It has been another week of mostly bright skies, sunroof-open weather with roadways quiet, other than the now-usual workday entry and exit of off-island contractor vehicles. Sand trucks also have been traveling to and from the lighthouse as additional beach re-nourishment is underway there but expected to be completed soon.

City photo

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Has Begun

SCCF photo

SCCF (Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation) posted the below big news Wednesday when the first sea turtle nest of the season was spotted. It was a special one too – laid by a whopper leatherback. Those are huge!

“Our first sea turtle nest of the season was found today on Sanibel, and it was laid by a leatherback (AKA the largest turtle species on the planet)!

“This is the first leatherback nest on Sanibel or Captiva in four years, and it was pretty easy for our biologists to recognize. An average of six feet long and between 500-1,500 pounds, leatherbacks are significantly larger than loggerheads, the most abundant nesting sea turtle species on the islands.

“Hundreds more sea turtles will lay eggs on Sanibel and Captiva over the next six months, and our staff and volunteers will protect and monitor each and every nest on a daily basis. Help us by turning off lights visible from the beach after 9 p.m. (including flashlights!), leveling sandcastles, filling in holes, removing furniture and other obstacles from the beach, picking up trash, and staying at least 10 feet away from posted nest areas.

“Call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 to report issues with nests, nesting turtles, or hatchlings. SCCF’s nest protection activities are authorized by MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife under MTP-047 and MTP-170.”

More Re-Openings

Lighthouse Café – reopened yesterday in their new location at 1020 Periwinkle Way. This building is larger than their former east-end spot. It has a new interior and was designed to offer the same charm but with more space. Open daily 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast all day, and lunch beginning at 11 a.m.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® – building at 2353 Periwinkle Way had their ribbon cutting yesterday just before their monthly membership meeting and following caravan when two Sanibel condos and eight Sanibel homes were open for viewing. It is great to finally have our meetings back in our headquarters again. Upcoming are a new member orientation on Monday, Professional Development Committee Meeting Tuesday, another Caravan Meeting Thursday, and Board Meeting Friday. The schedule is getting back to normal! Hooray! (Finnimore’s Bike & Beach Rentals (our tenant below) has been open for some time, but also had their ribbon-cutting.)

Sanibel Recreation Center Outdoor Courts – reopened Wednesday. The courts are lined for both tennis and pickleball and can be reserved FREE for one hour per day by Rec Center members. The post-storm reconstruction included removal and replacement of damaged light poles, light fixtures, fencing, and asphalt, adding a new subsurface and 24K sq. ft. of asphalt and new surfacing. Community members, staff, and students from the Sanibel School celebrated the reopening with a ribbon cutting, followed by a friendly tennis match between Sanibel Mayor Johnson, City Manager Souza, and school tennis team students.

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 the Sanibel/Captiva MLS action reported this week.

It was another slow week for new sales with no Sanibel condos under contract, but two homes and one lot, plus one Captiva condo. There is a message in a week on the islands with 21 price reductions and only four sales. Hopefully sales pick up once schools are out.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity April 19-26

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sundial #H303 2/2 $850K, Tantara #101 3/2 $1.2M, Compass Point #191 3/2 $1.8M.

7 price changes: Captains Walk #A4 2/2 now $479K, Mariner Pointe #312 2/2 now $597.5K (SanibelSusan listing), Oceans Reach #4C3 2/2 now $870K, Sandpiper Beach #502 2/2 now $880K, Pointe Santo #C21 2/2 now $975K, St Croix #4 2/2 now $1.65M, Sundial #L404 2/2 now $1.75M.

Mariner Pointe #312 views San Carlos Bay

No new sales.

3 closed sales: Ibis at The Sanctuary #B101 2/2 $700K, Loggerhead Cay #292 2/2 $822K, West Shore #5 3/3 $1.6M.

HOMES

3 new listings: 209 Robinwood Cir 3/2 $779K, 4202 Old Banyan Way 3/2.5 $1.595M, 673 East Rocks Dr 3/2 $1.595M.

11 price changes: 293 Palm Lake Dr 3/2 now $829.9K, 547 Chert Ct 3/3.5 now $899K, 1426 Sanderling Cir 3/2 now $1.049M, 9247 Dimmick Dr 3/2 now $1.065M, 4573 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 now $1.384K, 218 Daniel Dr 3/2.5 now $1.388M, 1202 Sand Castle Rd 4/2.5 now $1.489M, 1402 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 now $1.545M, 2402 Wulfert Rd 4/4.5 now $2.199M, 2474 Wulfert Rd 4/5.5 now $2.298M, 5387 Shearwater Dr 4/4.5 now $2.595M.

2 new sales: 630 Piedmont 3/2 listed at $699K, 1511 Angel Dr 4/2 listed at $2.199M.

4 closed sales: 1481 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 $589K, 105 Skiff Pl 3/2 $600K, 932 Whelk Dr 3/3 $1.05M, 3526 West Gulf Dr 5/4.5 $1.65M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 1032 Sand Castle Rd now $450K.

1 new sale: 6217 Starling Way listed at $1.65M.

No closed sales,

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Bayside Villas #4110 1/2 $495K.

1 price change: Beach Villas #2521 2/2 now $975K.

1 new sale: Beach Homes #24 3/3 listed at $3.25M.

No closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listings: 58 Sandpiper Ct 2/2 $1.699M.

1 price change: 11531 Paige Ct 4/3.5 now $11.995M.

No 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, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan