanibel	Condos		Homes		Lots
	#	Avg Price	#	Avg Price	#	Avg Price
For sale 4/30	33	859,672	27	2,612,185	23	616,879
Under contract	56	809,171	78	1,477,048	17	1,239,576
Sold/closed 2021 thru 4/30	109	860,780	136	1,304,958	35	529,828
Sold/closed in all of 2020	192	733,876	290	954,718	23	606,233
Sold/closed in all of 2019	127	694,392	211	949,790	15	372,200

At SanibelSusan Realty

This week, the team and I are thankful that another listing is under contract and another closing finalized. Our remaining listings continue to get inquiries and good action. As inventory continues to dwindle, we hear the same news from friends in other vacation destinations.

Gov. DeSantis Again Extends Florida’s COVID-19 State of Emergency

On Tuesday, Florida’s Gov. DeSantis extended the state emergency order for another 60 days. Since March 2020, the Governor has been extending the original emergency order in 60-day increments. This order allows Florida to activate its emergency operations center, work with and ask for federal government assistance, and allowed deployment of the Florida National Guard to help.

It also has allowed additional precautions by state and local agencies to keep workers safe from exposure and has allowed licensed healthcare workers certified in other states to practice in Florida, providing more hands for testing, vaccination, and other care.

This week, Sanibel’s State of Emergency also was extended for another week (or until May 4) by Mayor Holly Smith. The number of cases reported here from March 26, 2020 through April 28 is 250. Captiva’s cases total 12.

U.S. – 2^nd Most-Affordable Housing Market in the World

Who knew? This interesting tidbit in the May 2021 “FloridaRealtor®” magazine: “The United States is the second-most-affordable housing market in the world, according to comparethemarket.com. Researchers looked at average property price per square foot and average disposable income to calculate the cost per square foot as a percentage of annual income. No. 1? Turkey, followed by the United States, Russia, South Africa, and Mexico.”

Sanibel’s 2021 Prescribed Burn Areas

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge posted the below info on-line this week: “During the 2021 spring/summer season, the Sanibel Prescribed Fire Task Force is planning prescribed burns on the following conservation sites:

SCCF/City of Sanibel – Erick A. Lindblad Preserve

USFWS, JN “Ding” Darling NWR – Legion Curve, Botanical Site, & Bailey Tract

“We would like to invite the public to a virtual information meeting on Wed, May 5, 2021 starting at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the burn plans and address any questions or concerns. Access to this meeting is through this Zoom link:

https://sccf-org.zoom.us/j/89160685854….

“When forecasted conditions are favorable, the Sanibel Prescribed Fire Task Force will issue further notification that a prescribed burn is imminent and identify the specific location of the burn. All prescribed fires must be authorized by the Florida Forest Service on the morning of the scheduled burn. A change in the forecast conditions may result in cancellation of the planned burn. A prescribed fire will NOT be conducted if the prescription conditions cannot be met prior to ignition.

“A burn plan, or “prescription,” has been established for the priority areas within these conservation lands. The prescription details the required conditions that must exist in order for a prescribed burn to take place. These include environmental conditions such as soil moisture, fuel conditions, and recent rainfall, as well as forecasted and actual weather conditions including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction. Following a predefined prescription allows fire management officers to establish the desired fire behavior (intensity, flame length, direction of fire spread and smoke). The prescription also identifies the number of qualified fire personnel needed to conduct the burn as well as the types and number of equipment required to safely complete the burn.

“Why are prescribed fires needed? Fire is a natural part of Florida’s ecosystem, historically set by lightning. Because of this history of periodic fires, many of Florida’s natural communities are adapted to burning. Fire removes old vegetation, promotes new growth of native vegetation, and suppresses the growth of non-native invasive plants. In the absence of fire, many plant communities are displaced by dense, woody vegetation which can reduce plant diversity and eliminate foraging opportunities for the island’s wildlife. Species such as the gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, and Sanibel rice rat all depend on a fire-maintained ecosystem. In addition to the natural benefits of fire, carefully planning and conducting prescribed burns can reduce the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires by reducing the amount of vegetation – or “fuel”—that would be available in the event of a wildfire.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity April 23-30, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

4 new listings: Sanibel Arms West #C6 2/2 $955K, Gulfside Place #124 2/2 $1.385M, Cyprina Beach #3 3/3 $1.6M, Pointe Santo #A47 3/2 $1.995M.

1 price change: Pointe Santo #A1 2/2 now $889K.

10 new sales: Sanibel Arms #H6 1/1 listed at $360K; Mariner Pointe #731 2/2 listed at $525K; Kimball Lodge #244 1/1.5 listed at $550K; Sanibel Arms #A1 2/2 listed at $555K, Sundial #C303 2/2 listed at $695K; Oceans Reach #2D1 2/2 listed at $890K; Sanibel Arms West #C4 2/2 listed at $910,990; White Sands #23 2/2 listed at $1.099M (our listing); Island Beach Club #230D 2/2 listed at $1.335M, Compass Point #151 3/3 listed at $1.495M.

10 closed sales: Mariner Pointe #541 2/2 $515K (our listing), Sanibel Arms West #A1 2/2 $525K, Sanibel Arms West #I4 2/2 $559K, Sanibel Arms West #J3 2/2 $560K, Sanibel Moorings #842 2/2 $610K, Sunset South #10C 2/2 $700K, Sandpiper Beach #105 2/2 $797.5K, Pelicans Roost #203 2/2 $875K, Pointe Santo #E22 2/2 $875K, Royale Tern #204 3/3.5 $1.2475M.

HOMES

3 new listings: 1643 Bunting Ln 2/2 $599K, 999 East Gulf Dr #103 4/3 $1.995M, 1237 Isabel Dr 6/6.5 $3.195M.

3 price changes: 5100 Sea Bell Rd 4/2.5 now $949K, 820 Angel Wing Dr 3/2 now $1.45M, 1306 Seaspray Ln 4/4 now $4.245M.

12 new sales: 1643 Bunting Ln 2/2 listed at $599K, 1644 Bunting Ln 3/3 listed at $658K, 868 Rabbit Rd 3/2 listed at $725K, 4505 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/3 listed at $729K, 9456 Beverly Ln 3/2 listed at $789K, 2480 Library Way 3/2.5 listed at $829K, 4377 Gulf Pines Dr 3/3 listed at 875K, 915 Fitzhugh St 4/2.5 listed at $945K, 5773 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 2/2 listed at $1.225M, 812 Birdie View Pt 3/3.5 listed at $1.549M, 1761 Venus Dr 4/3.5 listed at $1.899M, 768 Limpet Dr 3/3 listed at $2.3M.

3 closed sales: 1940 Periwinkle Way 3/2 half-duplex $565K, 4202 Old Banyan Way 3/2 $848K, 2843 Wulfert Rd 4/5 $1.295M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 0 Rue Bayou now $649,555.

4 new sales: 255 Hurricane Ln listed at $368K, 5687 Baltusrol Ct listed at $399K, 1318 Par View Dr listed at $399K, 00 West Gulf Dr listed at $3.895M.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Beach Cottages #1423 2/2 listed at $1.195M.

4 closed sales:  Tennis Villas #3212 1/1 $305K, Gulf Beach Villas #2024 3/3 $1.035M, Captiva Shores #7B 3/2.5 $1.324M, Lands End Village #1662 3/3 $1.99M.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes.

2 new sales: 42 Oster Ct 2/2.5 listed at $1.095M, 41 Oster Ct 2/2.5 listed at $1.125M.

4 closed sales: 18 Urchin Ct 2/2 $1.0625M, 15146 Wiles Dr 2/2 $2M, 11544 Wightman Ln 4/4.5 $2.1M, 11541 Paige Ct 3/4/2 $3.625M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

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”.

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan