The Causeway Islands sure were packed over the holiday weekend with beachgoers enjoying the wonderful weather. The rainy season still has not begun, so delight continues about the brilliant clear water.

There also have been plenty of boating fisherman, on either side of the causeway and out in the bay/gulf, particularly Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Though rain is needed and popcorn clouds continue to occasionally threaten, there have been no showers since a quick one Sunday evening. The forecast says the odds are up to 50% for rain every day next week. Meanwhile, we keep marveling at the Caribbean-style water, as it could be stirred up soon, right on schedule with the arrival of June.

Sanibel Stormwater Repair Project Continues

The City posted another update this week on Sanibel’s island-wide stormwater repair project which began in April and is part of their stormwater master plan update. The system was inspected by Johnson Engineering and the repair project incorporates the results of that and City inspections. Sediment is being removed from swales/culverts and improvements made at catch basin inlets and pipe end treatments. The project is expected to take several months. Work is in areas within publicly maintained rights-of-way and drainage easements.

More Re-Openings

Lazy Flamingo 2 & Key Lime Bistro – Last Friday both Lazy Flamingo 2 on Sanibel and Key Lime Bistro on Captiva reopened. They both had been closed for repairs since Hurricane Ian. Great to see them busy all week, including with live music at Key Lime.

Love Sanibel Back 2025 – Kicked off Wednesday at the East-End shops. Every week for the next 13 weeks, different business areas of the island will be highlighted with fun shopping and dining opportunities to “love Sanibel back”.

Florida Legislature Passes Condo Reform

Condo owners and their associations struggling with new FL inspection and repair requirements may get some relief by a couple of recent bills that provide more time for them to meet the stricter safety standards. The new legislation:

• Clarifies that these inspections apply to buildings with three or more habitable stories.
• Extends the Dec 31 deadline for structural integrity studies by one year, to the end of 2026. (These studies are required by existing law if a milestone inspection reveals possible structural problems.)
• Pauses the requirement to create reserve funds for building repairs for two years after completing the structural integrity study.
• Allows associations to levy special assessments or use line of credit to fund repairs, with the approval of a majority of unit owners.
• Extends the deadline until Oct 1 for local authorities to report which condos have been inspected or deemed uninhabitable.

Island Real Estate Scoop

The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors had their monthly membership meeting yesterday followed by the first caravan in three weeks. Guest speaker, Sanibel Mayor Mike Miller provided an island update, while only one property was open for caravan viewing.

Through the summer slower season, the Caravan Meetings will be every other week, open for any island location, and go back to an earlier schedule of 9-10 a.m. That will mean earlier open houses too. The next one will be June 12.

Below, with data from the island MLS are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by the details of the MLS action reported this week.

On the residential side, there were seven new sales this week on Sanibel (three condos and four homes) and three on Captiva (a condo and two homes).

On the commercial side, Island Condo Maintenance (ICM), the pool service business came on the market for $1.3M. The commercial real estate at 1039 and 1041 Periwinkle Way (known as Sanibel Commons) also is for sale for $5.4M. This real estate includes 1.68 acres with three buildings, the flex building built in 2020 leased by ICM, the Bait Box building that was raised after Ian, and the building leased to Curio Cottage.

SANIBEL RESIDENTIAL	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale:	169	985,189	151	265	1,704,068	137	46	1,230,030	289
Under contract	12	802,458	87	23	1,324,632	121	0	N/A	N/A
Sold to 5/30/25	50	803,929	123	71	1,402,257	111	4	1,095,000	79
Sold 2024	75	818,493	117	165	1,472,757	114	15	1,403,533	192
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:	50	1,231,648	192	41	6,355,926	173	3	9,916,666	294
Under contract	2	1,235,000	181	2	2,487,000	159	0	N/A	N/A
Sold to 5/30/25	4	1,473,750	379	1	910,000	86	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2024	13	1,728,846	185	8	4,887,187	182	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 May 23-30

Sanibel

CONDOS

No new listings.

4 price changes: Sundial #D206 1/1 now $499K, Sandalfoot #4D1 2/2 now $649K, Oceans Reach #3X1 1/1 now $679K, Lighthouse Point #215 3/2 now $895K.

3 new sales: Sandpebble #3E 2/2 listed at $438.5K, Sandpiper Beach #402 2/2 listed at $775K, Island Beach Club #P2E 2/2 listed at $960K.

3 closed sales: Lighthouse Point #211 2/2 $590K, Oceans Reach #3X3 1/1 $640K, La Playa #3B 3.2 $1.55M.

HOMES

5 new listings: 595 Sea Oats Dr 3/2 $789.9K, 773 Cardium St 2/2 $875K, 654 Sea Oats Dr 3/2 $985K, 1283 Par View Dr 2/2 $995K, 1589 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 $1.33M.

2 back-on-market: 1062 S Yachtsman Dr 3/3 $1.299M, 2402 Wulfert Rd 4/3.5 $1.695M.

11 price changes: 220 Hurricane Ln 2/2 now $575K, 910 Fitzhugh St 4/2 now $599K, 9436 Kava Ct 2/2 now $694K, 996 Greenwood Ct N (1/2 duplex) 3/3 now $850K, 970 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $959K, 9439 Cotton Ct 4/4.5 now $1.145M, 702 Pyrula Ave 3/2 now $1.295M, 829 Pyrula Ave 3/3 now $1.39M, 6101 Starling Way 4/3.5 now $1.748M, 985 Oyster Ct 5/4 now $2.295M, 1490 Angel Dr 4/3 now $3.795M.

4 new sales: 495 East Lake Rd 3/2 listed at $639K, 654 Sea Oats Dr 3/2 listed at $985K, 1590 Century Ct 3/3 listed at $1.395M, 3744 West Gulf Dr 4/4 listed at $1.599M.

3 closed sales: 604 Sea Oats Dr 4/3 $875K, 736 Windlass Way 3/2 $1.225M, 26010 White Heron Ln 3/2.5 $1.7M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 2442 Blue Crab Ct $549K.

No price changes new, or closed sales.

CAPTIVA

CONDOS

No new listings.

3 price changes: Bayside Villas #5125 1/2 now $325K, Bayside Villas #5208 ½ now $400K, Captiva Beach Villas #E 5/4.5 now $3.489M.

1 new sale: Gulf Beach Villas #2011 1/1 listed at $680K.

1 closed sale: Beach Homes #29 4/4 $2.7M.

HOMES

1 new listing:  15009 Binder Dr 5/6.5 $8.495M.

No price changes.

2 new sales: 15155 Wiles Dr 3/2 listed at $1.979M, 11547 Laika Ln 4/4 listed at $2.995M.

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 in or participated in these transactions.

Enjoy your weekend, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan