It is another sunny Friday with SanibelSusan counting down the days when she is living back at home on the island. More progress this week on that happening soon.

What’s Open

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce has launched an app, Wander: Maps & Navigation. This GPS-enabled map allows users to see what businesses and beaches have opened, bike path accessibility, and more. The most common question on social media continues to be “where can I stay?” Many would-be summer vacationers obviously have not been following the restoration/rebuilding required for most hotels and condos to again become habitable. This app has some good info. Check it out at https://tinyurl.com/SanCapWanderApp.

Tarpon Bay Explorers & Refuge Hours

Tarpon Bay Explorers has cut back its kayak tours to Wednesdays only at 10 a.m. and tram tours to Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Call 239-472-8900 or go online to make reservations. (Photo taken this afternoon.)

Current Refuge hours:

• Wildlife Dr – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Thursday (closed Friday). May through September, an admission pass to Wildlife Dr turns into a 3-day ticket. Reenter free for the following two consecutive days. (Note: With Wildlife Dr closed on Friday, pass is good for the next Saturday if the consecutive days fall on a weekend.)
• Visitor & Education Center, & Refuge Nature Store – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Thursday.
• Tarpon Bay Explorers – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday (last rentals at 3 p.m.)
• Bailey Tract – sunrise to sunset daily.

Emerging From Hurricane Ian: Stronger & More Resilient (Part 3)

The 3^rd event in a community series hosted by the SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future in collaboration with the City of Sanibel will be Monday, May 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at BIG ARTS (or may be viewed remotely on The City of Sanibel Facebook page). The topic for this session is Lessons Learned: Emergency Response. Moderated by City Manager Dana Souza this program features a panel of professionals who led the Sanibel, Captiva, and Lee County emergency response to Hurricane Ian.

Sanibel Post Office

The temporary trailers are closed today and tomorrow while the Post Office is transitioning back into their restored building.

(Pix today showing disassembling of trailer accesses.)

Grant Agreement Approved for Beach Sand Nourishment

Sanibel City Council approved a grant agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the amount of $13.08 million for the nourishment of sand on Sanibel’s beach. The grant was provided by the State of Florida during a Special Legislative Session held in December 2022. Staff informed the City Council that the earliest the project may take place is November 2023. The project cannot be completed within sea turtle nesting season. Additionally, permits and additional funding must be secured before the project may begin. Staff anticipates FEMA will also reimburse the City $10.2 million for the dune (berm) replacement on Sanibel. City staff will provide the City Council with monthly updates concerning the schedule and funding for this important beach nourishment project.

Florida’s 2023 Legislative Ends

The 2023 legislative session officially ended last Friday with the $117 billion General Appropriation bill approved by both houses. This 2023-2024 fiscal year budget is an $8 billion increase over the current budget but is supported by state revenue increases and a strong economy. SCCF’s weekly update provided some of the notable environmental budgets as:

• $850M Florida Wildlife Corridor land acquisition including properties in SW FL between Dinner Key in Hendry County & Big Cypress Wildlife Management area in Collier County
• $100M Florida Forever Land Acquisition Program
• $100M Rural & Family Lands Acquisition & Conservation Easement Program
• $25M Caloosahatchee River Watershed Water Quality Improvements
• $20M Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation
• $5M Red-Tide Debris Clean-up
• $75M Northern Everglades & Estuaries Protection
• $50M Everglades Restoration.

For a complete list of local funding projects and bill updates, check the SCCF Legislative Tracker.

2023 Realtors Legislative Meetings

This week Realtor leaders from around the nation were in Washington DC for their legislative meetings. This annual event is when the National Association of Realtors (NAR) leverages the power of more than 1.5 million Realtors© to effectively advocate for the most pressing issues facing the real estate community. The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association was represented along with our colleagues from our SW Florida district. We look forward to an update from our local Prez and Florida Realtors Chief Economist at our next membership meeting on May 25.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate

Yesterday the local Association of Realtors© held a Caravan Meeting at BIG ARTS with six homes open for viewings after the meeting. With most condo complexes still under restoration/construction, we look forward to adding those properties to the viewing list when the communities are open.

Below are updated summary tables of island residential sales statistics, plus the action posted since last Friday in the island Multiple Listing Service.

On the commercial front, the former original “Gene’s Books” property, on the south side of Periwinkle, 2365 Periwinkle Way, is under contract (listed for $1.098M).

SANIBEL	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	68	1,124,075	86	121	1,625,315	79	28	1,251,089	75
Under contract	15	1,115,393	57	41	1,462,990	77	6	751,962	7
Sold 2023 to 5/12	49	906,908	46	129	1,191,668	48	9	968,777	93
Sold 2022	123	1,136,199	44	185	1,602,745	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	12	1,587,833	91	8	5,856,875	136	1	15,500,000	412
Under contract	4	1,062,500	16	2	4,195,000	30	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2023 to 5/12	3	984,000	140	7	3,049,857	65	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 May 5-12

Sanibel

CONDOS

5 new listings: Tennisplace #C32 2/1 $529K, Pointe Santo #D41 2/2 $1.15M, Shell Island Beach Club #6C 2/2 $1.35M, Sanddollar #A302 3/2 $1.65M, Chelsea Place #2 4/4 $4.195M.

1 price change: Sanctuary Golf Villages 1 #1-1 2/2.5 now $950K.

4 new sales: Seashells #16 2/2 listed at $455K, Blind Pass #B208 2/2 listed at $650K, Island Beach Club #340B 2/2 listed at $699K, Snug Harbor #121 3/2 listed at $1.699M.

4 closed sales: Oceans Reach #4B1 1/1 $425K, Seashells #3 2/2 $435K, Kings Crown #208 2/2 $840K, Oceans Reach #2D4 2/2 $875K.

HOMES

6 new listings: 1724 Bunting Ln 3/2.5 $1.295M, 1517 Sand Castle Rd 4/3.5 $2.195M, 513 Lighthouse Way 3/3 $2.295M, 1740 Dixie Beach Blvd 3/2.5 $2.395M, 1158 Golden Olive Ct 5/5.5 $3.395M, 408 East Bella Vista Way E 4/4 $3.75M.

9 price changes: 1326 Tahiti Dr 2/2 now $895K, 442 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 now $650K, 1284 Par View Dr 2/2 now $699K, Moonshadows #1A 3/3 now $849K, 557 East Rocks Dr 4/3 now $969K, 997 Fish Crow Rd 3/2 now $1.125M, 3311 Twin Lakes Ln 3/3 now $1.143M, 3205 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 now $1.245M, 963 Kings Crown Dr 3/2 now $2.349M.

1 back on market: 505 Lighthouse Way 4/3.5 $2.349M.

7 new sales: 1937 Roseate Ln 2/2 listed at $459,555; 4752 Rue Helene 2/2 listed at $699K, 1332 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed at $990K, 241 Violet Dr 3/2.5 listed at $1.179M, 3050 West Gulf Dr 3/2.5 listed at $1.45M, 1057 Seahawk Ln 3/2.5 listed at $1.65M, 3611 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5 listed at $3.75M.

3 closed sales: 1198 Junonia St 2/2 $564K, 1398 Middle Gulf Dr #B 4/5.5 $1.15M, 3941 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5 $4M.

LOTS

4 new listings: 1331 Par View Dr $579K, 725 Donax St $750K, 1321 Seaspray Ln $995K, 4717 Rue Belle Mer $3.795M.

1 price change: 3730 Coquina Dr now $595K.

1 new sale: 1105 Shell Basket Ln listed at $649K.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Villas #2514 2/2 $1.265M.

1 price change: Bayside Villas #5308 1/2 now $612.5K.

1 new sales: Beach Villas #2417 1/1 listed at $750K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 11461 Old Lodge Ln 4/3 $3.15M.

1 price change: 1 Sunset Captiva Ln 2/2.5 now $3.55M.

1 new sales: 11401 Old Lodge Ln 2/3.5 listed at $5.995M.

No closed sales.

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.

Best wishes to all the Moms!

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan