It is another sunny Sanibel Friday with warm temperatures. It was a tad warmer yesterday, so no surprise later in the evening when a shower passed over. Rain is badly needed both for wildlife, vegetation, and to clear away the hurricane muck dust. Perhaps, rainy season will begin early this year.

Driving the islands, recovery continues slowly. Roofing is the most obvious work underway in addition to vegetation clean-up. More ground-level structures are coming down, sometimes making one think back to what was there. I had to do that yesterday on West Gulf Dr when I drove by the former site of the Christian Scientist Church, which is no more, at the entrance to Palm Lake.

While some are being demolished and others repaired, more and more are coming back to their pre-storm or better than pre-storm condition. At my home, where Dave often checks progress, he reported that a painter already was working at 7:30 a.m. When I stopped mid-afternoon, other workers were at it! Yay! It’s getting closer.

While on island this afternoon, I took a ride out Woodring Rd, posted a video on Facebook, and also got these two pictures. The osprey nest is at the park at the end of Dixie Beach Blvd, while the view of San Carlos Bay is from just up the street.

After that, I made a stop at the Recreation Center.

If you still need a “Shine on Sanibel” shirt for an Easter Basket, they still have some!

At SanibelSusan Realty

Finally, some progress this week as our building in Sanibel Square had roofers working. Our fingers are crossed that interior restoration begins next.

Both teammate Dave and I showed property last weekend and earlier in the week, while he also checked our listings today. When out doing that he spied a couple of boats inside the sandbar in front of Gulfside Place. That was enough for him to hustle up the beach and take a couple of photos!

No offers yet from the property viewings this week, but we made good progress with multiple home buyers, had another nice closing, and continue to market.

I also fielded several calls from owners working on their taxes and wondering if they can claim casualty loss because the value of their property changed because of the storm. Realtors may provide an opinion of value (appraisals must come from a licensed appraiser) but determining that value can be difficult, particularly if there are no comparable sales,

The Sanibel market demonstrated a busy first quarter, more sales than most years in many communities. Did property values decrease following Ian? Probably, if they were damaged, but only the amount needed to restore them to before hurricane condition.

Island News

Turner Beach Opening Today – The City of Sanibel & Lee County opened beach parking at Turner Beach (17200 Captiva Dr) today (25 parking, plus 2 handicapped). The beach is owned by Lee County but managed by Sanibel through an interlocal agreement. County DOT and Sanibel Public Works staff worked in collaboration to repair damage to the facility which has been closed since Hurricane Ian made landfall. The restrooms remain closed; however the county has staged portable toilets for patron use.

SanCap Citizens for Resilient Future: Emerging from Hurricane (Part 2) April 11 – at BIG ARTS Performance Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. This is the 2^nd event in a community series hosted by the SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future together with the City of Sanibel. The 1^st event focused on sharing community stories and collecting feedback to guide a citizen-led planning effort focused on rebuilding greater resiliency for the future. The 2^nd event will delve into lessons learned and where we go from here, with a specific focus on our built environment (structures) and our natural systems (conservation lands, coast lines and residential landscapes). Local experts in key areas of community resilience will describe what worked well in the face of Hurricane Ian, what did not, and what lessons and best practices can help in the future. (Remote viewing on the City of Sanibel Facebook page. No registration needed, just come on log on.)

Sanibel City Council Meeting with Post-Ian Progress Update April 12 – meeting begins at 9 a.m. Progress Update is 5^th agenda item. Watch it on City of Sanibel Facebook Live.

Concert Rescheduled May 16 – The Community Chorus joint concert with the singers from the Sanibel School scheduled this week was canceled at the last minute due to illness of the school music director. I got the word last night that it’s been rescheduled for May 16 at 6:30 p.m. at BIG ARTS Performance Hall.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate

The action posted since last Friday in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service is after the inventory summary below. You will notice in the summary tables that a line was added to compare sales to date this year, to sales to date last year.

The number of Sanibel closed home sales far exceeded those during the same time last year. Interestingly in some communities, that action exceeded even the number of sales in all of last year. Those include Chateau Sur Mer, Gulf Pines, Gulf Shores, Lake Murex, Sanibel Shores, Shell Harbor and Tradewinds.

Usually, sales activity here slows down after Easter. This year could be an exception with many prospective buyers just awaiting a place to stay. There still are few short-term accommodations on the islands (Island Inn and Tween Waters).

SANIBEL	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	71	1,133,685	64	132	1,583,833	66	21	1,323,714	66
Under contract	12	618,825	49	37	1,459,959	32	4	500,000	23
Sold 2023 to 4/6	40	971,637	43	100	1,098,839	46	7	1,060,571	110
Sold 2022 to 4/7	52	1,006,830	46	72	1,708,673	67	11	656,909	206
Sold 2022	123	1,136,199	44	184	1,597,868	52	26	779,528	223
Sold 2021	287	875,127	113	355	1,341,881	89	69	698,862	442

 

CAPTIVA	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	7	1,684,642	110	7	7,307,571	174	1	15,500,000	377
Under contract	3	1,088,333	8	2	3,195,000	47	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2023 to 4/6	2	1,237,500	172	6	3,008,166	64	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2022 to 4/7	14	1,413,323	46	10	3,678,750	348	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2022	28	1,458,983	52	22	5,636,386	133	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2021	64	1,150,373	145	44	2,988,520	261	2	2,950,000	731

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity Mar 31 – Apr 7

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Kings Crown #217 2/2 $1.6M.

3 price changes: Loggerhead Cay #592 2/2 now $825K, Sanctuary Golf Village I #1-1 2/2.5 now $1.025M, Seascape #305 3/3 now $1.995M.

2 new sales: Tennisplace #A22 2/1 listed at $450K, Island Beach Club #220F 2/2 listed at $759K.

4 closed sales: Captains Walk #A6 1/1 $400K (SanibelSusan listng), Tennisplace #B22 2/2.5 $489K, Sundial #F403 2/2 $795K, Gulfside Place #319 3/2 $1.445M.

HOMES

9 new listings: 1866 Ibis Ln 2/2 now $529.5K, 442 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $699K, 647 Rabbit Rd 3/2 $725K, 2134 Egret Cir (1/2 duplex) 3/2 $829K, 224 Daniel Dr 3/2.5 $945K, 438 Lake Murex Cir 2/2 $995K, 1171 Seagrape Ln (duplex) 2/2 $1.195M, 2/2663 East Rocks Dr 3/3 $1.348M, 1352 Eagle Run Dr 3/2.5 $1.699M, 5750 San-Cap Rd 3/2 $2.492M.

9 price changes: 1018 S Yachtsman 3/3 now $1.03M, 5410 Osprey Ct 3/2.5 now $1.099M. 1326 Tahiti Dr 2/2 now $1.395M, 4565 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 now $1.15M, 9048 Mockingbird Dr 3/3 now $1.274M, 682 Pyrula Ave 4/4.5 now $2.095M, 505 Lighthouse Way 4/3.5 now $2.3495, 417 Bella Vista Way E 4/4 now $3.25M.

5 new sales: 1242 Par View Dr 3/2 listed at $899K, 1015 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed at $1.275M, 9027 Mockingbird Dr 4/3 $1.3M, 2629 Coconut Dr 4/3 listed at $1.698M, 1718 Jewel Box Dr 4/4.5 listed at $3.6M.

7 closed sales: 994 Greenwood Ct N 3/3 $470K, 1314 Tahiti Dr 3/2 $625K, 676 Cardium St 4/2 $725K, 1043 Blue Heron Dr 3/3 $1.1M, 698 Anchor Dr 5/5.5 $1.615M, 950 Victoria Way 4/4 $2.1M, 466 Sea Oats Dr 4/4 $2.199M.

LOTS

2 new listings: 2933 Wulfert Rd $478K, 1825 Long Point Ln $799K.

3 price changes: 2356 Wulfert Rd now $334K, 808 Pyrula Ave now $650K, 4657 Rue Belle Mer now $3.995M.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Lands End #1667 2/2 $1.599M.

No price changes.

1 back on market: Bayside Villas #4204 1/2 $614.5K.

1 new sale: Marina Villas #906 2/2 listed at $1.2M.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes:

1 new sale: 11530 Chapin Ln 3/2 listed at $2.395M.

1 closed sale: 11460 Old Lodge Ln 4/3 $2.399M.

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.

Happy Easter!

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan