Here we are wrapping up October with Halloween and turning the clocks back next on the minds of most. With a month end, more island closings were reported and there likely will be others posted.

Weather here has been mostly the same, with only an occasional quick shower, otherwise sunny and sometimes windy. Beachgoers and shellers love it!

New Sanibel Businesses Opening Soon

• Crooked Cow Creamery is planning a November opening in Palm Ridge Plaza at 2330 Palm Ridge Rd, Unit #9, with homemade ice cream, some with alcohol-infused flavors, and more. This mother and daughter business team had an east-end ice cream shop called Sanibel’s Best Homemade Ice Cream which closed following Ian. They have since established in Cape Coral and are coming back on-island with new name and menu, in new location.
• Serenity on Sanibel has its ribbon cutting and grand opening scheduled on November 5 at 1620 Periwinkle Way, Suite B in the Heart of the Island Shoppes. Hours will be Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Offerings will include lavender, herbal teas, handcrafted gifts, and workshops. http://www.SerenityOnSanibel.com.

SanibelSusan Thoughts on AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Be careful using AI. Let me begin with a doctor appointment I had last week. It was a follow-up and I had read the physician previous visit report on-line before arriving. It had an error. It said I am a veteran, which I am not. I asked the doctor about it and he said, “We have to be careful because we dictate those reports and AI converts them into written form, sometimes making assumptions.” Yikes! I sure don’t want my doctor relying on assumptions. Maybe that assumption came from me providing job history that I spent many years in marine engineering before getting into real estate to come to Sanibel. He changed his report, but I keep thinking about it. What is AI really doing for us – and to us?

How about in real estate? Perhaps, AI can streamline repetitive tasks, but it certainly cannot replace the judgement that comes from a local human that lives and works in a specific area. To be successful in real estate requires feet on the ground, with city and detailed neighborhood knowledge. It is a relationship business that requires asking the right questions and careful listening to understand the needs and wants of customers and clients. Realtors read a room, body language, emotions, and motivations. Unlike AI, a Realtor can provide honest direct advice, create community connections, and strategize based on experience in a specialized area. All of that is needed to generate confidence and trust.

Will I use AI to help write scripts? Maybe, but you can be sure that I will read them carefully before using and correct as needed. No artificial assumptions are wanted in my business.

The Florida Realtors Association recognizes this too and offers tips on how to be careful with AI.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors

The Open Caravan Meeting yesterday at the Association Office was the annual Halloween event. After winning prizes in past years (1^st in 2024 as Black-Eyed Susan and 2^nd the year before as 50 Shades of Gray), I was sorry to miss it, but saw they had fun. Superior Title of Sanibel again donated a prize-winner gift basket. The guest speaker was from The Children’s Education Center of the Islands.

Following the meeting, four Sanibel properties were open for easy viewing.

Another Open Caravan Meeting is scheduled for next Thursday with speaker from The Sanctuary.

Island Real Estate Scoop.

Looking at the residential real estate activity posted in the SanCap MLS since last Friday, there have been six new residential sales: five Sanibel homes and a Sanibel condo.

During the same time, there have been 12 new residential listings (five Sanibel homes, three Sanibel condos, two Sanibel lots, a Captiva condo, and a Captiva home) and 13 price changes.

Below with data from the island MS are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by 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	128	896,072	238	117	1,688,183	157	51	1,182,126	349
Under contract	7	916,707	213	15	1,629,199	170	2	350,000	443
Sold to 10/30/26	103	844,223	195	206	1,500,621	152	14	1,509,571	286
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
Sold 2022	123	1,136,199	44	185	1,602,745	52	26	779,528	223

 

CAPTIVA Residential	CONDOS			HOMES			LOTS
	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM	#	Avg Price	DOM
For sale	31	1,750,867	194	27	5,700,074	367	3	12,333,333	633
Under contract	2	760,000	343	0	N/A	N/A	0	N/A	N/A
Sold to 10/30/26	31	975,190	118	9	4,022,222	244	1	5,000,000	320
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
Sold 2022	28	1,458,983	52	22	5,636,386	133	0	N/A	N/A

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity October 23-30

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sanctuary Golf Villages I #6-PH6 3/2.5 $899K, Sanibel Arms West #C8 2/2 $970K, Kings Crown #316 2/2 $1.1M.

4 price changes: Blind Pass #A102 2/2 now $449K, Blind Pass #D204 3/2 now $649K, Blind Pass #E103 3/3 now $649K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #2-3 2/2.5 now $900K.

1 new sale: White Sands #13 2/2 listed at $995K.

3 closed sales: Sanibel Moorings #142 1/1 $375K, Lighthouse Point #132 2/2 $450K, Heron at The Sanctuary #1-2B 3/3.5 $800K.

HOMES

5 new listings: 996 Greenwood Ct N (1/2 duplex) 3/3 $837K, 1112 Skiff Pl 3/2 $949K, 1143 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 $1.325M, 460 East Gulf Dr 3/2.5 $1.995M, 283 Ferry Landing Dr 3/2.5 $2.499M.

6 price changes: 1653 Atlanta Plaza 2/2 now $325K, 1683 Atlanta Plaza 3/2 $375K, 640 Oliva St 3/2 now $849K, 1417 Causey Ct 3/2 now $975K, 1422 Sanderling Cir 4/3 now $1.15M, 500 Kinzie Island Ct 3/3 now $1.825M.

4 new sales: 280 Southwinds Dr 4/3.5 listed at $899K, 3284 Twin Lakes Ln 4/4 listed at $995K, 1428 Albatross Rd 3/2.5 listed at $1.225M, 1490 Angel Dr 4/3 listed at $3.195M.

6 closed sales: 1890 Farm Trl 3/2 $625K, 4339 Gulf Pines Dr 3/2 $875K, 824 Birdie View Pt 3/3 $1.25M, 408 Bella Vista Way E 4/4 $1,558,375; 5751 Baltusrol Ct 3/4 $2.15M, 5145 Joewood Dr 5/4.5 $2.825M.

LOTS

2 new listings: 2348 Wulfert Rd $299K, 1874 Middle Gulf Dr $1.495M.

1 price change: 5809 San-Cap Rd now $775K.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Homes #11 4/2 $4.775M.

1 price change: Beach Villas #101 2/2 now $889K.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 16730 Captiva Dr 5/5.5 $10.9M.

1 price change: 11536 Wightman Ln 4/3 now $1.899M.

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 nor is 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.

Happy Halloween & remember to fall back on Sunday,

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan