Happy Friday! The “Jan/Feb 2025 Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate Guide” comes out today. Our ad is above. If you’d like to see the full document, here’s a link to it on-line:  https://www.sanibelrealtors.com/real-estate-guide

Island Weather

The novelty of wearing jackets and sweaters is over with the lowest temperature at my home registered both Wed and Thurs mornings at 45 degrees F. Warmed up to 47 degrees this morning.

Even so, there have been plenty of bikers and joggers in shorts with daytime temps into the breezy 60’s/low 70’s some days. Most local and visitors are thankful to be here, away from the more serious cold/white stuff up north and the terrible fire devastation in CA.

The forecast for next week is much the same as this, with most days not expected to be out of the 60’s, but with blue skies and sunshine still generating smiles.

Final Paving of Causeway

A Wed notice from Sanibel City Manager said, “Final paving of Sanibel Causeway begins tonight, Jan 8.” With details provided by the FL Dept of Transportation it continued to say that the work includes the causeway islands and bridge approaches. “Motorists should expect one lane of travel with a flagging operation during the overnight hours of 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. This work is anticipated to occur during these nighttime overnight hours through the end of January.”

My Travel Across Causeway Yesterday

I had a quick errand in Ft Myers after our Realtor Caravan Meeting yesterday. The drive turned out to not be too quick. At noon, going from the Assoc of Realtors building to the toll booth took 55 minutes (usually 15). But no workers or holdups were noticed anywhere, just continued stop-and-go traffic. Maybe that was during a worker lunch break as when I returned about 30 minutes later, there was a flagger on the Sanibel side of the toll booth and heavy equipment on the causeway with concrete side barriers being moved. Traffic was moving OK in both directions, but the City later posted a “heavy traffic advisory” for the rest of the day and evening, saying it was due to FDOT crews completing underground causeway inspections. More restoration progress!

Sanibel Natural Resources Dept Updates

Blind Pass – Also on Wed, Jan 8, the City provided an update on some post-Milton recovery efforts. Following that storm, the City’s disaster contractor Crowder Gulf removed sand from the roadway that was impacting access to/from Captiva. They have screened and stockpiled 3 to 4 thousand cubic yards of sand at Turner Beach. Now Crowder-Gulf will be removing additional sand from the right of way and returning the clean screened sand back on northern Sanibel beaches to restore critically eroded areas adjacent to the road protection wall. That work has begun and is expected to take about a week, but no lane closures are expected. Flaggers will direct traffic as equipment and sand are moved across the roadway.

Lighthouse Beach – Phase II of the City’s beach renourishment project at Lighthouse Beach resumed this week, after a holiday break. Crews will continue to place the remaining 105K tons of sand on the bayside of Lighthouse Beach Park to strengthen the beach coastline and protect the Sanibel Lighthouse. Work should be completed by mid-Feb. Both bayside parking lots are closed while the remainder of this sand is moved, but the gulf-side parking lot is open. Crews will temporarily close portions of the beach to the public while placing sand. (That work is being accomplished Mon-Fri from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate News

At the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors first Caravan Meeting of the year yesterday, there was chatter about the judge’s decision this week to deny the motion for the summary judgement filed and argued by Lee County and South Seas Resort. That essentially means that the total number of units at South Seas Resort remains and cannot exceed 912, or at least the county will not issue permits for more than that number. (That’s probably not the end of this issue though, some think South Seas may now apply for a zoning change to allow building higher. Stay tuned.)

We also heard that South Seas has sent existing owners notices of cancellation of their previous rental agreements. They are offering new agreements to owners who sign-up quickly, with an incentive of not requiring the $50K initial resort membership fee. The annual price to then use the resort amenities has yet to be clarified, proving again that it always pays to do your homework when signing contracts. We can help with that.

The other continued topic of conversation among colleagues was the volume of inquiries many are getting from owners looking to list. One long-timer said, “We need to start getting tough with these sellers. Many don’t recognize how much the market has changed.”

When our members get together, it also is a popular Realtor topic to ask each other about how many buyer inquiries and showings their listings are getting. Many are getting none – and have never seen a market like this. We agree and understand that frustration. Attracting potential purchasers often requires attracting their Realtor. (One listing agent recently emailed about a commission increase (to a level not seen here in many years). Another has copied that, as I received another notice this morning about a new listing offering the same.)

A pal also got them said “If we don’t have buyers, it doesn’t matter how much sellers are willing to pay us. Besides, we are obligated to introduce buyers to all the listings that match their requirements.”

During the Caravan Meeting, just one sale was announced, but there were many new listings and price reductions. Following the meeting,13 Sanibel homes and a condo were open for easy viewing. Next Wed is the Association 2025 Installation/2024 Awards Banquet. The next Caravan is in two weeks, on Thurs Jan 23.

Below, with data from the islands Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by all the Sanibel/Captiva MLS action reported this week.

Again, this week, there were no Captiva sales, but on Sanibel five homes and one condo went under contract. Those compare to a whopping 30 new and back-on-market listings and 22 price changes.

My crystal ball says the Florida real estate market will start to stabilize this year. From the recession to the pandemic to hurricanes, to real estate rules changing nationally, there have been so many ups and downs that it will be positive to see stabilization. With election uncertainty over, many are feeling better economically, as that further improves and the islands continue to bounce back, more sales should follow. Fingers crossed (just in case).

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity Jan 3-10:

Sanibel

CONDOS

7 new listings: Sundial #F105 1/1 $499K, Sandpiper Beach #505 2/2 $750K, Oceans Reach #2B2 1/1 $789K, Oceans Reach #4C2 2/2 $989K, Sealoft Village #105 2/2 $995K, Lighthouse Point #323 3/2 $1.025M, Beachcomber #D201 3/2 $1.125M.

1 back-on-market: Somerset #D201 3/2.5 $1.725M.

3 price changes: Captains Walk #A2 1/1 now $250K, Tantara #202 2/2 now $895K, Nutmeg Village #211 2/2 now $990K.

1 new sale: Tanglewood #5A 3/2 listed at $1.149M.

1 closed sale: Sandpiper West #4 3/2.5 $1,967,655.

HOMES

12 new listings: 1315 Par View Dr 3/2 $999K, 1925 Roseate Ln 2/2 $999,900; 971 Main St 3/2 $1.149M, 1113 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $1.149M, 4619 Rue Bayou 3/2 $1.195M, 3131 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $1,419,999; 640 Periwinkle Way 3/2 $1.449M, 3711 Agate Ct 3/2.5 $1.449M, 5243 Indian Ct 2/2 $1.689M, 930 Kings Crown Dr 4/3 $2.4M, 1730 Jewel Box Dr 4/3 $3.8M, 3611 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5 $6.995M.

3 back-on-market: 220 Palm Lake Dr 3/3 $1,199,999; 978 Oyster Ct 4/4 $2.749M, 4513 Waters Edge Ln 3/2.5 $5.45M.

13 price changes: 209 Robinwood Cir 3/2 now $629K, 1322 Sand Castle Dr 3/2 now $699K, 2105 Sunset Cir 3/2 now $699K, 1846 Farm Trail 3/2 now $875K, 588 Hideaway Ct 3/2 now $890K, 1677 Sabal Sands Rd 3/2 now $895K, 9247 Dimmick Dr 3/2 now $949K, 560 Boulder Dr 3/2 now $995K, 1048 Fish Crow Rd 3/2 now $1.199M, 5300 Umbrella Pool 3/3 now $1.325M, 1311 Par View Dr 3/3 now $1.35M, 1310 Par View Dr 3/3 now $1.45M, 1985 Wild Lime Dr 3/2 now $1.689M.

5 new sales: 3898 West Gulf Dr 3/2 listed at $795K, 557 Lake Murex Cir 3/2.5 listed at $1.44M, 746 Nerita St 4/2 listed at $1.595M, 1870 Woodring Rd 3/3.5 listed at $2.498M, 2960 Wulfert Rd 5/5.5 listed at $2.989M.

4 closed sales: 490 & 460 Old Trail Rd 3/3 $570K, 2604 Coconut Dr 3/2 $725K, 761 Nerita St 3/2 $1.215M, 2688 Coconut Dr 3/2 $2.348M.

LOTS

2 new listings; 1377 Jamaica Dr $425K, 460 Sawgrass Pl $925K.

1 back-on-market: 2807 West Gulf Dr $819K.

No price changes, new or closed sales.

CAPTIVA

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 back-on-market: Lands End Village #1650 3/3 $2.399M.

3 price changes: Tennis Villas #3135 1/1 now $429K, Tennis Villas #3132 2/2 now $699K, Gulf Beach Villas #2011 1/1 now $710K.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

2 new listings: 15161 Captiva Dr 4/4.5 $6.495M, 16500 Captiva Dr 6/6.5 $8.495M.

1 back-on-market: 16632 Captiva Dr 5/4 $6.25M.

3 price changes: 58 Sandpiper Ct 3/2 now $1.525M, 11550 Paige Ct 5l5.5.5 now $6.5M, 16979 Captiva Dr 7/7.5 now $7.5M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

This representation is based in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service. Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data maintained by the association, or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.

As the islands prepare for Christmas, it has been surprising that visitor traffic has not picked up. Contractor vehicles continue with morning back-ups coming on island and when departing starting mid-afternoons. Many trucks also have been delivering sand to Lighthouse Beach during the workday, but that project may be finishing soon.

On the causeway islands, it was a change this week to see many of the concrete construction barricades lining the roadway being moved. Those areas still are under construction and not accessible, but newly installed wooden stakes and grass edging now give a glimpse of how those islands may look eventually.

Today, there was further roadway construction progress heading off the island with both lanes now open, beginning just past the mudflats.

Weatherwise, looking ahead to Christmas, next week daytime temperatures here are forecast to be mid- to high-70’s (degrees F) with plenty of blue skies and sunshine. Great weather for those here to escape snow/ice. Maybe tomorrow, Saturday check-ins will bring more families vacationing. Their business is needed and appreciated.

Upcoming Island Events

BIG ARTS Holiday Family Film – This free event to see the movie “The Polar Express” in the BIG ARTS Christensen Performance Hall is Monday, Dec 23 at 6:30 p.m. For tickets, visit https://bigarts.org/event/the-polar-express-2024/.

Captiva Chapel by the Sea – The chapel itself is not open, but a Christmas Eve service will be held outside at 6 p.m. with holiday music beginning at 5:30.

South Seas Holiday Stroll – is this weekend, Dec 20 & 21 (Friday and Saturday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Shops at South Seas, 14830 Captiva Dr, with live music/entertainment, arts and crafts, and more.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate Scoop

At the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors last 2024 membership meeting yesterday, guest speaker John Lai from the islands Chamber of Commerce provided updates on recovery, tourism, accommodations, and island promotion.

He said the Chamber website gets over 2M visitors annually and now is focusing on what returning visitors can “expect” when they come back. His slide said, “It’s Not Perfect, But Still Paradise!”

Today, 31% of pre-Ian accommodations are available. That number was up to 36% before Helene. It had been down to 17%. By Feb, he expects that number may be up to 46%, with Sundial, Oceans Reach, Sanibel Inn, and Shell Island scheduled to reopen.

Looking to 2025, John encouraged attendees to register for the Chamber’s upcoming State of the Islands breakfast event which will be Jan 22 at the Mariott Sanibel Harbor Resort and Spa. With a variety of speakers, it will highlight the Economic Outlook. This is the second year for this event. Next year, it will be back on island.

John also encouraged posting Sanibel anniversary events on the Chamber calendar at 50YearsOfSanibel.com. He then fielded a few questions before wrapping up.

During the Caravan Meeting that followed, mostly new listings and price reductions were announced. The standard agenda for these meetings includes new sales, new listings, price reductions, buyer wants, and changes to resource documents (fee changes, etc.). When “buyer wants” were requested, many attendees hollered out “we want buyers”. The Tour after the meeting had five homes open for easy viewing.

Below, with data from the islands Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by the Sanibel/Captiva MLS action reported this week.

Again, it was a slow week for both showings and sales. On Sanibel, there were no condo or lot sales, and no sales at all on Captiva. Four Sanibel homes went under contract, all relatively new listings. Note in the table below that the Sanibel homes that are under contract average just 17 days on the market. It has been the unique well-priced properties that have gone under contract quickly. Even so, 100 fewer Sanibel homes have sold/closed this year compared to last.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity Dec 13-20:

Sanibel

CONDOS

5 new listings: Sundial #C307 1/1 $575K, Kings Crown #308 2/2 $849K, Sanibel Moorings #1541 3/2 $859K, Gulfside Place #108 2/2 $1.625M, Sundial #O406 2/2 $1.675M.

3 back-on-market: Sanibel Moorings #1422 2/2 $749K, Sanibel Moorings #121 2/2 $929K, Gulfside Place #209 2/2 $1.195M.

2 price changes: Coquina Beach #4B 2/2 now $699K, Kings Crown #217 2/2 now $1.599M.

No new sales.

3 closed sales: Sandalfoot #1C2 2/2 $780K, Loggerhead Cay #472 2/2 $855K, Compass Point #122 3/2 $1.25M.

HOMES

12 new listings: 690 Purdy Dr 3/2 $599K, 1549 Wilton Ln 3/2 $629K, 1950 Periwinkle Way (1/2 duplex) 3/2 $749.9K, 4452 Gulf Pines Dr 3/2 $799K, 1526 Wilton Ln 4/2 $850K, 1978 Roseate Ln 3/2 $899.5K, 589 Rabbit Rd 2/2 $924K, 1660 Bunting Ln 4/3.5 $1.4M, 1266-68 Par View Dr 4/4 $2.695M, 4318 West Gulf Dr 3/4.5 $2.995M, 659 Anchor Dr 3/4.5 $2.997M, 4513 Waters Edge Ln 3/2.5 $5.45M.

4 back-on-market: 5089 San-Cap Rd 3/2 $950K, 557 Lake Murex Cir 3/2.5 $1.44M, 979 Whelk Dr 3/3 $1.849M, 2287 Starfish Ln 4/4 $2,489,900.

3 price changes: 586 Boulder Dr 3/2 now $565K, 4546 Buck Key Rd 4/2 now $949K, 1311 Par View Dr 3/2 now $1.375M.

4 new sales: 490 & 460 Old Trail Rd 3/3 listed at $638.5K, 660/664 Periwinkle Way (duplex) 4/2.5.5 listed at $869K, 706 Nerita St 3/2.5 listed at $1.195M, 6211 Starling Way 4/4.5 listed at $3.75M.

2 closed sales: 248 Christofer Ct 2/2.5 $895K, 819 Birdie View Pt 3/2.5 $1.595M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 1729 Jewel Box Dr $1.295M.

1 price change: 1801 Olde Middle Gulf Dr now $6.5M.

No new or closed sales.

CAPTIVA

CONDOS, HOMES, & LOTS

Nothing to report.

This representation is based in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service. Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data maintained by the association, or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

After a quick shower Wednesday, a breezy cool front arrived on the islands with temperatures dipping into the low 40’s (degrees F) Thursday morning. Thankfully, it warmed up today, so that chill was short lived.

Last Friday, Sanibel Luminary was a big success. Islanders were thrilled to have this annual event return after missing it the last two years. The weather was delightful. Many businesses and organizations went all out with decorations, music, festivities, food, family activities, sales, and more. Kudos also to Kiwanis members who handled distributing the luminary bags. They were out early and plentiful, lining the Periwinkle shared-use paths from Tarpon Bay Rd to the East End shops.

On Saturday morning, the F.I.S.H. Jog N Jam reported a record number of runners. I saw a few local Realtors were in the 5K including Kerri Maw, Mary Bondurant, Joel Goodman, and Kelly Huguenin. The later evening beach concert and fireworks on Captiva at Tween Waters also were well attended and another win.

Congratulations to the many supporters and volunteers that made these events possible. As community spirit here thrives and grows, these were more steps in returning to normalcy.

Upcoming Island Events

Holiday Movie Night on the Lawn – tonight, Friday, Dec 13 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the grounds of the Sanibel School. Hosted by the school PTA, it is free and open to the public, featuring a showing of “Arthur Christmas”, along with food truck offerings and concessions. Bring your own chairs/blankets. The movie begins at 6 p.m.

Special Island-Wide Roadside Cleanup – tomorrow, Saturday, Dec 14 from 9 to 11 a.m. the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Coastal Watch in partnership with the City of Sanibel has organized an event, as part of Sanibel’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration. Participants will work in designated areas focusing on clearing debris from roadways, conservation land adjacent to roadways, and right-of-way areas.

Arts & Crafts Fair – Sunday, Dec 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sanibel Community House. Free admission and parking.

Expanded Holiday Hours at Tarpon Bay Explorers – The Refuge concession at Tarpon Bay will be open every day from Friday, Dec 20, until Saturday, Jan 4. Kayak tours will be available throughout the day (times vary according to tides). Tram tours will run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. For those that like exploring on their own, bike rentals also are available.

Guided Native Vegetation & Landscaping Tours – at Sanibel City Hall resumed this month. Though City Hall grounds were damaged from Ian and recent storms, its ongoing garden recovery provides an opportunity to view groundcover, shrubs, and trees that require little maintenance and are well adapted to Sanibel’s unique environmental conditions. Scheduled through the end of April, these walking tours begin at 9 a.m. in front of the main entrance to City Hall. Registration is not required. The next ones are Saturday. Dec 28, and Wednesday, Jan 8.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors

Superior Title of Sanibel team, Chelsea, Amanda, & Dustyn

There was no Realtor Caravan Meeting this week, but Tuesday, Superior Title of Sanibel hosted a “Lunch & Learn” at the Association Office where Old Republic Title provided a 2-hour continuing-education class on “Fraud and Scams Affecting Real Estate Transactions”. The event was delayed 30 minutes by an accident on the causeway that backed up on-coming island traffic for miles. The delay provided more  networking time for the early birds. Well attended by both sales associates and brokers, there was commiseration about the shortage of buyers, showings, and sales. But there was optimism that the market would improve as the islands further recover, accommodations become available, and visitors come back.

One important class take-away is for us to remind buyers and sellers that SanibelSusan Realtors will never provide wiring instructions. Those always come from the title company. Superior Title of Sanibel holds our escrow deposits. We have a long successful relationship with them.

So, if you ever receive an email about a change in wiring instructions, talk to the title company personally, before sending any money. Be aware that title companies rarely, if ever, change their wiring instructions.

Anther tidbit: Did you know that today most of the crooks successfully stealing proceeds from fraudulent transactions are in Nigeria and the money is funneled to terrorists? It totals billions of dollars a year.

We all can always be more careful when responding to emails, texts, and calls. With AI, any email may be polished to appear “real”. Always be on the lookout for red flags in any unexpected correspondence.

More Island Real Estate Scoop

Our next Association of Realtors Caravan will be after the last membership meeting of the year, next Thursday, Dec 19. Guest speaker will be John Lai, President and CEO of the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce will update members on tourism and accommodations. To add to the holiday fun, the meeting also will feature our annual Ugly Christmas Sweater contest.

Below, with data from the islands Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by the Sanibel/Captiva MLS action reported this week.

Again, this week, there were more new listings and price reductions than sales, but it was good to see a few sales. No sales on Captiva, and no condo or lot sales on Sanibel, but seven Sanibel homes have gone under contract since last Friday – a huge improvement over last week.

On the commercial side, the former gas station at 1067 Bailey Rd on the corner of Periwinkle, near the 4-way stop is again under contract (third time). The asking price is $2.5M.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity Dec 6-13:

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Blind Pass #A106 2/2 $435K, Sanctuary Heron #III-3A 3/2.5 $1.35M.

1 back-on-market: Sanibel Moorings #1112 2/2 $949K.

1 price change: Donax Village #19 2/2 now $589K.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: Sanibel Siesta #804 2/2 $736K.

HOMES

9 new listings: 2115 Sunset Cir 3/2 $625K, 1657 Atlanta Plaza Dr 3/2 $749K, 660/664 Periwinkle Way (duplex) 4/2.5.5 $869K, 662 Donax St 2/2.5 $995K, 575 Hideaway Ct 3/2 $999K, 706 Nerita St 3/2.5 $1.195M, 799 Birdie View Pt 3/3 $1.649M, 5753 Pine Tree Dr 3/4 $1.695M, 1290 Bay Dr 3/2 $3.85M.

2 back-on-market: 9226 Kincaid Ct 3/2 $879.9K, 2960 Wulfert Rd 5/5.5 $2.989M.

7 price changes: 2105 Sunset Cir 3/2 now $744K, 4660 Brainard Bayou Rd 3/2 now $895K, 2441 Shop Rd 4/3.5 now $929K, 1018 S Yachtsman Dr 3/3 now $1.079M, 1646 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 now $1.195M, 4752 Rue Helene 2/2 now $1.25M, 811 Birdie View Pt 3/2.5 now $1.595M.

7 new sales: 567 Rabbit Rd 2/2 listed at $798K, 2604 Coconut Dr 3/2 listed at $800K, 761 Nerita St 3/2 listed at $1.179M, 345 East Gulf Dr 3/2.5 listed at $1.399M, 862 Beach Rd 3/2 listed at $1.449M, 229 Daniel Dr 4/3 listed at $1.45M, 2688 Coconut Dr 3/2 listed at $2.395M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: 4657 Rue Belle Mer $3.05M.

CAPTIVA

CONDOS

Nothing to report.

HOMES

2 new listings: 11523 Andy Rosse Ln 5/6.5 $5.2M, 944 South Seas Plantation Rd 3/3 $5.95M.

2 price changes: 11505 Gore Ln 6/6 now $3.795M, 16512 Captiva Dr 7/5.5 now $9.45M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

This representation is based in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service. Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data maintained by the association, or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.

I hope you Friday the 13th was lucky & that you enjoy your weekend,

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

It was a quiet but sunny Thanksgiving week on Sanibel with daytime temperatures mostly in the low to mid-70 degrees F, My car registered 79 mid-day both yesterday and today when traveling the Gulf Drives. I also noticed more bikers than vehicles on the roadways. There still are very few gulf-front properties ready for occupancy so the islands continue to be very quiet except when contractors are working. The one building the home next door to me, even worked yesterday.

Today I snapped a couple of pix at the pond (former site of By-the-Sea condos) when I spotted a roseate spoonbill amid a huge flock of white birds. A little unusual to see one there.

Roseate spoonbill at far right.

Rpseate spoonbill near middle

SanibelSusan News

On the home-front, though it continues to be a relief to be back living in mine, my hot water heater quit last weekend. Seems that even those can be hurricane casualties. This year may be a test to see how many challenges one can overcome. After two storms, losing my car, electric meter and appliances at home, replacing a hot water heater is easy. Aztec Plumbing came to my rescue and a new one was installed quickly. Don’t ask the price.

That hiccup meant I wasn’t prepared to cook Thanksgiving dinner so out we went. Though it was a nice treat not to spend hours preparing the meal, when my dinner plate arrived with the cranberry sauce being the warmest item on it, it made me rethink going back to cooking. Thankful I am, just the same, to be residing and working on Sanibel Island where the community spirit thrives, island leaders tackle challenges, and the laid-back lifestyle is like no other.

Last weekend, I had dinner with a couple of long-time friends, fellow altos from the BIG ARTS Community Chorus. Between the pandemic and hurricanes, we haven’t been singing or together in several years, so it was great fun catching up. Unlike the restaurant yesterday, Traders continues to serve consistently wonderful meals – and their lobster bisque is still terrific.

In Aruba on her bday

Speaking of friends, the announcement about the Celebration of Life for my pal Realtor Mary Lou Bailey was in “The Islander” this week. Many know that we were friends for decades. Competing sometimes in business, we had a lot of respect for each other, often kibitzed about real estate, and usually attended two annual events together – the Kiwanis Spaghetti Dinner and the Association of Realtors RPAC Auction. We went to the Kiwanis event in February and then in early March, went on our first girls’ trip, a cruise to celebrate her 80^th birthday. Though it was a successful voyage, a couple of weeks after returning, Mary Lou had a massive stroke that caused her to become bedridden and eventually led to her death earlier this month. She did not deserve the eight months she spent trying to recover. She was a special gal, putting clients ahead of herself, and honest to a fault. She will be missed. Her Celebration of Life will be at The Community House on Saturday, Dec 21 at 10 a.m.

Upcoming Island Events

Is it just me, or does it seem like every year Christmas decorations start going up sooner? Some even before the Halloween pumpkins are put away. Even after spending 31 Decembers here, it’s still special to see twinkling lights on palm trees. Get ready to see those this week! The inflatables are already up at Jerry’s and some of the best events of the year are coming up.

Captiva Tree Lighting Celebration – is tonight from 5 to 9 p.m. at Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa.

Sanibel Tree Lighting Celebration – is tomorrow night, Saturday, Nov 30 at 5 p.m. at Sanibel Community Park next to The Community House with sing-along followed by celebration inside The Community House until 8 p.m. with more music, food, ice cream, holiday activity tables, and photo ops.

Luminary Festival – The islands’ Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 36^th annual Luminary Festival next weekend, Friday, Dec 6 on Sanibel and Saturday, Dec 7 on Captiva. The Luminary Strolls (from 5:30 to 9 p.m.) are island-wide holiday events that bring together residents, visitors, businesses, and organizations promoting goodwill and community spirit. As you stroll the luminary trails, look for many fun places to stop and enjoy. There are music and activities for the entire family, including a live nativity and photo opportunities.

Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate Scoop

The Association of Realtors did not meet this week, but next Thursday, Dec 5 is another Caravan Meeting, followed by a caravan of new listings open for viewing (from noon to 3 p.m.) Dave and I will be at our new listing at 5309 Umbrella Pool Rd.

5309 Umbrella Pool Rd

Below, with data from the islands Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are summary tables of the residential sales statistics, followed by all the Sanibel/Captiva MLS action reported this week.

Just two new sales were posted this week, a Sanibel condo and a Captiva home. Just two closed sales were posted too, also a Sanibel condo and a Captiva Home.

With more new listings and price reductions, it doesn’t take much analysis to see that there now are years of inventory. Between now and mid-January usually are not busy times for sales, but I sold a home once on Christmas Day so remain optimistic. There are some excellent offerings for those looking to buy.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity Nov 22-29:

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Mariner Pointe #1062 2/2 $539K, Sandalfoot #5B2 1/1 $695K, Heron at The Sanctuary #III-2B 3/2.5 $1.091M.

4 back-on-market: Captains Walk #A4 2/2 $379K, Blind Pass #G102 2/2 $739K, Sandpiper Beach #502 2/2 $865K, Nutmeg Village #104 2/2 $1.1M.

2 price changes: Mariner Pointe #733 2/2 now $549K, Nutmeg Village #211 now $1.075M.

1 new sale: Sanibel Siesta #804 2/2 listed at $749K.

1 closed sale: Heron at The Sanctuary #1-3B 3/2.5 $1.398M.

HOMES

12 new listings: 969 Fish Crow Rd 3/2 $649K, 1322 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $749K, 1436 Jamaica Dr 2/2 $769K, 653 Oliva St 3/2 $874,950; 1426 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $1.095M, 436 Glory Cir 3/3 $1.22M, 761 Nerita St 3/2 $1.279M, 1255 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 $1.7959M, 5250 Caloosa End Ln 3/2.5 $1.995M, 788 Birdie View Pt 3/3 $1,999,999; 6211 Starling Way 4/4.5 $3.75M, 3577 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5.5 $10.5M.

6 price changes: 2604 Coconut Dr 3/2 now $800K, 1625 Serenity Ln 3/2 nor $945K, 497 Lake Murex Cir 4/3 now $979K, 3784 Coquina Dr 3/3 now $989K, 1428 Albatross Rd 3/2.5 now $1.585M, 888 Limpet Dr 3/2 now $1.7749M.

No new & no closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

CAPTIVA

CONDOS

1 new listing: Bayside Villas #5114 1/2 $525K.

1 price change: Captiva Beach Villas #3E 5/4.5 now $3.989M.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 11527 Wightman Ln 3/2 listed at $999,999.

1 closed sale: 11517 Wightman Ln 4/3 $2.7M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

This representation is based in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service. Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data maintained by the association, or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.

Enjoy your weekend,

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan