It has been a warm mostly sunshiny week again on Sanibel and Captiva Islands with a few showers to remind us that it is the rainy season. Vegetation is green and growing like crazy.

A dousing early in the week was enough to postpone the controlled burn that was planned Wednesday for 20 acres near the Conservation Foundation. They report it may instead occur in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, the island is quiet with many accommodations offering discounts for summer stays. Though there have been showers, the vivid teal water surrounding the island both bay and gulf sides continues – often like a post card.

Sanibel & Captiva Preliminary Property Tax  Valuations Are Up

The preliminary property tax valuations for the islands have risen over earlier estimates. The Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office released its 2026 preliminary tax roll values on July 1. They now indicate a 8.15% increase for the city of Sanibel, along with a 4.56% rise for Captiva as part of unincorporated Lee County.

Causeway Boulevard Planting Project

The City announced that the Causeway Boulevard Planting Project led by Roots in Resilience began on July 6 and will take three to four weeks to complete. It will include installation of native trees, shrubs, and groundcover from the causeway to the four-way stop. Roots in Resilience is a citizens-led initiative with the goal “to regreen, reforest, and replant Sanibel with native trees and plants following the hurricanes in 2022 and 2024.” Initiated by Vice Mayor John Henshaw, the group is represented by residents, the City, SCCF, the Charitable Foundation of the Islands, Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, and Coastal Vista Design. For more info visit https://rootsinresilience.org/.

Completion of Community Park & Frannie’s Preserve Trail Restoration Project

The City of Sanibel announced the successful completion of the Community Park and Frannie’s Preserve Trail Restoration Project, a multi-phase ecological restoration effort supported by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Urban and Community Forestry – Hurricane Ian Recovery Grant Program. The grant program was established to restore urban forests across 29 counties in Florida that experienced severe damage from the catastrophic storm.

The project, which was one of five total awards, is located within Sanibel’s Interior Wetlands Conservation District and encompasses a 1.34-mile trail network spanning City-owned conservation lands and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Frannie’s Preserve. The trail system has long served as a valued community asset, providing access to wetland habitats, scenic views of the historic Sanibel River, opportunities to experience native wildlife, and interconnectivity to Sanibel’s expansive shared use path.

Project work focused on restoring ecological function and resilience across the trail corridor, including reestablishing native tree species better adapted to high winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge; performing corrective trimming of storm-damaged trees to improve tree health and public safety; and removing invasive exotic vegetation that threatened native plant communities.

With implementation now complete, the restored corridor reflects improved forest structure, habitat quality, and long-term storm resilience. Native plantings provide critical resources for native and migratory wildlife species while enhancing natural flood mitigation and shoreline protection offered by healthy urban forest systems. For those interested in seeing the completed project firsthand, click the link to view the Sanibel Beach Parks and Facilities Map.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors

The island Association of Realtors met yesterday for an Open Caravan. They announced there would be no speaker since it’s the “slow season”. That proved to be true with no properties open for Caravan viewing.

The next meeting is the July Membership Meeting followed by an Open Caravan on July 23.

Real Island Estate Scoop

Looking at the residential real estate activity posted in the SanCap MLS since last Friday, there has been six new sales posted: four Sanibel homes and two Sanibel condos. During the same time, there have  been six new residential listings and seven price changes.

Below with data from the island MLS are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by an update about our listings, plus the details of the MLS action reported this week.

SANIBEL Residential	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	137	936,227	262	135	1,653,658	169	57	1,515,007	317
Under contract	13	780,992	190	26	1,170,692	158	1	1,995,000	467
Sold to 7/10/26	76	844,717	186	153	1,587,628	150	11	1,698,545	211
Sold 2025	104	755,564	153	159	1,291,016	140	7	952,857	252
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

 

CAPTIVA Residential	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	35	1,536,168	238	29	5,928,586	284	3	10,166,666	604
Under contract	3	1,829,666	108	3	6,131,666	215	0	N/A	N/A
Sold to 7/10/26	22	836,204	128	5	3,815,000	257	0	N/A	N/A
Sold 2025	16	931,187	214	12	2,480,375	90	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

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 3-10

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Tennisplace #E22 2/1 $387K.

1 back-on-market: Ibis at The Sanctuary #A302 2/2 $699K.

2 price changes: Cottage Colony West #127 1/1 now $465K, Sandpiper Beach #401 2/2 now $850K.

2 new sales: Loggerhead Cay #303 2/2 listed at $785K, Sanibel Surfside #333 2/2 listed at $809K.

1 closed sale: Sanibel Surfside #113 2/2 $800K.

HOMES

2 new listings: 1225 Junonia St 3/2 $949K, 2539 Coconut Dr 2/2 $1.38M.

4 price changes: 1394 Middle Gulf Dr #C (1/2 duplex) 3/3 now $650K, 702 Pyrula Ave 3/2 now $895K, 3359 Barra Cir 3/3 now $999,999; 1272 Par View Dr 4/3.5 now $2.125M.

4 new sales: 485 Peachtree Rd 3/3 listed at $950K, 220 Daniel Dr 3/3 listed at $998K, 3702 Coquina Dr 4/3 listed at $1.05M, 785 Birdie View Pt 3.2,5 listed at $1.585M.

3 closed sales: 734 Anchor Dr 3/2 $850K, 742 Nerita St 3/2 $1.25M, 1157 Bird Ln 3/3.5 $2.4M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 0 Bay Dr $2.5M.

1 price change: 845 Pyrula Ave now $529K.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: Captiva Resort Villas fka Tennis Villas #3114 1/1 $325K.

HOMES

2 new listings: 11546 Laika Ln 2/2 $1.35M, 11550 Laika Ln 3/3.5 $1.495M.

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 in any way responsible for the accuracy. Data maintained by the association, or its MLS, may now 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