Real Estate Happenings & The Upcoming Irish Weekend on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on March 15, 2013 by SanibelSusan

It was another busy week for both Realtors® and visitors on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Families are here enjoying winter/spring vacations and the snowbirds are out in full force.

The photo above was emailed to me from a client. Taken from the balcony of her east-end condo, it is of a nearby osprey nest. The baby bird’s eyes are more reddish orange and change to a more golden color as they grow. Their feathers are darker when they are young too. (Thanks for sharing, Ellie.)

Sanibel & Captiva Island Real Estate

It’s all paradise here. Photo courtesy of JMA photography.

SanibelSusan put another condo under contract this week, so my sales string continues. Below is a snapshot of Sanibel’s current inventory, compared to sales this year, versus 2012. Homes continue to be the top sellers, but condos are creeping up. By the time we get through high season, prices will have stabilized and there will be viable comps for future new sales. Meanwhile, getting satisfactory appraisals continues to be tough. My discussions with colleagues over the last few days yield the same consensus: “We are spending more time holding deals together than we are putting them together.”

When considering the competition, it may be of interest that the condos for sale today have been on the market an average of 435 days, 308 days for homes, and 833 days for lots. Total days-on-market stats are going down, but slowing. Average asking prices continue to decline too. Those buyers on-the-fence better jump off soon or all the good deals will be gone.

Condos Homes Lots

Average Average Average

# Price $ # Price $ # Price $

Available 172 718,688 207 1,233,460 88 543,944

Sale pending 29 590,559 57 1,094,561 2 594,500

Closed in:

2013 so far 23 486,974 29 840,797 4 650,938

2012 151 551,244 183 823,598 33 487,687

Sanibel Happenings Saint Patrick’s Day Week

Seahorse Festival at The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club is Saturday, 3/16, from 4 to 8 p.m. This annual event supports the Sanibel School PTA and the Sanibel School Fund. It includes live music, food, silent and live auctions, as well as several children’s activities.

Billy Kirkland from Billy's Bikes & Rentals is often dressed for the occasion

Billy Kirkland from Billy’s Bikes & Rentals usually is dressed for the occasion

IrishFest2013 at Bailey’s Center is Sunday, 3/17, from 3 to 6 p.m. It will feature traditional Irish food, green beer, music, entertainment, and family activities. There will be 33 dancers from the Kellyn Celtic Arts Irish Dance academy performing, followed by Irish tunes by the BIG ARTS Community Chorus, then a DJ. Rumor has it that Zebra Frozen Yogurt’s color of the day will be “green”.

BIG ARTS Community Chorus Spring Concerts at Schein Performance Hall are Wednesday, 3/20, at 2 p.m. and Thursday, 3/21 at 7 p.m. This is the first year of a matinée as well as evening performance. Good thing, as the evening performance already is sold out. If you haven’t heard us sing yet and are in town, it is an event worth catching. We are 80-some strong and after 20 years of growth, this is guaranteed to be our best program ever. Songs range from Ave Maria to The Best of the Beach Boys and selections from Les Miserables; while the singing is in languages ranging from Latin, Italian, Swahili, and Armenian to English.

Casa Ybel Resort Gets New Reception Area

Last week Casa Ybel Resort’s blog (www.CasaYbel.wordpress.com) posted that The Lubner Group, the hospitality division of Clive Daniel Home in Naples has recently completed the total renovation of the front desk and reception area of the iconic resort.

In the coming months, they will also be completing a “makeover” of the Thistle Lodge upper outside deck, adding new seating and transforming it into a relaxing lounge area seating, perfect for more social gatherings. Lubner Group also completed the total renovation of the 40 individually owned one-bedroom beachfront condominiums at the resort in 2012.

In addition to the 40 condos, there are also 74 two-bedroom timeshare villas on the 23-acre gulf-front property, a massive pool area, six tennis courts and legendary Thistle Lodge restaurant. The condominiums are managed by Casa Hospitality Services, a division of Casa Ybel Resort Partnership. The fixed-week timeshare units are managed by Hilton Grand Vacations. The resort is located on the site of Sanibel Island’s very first resort, built around 1890. During Casa Ybel’s first decade, the Thistle Lodge became the favored gathering spot for celebrities and statesmen, including Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. By the 1920s, the Casa Ybel Hotel had become a full-service resort.

Sundial Beach Resort & Spa Update

Today, I chatted with one of the on-site sales reps at Sundial Resort. It sounds like the finish date for the new reception area and restaurants has been bumped from the end of March to May 1. Work at the main pool area will be next, but it may be postponed until late summer/early fall so as not to disrupt the summer vacation business.

New Pond Plantings at Oceans Reach

Ocean’s Reach just posted that their pond’s east end was just excavated and leveled to allow for additional nature walks and wildlife viewing.

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation aided them in recommending and planting three levels of littoral plants. The littoral zone is the part of the pond that is closest to shore.

Fed’s Duke Says Recovery Is Sustainable and Will Strengthen

An article posted on-line Monday at DSNews.com says: “The evidence is clear that the recovery in housing is finally under way, but the question that remains open is whether the positive trends in housing are sustainable, said Federal Reserve Board Governor Elizabeth A. Duke in a speech at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Mid-Winter Housing Finance Conference.

“In her view, the recovery does appear to be sustainable. “When I look at the factors driving recent improvement and those that have inhibited housing recovery through the downturn, I conclude that recent gains in the housing market will continue and perhaps even strengthen,” Duke stated. According to Duke, home price gains in 2012 were achieved in an environment with “historically unusual factors” such as a large number of underwater homeowners, a high share of foreclosure sales, and strong demand from investors.

“Moving forward, Duke believes those factors won’t hinder the home price recovery as some analysts have projected. “I do not believe that a flood of houses on the market from households that are currently underwater or from bank REO is likely to materialize or to be sufficient to outpace growing demand,” she said. According to Duke, home price increases of 10% or less would be enough to bring about 40% of underwater homeowners out of negative equity, which could lead to more homeowners listing their properties during a time when available homes for sale has fallen to the lowest level in a decade.

“According to CoreLogic’s most recent estimate, about 10.7 million mortgages are underwater, and as of the third quarter of 2012, 1.4 million homes have risen out of negative equity. Even if most of the “newly above-water” homeowners decide to sell their home, it is likely that they will also contribute to new demand by seeking to purchase a home in the same market, thus creating supply and demand, Duke explained.

As for shadow inventory, Duke says its impact on prices will depend on the speed at which those loans are resolved. Duke noted the buildup is more concentrated in judicial states, where prices have “drifted lower” as inventory accumulated, whereas in non-judicial states, prices have recovered as inventory has cleared.

While investor activity is harder to predict, Duke believes rising prices will cause investor activity to wane as profitably decreases. Although rising prices could cause a decline in purchase activity, some investors may decide to sell their investment. Duke also believes investor activity in the REO-to-rental sector has built enough traction and will continue in some form.

“Though, in order for the housing recovery to “gain true momentum,” Duke said “demand for housing among owner-occupiers must increase.” While Duke expects to see demand from newly formed households, she also expressed concern when considering the current lending environment.

“I also recognize that these households may be the very population that faces especially tight credit conditions,” she said.”

The 10 Priciest Real Estate Markets in the World

Overlooking Monaco

On Monday “Daily Real Estate News” posted: “New York is the lone U.S. city to land in the top 10 most expensive residential real estate markets in the world, according to a new report from Knight Frank.

“But with luxury homes in New York costing anywhere from $2,030 to $2,240 per square foot, it’s only about half as expensive as the most expensive housing market in the world: Monaco. There, luxury homes can cost $5,350 to $5,920 per square foot. The following are the top 10 priciest housing markets in the world and the average cost per square foot in U.S. dollars, according to the report:

Monaco: $5,350 to $5,920

Hong Kong: $4,570 to $5,050

London: $3,890 to $4,300

Geneva: $2,720 to $3,010

Paris: $2,350 to $2,600

Singapore: $2,340 to $2,580

Moscow: $2,040 to $2,260

New York: $2,030 to $2,240

Sydney: $2,020 to $2,230

Shanghai: $1,820 to $2,020

“Other U.S. cities rounding out the top 20 list were Miami at number 13 (priced between $1,300 to $1,440 per square foot) and Los Angeles at number 15 (priced between $1,210 to $1,340 per square foot).”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity March 8-15

Sanibel
CONDOS
4 new listings: Sundial #G105 1/1 $339K, Loggerhead Cay #311 2/2 $509K, Cottage Colony West #128 1/1 $549K, Plantation Village #212 3/2 $1.085M.
8 price changes: Sundial #C201 1/1 now $225K (short sale), Beach Road Villa #106 2/2 now $289K, Sundial #I103 1/1 now $385K, Sunset South #1B 2/2 now $539K, Sunset South #3B 2/2 now $599K, Nutmeg Village #202 2/2 now $619K, Shell Island Beach Club #7A 2/2 now $675K, Tamarind #B301 2/2 now $1.829M.
4 new sales: Loggerhead Cay #581 2/2 listed for $545K, Island Beach Club #P1E 2/2 listed for $649K, Shell Island Beach Club #5B 2/2 listed for $689K (our Buyer), Sundial #K205 2/2 listed for $775K.
2 closed sales: Loggerhead Cay #261 2/2 $525K, Pointe Santo #D35 2/2 $630K.

HOMES
4 new listings: 1076 Captains Walk St 2/2 $575K, 5307 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/3 $649.9K, 9024 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 $695K, 203 Daniel Dr 3/3 $1.2M.
19 price changes: 1401 Sandpiper Cir 3/2.5 half-duplex now $375K; 3316 Saint Kilda Rd 2/1 now $439K; 220 Palm Lake Dr 3/3 now $524K; 600 East Rocks 3/2 now $549,999; 5650 SanCap Rd 2/2 now $574K; 1705 Serenity Ln 3/2.5 now $574.5K; 977 Black Skimmer Way 3/2 now $629K; 9459 Begonia 3/4 now $694K; 941 Cormorant Cir 4/2 now $725K; 1555 San Carlos Bay Dr 3/2.5 now $899K; 786 Conch Ct 3/2 now $995K; 1130 Seagrape Ln 4/3 now $995K; 293 Ferry Landing Dr 3/3 half-duplex now $1.175M; 985 Oyster Ct 4/4 now $1.249M; 1826 Woodring Rd 3/2 now $1.495M (foreclosure); 4781 Tradewinds Dr 3/2 now $1.629M; 2981 Wulfert Rd 4/4.5 now $1.85M; 2964 Wulfert Rd 5/5.5 now $2.364M; 2969 Wulfert Rd 6/6/2 now $2.495M.
9 new sales: 1415 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex listed for $339K, 9418 Moonlight Dr 3/2 listed for $499,994; 9203 Dimmick Dr 3/3 listed for $619K; 9470 Balsa Ct 3/2 listed for $699K; 4996 Joewood Dr 3/3 listed for $760K; 5431 Shearwater Dr 3/3 half-duplex listed for $825K; 2963 Wulfert Rd 4/6.5 listed for $2.85M, 3507 West Gulf Dr 3/2 listed for $3.295M; 4461 Waters Edge Ln 5/5.5 listed for $4.995M.
1 closed sale: 4629 Brainard Bayou Rd 3/2 $465K.

LOTS
No new listings.
1 price change: 5618 Baltusrol Ct now $339K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 1450 Tahiti Dr $150K.

Captiva
CONDOS
3 new listings: Tennis Villas #3234 2/2 $429K, Marina Villas #802 2/2 $549K, Gulf Beach Villas #2008 2/2 $649K.
No price changes, new or closed sales.

HOMES
1 new listing: 16623 Captiva Dr $4.895M.
1 price change: 16838 Captiva Dr 6/7.5 now $5.2M.
1 new sale: 59 Sandpiper Ct 3/2 listed for $795K.
No closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors or its 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. If your property currently is listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation of that listing.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Good Luck to All!

from SanibelSusan & The SanibelSusan Team (Dave, Elise, & Lisa)

Real Estate Happenings on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on March 8, 2013 by SanibelSusan

It is SanibelSusan, once again posting the The SanibelSusan Team weekly report of the real estate activity on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. First here are a few photos taken by teammate, Dave, while he and Lisa were off viewing properties on Realtor® Caravan yesterday. They were taken from Beach Access #7 on West Gulf Drive.

High season seems to be flying by. At our weekly Realtor® Meeting yesterday another flurry of sales were announced. Again, they were mostly Sanibel homes. (See below for the details.) I was out showing homes and condos again last weekend and put another condo under contract as a result.

In the real estate business, particularly in a resort/vacation home environment like Sanibel and Captiva Islands, it is not unusual to year-after-year show property to the same prospective buyers, before they eventually make a purchase. 2013 for me, so far has been the exception. Hooray for that!

Four weekends of showings have resulted in sales every weekend, some weekends more than one! Sure wish I had some lookers for this weekend too – or my streak may end. Teammate Dave was out looking for buyers Wednesday when he held an Open House at our canal-front listing on Beach Road in Shell Harbor (photo below). He had good traffic.

Just four weeks of high season remain, also illustrated by the number of price reductions posted in our local Multiple Listing Service this week (also in the report below). It is typical for us to see more price reductions as “season” winds down.

Tooting Our Own Horn

What a wonderful surprise this week to receive a letter from an island client who just completed his family’s fifth real estate transaction with me and The SanibelSusan Team. As a long-time broker himself in another state, it was especially meaningful to me for him to write:

“Seldom, if ever, have I experienced the level of professionalism, trust, and confidence that I have in you and your staff. Your knowledge of Sanibel real estate and the current market is unsurpassed. The dedication you provide to your clients is absolutely the pinnacle in the real estate industry…There is a specific set of core values that your firm demonstrates that is very comforting to clients such as ourselves…We also appreciate how your “team” is working so well together.”

Dave, Elise, Lisa, and I certainly appreciate his kindness. The letter definitely brightened our day. We are grateful for our clients. When they are happy, it makes us happy too!

76th Annual Sanibel Shell Festival

The Sanibel Community House across the street and adjacent to SanibelSusan Realty Associates has been a beehive of activity this week, preparing for the 76th Annual Sanibel Shell Fair which began yesterday. Again this year, SanibelSusan sponsored the “Best Flower Exhibit” in the Professional Artistic Division.

If you are in town now, the festival runs through 4 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) with the exhibits available for viewing. It’s a terrific annual event, but be warned, traffic is heavy.

News from the “Sanctuary Sound”

The March issue of The Sanctuary Golf Club newsletter says: “The Board of Governors of The Sanctuary Golf Club has approved an increase in the price of the Equity Membership to $110,000, effective July 1, 2013. If you join now as an Introductory Member and pay the $10,000 membership fee and annual dues, the advantages are plenty. The $100,000 membership fee will be locked in. You will have full access to the Club and its facilities, and save $10,000. If you were planning on joining The Sanctuary next fall, and will not be using the Club until then, considering paying the $10,000 Introductory fee now to lock in the $100,000 Equity membership price. Your membership will start on Oct 1, 2013. (There are a limited number of Equity and Social Memberships.)”

This photo above was taken last week at the entrance to The Sanctuary Clubhouse. These are two of my pals from the BIG ARTS Community Chorus singers who performed at the F.I.S.H. (Friends in Service Here) Annual Membership Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. Love those orchids! Chorus got kudos for singing too!

Watch for Fake Cashier’s Checks

This is not the type of article I enjoy reading, but it has good info, nonetheless. It is from the March issue of “FloridaRealtor®”:

“A rash of fake cashier’s checks has closing agents now requiring closing funds to be paid by wire transfer or other “collected” funds. In the past, cashier’s checks carried limited risk, so a closing agent typically disbursed funds at closing based on receipt of a cashier’s check – even when the closing agent had not verified that the funds had been collected. Things have changed. Counterfeiters can now create excellent cashier’s checks, and these counterfeit checks are being presented for payment nationwide and internationally in connection with a variety of real estate scams.

“Recent frauds in Florida have involved fraudsters using the names of real doctors or other professionals living in the United Kingdom and other foreign countries. These fraudsters, posing as the professionals, contacted real estate brokers asking for assistance in buying properties. Then they entered into sale and purchase contracts and asked the brokers to put them in touch with real estate attorneys to assist with the transactions. The real estate brokers, who were not involved in the scam, put these “buyers” together with attorneys with whom they already had relationships. The fraudsters then sent larger-than-necessary sums via counterfeit checks and requested the excess funds be wired to a third party for contrived reasons, such as the purchase of furniture.

“Although attorneys were targeted, these types of scams result in real estate licensee’s wasting their time and energy on transactions that won’t close. What can you do? When dealing with an unknown foreign buyer, verify that the person with whom you are working is actually the person he or she claims to be.”

Fraud has happened on Sanibel too. Some months ago, I had a buyer for a vacant residential parcel that was listed for sale in our local Multiple Listing Service. The German Seller’s listing documents and my Buyer’s offer to purchase were all delivered and signed via e-mail through the listing company. Having recently heard of a listing scam with another foreign owner, I asked the title company, processing the closing, to call the European Seller. When they did, they found out that he had no intention of selling. It seems that the listing and sale documents were all signed by a fraud with a bogus e-mail address (that was surprisingly similar to the Seller’s name). If that call to the “real” Seller had not been made, my Buyer’s funds could have been wired to a scammer. Sometimes, intuition pays off. Through further investigation, I learned that this has happened often in Florida.

Finding Homeownership Tax Deductions

FloridaRealtors® on-line posted the following on Wednesday:

“Tax season is underway, and homeowners gearing up to meet the April 15 filing deadline can find the tax tips and insights they need at HouseLogic.com, a consumer website created by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). An overview of the tax benefits of homeownership, HouseLogic’s Homeowner’s Guide to Taxes helps filers get a general understanding and avoid common home-related tax mistakes.

““From the mortgage interest deduction to energy tax credits, many homeowners can take advantage of a variety of tax strategies that can lower their tax bill,” says Pamela Kabati, NAR senior vice president of communications and HouseLogic spokesperson. “For example, a family who bought a home last year with a $200,000, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, assuming an interest rate of 4.5 percent, could save nearly $3,500 in federal taxes when they file this year.”

“HouseLogic also offers tips to avoid unnecessary tax mistakes in 9 Easy Mistakes Home Owners Make on Their Taxes, which identifies common errors, such as deducting the wrong year for property taxes, confusing the escrow amount for actual property taxes paid and neglecting to take the private mortgage insurance (PMI) deduction.

“Other possible deductions: Homeowners who make certain energy-efficient home improvements may be eligible for tax credits. Also, owners who had a portion of their mortgage forgiven as part of a workout plan, short sale or foreclosure don’t have to pay income tax on the forgiven debt, provided the mortgage was secured by a principal residence and the total amount of the outstanding debt is not more than the original purchase price plus improvements.

“Other HouseLogic articles:
• How to Deduct PMI
• How to Deduct Mortgage Interest and Equity Loan Costs
• How to Amend Your Tax Return
• How to Claim Your 2012 Energy Tax Credits

“Homeowners should consult a tax professional for specific advice about their own transactions or circumstances. Information on HouseLogic should not be relied on as tax or legal advice.”

Ivanka Trump

I got a chuckle from this quote, also from the March “FloridaRealtor®” magazine. It is by American businesswoman and daughter of real estate mogul Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump.

She said, “Real estate is my life. It is my day job, if you will. But it consumes my nights and weekends, too.”

We know the feeling, Ivanka; but it’s all good!

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity March 1-8

Sanibel
CONDOS
2 new listings: Sanibel Arms West #G7 2/2 $499K, White Pelican #112 2/2 $850K.
7 price changes: Casa Blanca #6 1/1 now $264.9K, Sundial #L202 2/2 now $499K (short sale), Sanddollar #B104 2/2 now $889K, White Pelican #111 2/2 now $899K, High Tide #A101 2/2 now $1.225M, Pine Cove #104 3/2 now $1.25M, Seascape #104 3/3 now $2.595M.
5 new sales: Lake Palms #2 2/2.5 listed for $259K (our sale), Villa Sanibel #2H 2/2 listed for $520K, Sundial #J207 2/2 listed for $529K, Seascape #302 3/3.5 listed for $1.324M, Golden Beach #2 3/2.5 listed for $1.395M.
2 closed sales: Heron at The Sanctuary #1A 2/2.5 $465K, Sunset South #6B 2/2 $425K.

HOMES
6 new listings: 1609 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex $415K, 1290 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $449K, 9484 Peaceful Dr 3/3.5 $639K, 4279 Gulf Pines Dr 4/3 $835K, 657 Birdie View Pt 3/3 $989K, 1444 Causey Ct 4/4 $1.199M, 1748 Jewel Box Dr 4/4 $1.55M.
12 price changes: 1639 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 now $399K, 945 Main St 3/3 now $435K (short sale), 2027 Sunrise Cir 4/4 duplex now $474.9K, 1667 Sabal Sands Rd 3/3 now $499K, 398 Old Trail Rd 3/3 now $549K, 9470 Balsa Ct 3/2 now $699K, 701 Heather Ln 4/3.5 now $750K, 1694 Dixie Beach Blvd 3/2 now $1.095M, 789 Pyrula Ave 4/2.5 now $1.165M, 1520 San Carlos Bay Dr 4/3.5 now $2.25M, 4949 Joewood Dr 5/5 now $2.649M, 1310 Seaspray Ln 5/4.5 now $3.195M.
10 new sales: 1394 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 half-duplex listed for $449K, 1414 Causey Ct 3/2 listed for $499K, 9224 Dimmick Dr 4/2 listed for $699K, 1066 Bailey Rd 3/3 listed for $824.5K (short sale), 1662 Dixie Beach Blvd 3/2 listed for $839K, 1141 Paper Fig Ct 3/3.5 listed for $1.495M, 413 Bella Vista Way E 4/4 listed for $1.849M, 3615 West Gulf Dr 3/2 listed for $2.495M, 5071 Joewood Dr 4/4.5 listed for $3.99M.
7 closed sales: 3344 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $490K, 1807 Serenity Ln 3/2 $532.5K, 3311 Twin Lakes Ln 3/3 $540K, 6138 Castaways Ln 3/2.5 $600K, 1031 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 $625K, 1323 Seaspray Ln 4/4.5 $2.2M, 5035 Joewood Dr 4/4.5 $3,322,625.

LOTS
No new listings.
1 price change: 708 Durion Ct now $349K.
2 new sales: 1450 Tahiti Dr listed for $199,555; 6401 Pine Ave listed for $699K.
No closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
3 price changes: Tennis Villas #3139 2/2 now $385K, Bayside Villas #4302 3/3 now $625K, Sunset Beach Villas #2338 3/3 now $850K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: Lands End Village #1609 2/2 $1.175M.

HOMES
Nothing to report.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Happy Weekend, all.

If you are coming to Sanibel & Captiva Islands soon & are wondering about our March weather. High today is 77 degrees, with more of the same over the next five days (highs of 82 forecast for Monday & Tuesday). Sure beats snow & ice!

Real Estate Continues to Move on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on March 1, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Happy Friday from SanibelSusan! Sanibel and Captiva Islands remain busy. The real estate activity here this week resulted in several new sales as described in the report from the local Multiple Listing Service at the end of this posting.

View east from our new listing at Mariner Pointe

My showings last weekend brought SanibelSusan Realty another home sale on Monday. With two closings this week, as well as a terrific new bay-front condo listing, it was a good few days for me and my team. I will be out with more lookers this weekend – the fourth weekend in a row – all different buyers. The last three weekends brought sales. I hope this one does too!

One of my favorite photos by our pal, Jim Anderson. These are yellow-crowned night herons.

There have been a few complaints the last few days about the weather and the beach. Another cool front is just arriving which has meant a few cloudy days in Southwest Florida. The retail establishments and restaurants are packed on overcast days though, so there are smiles here even when the sun is not out.

Sanibel & Captiva Island Sales Year-to-Date

Sanibel home sales continue to be the hot item, with 68 already sold or under contract this year, compared to 43 condos, and three lots.

Captiva’s numbers are: seven homes, eight condos, and one lot. With just another few weeks until Easter, local Realtors® are busy and hopeful that the buyers stay active beyond “high season”.

Island Happenings in March

Clients often ask, what is happening while I am in town this week? The below events are scheduled over the next two weeks. Many days there are several special event choices.

Notes:

BIG ARTS = Barrier Island Group for the Arts, www.bigarts.org

CROW = Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, www.crowclinic.org

“Ding” Darling = J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge, www.dingdarlingsociety.org

FISH = “Friends in Service Here” of Sanibel, www.fishofsanibel.com

SCA = Sanibel Community Association at Sanibel Community House, www.sanibelcommunityhouse.net

SCCF = Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, www.sccf.org

1st “Why Wild Animals Come to CROW”, CROW; Butterflies of Florida, SCCF; Lecture: “The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America” by authors Don & Lillian Stokes, “Ding” Darling

1st to 23rd “The Marvelous Wonderettes”, BIG ARTS Herb Strauss Theater

2nd “Florida Felines”, CROW; “Trio Cavatina”, www.SanibelMusicFestival.org

3rd & 10th “Charles Lindbergh: The Lone Eagle”, BIG ARTS Herb Strauss Theater

3rd Island Jazz at Boler Garden, BIG ARTS; The Forum Lecture: Rami George Khouri, Schein Performance Hall, BIG ARTS

4th “Diamondback Terrapin in Pine Island Sound“, SCCF; BIG ARTS Sanibel Oscar Night

5th “Something Special”, CROW; Beach Walk at The Island Inn, SCCF; “Tank Talk”, SCCF; “Gould Trio with Robert Plane, Clarinet, www.SanibelMusicFestival.org

6th “Rescues & Releases of CROW’s Patients”, CROW; “Coyote & Bear Tales”, SCCF; “The City That Almost Wasn’t & The Sanibel Plan”, SCCF

7th “Clinic Rounds”, CROW; “Turtle Tracks”, SCCF; “Goat Dairy & Hydroponic Farm Field Trip”, SCCF

7th to 9th 76th Annual Sanibel Shell Fair & Show, SCA

8th “Why Wild Animals Come to CROW”, CROW; “The Engangered Eastern Indigo Snake”, SCCF; Lecture: “How to Read a Florida Gulf Coast Beach” by author Tonya Clayton, “Ding” Darling; Fred Hersch Trio, BIG ARTS

9th “Sanibel Shorebirds”, CROW; “The Arabesque Winds with Cherry Tsang, Piano”, www.SanibelMusicFestival.org

10th Caloosahatchee Oxbow & Riverlore Cruise, SCCF; “Charles Lindbergh: The Lone Eagle”, BIG ARTS Herb Strauss Theater; The Forum Lecture: Frank Verrastro, Schein Performance Hall, BIG ARTS; Island Jazz at Boler Garden, BIG ARTS

11th Birding at the Preserves (Sanibel Gardens), SCCF; Bike Club Meeting, SCA; Film Night, Schein Performance Hall, BIG ARTS

12th Garden Club Meeting, SCA; Fishing Club Meeting, SCA; “CROW’s Aquatic Patients: Fresh Water & Sea Turtles”, CROW; “Ariet Quartet”, www.SanibelMusicFestival.org

13th “Rescues & Releases of CROW’s Patients”, CROW; Film: “America’s Darling: The Story of Jay N. “Ding” Darling, “Ding” Darling; Concert: Southwest Florida Symphony, Schein Performance Hall, BIG ARTS

14th Art League Pot Luck, SCA; “The Alien Invasion”, SCCF; “Clinic Rounds”, CROW; “Snowy Plovers”, SCCF; “Sunset, Moonlight, & Wading Birds Cruise”, SCCF Community Collaborations: Spring Writers Read, Schein Performance Hall, BIG ARTS

15th “Meet Animal Ambassador, Trouper Lee”, CROW; “Photos: Candids by Bill Heyd”, SCCF; Lectures: “Bringing Environmental Education to Russia: by supervisory refuge manager Toni Westland & “Mission to China” by refuge manager Paul Tritaik, “Ding” Darling; Swamp House Party at The Sanibel Community House, SCA; Cinema Toast, BIG ARTS

What’s Happening With Real Estate in the United Kingdom

As a Transnational Referral Certified (TRC) Realtor®, SanibelSusan closely follows the real estate markets in the countries that often bring buyers to Sanibel and Captiva too. I read an interesting post this week from a UK colleague who said, “TRC’s interested in the UK market will be happy to hear 2013 has started on a good note with the number of house hunters rising in January to its highest level in 5 years, according to NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents).”

NAEA is the UK’s leading professional body for estate agency personnel, being part of a group representing 13,000 members who practice across all aspects of property services both in the UK and overseas. These include residential and commercial sales and lettings, property management, business transfer, auctioneering and land.

Florida, including Sanibel and Captiva Islands, has always had many vacation-home buyers from the UK. With their recession changing too, the trend should continue.

Osprey Cam

The osprey cam at Ocean’s Reach condominiums on Sanibel’s Camino del Mar Drive, in partnership with the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society, is focused now on a mama osprey hatching three eggs.

The eggs were laid several days apart in early February and take about 35 days to hatch. Fun to watch the progress at http://www.oceansreach.com/osprey-cam.cfm

Island Wildlife Last Week

Another fun posting each week by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society is a list of the wildlife sighted in the Refuge on Wildlife Drive and on The Bailey Tract (off Tarpon Bay Road).

Bailey Tract

The list for the week ending Tues, February 23, 2013 includes many varieties: 71 different birds, 7 different butterflies, 6 different snakes, 3 different frogs, 3 different turtles, 3 different crabs, 2 different lizards, American alligators, 9-banded armadillos, bobcats, coyotes, Virginia opossums, river otters, marsh rabbits, diamond-backed terrapins, gopher tortoises, and Southern five-lined skinks. The full list is posted at http://www.dingdarlingsociety.org/

Another JMA Photography photo

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity February 22-March 1

Sanibel
CONDOS
6 new listings: Sundial #H102 2/2 $498K, Mariner Pointe #631 2/2 $549K (our listing), Pointe Santo #C26 2/2 $669K, Nutmeg Village #101 2/2 $919K, Gulfside Place #209 2/2 $955K, Sedgemoor #105 3/3.5 $2.425M.
7 price changes: Seawind #A102 2/2.5 now $424.9K, Kings Crown #313 2/2 now $610K, Sunset South #3B 2/2 now $639K, Sanddollar #B104 2/2 now $891K, Seascape #302 3/3.5 now $1.329M, Lantana #102 4/3.5 now $1.495M, Sedgemoor #202 3/3.5 now $2.22M.
4 new sales: Colonnades #C18 1/1 listed for $129K, Captains Walk #E5 2/2 listed for $224.5K, Sundial #Q301 2/2 listed for $595K. La Playa #3B 3/2 listed for $1.45M.
3 closed sales: Sundial #G106 1/1 $270K, Sanibel Moorings #1042 2/2 $383K, Gulf Beach #205 2/2 $685K.

HOMES
5 new listings: 4563 Brainard Bayou Rd 3/3 $760K; 1291 Sand Castle Rd 4/3.5 $849K; 1329 Eagle Run Dr 3/2.5 $989K; 1001 Kings Crown Dr 3/2.5 $1.159M; 2507 Blind Pass Ct 4/3 $1,225,555.
13 price changes: 1125 Captains Walk St 2/2 now $499.9K, 9446 Yucca Ct 3/2 now $519K, 1667 Sabal Sands Rd 3/3 now $539K, 9319 Kincaid Ct 3/2 now $574.9K, 9203 Dimmick Dr 3/3 now $619K, 696 Durion Ct 3/2.5 now $635K, 9224 Dimmick Dr 4/2 now $699K, 6009 Clam Bayou Ln 4/3 now $836K, 804 Birdie View Pt 3/3 now $1.089M, 5403 Shearwater Dr 4/3 now $1.145M, 6440 Pine Ave 3/2.5 now $1.631M, 3615 West Gulf Dr 3/2 now $2.495M, 2980 Wulfert Rd 5/5 now $3.495M.
6 new sales: 9106 Mockingbird Dr 2/2 listed for $479K, 1271 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 listed for $589K, 2631 SanCap Rd 2/2 listed for $699K, 1216 Par View Dr 3/2 listed for $699K, 4518 Bowen Bayou Rd 4/4 listed for $725K (our sale), 214 Palm Lake Dr 3/2.5 listed for $749K, 4164 West Gulf Dr 4/4 listed for $1.995M, 3635 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5 listed for $4.199M.
8 closed sales: 4057 Coquina Dr 2/2 $301K (foreclosure), 3311 Twin Lakes Ln 3/3 $540K, 1449 Tahiti Dr 3/3 $550K, 525 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $550K, 928 Pepper Tree Place 2/2 $600K, 1441 Causey Ct 3/2 $671K, 569 Lighthouse Way 3/3 $785K (our buyer), 1660 Bunting Ln 4/3.5 $910K (our buyer).

LOTS
1 new listing: 860 Birdie View Pt $389K.
1 price changes: 708 Durion Ct now $359K.
No new or closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.
1 new sale: Bayside Villas #5308 3/3 listed for $560K.
No closed sales.
HOMES
1 new listing: 1129 Longifolia Ct 4/5 $5.995M.
4 price changes: 11490 Dickey Ln 3/2 now $879K, 11525 Chapin Ln 4/4 now $1.549M, 15127 Captiva Dr 8/6.5 duplex now $2.025M (short sale), 16428 Captiva Dr 7/8/2 now $12.2M.
1 new sale: 56 Sandpiper Ct 2/2.5 listed for $669K.
1 closed sale: 11551 Paige Ct 5/6/2 $4.735M.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Best wishes for another great week!

SanibelSusan & The SanibelSusan Team – Dave, Elise, & Lisa

2013 Real Estate Market on Sanibel Island

Posted on February 22, 2013 by SanibelSusan

It was another busy week for those of us lucky enough to be on Sanibel Island, and finally with beautiful weather again! We are now in for a week of picture-perfect sunshine which makes real estate show better, the visitors happy, and the Realtors® too. (Here’s a photo taken by teammate Lisa Murty – palm trees from her sunroof. Followed by one taken by teammate David Anderson – of an osprey nest in Lake Murex. Always fun to take photos during our real estate rounds!)

I will be out working with buyers again this weekend. It’s an “in-season” habit that often produces results. The Multiple Listing Service activity posted over the last seven days follows a couple of news items below.

The 2013 Real Estate Market on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

The term “feeding frenzy” was used more than once yesterday at our Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® February membership meeting. That may be a bit extreme, but it is interesting that many island Realtors® are booked well in advance to show property, are writing and negotiating more contracts than during this time last year, and then are working harder to hold them together.

It is difficult to keep deals on track in a recovering market. Appraisals are not substantiating sales prices. Lenders are fussier than ever. While, buyers still want a steal, but sellers don’t have to sell. Challenges are good, but I also have heard more than once this week, “I thought I’d heard it all, until ____”. Someday, I should write a book. Meanwhile, here is some good news.

Several loan officer affiliate-members of our Association of Realtors® provided a panel presentation at our membership meeting yesterday. As part of our continued training and to keep our members aware of the ever-changing market conditions and requirements of our profession, this year our local Professional Development Committee, which I chair, is arranging for and moderating training sessions like this each month.

Though some of the traditional big-name banks do not have offerings attractive to island buyers looking for a vacation home or investment-type condominium or to build their residence here, our Association has active affiliate members from at least four local lending institutions with a variety of attractive offerings. They range from portfolio loans to Federally-backed financing, no-closing-cost equity lines, and a variety of cross-collateralized loans. Hopefully, this session with bring business their way.

Another huge step in the right direction was the announcement that Lee County has recently been removed from the “declining market” list of several of these banks.

Thank you to the following panelists for their expert advice: Robin Cook, Vice President with Regions Bank;

Dan Krispinsky, Senior Loan Officer with Mutual of Omaha Bank;

Dan Royal, Vice President with FineMark Bank and Trust; and

David Wright, Senior Vice President with Sanibel-Captiva Community Bank.

The Sanibel and Captiva Association of Realtors® appreciates their affiliate business members!

Wondering What Sanibel Real Estate is Selling?

As of today, 62 Sanibel homes have sold or are under contract (four by Susan). So far this year, 40 Sanibel condos have similarly sold (two by Susan). Only two Sanibel lots have sold, with another closed today (our listing). All-in-all, 2013 is looking good. February sales are ahead of last year and March should prove to be productive too.

Another interesting tidbit, mentioned yesterday by one of the island rental managers is that “all” of their island homes are already booked for February 2014! That’s unheard of this early in the year. Sounds like those snowstorms are making the islands look better all the time and the renters here now are rebooking. All good healthy real estate indicators for the islands!

New Date for Conservation Forum

This is the fifth year, that the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and the Everglades Foundation have presented a Conservation Forum, focusing on water quality issues related to the Everglades and the Caloosahatchee River. Originally scheduled for February 19, it has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at Sundial Resort on Sanibel. Doors open at 6:30, program at 7, followed by a book signing and reception. This year’s program, “Valuing Nature: From the Everglades to the Islands of Sanibel and Captiva”, will feature Author and Economist Dr. Richard Weisskoff, University of Miami; Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation; and Rae Ann Wessel, Natural Resource Policy Director, SCCF.

The Recession Changes Americans’ Moving Patterns

At article posted on-line at “Daily Real Estate News” on Wednesday talks about a change in moving trends:

“Moves across county and state lines are falling, with the 2007-2009 recession blamed for changing Americans’ moving patterns, according to an analysis of census data through 2010. The Great Recession caused more Americans to move because they could no longer afford to remain where they were. That’s a big change in what traditionally motivates Americans to move — a bigger home or higher paying job, USA Today reports about the analysis.

“9% of Americans stayed local with their moves during 2007-2009 period – the highest in a decade. “Typically, over the last couple of decades, when Americans moved, they moved to improve their lives,” says Michael Stoll, author of the research and chairman of UCLA’s public policy department. “This is the shock: For the first time, Americans are moving for downward economic mobility. Either they lost their house or can’t afford where they’re renting currently or needed to save money.” More than 23% moved for more affordable housing during the recession. Prior to the recession, that percentage stood at 20.8%. Also, prior to the recession, 41.3% of Americans moved in order to own a home or settle into a better neighborhood. However, during the recession, that percentage dropped to 30.4%.”

Asheville, NC Tops Best Places To Buy In 2013

An article posted on Realtor.com on Valentines Day discusses the best places to buy and sell in 2013 (Note that traditional residential markets are the crux of this article. See the following SanibelSusan prognosis for how the islands will fare in 2013.)

“The new year started on a positive note in January, with inventories at record lows and list prices holding steady on a year-over-year basis. Whether this shows a continuation of the nascent housing recovery into 2013 will depend on a variety of factors, including the strength of the overall economy, the cost and availability of mortgage credit, consumer expectations regarding future housing prices, and the success of continuing efforts to stem the flow of new foreclosures.

“If inventories remain low — and if list prices begin to rise during the next few months, as they did last year — conditions are ripe for additional house price appreciation in 2013. However, such gains are likely to be concentrated in markets already well into their recovery process, such as California, Phoenix, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and many sand states. Markets in the older industrialized parts of the Midwest and the East will likely continue to struggle without a significant turnaround in their local economies. However, if inventories in these areas remain high, it could effectively set the stage for further declines in housing values in these local markets.

“2013 Best Places to Buy & Sell

With two months remaining before the home-buying season opens, sellers have a huge advantage. In tight markets, such as the top five “Best Places to Sell,” sellers benefit from better prices than they’ve seen in years. In our five “Best Places to Buy,” buyers will find plentiful inventory and prices that haven’t experienced the increases others have seen during the past year.

“Best Places to Buy

Asheville, NC. Real estate’s a good deal in western North Carolina, where you can enjoy the Smokies and the Blue Ridge mountains for less today than in 2012. Prices are down 0.4% year-over-year, and listings are lingering on market for a median 149 days, making Asheville one of the slowest-selling markets in the nation. There are slightly fewer homes on the market than last year, but inventory is certain to grow with the onset of the home-buying season.

Peoria-Pekin, IL. The Peoria market leads the nation in price declines. With unemployment at 8.3%, the region’s largest employer-initiated temporary layoffs in the wake of disappointing Q3 2012 global sales – in response – seller confidence faltered, sending list prices and inventory into decline. With median price 14.22% lower than this time in 2012, it’s a good time to buy in Peoria.

Charleston, WV. Charleston is one of the few markets with a recipe for buyer success — more homes are listed today than a year ago, and they cost less. Inventories are up 1.03% compared with January 2012, and prices decreased 9.61%. Typically a very stable market, Charleston didn’t experience either the housing boom of 2001-2006 or the bust that followed it.

Philadelphia (NJ). Even though inventories have fallen 4.85% in the past year, Philadelphia still has too many homes for sale. Prices are still soft, having lowered 5.31% year-over-year and 1.42% from December to January, which likely marks a seasonal decline. Listings are selling in 142 days. A good spring season with buyers ready to take advantage of some of the best prices in major metropolitan areas on the East Coast could quickly fix Philadelphia’s inventory overhang and position the market for the best year since the crash.

Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, OH. List prices have fallen 6.98% in Cleveland during the past 12 months. Inventories are also down 16.36% year-over-year, leaving buyers with the prospect of fewer properties to consider this spring, but some great bargains. Listings are spending 120 days in inventory, which is less than a year ago but still more than the national median, which suggests that demand is lighter in the Cleveland market and inventory is greater than elsewhere — both good signs for buyers.

“Best Places to Sell

Sacramento, CA. In recent months, Sacramento has experienced dramatic declines in inventory levels, reporting 67.2% fewer homes for sale in January than a year ago. Record low inventories have led to a 40.2% increase in median prices, yet demand is strong, with properties spending less than a month on the market. Sellers here can anticipate quick sales and primo prices.

San Jose, CA. Ranking fourth in the nation in terms of tight inventory, supply clearly is not keeping up with demand in Silicon Valley. Prices are up nearly 25% compared with this time in 2012 and still climbing, but not as quickly as in Sacramento. The region’s strong economy is driving up both rents and home prices.

San Francisco, CA. Prices have risen dramatically, inventories are down drastically and properties are selling in less than two months. The inventory shortage created a powerful sellers’ market where list prices rose more than 20% in the past year, a sure sign that sellers can anticipate a profitable spring season.

Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. Once the hottest market for foreclosures, Phoenix alternately became a hub for price increases in 2012. List prices have increased 23.59% since January 2012, and inventories decreased 15.88% since a year ago. In recent months, price and supply fluctuations have stabilized, so buyers should be able to find affordable properties if sellers take advantage of the improving price picture and list their homes this year, increasing supply.

Washington, DC. List prices have improved a respectable 16.33% in the D.C. market during the past 12 months, and one reason is a 30.77% decrease in inventory. With a median price of $429,900, D.C. is one of the nation’s priciest markets, and if inventories don’t grow substantially between now and cherry blossom season in March and April, prices will continue to rise. For locals thinking about selling, this looks to be one of the best markets in years.”

GFCI Tip

Probably the most common defect found during a condo or home inspection is a faulty GFCI, so here is a tip if you don’t know how to test yours. (Source: LCEC’s (Lee County Electric Co-op) February newsletter)

“The purpose of a GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) is to prevent shocks. They are code-required in wet areas such as bathrooms, outdoor receptacles, kitchens, garages, and laundry rooms. That is because even on a grounded wiring system, electricity can leak from the hot lead without tripping the circuit breaker. If the GFCI is not operating properly, it could be fatal.

“A GFCI device constantly monitors current levels on the hot and neutral sides of a circuit. If the GFCI senses an imbalance of just 1/2000 of an amp, it trips the circuit in 1/40 of a second or less.

“Testing a GFCI receptacle – Plug a radio, hairdryer, or other appliance into the GFCI, turn the appliance on, then press the test button. The receptacle should shut itself off. If it doesn’t, press the test button again. If it still doesn’t shut off, the receptacle needs to be replaced. If the receptacle did pass the test, press the reset button, the power should come back on.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity February 15-22

Sanibel
CONDOS
1 new listing: Sunset South #9D 2/2 $449K.
8 price changes: Captains Walk #D5 2/1 now $221.9K, Sundial #H107 1/1 now $339K, Sundial #I203 1/1 now $395K, Seawind #A109 2/2 now $434K, Sealoft Village #106 2/2 now $529K, Coquina Beach #2E 2/2 now $649K, Sanddollar #B104 2/2 now $893K, Seascape #302 3/3.5 now $1.334M.
8 new sales: Captains Walk #C4 2/2 listed for $199.9K, Beach Road Villa #106 2/2 listed for $299K, Captains Walk #B5 2/1 listed for $329K, Blind Pass #C110 2/2 listed for $399.9K, Nutmeg Village #106 2/2 listed for $599K (our buyer), Pointe Santo #D35 2/2 listed for $664.9K, Surfside 12 #A1 3/2 listed for $695K, Compass Point #181 2/3 listed for $899K.
2 closed sales: Sanibel Arms West #L8 2/2 $433K, Sandpiper Beach #404 2/2 $650K.

HOMES
5 new listings: 9263 Kincaid Ct 3/2 $446K, 630 Hideaway Ct 2/2 $529K, 1364 Jamaica Dr 2/2 $545K, 293 Ferry Landing Dr 3/3 half-duplex $1.275M, 5115 Joewood Dr 4/3 $1.595M.
4 price changes: 5650 SanCap Rd 2/2 now $599K, 9224 Dimmick Dr 4/2 now $720K, 2543 Tropical Way 3/2.5 now $995.9K, 842 Limpet Dr 3/3.5 now $1.745M.
9 new sales: 966 Fitzhugh St 2/1 listed for $299K, 1613 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex listed for $399K, 1599 Sand Castle 3/2.5 half-duplex listed for $425K, 9298 Kincaid Ct 3/2 listed for $495K, 5296 Umbrella Pool Rd 4/4 listed for $549.9K, 1366 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 listed for $649.9K, 1053 Seahawk Ln 3/2 listed for $689K, 3960 West Gulf Dr 3/2 listed for $699.9K, 1230 Par View Dr 3/2.5 listed for $739K.
3 closed sales: 1002 Greenwood Ct N 3/2.5 half-duplex $310K, 799 Casa Ybel Rd 4/3 duplex $377K, 4709 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $1.885M.

LOTS
3 new listings: 2380 Wulfert Rd $199K; 1307 Par View Dr $259.9K; 6141 Starling Way $549,555.
1 price change: 1450 Tahiti Dr now $199,555.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 437 Lake Murex Cir $203,750 (our listing).

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Ventura Captiva #2B 3/3 now $799K.
1 new sale: Tennis Villas #3219 1/1 listed for $215K.
No closed sales.

HOMES
No new listings.
3 price changes: 15127 Captiva Dr 8/6.5 duplex now $1.85M (short sale), 14860 Mango Ct 5/4 now $2.394M, 16428 Captiva Dr 7/8/2 now $12.25M.
No new or closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Happy weekend to all, from SanibelSusan

Valentines Day Frenzy, The Real Estate Market is Red Hot on Sanibel Island

Posted on February 15, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Valentines Day rain at Blind Pass (between Sanibel & Captiva Islands)

After two days of on-and-off rain, thanks to the arrival of a cool front, it has been a fun couple of days with real estate. The island is almost full and the non-beach days bring out the shoppers, real estate lookers and Periwinkle Way traffic jams.

The sun peeked out a couple of times today, but full sunshine is not expected again until Sunday. Meanwhile, the cool front forecast says that the high on Sunday will only be 61 degrees (low 39). Yikes, maybe we will need to turn our heat on for the first time this winter. The good weather news is that it is expected to be back into the low 80’s by Tuesday, followed by several days of picture-perfect weather.

The good real estate news is that buyers are here (happens every February). I was out showing property several days this week, as were teammates Dave and Lisa. Yesterday, I was out with folks all day (we got drenched multiple times), and again this morning. Two offers are in the works as a result of those efforts.

Plenty of price reductions and plenty of new sales already were announced this week, mostly Sanibel homes. When I showed homes yesterday, sometimes there were two and three Realtors showing at the same time. Talk about creating a sense of urgency!

The expectation is that the islands will remain busy until Easter. Full occupancy begins tomorrow for the Presidents’ Day Holiday weekend.

The annual Rotary Arts & Crafts Fair is tomorrow and Sunday at the The Community House and Sanibel City Park across the street from SanibelSusan Realty. It usually brings us walk-in business, so we will be here, open, and ready.

In lieu of my usual Friday real estate chatter and since the office was on full alert today working with walk-ins and prospective buyers, instead here are a few more of Dave’s island pictures. He took a few beauties this week before the rain came.

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity February 8-15

Sanibel
CONDOS
4 new listings: Captains Walk #C4 2/2 $199.9K, Mariner Pointe #1083 2/2 $419.9K, Sand Pointe #137 2/2 $799K, Tamarind #A202 2/2 $1.595M.
4 price changes: Lake Palms #7 2/2.5 now $249K, Sundial #D207 1/1 now $272.9K, Sanddollar #B104 2/2 now $895K, Seascape #302 3/3.5 now $1.339M.
4 new sales: Sundial #F105 1/1 listed for $295K, Loggerhead Cay #521 2/2 listed for $559K, Gulfside Place #320 2/2 listed for $949K, Junonia #203 3/2 listed for $974K.
3 closed sales: Colonnades #12 1/1 $115K, Sundial #G207 1/1 $238K, Wedgewood #303 3/3.5 $1.12M.

HOMES
6 new listings: 966 Greenwood Ct S 3/2.5 half-duplex $349K, 1613 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex, 1125 Captains Walk St 2/2 $524.9K, 1664 Hibiscus Dr 3/2 $1.298M, 3615 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $2.695M, 2915 Wulfert Rd 5/6.5 $2.998M.
14 price changes: 966 Fitzhugh St 2/1 now $ 299K, 2079 Wild LIme Dr 3/2 now $440K, 1193 Kittiwake Cir 4/3 now $599K, 1744 Bunting Ln 3/2 now $629K, 4960 Joewood Dr 4/3 now $699K, 214 Palm Lake Dr 3/2.5 now $749K, 1066 Bailey Rd 3/3 now $824.5K (short sale), 385 Old Trail Rd 4/2.5 now $999K, 940 Victoria Way 3/3 now $999K, 261 Ferry Landing Dr 2/2 now $1.149M, 2429 Wulfert Rd 4/4.5 now $1.395M, 2279 Troon Ct 3/4 now $1.395M, 444 Lighthouse Way 5/4.5 now $2.395M, 3507 West Gulf Dr 3/2 now $3.295M.
14 new sales: 4629 Brainard Bayou Rd 3/2 listed for $499K, 1319 Tahiti Dr 3/2 listed for $549K, 3196 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 listed for $589K, 1449 Tahiti Dr 3/3 listed for $595K, 1170 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed for $619K, 6138 Castaways Ln 3/2.5 listed for $654.9K, 1053 Seahawk Ln 3/2 listed for $689K, 1441 Causey Ct 3/2 listed for $699K, 228 Hurricane Ln 3/2.5 listed for $732.5K, 3840 West Gulf Dr 3/2.5 listed for $739K, 284 Ferry Landing Dr 3/2.5 listed for $979K, 985 Oyster Ct 4/4 listed for $1.295M, 4525 Waters Edge Ln 3/3 listed for $2.95M.
3 closed sales: 1060 White Ibis Dr 3/2 $535K, 2540 Coconut Dr 4/3.5 $699K, 1693 Bunting Ln 3/2 $725K.

LOTS
2 new listings: 5148 Sea Bell Rd $229K, 4333 West Gulf Dr $2.55M.
1 price change: 5170 Sea Bell Rd now $195K.
No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS
1 new listing: Beach Villas #2611 2/2 $610K.
1 price change: Bayside Villas #5308 3/3 now $560K.
1 new sale: Lands End Village #1609 2/2 listed for $1.295M.

HOMES
No new listings.
3 price changes: 15891 Captiva Dr 5/4 now $2.849M, 1121 Schefflera Ct 4/4.5 now $4.499M, 16428 Captiva Dr 7/8/2 now $12.3M.
1 new sale: 16163 Captiva Dr 3/2 listed for $1.5M.
No closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Happy February Florida Real Estate on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on February 1, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Islanders enjoyed a little Sanibel winter weather this week, with temps down into the 40’s/50’s at night and a couple of days in the high 60’s/low 70’s. It’s expected to be back up into the low 80’s by Wednesday. Here are a few photos that Dave and Lisa took yesterday while they were out previewing property on Realtor® Caravan, but first here’s the vehicle that just went by SanibelSusan Realty Associates. Is it a car? Is it a plane? It’s been making the rounds in Southwest Florida. Check it out on http://PlaneDriven.com

PlaneDriven.com Heading down Periwinkle Way on Sanibel 02-01-2013

View from Tarpon Bay Explorers, Sanibel Island 01-31-2013

From Mariner Pointe looking toward the Sanibel Marina 01-31-2013

A pair of bald eagles, 01-31-2013

Florida Realtors® Mid-Winter Business Meetings

Each January, a lot gets accomplished in just a few days at the Florida Realtors® Mid-Winter Business Meetings in Orlando. This year was no exception.

Last Friday, I attended the Faculty Development Subcommittee meeting where I am a member, the Global Business Committee, and the Legislative and Political Forum. At this last event, Robin Smith-Wescott, Esq., who is the state Insurance Consumer Advocate (http://www.radeylaw.com/insurance-list/interview-robin-smith-westcott-floridas-new-insurance-consumer-advocate/) updated us on recent insurance reform, including Wind Insurance changes. Regarding the National Flood Insurance Program, it was a bit disheartening to hear that Florida continues to provide 30% of the funding for this program, but receives only 13% in benefit. Florida Realtors® continue to pressure for more reform here.

Pam Blondi, Florida’s Attorney General, (http://myfloridalegal.com) also spoke on the status of several state issues including foreclosure fraud and short sale management issues, and the monies Florida has available for foreclosure settlements. Her office handles a wide mix of problems including drugs and human trafficking, which she unfortunately mentioned are both on the rise.

Association Executive, Peggy Hummel, & President-Elect, David Schuldenfrei with some of the Sanibel/Captiva trophy collection 01-25-2013

On Friday night at the RPAC Jamboree, several Florida Realtor® organizations received recognition for their political action support. The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association came home with three of the four major awards for “small boards” – quite an accomplishment for our little group and indicative of our active membership and their concern, contributions, and work in recent legislative and regulatory successes including the continued preservation of the mortgage interest deduction, tax relief benefiting the real estate industry, improving federal mortgage programs, and eliminating regulations that inhibit environmental quality and healthy real estate markets.

On Saturday, at the Professional Standards Forum, I received a script that will be presented later this year at an educational event locally. Later at the Resort and Second Home Forum Meeting, as members shared reports of the market in their area, it was good to hear that most Florida resort communities are rebounding. Interestingly, NAR (National Association of Realtors®) statistics now say that 60% of resort and second-home buyers are international. The East Coast associations, particularly Miami, advise that the percentage may be even higher there.

With only 1,700 Realtors® holding the RSPS (Resort & 2nd-Home Property Specialist) designation nationally, it is a tight group but with expansive networking opportunities. I received several new referrals while in Orlando and came back with more info to include in the Sanibel/Captiva designation RSPS class that I will teach for the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® later this spring.

Showing Activity & Thursday Realtor® Caravan

I was out showing property three days this week and so far have one finalized contract to show for it. Dave and Lisa were out showing yesterday. I will be out with folks tomorrow morning and another couple in the afternoon. Many colleagues are out showing too. We are hopeful that the next few weeks will be productive.

With only three new properties on Realtor caravan yesterday, the tide is changing. More new listings are needed to keep up with the current demand.

What’s The Best Season for Home Buying?

An article posted on line at Florida Realtors® today, credits InformationInc and Trulia “Housing Wire”. It confirms that if true to history, February will most likely be busy with Florida sales.

“After the holidays, buyers tend to get more aggressive with their house hunting. Search activity usually peaks around March or April in most states, according to a new study of home searches from 2007 to 2012 conducted by Trulia. In September, searches slow down. By December, buyer searches ebb to their lowest point of the year. “Home-search activity swings with the seasons in every state,” says Jed Kolko, chief economist of Trulia. “Buyers and sellers can use these ups and downs to their advantage. Sellers looking for the most buyers should list when real estate search traffic peaks. Buyers, however, should think about searching off-season, when there is less competition from other searchers.”

“Here are the months when online real estate searches peak in every U.S. state:
January: Hawaii
February: Florida
March: Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
April: Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin
May: Real estate activity does not peak in any state
June: Mississippi
July: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wyoming
August: Montana and Oregon
September-December: Real estate activity does not peak in any state.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Activity January 25 – February 1

Sanibel
CONDOS
5 new listings: Captains Walk #B5 2/1 $329K, Surfside 12 #A1 3/2 $695K, Sundial #L304 2/2 $1.049M, Compass Point #183 2/2 $1.095M, Tamarind #A101 2/2 $1.595M.
6 price changes: Sanibel Siesta #210 2/2 now $439K, Mariner Pointe #1052 2/2 now $449K, Sundial #G401 2/2 now $479K, Shell Island Beach Club #5B 2/2 now $689K, Sundial #K203 2/2 now $744.9K, Snug Harbor #121 3/2 now $997.5K.
2 new sales: Loggerhead Cay #261 2/2 listed for $549K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #6-3 3/3 listed for $740K.
1 closed sale: Tennisplace #C35 2/1.5 $232.5K.

HOMES
7 new listings: 1625 Serenity Ln 3/2 $499K, 9228 Belding Dr 2/2.5 $550K, 600 East Rocks Dr 3/2 $579K, 1481 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 $595K, 1300 Par View Dr 3/2 $839K, 5418 Osprey Ct 4/3.5 $999K, 200 Robinwood Cir 3/3.5 $1.268M.
4 price changes: 9446 Yucca Ct 3/2 now $529K; 564 Hideaway Ct 3/2 now $599,555; 1777 Serenity Ln 5/4.5 now $799K.
3 new sales: 1809 Bowman’s Beach Rd 3/2 listed for $499K, 1660 Bunting Ln 4/3.5 listed for $945K (our buyer), 5035 Joewood Dr 4/4.5 listed for $3.595M.
1 closed sale: 544 Sea Oats Dr 4/4 $820K.

LOTS
3 new listings: 223 Robinwood Cir $287K, 5648 Baltusrol Ct $289K, 2323 Starfish Ln $549K.
No price changes, new or closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
2 new listings: Tennis Villas #3111 1/1 $267.5K, Lands End Village #1609 2/2 $1.295M.
3 price changes: Bayside Villas #4204 1/2 now $259K, Bayside Villas #5344 3/3 now $645K, Beach Villas #2533 2/2 now $699K.
No new sales.
2 closed sales: Marina Villas #603 2/2 $475K, Ventura Captiva #2A 3/3 $650K.

HOMES
1 new listing: 11526 Laika Ln 4/4 duplex $1.8M.
2 price changes: 15631 Captiva Dr 5/4.5 now $2.495M, 16428 Captiva Dr 7/8/2 now $12.4M.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 16742 Captiva Dr 3/3 $2.45M.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Summer Weather & Real Estate for Sale on Sanibel & Captiva Island in January 2013

Posted on January 25, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Island weather has been a tad cooler recently (into the low 70’s) and we had a couple of unusual overcast days this week, but overall it still is terrific, particularly when compared to the snowy conditions and deep freezes we keep hearing about elsewhere. (Island temps expected to be back in the low 80’s by Sunday/Monday.)

Here are a couple of news items, followed by the action reported in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service over the last seven days.

Another Doc Ford’s

South Seas Island Resort recently announced their newest dining option – Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille. Already well-known for its Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach locations, the new Doc Ford’s restaurant will feature its traditional menu, along with new decor. Replacing the soon-to-be-closed Holy Smoke Heavenly Barbeque in the old Chadwick’s Center near the entrance to the resort and following a complete renovation, Doc Ford’s Captiva will debut this summer and be open to the public. More info at www.docfordssanibel.com and www.southseas.com

Another Foodie Note – Changes at DQ

If you have noticed the new plantings at the island Dairy Queen, those are thanks to a newly-formed partnership of owners. One of the original partners whose family has run the business since 1973 announced last week that he has now teamed up with a couple of other islanders, including Larry Thompson who launched the Lazy Flamingo chain, Sunset Grill, and The Santiva General Store. Our teammate, Lisa, still spends a few shifts each week at Larry’s Sunset Grill restaurant. That’s where she and Dave met back in the 90’s. Food’s great if you haven’t checked it out – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Lighthouse Beach To Be Tilled

As a requirement of the State Department of Environmental Protection permits for the beach renourishment project completed at Lighthouse Beach, the beach must be tilled prior to the start of sea turtle nesting season. This work is done to ensure that the beach is not overly compacted and is of the appropriate compression to enable female sea turtles to excavate nest chambers in the beach sand to lay their eggs.

The contractor is scheduled to start work in the late Monday afternoon, Jan 28 at Lighthouse Beach and will take approximately 6 hours, extending into the early evening. Tilling will only occur on the San Carlos Bay side of Lighthouse Beach. The gulfside of Lighthouse Beach will not be affected.

“Rugose Spiraling Whitefly, A Guide for Homeowners”

Island property owners recently were mailed an educational brochure for Sanibel residents. Even island visitors have noticed and asked about defoliated trees. Here is the write-up from the City website with link to the brochure.

“The City of Sanibel has been impacted by a non-native pest known as Rugose Spiraling Whitefly. As we continue the effort in combating the fly’s spread educating the community is a priority. Today (Jan 14, 2013), the City of Sanibel released “Rugose Spiraling Whitefly, A Guide for Homeowners,” an educational brochure for residents on Sanibel. Residents and businesses can now view the brochure by clicking here. (pdf 291.65 kB) For questions regarding the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly please contact the City of Sanibel Natural Resources Department at holly.downing@mysanibel.com or calling (239) 472-3700″

Fewer Young Homeowners in Wake of Housing Bust

An on-line article posted at Florida Realtors® yesterday, sourced “U.S. News and World Report.” Interestingly the day before at the Florida Realtors® Mid-Year Business Meetings here in Orlando, during a forward-thinking REThink presentation which looks into the future of real estate, it was pointed out that over half the world’s population is under the age of 30. First, here’s the “U.S. News and World Report” article:

“The fallout from the housing crisis is still being felt today. One major casualty is the rate of homeownership in the U.S., which has fallen substantially. The picture is especially bleak for younger households who make up the bulk of first-time homebuyers. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the biggest decline in homeownership was in households headed by people under 35 years of age. Rates for this demographic group plummeted from a homeownership peak of 43.6% in summer 2004 to 36.3% in September 2012.

“Meanwhile, households aged 35 to 44 experienced a decline in homeownership from 70.1% at the start of 2005 to 61.8% as of last year’s third quarter.

“Two major issues contributed to the decline in homeownership among younger people. First, tight lending requirements and weak labor markets made homeownership unattainable for many.

“Second, foreclosures caused some in these groups to become renters or cease to be households entirely by moving in with friends or family.

“Declining homeownership rates among younger households can have a broad ripple effect on the economy, ranging from delays in marriage and having children to reduced wealth accumulation.”

On this same subject of age, here is a blog article by Erik Qualman. It talks about world populations and the resultant rise in social media. (If you’d like to see the stats go to his site at SocialNomics.net)

Over 50% of the World’s Population Is Under 30 – Social Media on the Rise

“Roughly 52% of the world’s population is under 30-years-old. It is estimated that the U.S. population of 310 million equates to 4.5% of the world population. Meanwhile, China’s population of 1.33 billion represents almost 20% of the world population. Please note that Google and Facebook don’t dominate China like they do other parts of the world, rather Baidu, QQ and Renren lead the way.

“Looking at the population in five-year windows reveals that 0-4 years-old is the largest segment. This intuitively makes sense from a death rate perspective in developing countries. As we look at the ages of anyone over 10 and under 60 the largest group is those 20-24 years of age. The smallest group are those 55-59.

“If we are to drill down into the U.S. data it differs from the world population in the fact that the 20-24 year-olds are the third largest segment after the segments of: 1) 45-49 and 2) 50-54. 96% of Generation Y indicate they have used social media tool. Not sure how the other 4% somehow have avoided social media, but we will leave that for another day. The life expectancy of someone born in the U.S. today is 78.

“According to this data it’s predicted that Generation Y will outnumber Baby Boomers in July, 2010 (based on Census Bureau Projections). There is much debate on which years define each generation, but even running the numbers numerous ways shows that Generation Y will outnumber Boomers. If you define Generation Y or Millennials as being born between 1980-2000 (10-30 year olds in 2010), the population equals 82,576,000. The way the Census bureau breaks out data in 5-year increments this window keeps the data “whole.” For Baby Boomers if you run the numbers to how the census bureau defines a Boomer as the years 1946-64 (ironically people aged 46-64 in 2010) the population equals 79,590,000. If you define baby boomers…as being born from 1943-1960 (50-67 years of age in 2010) the population equals 69,522,000 and that is giving the boomers two extra years (50-69 years of age in 2010).

“How Do I Live to 100? – Be Social

For kicks here are some bold predictions:

Facebook’s main competition may come from China

Physical paper newspapers will be done by 2014

Television as we know it today will be done by 2016 (served over IP)

Oh, and one last thing. While Males start out as the larger population (107 index) females live longer and flip this (Male index goes from 107 to 23) by the time they are 100. One of the top characteristics doctors have determined of centenarians (people that live to be 100) is that they have active social lives. Isn’t it appropriate that females will be carrying the social torch for years to come?”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Activity January 18-25

Sanibel
CONDOS
3 new listings: Sanibel Arms West #M3 2/2 $395K, Tarpon Beach #206 2/2 $599K, Anglers Key #201 3/3 $1.875M.
7 price changes: Colonnades #12 1/1 now $129K, Sundial #C201 1/1 now $219K (short sale), Sundial #G201 2/2 now $490K, Nutmeg Village #106 2/2 now $599K, Surfside 12 #C4 3/2 now $775K, Snug Harbor #121 3/2 now $997.5K, Ferry Landing #1 2/2 now $1.149M.
No new sales.
2 closed sales: Tennisplace #A34 2/1.5 $238.9K, Blind Pass #B103 3/2 $415.5K.

HOMES
4 new listings: 754 Donax St 4/2 duplex $399K, 970 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $569K, 701 Heather Ln 4/3.5 $775K, 284 Ferry Landing Dr 3/2.5 $979K.
10 price changes: 1846 Ardlsey Way 2/2 now $319.9K, 1401 Sandpiper Cir 3/2.5 half-duplex now $399K; 9106 Mockingbird Dr 2/2 now $479K; 9446 Yucca Ct 3/2 now $539K; 747 Martha’s Ln 3/2 now $559K; 1660 Bunting Ln 4/3.5 now $945K; 1555 San Carlos Bay Dr 3/2.5 now $949K; 4207 Gulf Pines Dr 4/4.5 now $950K; 3635 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5 now $4.199M, 4461 Waters Edge Ln 5/5.5 now $4.995M.
6 new sales: 1245 Anhinga Ln 3/2 listed for $499K, 3311 Twin Lakes Ln 3/3 listed for $599K, 2540 Coconut Dr 4/3.5 listed for $740K, 569 Lighthouse Way 3/3 listed for $795K, 1878 Woodring Rd 3/2.5 listed for $2.19M, 1323 Seaspray Ln 4/4.5 listed for $2.348M.
3 closed sales: 1536 Bunting Ln 3/2 $425K, 1032 Lindgren Blvd 3/2.5 $590K, 549 East Rocks Dr 3/2.5 $690K.

LOTS
1 new listing: 5044 Joewood Dr $490K.
1 price change: Tarpon Bay Rd now $199K.
1 new sale: 437 Lake Murex Cir listed for $249K (our listing).
No closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Captiva Hide-A-Way #1C 2/2 now $579K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: Sunset Beach Villas #2228 2/2 $525K.

HOMES
No new listings.
2 price changes: 16770 Captiva Dr 5/4.5 now $5.85M, 16428 Captiva Dr 7/8/2 now $12.45M.
2 new sales: 11490 Old Lodge Ln 3/3 listed for $979K, 11551 Paige 5/6/2 listed for $4.998M.
No closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Sanibel Island Real Estate Happenings Plus What’s A Bloom!

Posted on January 18, 2013 by SanibelSusan

It was another quiet week on Sanibel until yesterday when the traffic picked up and sunshine gave way to a few clouds. Maybe that means the 3-day weekend is beginning early. Whatever it means, at SanibelSusan Realty Associates we like it. Daytime weather is expected to be down into the 70’s for the next week which will be a nice change after the 80-degree weather we have experienced the last few weeks. It was only 47 degrees this morning and so far has only warmed up to 64 – nice day for long sleeves with the flip flops.

We had a little real estate action at SanibelSusan Realty this week – a nice closing on Tuesday and a couple of vacant land offers. Below are a few real estate and island news items, followed by the activity posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service this week.

Thursday Sanibel Real Estate Caravan

Our island Realtor® meeting yesterday was well attended and we had a “mini-awards” ceremony when I presented our “2012 Got Ethics” game show participants with trophies for their roles in that November educational event. It wasn’t like the Critics Choice, Peoples Choice, Emmys, or Oscars, but it got a laugh.

With 20 East-end properties on tour and slow going on Periwinkle Way, it was difficult to see all of the open listings within the 3-hour time period. Dave and Lisa viewed a few, while I viewed some others. We all have buyers coming in a few weeks so we want to be ready!

I took a few iPhone snapshots along the way and another few today. If you are wondering what is blooming on Sanibel Island in mid-January, this is it!

Bougainvillease abloom in Seagull Estates

Bougainvillea in Seagull Estates

Trumpet tree on Dixie Beach Blvd

Lovely bromeliads on Sanibel Blvd

Another blooming bromeliad

Bismark palm

Little Lake Murex garden

Dredging Blind Pass Again

Dredging of the inside of Blind Pass was expected to begin again this week. The pass was dredged several years ago, but has since choked up with sand and needs to be reopened. All beach compatible sand dredged from the pass (estimated to be about 40,000 cubic yards) will be placed near Silver Key. The project is being managed by Lee County Natural Resources, with shorebird and sea turtle monitoring conducted by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation under contract with Lee County.

Results of the 2012 Tropical Storm Season

According to a recent report by Sanibel’s Natural Resource Director, Sanibel’s beaches were eroded in several locations during summer-fall storms. In June, Tropical Storm Debby caused damage to the access road to the Sanibel Lighthouse and erosion of the shoreline east of the fishing pier. That shoreline has since stabilized.

In August, Hurricane Issac skirted the gulf before making landfall in Louisiana. Wind and high surf from that storm resulted in moderate erosion along West Gulf Drive and the beaches south of Blind Pass. At the end of October, more wind and surf from Hurricane Sandy further exacerbated those same areas. In some spots, escarpments were as much as five feet high. The Natural Resource Director is working with Sanibel’s Public Works Department and Lee County Natural Resources to develop a plan to address this.

Sanibel Island Golf Club

In the two months, since the former Beachview Golf Club was purchased (for $7M), the 152-acre facility has seen several changes. Bought by two well-known island golf professionals with years of experience at courses on the island, as well as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Michigan, one of the changes is the name. Now called “Sanibel Island Golf Club”, the course is getting some landscape and aesthetic changes. According to a local paper, membership is about 175 now, and expected to push past 200 by the end of season. They also offer weekly or 10-round packages.

When Is Sanibel Chorus Singing?

In response to a few queries about when the BIG ARTS Community Chorus is singing again, here is our winter/spring schedule so far. We have a varied repertoire in the works including some pieces from Les Miserables score. The full chorus now has nearly 80 members again, while the ensemble which sings for smaller venues is about 30 voices. No try-outs necessary for the full chorus which practices on Tuesday nights Oct through Mar, at BIG ARTS.

Feb 26, Tues, FISH Annual Meeting & Volunteer Recognition Luncheon at The Sanctuary
Mar 6, Wed, Ensemble singing at Center-4-Life Pot Luck Dinner Meeting at The Sanibel Rec Center
Mar 18, Mon, Minnesota Twins vs. Miami Marlins game at Hammond Stadium (Star Spangled Banner & 7th inning stretch)
Mar 20, Wed, Spring Concert at BIG ARTS (matinee performance)
Mar 21, Thur, Spring Concert at BIG ARTS (evening performance)

REALTOR.com® Highlighted in Joint NAR/Google Study

A recent study from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and Google examined the connection between consumer Internet use and online home search and shopping patterns. It shows the value of REALTOR.com® in the home search process. According to the 2012 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, multiple listing service websites and Realtor.com® were the top two websites used in recent home searches. (I am sure that you know that since I belong to two Multiple Listing Services, your property is featured in two systems, which also results in two postings on Realtor.com. Those two MLS systems sites have public search links at The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® website at www.SanibelRealtors.com and The Realtor® Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach website at www.SWFLRealtors.com which links to the Florida Gulf Coast database.)

Steady Market Gains Ahead

An article in the Jan/Feb issue of Realtor® Magazine offered the following 2013 economic outlook:

“Modest growth in the economy and improving job picture bode well for both residential and commercial real estate. For residential practitioners, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR)’s forecast for 2013 looks like a return to normalcy with healthy price appreciation, an increase in both existing- and new-home sales, and a drying up of the shadow inventory. Interest rates are expected to remain low, though inflation could put upward pressure on both rates and home prices. For commercial practitioners, the rise in renal households is good news for the multifamily sector. Office, industrial and retail are all expected to inch back, with slight declines in vacancies and positive growth in net absorption and rents.”

“Where We’ve Been

“Own vs. Rent – The number of owner households has been flat over the past several years. Despite U.S. population growth of roughly 1% per year, the number of owner households has held steady, in the range of 75 million since 2007, while the number of rental households has increased from 35 million in 2007 to nearly 40 million today. Some renters who’d like to take advantage of today’s favorable prices and interest rates are finding credit standards too tight to obtain financing. NAR warns that continued tight credit conditions threaten to widen the wealth gap between owners and renters.

“Builder Activity – New home construction has been well below the 50-year average of 1.5 million. Housing starts remain well below historical averages, even with new construction expected to rise from 776,000 units last year to more than 1.1 million in 2013. Depressed construction activity has kept inventories down and put upward pressure on prices.

“Shadow Inventory – Delinquencies and foreclosures have dropped but remain high. Since hitting a level of nearly 4.3 million units in the fourth quarter of 2009, the shadow inventory – seriously delinquent mortgages and homes in foreclosure – has been declining. It was at 3.1 million units in 2012’s 1st quarter, still high but sharply below the peak. As a percentage of total sales, distressed sales are on the decline. In 2010 and 2011, they constituted about a third of the market. That dropped to 25% in 2012 and is expected to decline to single digits by 2014.

“Where We’re Going

“The Forecast Calls for – NAR is forecasting 3% growth in U.S. gross domestic product by 2014, along with a steady increase in national medial home prices. After years of tepid performance, both existing-home sales and new-home sales are expected to see significant gains this year and next, despite a gradual rise in interest rates. Commercial sectors are also seeing signs of upward progress. And good news is expected in the all-important employment picture: NAR Research estimates payroll jobs will grow by 2 million this year and 2.6 million next year.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity January 11-18

Sanibel
CONDOS
3 new listings: Nutmeg Village #202 2/2 $629K, Loggerhead Cay #522 2/2 $695K, Sedgemoor #103 3/3.5 $2.55M.
4 price changes: Sundial #I-103 1/1 now $396K, Ibis at The Sanctuary #302 2/2 now $399K, Sundial #J207 2/2 now $529K, Compass Point #181 2/3 now $949K.
2 new sales: Sundial #G106 1/1 listed for $292.9K (short sale), St. Croix #3 2/2.5 listed for $849K.
3 closed sales: Captains Walk #A8 2/2 $275K, Sandpebble #1F 2/2 $325K, Compass Point #141 3/2 $847.5K (our listing).

HOMES
7 new listings: 696 Durion Ct 3/2.5 $665K, 2631 San-Cap Rd 2/2 $699K, 3131 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $739K, 5403 Shearwater Dr 4/3 $1.249M, 2695 Wulfert Rd 4/4/2 $1.345M, 1141 Paper Fig Ct 3/3.5 $1.495M, 4525 Waters Edge Ln 3/3 $2.95M.
9 price changes: 1854 Farm Trl 3/2 now $598K, 1183 Kittiwake Cir 4/3 now $699.9K, 1225 Junonia St 3/2 now $719K, 1230 Par View Dr 3/2.5 now $739K, 765 Conch Ct 5/4 now $849K, 2498 Harbour Ln 4/3 now $888.5K, 743 Sand Dollar Dr 3/2 now $899K, 6123 Starling Way 3/2.5 now $999K, 228 Violet Dr 3/2/2 now $1.325M.
6 new sales: 1809 Farm Trl 3/2 listed for $499K, 3344 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 listed for $549K, 525 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 listed for $579K, 928 Pepper Tree Place 2/2 listed for $639.9K, 576 Hideaway Ct 3/2 listed for $749K, 4709 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 listed for $2.1M.
No closed sales.

LOTS
No new listings.
3 price change: Sea Bell Rd now $265K, 5116 Sea Bell Rd now $265K, 3792 Coquina Dr now $389K.
1 new sale: 1028 Bayview Dr listed for $1.795M.
No closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
1 new listing: Captiva Cove #5236 3/2 $1.299M.
No price changes or new sales.
1 closed sale: Bayside Villas #5236 1/2 $307K.

HOMES
3 new listings: 11541 Wightman Ln 3/2 $1.585M, 1102 Tallow Tree Ct 5/4 half-duplex $3.3M, 15009 Binder Dr 4/5.5 $3.95M.
1 price change: 11513 Wightman Ln 5/5 now $1.795M.
2 new sales: 56 Sandpiper Ct 2/2.5 listed for $669K, 16742 Captiva Dr 3/3 listed for $2.795M.
No closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Happy Weekend to All Sanibel & Captiva Island Real Estate Lovers!

Record Temps & Picture-Perfect Sanibel & Captiva Islands Weather

Posted on January 11, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Photo courtesy of Jim Anderson, JMA Photography

You probably have heard about Florida in the news this week. It was the warmest state in the nation several times and set records some days for some of the highest recorded January temperatures in SW Florida. Gorgeous bright blue skies and sunny days with 80 degree weather have kept islanders – and visitors and vacationers – smiling.

The roads and bike paths thinned out a little this week when the holiday visitors departed, but my pals in reservations tell me that they had a few record days with bookings this week – undoubtedly thanks to our terrific weather – and the opposite in other parts of the world. Be sure and tell your friends/family planning an island visit this winter that they should not delay in making reservations. Rumor has it that many popular peak nights already are fully booked.

Check-ins are expected to be light again tomorrow and the following Saturday, with the big influx of winter visitors expected to arrive on the 26th. The island will be busy from then until Easter.

Here are a few real estate and island news items followed by the activity reported in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service this week.

Traveling from Sanibel to Captiva

Teammates Dave and Lisa viewed some Captiva properties that were open for Realtor® Caravan yesterday. During their travels, they took a few pictures of the wildlife in Clam Bayou and along Sanibel-Captiva Road.

View into Clam Bayou

Eagle’s nest in Gulf Pines

Gopher Tortoise stopping traffic on San-Cap Road

Osprey in flight with fish

Quite a few upcoming happenings were added to my island events calendar too. Check them out if you are looking for things to do on particular day. It’s going to be busy winter here, http://sanibelsusan.com/island-events-calendar/

Beginning the New Year at The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

David, Lisa, and I attended the local Association of Realtors® Installation and Awards Banquet on Saturday night. Incoming Florida Realtors® President Dean Asher came to Sanibel to perform the induction ceremony. I was one of twenty local Realtors® to receive an Honor Society Award – perhaps the only one for the 20th year in a row. Honor Society awards are presented annually to those of our ~300 Realtor® members earning recognition for their professionalism through education, participation, and community service. Our leadership’s goal this year is to get more of those Realtors® involved.

In 2013, I again am chairing the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Professional Development Committee. Several educational events already are scheduled and others planned.

My other committee work this year will be with the Professional Standards Committee. That group is the Realtors® governing body that hears ethics and arbitration cases that have passed Grievance Committee and need resolution. The beauty of working on these small islands, where most business is handled professionally, is that Professional Standards usually hears few if any cases. I sure hope that applies this year too.

Another New Sanibel Restaurant – The Sandbar

Islanders always get excited when we hear a new restaurant is opening. If you have seen the many contractor vehicles parked at the 2761 West Gulf Drive location of the former Stone Crab restaurant, it was purchased in December by the same island residents who own the nearby Shalimar Cottages and Motel. Called “The Sandbar”, the new restaurant opened this week with hours from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It features a new open-view kitchen and retail market. The general manager who has previously managed other popular island restaurants advises they will feature creative entrees of fresh fish and choice beef, plus menu staples like King crab, shrimp, Maine lobster, and mile-high mud pie. They have a full liquor license too.

Another Coffee Shop Also Coming

This week, Bennett’s Roast was cleared for a City Permit for a 40-seat coffee shop with outdoor seating at 1020 Periwinkle Way, the former Century 21 office east of the Lazy Flamingo. You may remember, I mentioned it several weeks ago, that their permitting process had a few hurdles. The challenges include the property being located in a bald eagle nest buffer zone, wetlands in the back, and being on Sanibel’s highest traffic area near the 4-way stop. Kudos were handed out from both sides for the way the applicants and city staffers worked together to overcome the hurdles.

Island Water & Piping Work Done at The Dunes

The big project to replace old water pipes in The Dunes subdivision is complete ahead of schedule. All Island Water member water meters were replaced with radio-read meters too. The second phase of this two-phase project was not expected to begin until this year, but instead was fully accomplished before Christmas! Way to go Island Water! Did you know that Island Water was incorporated 47 years ago, in 1965, and franchised by Lee County as a member-owned not-for-profit association? As part of our Realtor® education, many of us have toured the facility, seen how the reverse-osmosis water is made, its usage and conservation. It’s a fascinating process. Island Water’s winter newsletter says they will be putting more info on their website this year, check it out at http://www.islandwater.com.

Where The Jobs Will (And Won’t) Be In 2013

Here is part of an interesting forecast that was posted in December on-line at www.Forbes.com.

“Though Florida is still recovering from the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 and the state unemployment rate sits at 8.5% (almost a point higher than the national rate of 7.7%), some pockets of the state are experiencing strong job growth. In fact employers in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area are projecting a net job increase of 23%, the highest in the nation, according to the latest employment outlook survey by the employment services firm, ManpowerGroup. One other Florida metropolitan area, Lakeland-Winter Haven, also landed in the top 15 cities for job growth, according to Manpower….

“In Cape Coral, employment has gotten a boost from the recovering housing market and the fact that the city has a low density rate, at 45%, so there is plenty of room to grow. As home construction has revived, property values have climbed, going up 18%-20% since the trough, says Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce President Mike Quaintance. Housing growth has also fueled growth in restaurants and retail chains…. Cape Coral is getting a new Wal-Mart and a Sam’s Club store. Jobs at those budget retailers don’t tend to pay well, concedes Quaintance. But the housing recovery is also funding better-paying construction-related jobs and home-based businesses like landscaping.

“In neighboring Fort Myers, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Colleen DePasquale says job growth may in part be seasonal, because the population always swells in the winter months, and two baseball teams, the Twins and the Red Sox, go to Fort Myers for spring training. At the same time, clothing chain Chico’s is based in Fort Myers and doing well, and the city just opened a new waterfront development, with plans for a hotel and other businesses.

“Second on Manpower’s list after Cape Coral-Fort Myers: two Arizona metro areas in a tie, Phoenix Mesa-Scottsdale, and Tucson, with a net employment outlook of 20%…. At the other end of the spectrum, St. Louis has the worst employment outlook in the country at -5%. The next-worse is Portland, ME, at ‑2%, followed by Wichita, at -1%….”

Florida Releases Info on State Insurance Companies

Florida Realtors® posted the following article this week:

“The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has released its 2012 Fast Facts report, created to give interested parties statistical data about Florida’s insurance market. The report compiles financial and regulatory information, insurance premium volume, number of domestic insurance companies and related entities, enforcement actions/consumer recoveries, public hearings and more. The Fast Facts report also includes four “Top 20” lists with information about insurance companies in Florida for personal residential, personal automobile, life and annuity, and accident and health lines of business. For residential homeowner policies, Florida-owned Citizens Property Insurance tops the state list with 1.4 million policies, or more than the number covered by the four largest private insurers combined.

“The latest report includes the following breakdown for residential insurance writers by size, followed by number of Florida policies in December 2012:

1. Citizens Property – 1,423,160
2. Universal Property & Casualty – 578,825
3. State Farm Florida – 453,997
4. St. Johns Insurance – 174,021
5. Security First – 147,080
6. USAA – 142,733
7. Castle Key Indemnity (Allstate) – 131,759
8. Castle Key Insurance (Allstate) – 127,540
9. Homeowners Choice – 122,737
10. ASI Assurance – 113,603
11. Florida Peninsula – 112,372
12. American Integrity – 106,052
13. Tower Hill Prime – 104,594
14. American Bankers – 96,381
15. United Property & Casualty – 95,036
16. Florida Family – 87,059
17. ASI Preferred – 78,977
18. Tower Hill Signature – 78,816
19. Universal Insurance – 76,559
20. Southern Fidelity – 74,556

The Fast Facts report can be downloaded through the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website.”

Vote Sanibel as “Happiest Seaside Town”

Coastal Living Magazine listed Sanibel Island as one of ten of its “Happiest Seaside Towns” of 2013. The locations chosen were based on criteria like well-being index, percentage of sunny days, healthiness of beaches and “coastal vibe”.

Starting yesterday (Jan 10) and running through February, you can go online and cast your vote to make it number one at www.coastalliving.com/happytowns2013.
Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity January 4 – 11

Sanibel
CONDOS
2 new listings: Sundial #G106 1/1 $292.9K, Seawind #A102 2/2.5 $439.9K.
5 price changes: Tennisplace #D31 1/1 now $179K, Tennisplace #B32 2/1 now $249K, Blind Pass #D205 2/2 now $291K (short sale), Ibis at The Sanctuary #A202 2/2 now $384.9K, Island Beach Club #220B 2/2 now $499K.
3 new sales: Tennisplace #C35 2/1.5 listed for $249K, Blind Pass #B103 3/2 listed for $469K, Oceans Reach #1B4 1/1 listed for $698K.
1 closed sale: Coquina Beach #1D 2/2 $362K.

HOMES
7 new listings: 1809 Farm Trl 3/2 $499K, 525 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $579K, 5431 Shearwater Dr 3/3 $825K, 1213 Par View Dr 3/2.5 $890K, 4709 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $2.1M, 4461 Waters Edge Ln 5/5.5 $5M.
7 price changes: 2079 Wild Lime Dr 3/2 now $460K, 5650 San-Cap Rd 2/2 now $635K, 928 Pepper Tree Place 2/2 now $639.9K, 977 Black Skimmer Way 3/2 now $649K, 569 Lighthouse Way 3/3 now $795K, 9007 Mockingbird Dr 3/3 now $1.1M, 1826 Woodring Rd 3/2 now $1.595M (foreclosure).
4 new sales: 2985 Island Inn Rd 3/2 listed for $399K (our listing), 2560 Coconut Dr 3/3 listed for $495K, 967 Beach Rd 2/2 half-duplex listed for $498K, 1032 Lindgren Blvd 3/2.5 listed for $615K.
3 closed sales: 3050 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $542K, 963 Kings Crown Dr 3/3 $700K, 4689 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $1.975M.

LOTS
No new listings.
2 price changes: 3005 Turtle Gait Ln now $249K, 1898 Woodring Rd now $2.695M.
No new or closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Bayside Villas #4106 1/2 now $295K.
1 new sale: Bayside Villas #5326 3/3 listed for $639.5K.
No closed sales.

HOMES
No new listings.
3 price changes: 16838 Captiva Dr 6/7.5 now $5.995M, 15747 Captiva Dr 5/6.5 now $6.95M, 15172/174 Wiles Dr 12/1 multi-family now $11.5M.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 15783 Captiva Dr 5/5.5 $8.5M.

LOTS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
1 closed sale: 11516 Wightman Ln $650K.

Hooray for the weather in Sanibel & Captiva Islands on January 11, 2013!

It’s glorious!

Photo by Jim Anderson, JMA Photography

Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate in Paradise 2013

Posted on January 4, 2013 by SanibelSusan

It is another Friday afternoon on Sanibel Island. Here are a couple of pictures taken at noon today at a West Gulf Drive beach access. If you closely in the first one you can see some folks behind these dunes grasses doing the “Sanibel stoop” in a tidal pool – always a good spot to find a few barely-buried shells.

With the holidays winding down, it is bittersweet to see island decorations being put away for another year. Here’s a photo of Santa being put away at Jensen’s Twin Palms Resort and Marina on Captiva. Note the supervisory ibis atop the davit.

The New Year‘s week visitors had terrific weather nearly every day with warm afternoons (70s to 80s) and cool evenings (50s & 60s). Unusual fog both yesterday and today burned off early and we even had a surprise shower this morning – all good for keeping the islands lush green and tropical. We saw our first “season” traffic jams this week, with Periwinkle Way busier than it has been since last year at this time. Afternoons find Sanibel’s finest directing traffic at most of the 4-way-stops.

Mid-week, teammate Dave held a couple of open houses in hopes of attracting business; but with the weather so nice, attendance was sporadic. I had a good walk-in New Year’s eve – 1st-time visitors to the island. It didn’t take them long to decide that Sanibel is a very special place; so both Wed and Thurs afternoons, we looked at condos. It is great fun to share the wonders of the island with folks like that.

Little sales action was announced at our Realtor® Caravan meeting yesterday.

Below is an update of Sanibel’s current inventory, followed by the 2012 sales, compared to 2011.

Condos Homes Lots

# Avg Price # Avg Price # Avg Price

For sale 184 697,093 218 1,305,070 87 590,657

Closings pending 13 512,900 20 739,055 2 514,000

Sold/Closed in 2012 151 551,244 181 825,837 33 487,687

Sold/Closed in 2011 142 591,861 179 826,130 19 363,729

It will be interesting to see what happens when new government changes are enacted – or not. Some prospective buyers say that they are waiting to see what is happening with the “fiscal cliff” – others are taking stock market funds and instead investing in real estate where they see greater investment potential.

Below is some real estate news – beginning with the “fiscal cliff” – followed by the weekly report of action posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service.

Real Estate Provisions in “Fiscal Cliff” Bill

Here is the Issue Brief that was posted on line Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors®:

“On January 1, 2013 the Senate and House passed H.R. 8, legislation to avert the “fiscal cliff,” the bill will be signed by President Barack Obama on January 2, 2013. Below are a summary of real estate related provisions in the bill.

“Real Estate Tax Extenders –

Mortgage Cancellation Relief is extended for one year to January 1, 2014
Deduction for Mortgage Insurance Premiums for filers making below $110,000 is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012
Leasehold Improvements: the 15 year straight-line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements on commercial properties is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012.
Energy Efficiency Tax Credit: the 10% tax credit (up to $500) for homeowners for energy efficiency improvements to existing homes is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012.

“Return of the “Pease” limitations on itemized deductions for high income filers – Under the agreement so called “Pease Limitations” that reduce the value of itemized deductions are permanently repealed for most taxpayers but will be reinstituted for high income filers. “Pease” limitations will only apply to individuals earning more than $250,000 and joint filers earning above $300,000. The thresholds are indexed for inflation so will rise over time. Under the formula, filers gradually lose the value of their total itemized deductions up to a total of a 20% reduction. First enacted in 1990, and named for the Ohio Congressman Don Pease who came up with the idea, the limitations continued throughout the Clinton years. The limitations were gradually phased out starting in 2003 and were completely eliminated in 2010-2012. NAR has never had an official position on Pease limitations. The reinstitution of these limits has far less impact on the mortgage interest deduction than a hard dollar deduction cap, percentage deduction cap, or reduction of the amount of MID that can be claimed.

“Capital Gains – Capital Gains rate stays at 15% for those the top rate of $400,000 individual and $450,000 joint return. After that, any gains above those amounts will be taxed at 20%. The 250/500k exclusion for sale of principal residence remains in place.

“Estate Tax – The first $5 million dollars in individual estates and $10 million for family estates are now exempted from the estate tax. After that the rate will be 40%, up from 35%. The exemption amounts are indexed for inflation.”

Rental Demand to Edge Higher in 2013?

An article posted on Wednesday’s “Daily Real Estate News” said:

“Five to six million new renter households may be created within the next 10 years, likely caused from low inventories of homes available and tight credit conditions, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. Rental demand is expected to particularly increase among seniors looking to downsize their homes, as well as young adults and a growing immigrant population. “We expect to see an increase in household formation and for a variety of reasons that household formation is likely to be more heavily concentrated among renters and households who are likely to be renters for somewhat longer than was the case for the last 20 years,” Barry Zigas, director of Housing Policy for Consumer Federation of America, told HousingWire.

“Tight credit conditions continue to be one main culprit holding back home ownership among some potential buyers. “Credit for home ownership borrowing will likely be tighter and potentially more expensive, relative to earlier times,” Zigas predicts. “Families will likely have less wealth because the rising generation is starting with less wealth. If down payments are at any significant level, it will be a barrier to acquiring a home for longer than may have been the case in the past.””

Seven Housing Markets Needing Big Jolt in 2013

Another “Daily Real Estate News” article also on Wednesday, mentions several Florida towns including our local area:

“While the housing market has made notable gains in the past year, some areas are seeing a longer road to recovery. AOL Real Estate recently listed some of the least healthy housing markets going into 2013, based on employment, foreclosures, home sales, and prices. Nearly all of these housing markets have seen notable improvements recently, but they still remain the nation’s least healthy housing markets entering 2013, according to AOL Real Estate.

Detroit: Foreclosures remain high and home values lost nearly 60% of their peak value.
Fort Lauderdale: Home prices likely hit bottom in 2012 but Fort Lauderdale still has the nation’s 3rd largest foreclosure inventory.
Miami: Foreign buyers are driving demand for luxury housing here, but Miami still faces the 4th highest unemployment rate in the nation.
West Palm Beach: Foreclosures remain high here with one out of every 349 homes having received a foreclosure notice in July.
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: While higher construction permits is a bright spot here, the area faces high foreclosure rates.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville: Home sale prices have remained low, and this market was dubbed the No. 1 “foreclosure capital” in the nation as of July.
Chicago: Foreclosures remain high with the foreclosure rate rising 18% in 2012.”

View the 7 Healthiest Housing Markets for 2013.

Free “Island Jazz” Concerts

For those lucky enough to be on the islands, from now until Easter is when the most educational and entertainment-related events are offered here. The first of the year’s free Sunday afternoon jazz concerts is January 13 at 3 p.m. in the Boler Garden of BIG ARTS. Comprised of eight local popular and well-seasoned jazz musicians, “Island Jazz” plays all styles of music from jazz standards and Dixieland to bop, pop, and more. At SanibelSusan Realty, our Sunday agents look forward to these winter events where we open our back door and hear the tunes. To attend in person, there is plenty of parking at BIG ARTS, but bring your beach chair as seating is limited.

Other concert dates and events through spring are posted on SanibelSusan’s calendar.

Two New Baby Bald Eagles

Here is a link to the Southwest Florida “Eagle Cam” which provides a 24/7 live video stream of an active pair of bald eagles in their nest in North Fort Myers. These bald eagles have been coming to the nest for the past 5 years between the months of October to April. Last night the second baby eaglet hatched. Take a look: http://www.ustream.tv/SouthwestFloridaEagleCam

Sanibel & Captiva Island Multiple Listing Service Activity December 28 – January 4

Sanibel
CONDOS
1 new listing: Loggerhead Cay #451 2/2 $495K.
3 price changes: Blind Pass #D205 2/2 now $300K (short sale), Sanibel Moorings #1042 2/2 now $419K, Mariner Pointe #1052 2/2 now $475K.
4 new sales: Sandpebble #1F 2/2 listed for $349.9K, Sanibel Arms West #L8 2/2 listed for $479K, Sandpiper Beach #404 2/2 listed for $695K, Gulf Beach #205 2/2 listed for $725K.
5 closed sales: Colonnades #9 1/1 $110K, Seashells #15 2/2 $255K (short sale), Sanibel Moorings #341 2/2 $380K, Compass Point #213 2/2 $510K, Sandpiper Beach #106 2/2 $635K.

HOMES
7 new listings: 1409 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex #299K, 1045 Blue Heron Dr 3/3 $599K, 656 Anchor Dr 3/2 $639K, 526 N Yachtsman Dr 2/2 $649K, 1163 Seagrape Ln 4/4 $887.9K, 4164 West Gulf Dr 4/4 $1.995M, 4809 Tradewinds Dr 3/3.5 $1.69M.
5 price changes: 1366 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 now $649.9K, 1750 Dixie Beach Blvd 3/2.5 now $679K (short sale), 1555 San Carlos Bay Dr 3/2.5 now $975K, 6440 Pine Ave 3/2.5 now $1.64M, 775 Limpet Dr 3/3 now $1.695M.
2 new sales: 1002 Greenwood Ct N 3/2.5 half-duplex listed for $349K, 4717 Rue Belle Mer 3/3 listed for $1.895M (short sale).
3 closed sales: 1978 Roseate Ln 3/2 $435K (our listing), 656 Anchor Dr 3/2 $550K, 1314 Isabel Dr 4/3.5 $1.8M.

LOTS
1 new listing: 4538 Bowen Bayou Rd #329K.
No price changes or new sales.
1 closed sale: 659 Anchor Dr $375K

Captiva
CONDOS
Nothing to report.

HOMES
No new listings.
1 price change: 59 Sandpiper Ct 3/2 now $795K.
No new or closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Welcome to 2013!

Sanibel Scoop & Captiva Chatter

SanibelSusan's Blog About What's Happening on the Islands

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