More Great Weather

It has been another week of terrific weather on sunny Sanibel and Captiva Islands. I was out showing a home last Saturday when it too was picture-perfect. It was great also to see that the community amenities at Gulf Pines have been restored and the beach there wide and beautiful.

Traditionally it rains on Sam Bailey’s Islands Night at Hammond Stadium, but those attending the 31^st year of this event on Wednesday night also enjoyed beautiful weather. This long-standing tradition is fun, showcases island camaraderie, and celebrates “season” winding down.

The local Association of Realtors® had an entry in the community parade that preceded the ball game. The Sanibel School Seahorse Chorale, recently back from their special performance at Carnegie Hall, sang the national anthem. The game was between the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and the Jupiter Hammerheads. The Hammerheads won (4-3).

Beach Restoration & Traffic

Traffic continues to be light, but there was a surprise City notice late Wednesday saying that crews were mobilizing to add additional sand near the lighthouse in response to recent erosion.

Permits were already in hand for more Lighthouse Beach re-nourishment, though not scheduled until fall. Luckily contractors could begin the project early and will restore the berm before sea turtle nesting season begins May 1.

As a result, the gulf-side parking lot there was temporarily closed for crews to bring in equipment It has reopened and will be through the weekend. Beginning Monday (April 22) all Lighthouse Beach Park parking lots will be closed until the berm replenishment is complete (no later than May 1).

Today, I took a quick mid-day drive through the gulf-side parking area and it was full of beachgoers enjoying the day. The water is a brilliant teal which always makes me smile. During quick stops at a couple of my favorite beach accesses (Fulgur and Donax Streets), it is obvious that the beach re-nourishment in those areas remains successful. There, the sand is high, and beach is wide. (Pix taken from my car at Fulgur St above.)

Another change noted this week is that Middle Gulf Dr is looking better now that new landscaping and sod have been added in front of Gulfside Place. Sundial’s landscaping is beautiful so this addition adds to the improved view along that stretch. Across the street, Spanish Cay also looks to be making good progress on their restoration.

Other than landscaping and construction vehicles plus a handful of bikers on the shared-use paths, there has been very little traffic on any of the gulf drives during my travels this week – truly an indication that “high season” is wrapping up.

Ding Darling Day Conservation Carnival

The National Wildlife Refuge Visitors and Education Center and Nature Store will be closed tomorrow (Saturday April 20) as their team heads off island for their annual “Ding” Conservation Carnival at Lakes Park in Fort Myers.

That event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Wildlife Drive and Indigo Trail will remain open.)

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

It was great news this week to hear that the Association of Realtors® building restoration at 2353 Periwinkle Way finally is done and the upstairs office spaces are ready for occupancy. There will be a ribbon cutting next Thursday (April 25) at 11 a.m., just before our monthly General Membership meeting when guest speaker is Lisa Riordan, Captiva Civic Association Board of Governors President.

I also heard this week, that the class I teach for the SCIS (Sanibel & Captiva Islands Specialist) designation will be the first one in the 2024 schedule. So if you are looking for me the morning of May 29, I will be presenting my “Resort and 2^nd-Home Market” class for the 18^th year. (Gotta update it first.). Other Realtor® instructors this year include Eric Pfeifer “Marketing Island Condos”, Jeff Burns “Waterways & Beaches”, and Greg Demaras “Differences in Selling Off-Island”.

When we started this designation in 2006, I was one of the first to complete what was then an eight-segment curriculum. They are taught annually, usually in late spring/summer, spread over a two-week period, at and around the island.

Some segments are only an hour or two long, some day long, covering info that is useful and sometimes unique to real estate sales here. Subjects and locations include Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, BIG ARTS, Captiva Erosion Protection District, C.R.O.W. (Care & Rehabilitation of Wildlife), History of the Islands, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel City Hall, and SCCF (Sanibel – Captiva Conservation Foundation).

The four Realtor®-taught classes were added in 2006. When Realtors® enroll in this program, they are given two years to complete the 12 segments and then must retake three classes to re-certify every three years. This training has served our members well, both in educating new ones and keeping old-timers up to date.

More Real Estate News

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

There were five Sanibel sales (two condos, three homes) and one Captiva condo sale this week. Once again, the main listing status activity was price changes.

With a total of 369 properties for sale (315 on Sanibel and 54 on Captiva), and just 109 closed sales year-to-date (99 on Sanibel and ten on Captiva), there could be more adjustments over the next few months as sales activity usually slows down in the summer. Maybe this year will be different as more units become available for rent and vacation business increases.

SANIBEL RESIDENTIAL	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale:	103	1,057,349	140	169	2,227,190	110	43	809,276	205
Under contract	16	1,081,687	135	25	1,317,476	83	1	295,000	301
Sold 2024 to 4/19	25	796,581	119	68	1,529,705	92	6	2,195,833	146
Sold 2023	98	955,261	65	263	1,267,390	73	24	920,645	76
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	32	1,625,968	161	19	7,295,842	206	3	9,998,333	181
Under contract	3	2,468,333	179	0	N/A	N/A	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2024 to 4/19	6	1,462,500	124	4	5,368,125	132	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2023	17	834,176	98	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 Apr 12-19

Sanibel

CONDOS

5 new listings: Sanibel Arms #E2 1/1 $399K, Tennisplace #B32 2/1/5 $474.9K, Sanibel Siesta #804 2/2 $795K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #3-1 2/2.5 $1.145M, Sundial #K303 2/2 $1.3M.

4 price changes: Tennisplace #C34 2/1.5 now $499K, Lake Palms #3 2/2.5 now $577K, Oceans Reach #4D1 2/2 now $795K, Somerset #B101 3/3.5 now $1.895M.

2 new sales: Sundial #E110 2/2 listed at $1.095M, Sanibel Moorings #721 3/2 listed at $1.3M.

2 closed sales: Sundial #D312 1/1 $450K, Gulfside Place #204 2/2 $1M.

HOMES

1 new listing: 5827 Pine Tree Dr 3/2 $1.15M.

8 price changes: 1446 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 now $639K, 1196 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 now $785K, 1586 Century Ct 3/2.5 now $939K, 547 Chert Ct 3/3.now $949K, 3822 Coquina Dr 4/3.5 now $1.279M, 6424 Pine Ave 2/2 now $1.45M, 567 Lake Murex Cir 3/2.5 now $1.45M, 2303 Troon Ct 3/3.5.5 now $2.153M.

1 back-on-market: 1113 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $749K.

3 new sales: 1306 Par View Dr 3/3.5 listed at $1.39M, 930 Strangler Fig Ln 5/3.5 listed at $1.395M, 3526 West Gulf Dr 5/4.5 listed at $2.25M.

6 closed sales: 4269 Gulf Pines Dr 2/2 $600K, 1377 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $600K, 1578 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $875K, 1658 Sabal Palm Dr 3/2.5 $1.05M, 969 Whelk Dr 3/2.5 $1.25M, 5235 Indian Ct 4/4 $2.1M.

LOTS

No new listings.

3 price changes: 1653 Bunting Ln now $445K, 1331 Par View Dr now $499K, 2490 Coconut Dr now $1.2M.

No new sales,

1 closed sale: 2933 Wulfert Rd $440K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Beach Villas #2321 2/2 now $925K.

1 new sale: Beach Cottages #1414 2/2 listed at $1.295M.

1 closed sale: Sunset Captiva #204 2/2 $1.75M.

1 price change: 11516 Wightman Ln 5/4.5 now $3.395M.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 16310 Captiva Dr 4/5.5 $10M.

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.