It’s been another week of wonderful SW FL weather – lots of blue sky, sunshine, and breezes. No need to get out those winter flip flops yet. I just returned from doing some island chores. My car reports it is 87 degrees F. Not exactly Halloween weather, but here trick or treaters don’t need heavy costumes!

Gumbo Limbo is the Sanibel neighborhood that usually has the most trick or treaters, but I smiled when I saw these decorations today in The Dunes.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Yesterday morning was the annual meeting of the islands Association of Realtors®. It began with a buffet breakfast at BIG ARTS followed by presentations in the Performance Hall, including confirmation of election results, and reports by 2023 Association President Greg Demaras, Treasurer & Professional Development Committee Chair Becky Mulka, Communications & Public Relations Committee Chair Connie Walters, Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Eric Pfeifer, Affiliates & Special Events Committee Co-Chair Valerie Tutor, & RPAC Committee Co-Chairs Dave Arter & Brendan Albright.

CEO Bill Robinson also provided an update on the repairs/restoration underway at our Association building at 2353 Periwinkle Way. His Power Point had photos of its condition right after the storm, following interior demo, and today. Expected re-occupancy is sometime during 1^st quarter 2024. Like with so many damaged properties, we aren’t holding our breath, but it was good news to hear that the exterior work is about 70% complete, 30% done on the inside.

(Note: Our downstairs tenant Finnemore’s has been working from their spaces for some time, so if you are looking to rent a bike/trike, paddleboard, kayak, or other beach equipment, please consider giving them your business. I have also heard great feedback on their equipment repairs, so if your bike needs a post-storm tune-up, I bet they can help. www.Finnimores.com)

Advertised at the last minute as a costume contest, the Annual Meeting costume judging occurred just before the Caravan Meeting. Yours truly garnered 2^nd place with her version of “50 Shades of Grey” which included an outfit adorned with that many paint samples. VIP’s Ted Benjamin, as a Viking, won 1st. Thanks to Superior Title for donating the Halloween basket prizes. The pumpkin beer in my winnings went to teammate Dave!

The Caravan Meeting with announcements that followed included five Sanibel homes and one on Captiva open for viewing from 9 a.m. until noon. The next Caravan Meeting will be Thurs Nov 9 at 8:30 a.m. at The Community House.

Also, the evening of Nov 9, Association members will meet after work at Rosalita’s where the Association is hosting a “Merry FISHmas” drop-in event. We will donate toys, senior items, and gift cards which will be go to FISH for holiday disbursement to those in need.

Re-openings & Island News

Adopt a Mangrove – Now, more than ever, the coastal ecosystems need support. SCCF invites you to be a part of the solution by participating in their Coastal Watch Adopt-A-Mangrove Program. Join them tomorrow Saturday Oct 28 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Bailey Homestead Preserve, 1300 Periwinkle Way, for Adoption Day! You’ll be able to pick up mangrove seedlings and everything you need to nurture them at home. The process is simple: You receive a mangrove seedling, pots, and soil, along with all the guidance you need to take care of these vital coastal plants. These baby trees will grow under your loving care until they reach a certain size, when SCCF asks that you return them and they will be planted at one of SCCF’s many restoration sites, contributing to the preservation of coastal habitats. Mangroves are not only vital for the health of the ecosystems but also play a crucial role in climate resilience and the future of the planet. Learn more by visiting https://sccf.org/adoptamangrove/

Car Wash to Benefit Sanibel School Seahorse Chorale – This is another of fundraisers for their trip to NYC to perform at Carnegie Hall. Students will be washing cars Saturday Oct 28 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Bank of the Islands.

Fall Festival – The Sanibel Community House invites everyone to join them for a spooky Fall Festival Party Saturday Oct 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. (free admission with bag of wrapped candy per family). Enjoy games, prizes, candy, food.

Arts & Crafts Fair – After a year-long hiatus, the newly restored Community House at 2173 Periwinkle Way is hosting an indoor Arts & Craft Fair on Sunday Oct 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Celebrating local artisans and the resilience of life on the islands, this event features handmade arts, crafts, and treasures of all kinds. Exceptional vendors have been specially recruited to participate. During the fair, the Sanibel School Seahorse Chorale, which has been invited to perform in the Big Apple’s Carnegie Hall, is raising $ for their trip by selling apple pies for $20.

Select Vacation Properties – This is a repeat of a Facebook post that may be helpful to those wondering what to do with their “white box”. I have known and referred business to Patience for decades: “We’re excited to present Select Vacation Properties design team package plan. Allow us to help turn your “white boxed” property to “turn key” ready. Includes kitchen (excluding appliances), bathrooms, flooring, cabinets, counters, hardware, paint, plumbing fixtures, closet finishes, furniture, decor, ceiling fans and light window treatment. Our office has been transformed into a showroom for your convenience. This is where you can see the product and schedule a meeting with the contractor and/or design team. Feel free to stop by anytime between 9 AM to 2 PM, Monday through Thursday. Our address is 703 Tarpon Bay Road Suite A, Sanibel FL. We’re located upstairs next-door to Timbers restaurant. Our package plan is level 1, 2 and 3. Our goal is to accommodate each individual budget while accommodating current travelers/buyers expectations thus maximizing opportunity. We’ve collaborated with a talented design team and 3 highly qualified contractors. All have been vetted. Each offers quality workmanship and competitive pricing. Our rebuild package is meant to be flexible, accommodating each owner’s individual needs. Length of project depends on the size of property and material selected. Approximate turnaround time for a typical two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo is two months. Getting your property to turnkey ready is a top priority, but it’s equally important to ensure you are guided by a qualified team. Please feel free to call or email with any questions. We are here to help. Patience Rodriguez, Select Vacation Properties, 1-866-455-0028 office, 1-239-223-1225 cell, Patience@selectvacationproperties.com”

Causeway Update

Florida Department of Transportation Sanibel Causeway Community Liaison Jennifer Dorning issued this notice this morning:

“On WEEKENDS through November and December, beginning on Friday, Nov 3, the Causeway will be limited to ONE LANE FOR BOTH DIRECTIONS of travel for the contractor to restore five bridge approaches. This is where the bridges meet the upland roadway (on the land). Flaggers will be controlling traffic during this weekend work. The contractor is making every effort not to impact the heavy weekday traffic. More details are below …:

• On WEEKENDS through November and December, motorists should expect ONE LANE OPEN to two-way travel during ALL HOURS beginning 7 p.m. on Fridays through 6 a.m. on Mondays. Flaggers are scheduled to assist drivers as crews work around the clock to restore the causeway bridge approaches. Temporary signals may also be utilized to help with traffic control. Motorists should plan for traffic delays and allow additional travel time on these weekends.

“Crews will be working around the clock to replace five approach slabs, all except the undamaged approach from Sanibel onto the western span of the causeway. To expedite this work, the contractor is utilizing a special high early strength concrete that allows each phase of the reconstruction to be completed within 72 hours compared to the normal one-week construction time. Additionally, the contractor will sequence crews from many different disciplines to accomplish the accelerated restoration.

Please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and leaving the roadway.

Thank you for your continued patience and support for this project.”

Chamber of Commerce Update

During their member presentation this week, the islands Chamber of Commerce posted a slide with the following recap – some sobering statistics for 13 months post hurricane.

Pre-Ian, the islands had ~7,500 residents, with up to 40,000 people here “in season”.

Now, there are ~1,000 annual residents.

Pre-Ian, the Chamber Visitors Center was seeing ~80,000 visitors a year or averaged 218 daily.

Now, they are averaging 41 per day.

Pre-Ian, there were ~2,600 short-term lodging units on the islands.

Now, there are 139 on Sanibel, 146 on Captiva, with it estimated that it will take until 2025 for 650 units (or ~25% of the number of pre-Ian units) to be ready.

These numbers confirm that restoration is going to take longer than most expected. But the good news is, many properties will be like-new and more resilient!

Sanibel Planning Commission Meeting

Following up on the public Special Planning Commission Meeting held last week about whether changes are needed in Sanibel’s building requirements, I listened in on Planning Commission’s regular Tuesday meeting where they voted unanimously to pass their recommendations on to City Council. The meeting audio can be heard through www.MySanibel.com and the City’s FB page.

Also on their agenda was a request to allow a flat roof on a new building proposed at Shalimar Resort. This was the first resort since Ian that needed special City approval. Shalimar’s rebuild plan includes 12 new cottages, beachside pool, and this new building which will be parallel to West Gulf Dr and hold 21 hotel-style rooms. Since part of the roof will be used for recreation (a sundeck during daytime hours), it was considered in keeping with Sanibel’s requirements and approved. Construction is expected to begin early next year.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate

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

On the commercial side, the former Dairy Queen with its two surrounding properties closed this week for $1.65M.

SANIBEL RESIDENTIAL	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale:	63	1,052,762	150	86	1,679,649	95	34	979,555	155
Under contract	8	1,143,375	83	19	1,537,713	99	2	317,000	12
Sold 2023 to 10/27	83	941,422	64	237	1,253,644	70	23	940,021	78
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 RESIDENTIAL	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	24	1,503,312	96	12	6,821,053	139	2	7,247,500	50
Under contract	5	1,051,000	35	0	N/A	N/A	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2023 to 10/27	11	848,363	108	17	2,716,647	70	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 Oct 20‑27

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Lake Palms #3 2/2.5 $599K, Mariner Pointe #533 2/2.5 $675K.

1 price reduction: Lighthouse Point #232 3/2 now $869K.

2 new sales: Sand Pointe #116 2/2 listed at $980K, Sundial #R406 2/2 listed at $1.799M.

1 closed sale: Sanctuary Golf Village #2-3 2/2.5 $975K

 HOMES

8 new listings: 199 Southwinds Dr 3/2 $1.199M, 450 Leather Fern Pl 3/2 $1.495M, 1321 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 $1.495M, 1646 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 $1.495M, 1202 Sand Castle Rd 4/2.5 $1.749M, 848 Limpet Dr 3/2 $1.85M, 900 Almas Ct 4/4.5 $2.295M, 1042 Blue Heron Dr 3/3.5 $2.495M.

1 back on market: 1365 Jamaica Dr 3/2.5 $1.85M.

5 price changes: 1806 Ibis Ln 3/2 now $875K, 1731 Serenity Ln 4/3 now $1M, 1517 Sand Castle Rd 4/3.5 now $1.785M, 2294 Wulfert Rd 4/4 now $1.799M, 5235 Indian Ct 4/4 now $2.348M.

3 new sales: 5892 San-Cap Rd 3/3 listed at $775K, 579 Rabbit Rd 4/3.5 listed at $799K, 4355 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5.5 listed at $5.25M.

2 closed sales: 5685 San-Cap Rd 3/2 $1.1M, 567 N. Yachtsman Dr 3/3 $1.45M.

LOTS

2 new listings: 2486 Wulfert Rd $359K, 393 & 401 Raintree Pl $599K.

1 price change: 3730 Coquina Dr now $579K.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Bayside Villas #4220 1/2 $610K.

No price changes.

1 new sale: Tennis Villas #3227 1/1 listed at $460K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 57 Sandpiper Ct 3/2 $1.699M.

No price changes, new or 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.

Enjoy your weekend! Happy Halloween! & please contact The SanibelSusan Team if we may help you!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan