Florida Realtors 2023 Convention/Expo & Business Meetings

As I finish up the week in Orlando, Florida Realtors 2023 Convention and Trade Expo are complete. Tim Tebow speaking on “Mission Possible” at the General Session Wednesday was awesome. What an inspiring man he is.

The Florida Realtors leadership team is now holding their annual committee and business meetings. Those finish when the Board of Directors meets on Sunday. Tomorrow the state Professional Development Committee hopefully will approve the instructors recommended by our Audition Panels. This year the panels processed a record number of 64 live auditions and 15 written in a single day. It was special to sit on a panel again and see many colleagues for the first time in several years (that darn pandemic). The networking done during these events is also worthwhile.

Florida now has 235,000 Realtors so ensuring that there are instructors and classes available to cover their license renewals, continuing education, and designations is a big undertaking. Keeping up with fast moving technology is also required to keep curriculum current. Many new class topics are on tomorrow’s agenda including such subjects as Crypto, Bitcoin, Blockchain, and ChatG. (I am still shaking my head at an Artificial Intelligence class I attended while here.)

While I’ve been away, teammate Dave has been on the island every day including this morning with an update on our listings. Below is a photo that he took coming across the bridge, showing the new road paving he noticed on the causeway island closest to Sanibel.

When I mentioned last week that we hoped to get more action while I was out of town, we have. Dave has been working with buyers, while between meetings, I have chatted with several owners who likely will be listing soon. Though it still is hurricane season, island sales are occurring, and inventory is needed. An update of the real estate action this week is after a couple of news items below.

Island Scoop & Upcoming Events

Beach Sand Coming – A message issued yesterday by Sanibel’s Natural Resources Director says “Trucks will begin hauling sand to northwest Sanibel on Monday, Aug 21 to replace sand lost to erosion due to Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole last year. The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted in January to accept grant funds of $5 million from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for Hurricane Ian and Nicole Emergency Recovery to replace sand on Lee County beaches. The sand on Sanibel will reinforce the shoreline south of Blind Pass and reduce the vulnerability of Sanibel-Captiva Road, an evacuation route. Engineering estimates from the City of Sanibel determined that approximately 70,000 tons of sand are needed. About 25 trucks will deliver sand each day which means fewer trucks on the road compared with other recent sand hauling operations in Southwest Florida. Sand will be obtained from the Stewart mine in Immokalee. The sand is approved as beach compatible by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The trucking route will be from Immokalee to Sanibel avoiding Corkscrew Road between Alico Road and Interstate 75. The work is expected to be complete in about 90 days. Public access at Blind Pass Beach Park and Turner Beach Park will remain open. Work hours will be from dawn to dusk on weekdays. The city and county ask that motorists and beach goers be aware and abide by all signs and instructions provided by traffic control personnel in the area….”

Community United Event Sep 30 – The Community House is hosting a social event on Sat Sep 30 from 2 to 5 p.m. celebrating coming together a year after the storm. It will feature free ice cream, cookie baking contest, live music by the Sanibel School steel drum band, an Eagle Scout project reveal, and a fun community art project.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate

Below with data from the islands MLS (Multiple Listing Service) are updated summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by the island MLS action this week.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity August 11-18

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sand Pointe #124 2/2 $850K, White Sands #11 2/2 $950K, Gulfside Place #228 3/3 $2.2M.

No price changes.

2 new sales: Seashells #33 2/2 listed at $435K, Sundial #N402 2/2 listed at $1.225M.

2 closed sales: White Sands #22 2/2 $800K, Sandals #B 3/3 $959K.

HOMES

4 new listings: 9226 Kincaid Ct 3/2 $1.039M, 501 Lagoon Dr 3/2 $1.248M, 676 Cardium St 4/2 $1.349M, 924 Kings Crown Dr 4/3 $1.695M.

4 price changes: 2042 Wild Lime Dr 3/2 now $825K, 1067 Sand Castle Rd 4/2 $1.275M, 595 Piedmont Rd 3/2 $1.559, 2276 Wulfert Rd 4/5.5 $1.6M.

3 new sales: 313 Palm Lake Dr 3/3 listed at $799K, 803 Lindgren Blvd 4/3 listed at $1.1M. 2228 Starfish Ln 3/2.5 listed at $1.495M.

1 closed sale: 4052 Coquina Dr 3/2 $680K.

LOTS

1 new listing: 4640 Rue Belle Mer $1.495M.

No price changes or new sales.

1 closed sale: 2356 Wulfert Rd $290K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Beach Cottages #1414 2/2 now $1.295M.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: Tennis Villas #3129 1/1 $410K.

HOMES

2 new listings: 57 Sandpiper Ct 2/2 $1.899M, 32 Urchin Ct 3/3 $2.195M.

No price changes.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 11535 Murmond Ln 3/3.5 $3.2M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.