Summer Like Weather in Nov on Sunny Sanibel Island

Posted on November 6, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s Susan just back from a quick trip to the Dominican Republic to find that my SanibelSusan teammates did a great job holding down the fort in my absence and preparing this update! Here’s what they had to say:

It was another quiet week on Sanibel, but traffic continues to increased. There was very little rain this week and local news stations have reported record-setting temperatures with afternoon highs of 91 degrees F.

The set-up for CROW’s Taste of the Islands was going on today across the street from SanibelSusan Realty. It is Sunday November 8th at the community park from noon to 5pm.

Here are some other news items followed by the MLS activity since last week.

SCCF Oyster Restoration

SCCF is looking for volunteers to help restore healthy, productive oyster reefs in San Carlos and Tarpon Bays. Events will be held three days a week from 9 a.m. until noon.

Restoration efforts started this week & included filling buckets with fossilized shell and transporting them to Tarpon Bay boat ramp, loading buckets onto a barge and transporting them to the restoration site, and finally dumping the shell. This is physical work so come prepared with clothes that can get dirty and wet and close-toed shoes that can get wet. Work days and plans for the upcoming weeks will be sent on Fridays to those individuals who have registered at http://marinelab.sccf.org/signup/.

Veteran’s Day Ceremony

The City of Sanibel and the Lee Coast Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America will conduct its annual Veterans Day Ceremony to honor military veterans on Wednesday, November 11th. It will be held at Sanibel City Hall with military music beginning at 10:45 am and ceremony starting at 11 am.

The guest speaker is former naval aviator and Sanibel resident Ed Sieber. Sanibel’s BIG ARTS Concert Band will provide music. One of the most touching aspects of the ceremony is Remembrances, where veterans recall past military experiences. Any veteran who wished to participate is welcome to do so.

Native Plant Nursery Moving

SCCF’s Native Plant Nursery will be moving to the Bailey Homestead Preserve. On Wednesday, November 11 at 8:30 there will be a soft opening for the nursery’s new location at 1300 Periwinkle Way and to present it’s new name SCCF Native Landscapes and Garden Center.

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity October 30 – November 6

Sanibel

CONDOS

4 new listings: Ibis at The Sanctuary #A201 3/2 $468.5K, Coquina Beach #3G 2/2 $524K (our listing with photos below), Lighthouse Point #217 2/2 $579K, West Shore #3 3/3 $1.749M.

1 price change: Blind Pass #G203 2/2 now $483K.

1 new sale: Pointe Santo #D5 2/2 listed at $725K.

3 closed sales: Blind Pass #B101 2/2 $410K, Cottage Colony West #110 1/1 $617K, Tarpon Beach #309 2/2 $832.5K.

HOMES

5 new listings: 954 Donax St 3/3 $500K, 863 Rabbit Rd 3/2 half-duplex $549K, 958 Cabbage Palm Ct 2/2 $730K, 923 S Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $889K, 532 Sea Oats Dr 3/4 $1.379M.

7 price changes: 2407 Shop Rd 3/1 now $374K, 1312 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $698K, 557 N. Yachtsman Dr 4/3 now $829K, 249 Daniel Dr 2/2.5 now $824.9K, 1224 Par View Dr 3/3 now $1.149M, 750 Periwinkle Way 5/4 now $1.948M, 3675 West Gulf Dr 3/2 now $3.85M.

4 new sales: 9032 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 listed at $499.9K, 3181 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 listed at $570K, 2079 Wild Lime Dr 3/2 listed at $599K, 4241 West Gulf Dr 5/4.5 listed at $3.995M.

1 closed sale: 734 Sand Dollar Dr 3/3.5 $1.05M.

LOTS

2 new listings: 5407 Osprey Ct $504.5K (short sale), 6002 White Heron Ln $735K.

2 price changes: 4566 Buck Key Rd now $199K, Sabal Sands Rd, lot 8 now $219.9K.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

Nothing to report.

HOMES

1 new listing: 16979 Captiva Dr 7/6.5 $4.595M.

1 price change: 11525 Chapin Ln 4/4 now $1.595M.

1 new sale: 15000 Binder Dr 3/2 listed at $1.195M.

1 closed sale: 15172/174 Wiles Dr 7/5.5 multi-family $7.3M.

LOTS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: 16970 Captiva Dr $2.7M.

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan & The SanibelSusan Team (David Anderson, Elise Carnes, & Lisa Murty)

Friday at 2015 Florida Realtors Convention

Posted on August 21, 2015 by SanibelSusan

Today’s Friday blog is a little late and comes to you from the Florida Realtors Convention in Orlando. SanibelSusan teammates Elise and David have been covering things on the island this week since I headed north on Tuesday.

I spent all day Wednesday auditioning instructors for state-approved classes. We recommended several which we will vote on in commitee meeting tomorrow.

Yesterday, I attended a variety of technology and broker classses, plus attended the annual Keynote Awards Luncheon with entertainment by funny guitar virtuoso Mike Rayburn. There are some good recordings of him on YouTube.com.

Thanks to Florida Realtors and our convention work with Forms Simplicity, The SanibelSusan Team will be joining the electronic-signature age when I return to the island. Anyone with an email address will be able to sign our listing and sale contracts electronically, from computer, laptop, iPad, or smart phone. It’s pretty cool!

At the awards luncheon yesterday, several pals from Southwest Florida were recognized. Fort Myers Beach Realtor and friend, Cynthia Shafer, was awarded the state 2015 Humanitarian Award. For more than 20 years, Cynthia has volunteered helping children in Southwest Florida. Through the Guardian Ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit’s http://www.Voicesforkids.org, some years ago Cynthia started Beds for Kidz. With her husband, she spends weekends providing beds, sometime for the first time, to children in foster care. It was great to see this humble gal acknowledged for her efforts. Writing a check to Beds for Kidz makes me feel good as I know every penny and then some goes to children, often in dire need.

Today after acting this morning as Education Ambassador for two classes about financing, I attended the General Session where Lengendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz was the motivational speaker. What a great presentation!

The Professionalism Forum met later this afternoon, while tomorrow, I have three more committee meetings (Professional Standards, Professional Development, and Resort & 2nd Home Specialist Forum) before heading back to Sanibel Sunday morning. To say, we come away from these meetings fired-up and inspired is an understatement.

This year our local leadership team convinced several real estate newbies to come to the convention. Great to hear them say “they are glad they came and have learned so much already.” With multiple educational sessions occurring simultaneously all-day every-day for four days, not to mention the numerous forums, subcommitte and committee meetings, everyone here has plenty of opportunity for personal development and business growth. I’ve already collected a couple of referrals.

Elise and Dave prepared the remainder of this update, which includes a new listing we received yesterday. Not a lot of local real estate sales action was reported this week, but our local association has a membership meeting next Thursday, where we hopefully will have more.

All over the state in the other resort markets, reports are that business is brisk, inventory is low, and many are worried that we won’t have enough product to sell this winter. Good news for our listings!

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity August 14-21

Sanibel
CONDOS
1 new listing: Sundial #B206 2/2 $579K (our listing).
1 price change: Tennispalce #E31 2/1.5 now $349.5K.
4 new sales: Sanibel Arms #B7 1/1 listed at $334,999; Mariner Pointe #951 1/1 listed at $449K; Island Beach Club #F230 2/2 listed at $649K; Nutmeg Village #209 2/2 listed at $720K.
3 closed sales: Sundial #C301 1/1 $282.5K, Captains Walk #B4 2/2 $305K, Oceans Reach #1A4 2/2 $925K (stats only).

HOMES
2 new listings: 1661 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex $499K, 575 Piedmont Rd 3/2 $535K.
3 price changes: 1717 Sand Pebble Way 3/2 now $469K, 1644 Atlanta Plaza Dr 2/2 now $479K, 2010 Sunrise Cir 5/3 now $999K.
5 new sales: 987 Sand Castle Rd 4/3.5 listed at $675K, 430 Surf Sound Ct 3/2 listed at $805K, 1198 Harbor Cottage Ct 3/3 listed at $899K, 2981 Wulfert Rd 4/4.5 listed at $1.54M, 1137 Golden Olive Ct 5/3.5 listed at $2.175M.
1 closed sale: 1409 Causey Ct 3/3 $575K.

LOTS
2 new listings: 5706 Sanibel Captiva Rd $499K, 5048 Joewood Dr $625K.
No price changes.
1 new sale: 592 Sea Oats Dr listed at $339K.
No closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
1 closed sale: Marina Villas #707 2/2 $555K.

HOMES
No new listings or price changes.
1 new sale: 16785 Captiva Dr 3/3.5 listed at $1.395M.
1 closed sale: 1105 Tallow Tree Ct 3/3 half-duplex $1.75M.

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 general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.

Until, next Friday! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

August Arrives – Summertime on Sanibel & Captiva Island

Posted on August 7, 2015 by SanibelSusan

Redfish Pass between Captiva & North Captiva

This week, the rainy weather experienced on the islands last week turned around, with hot sunny days in the low 90’s and just an occasional quick shower. If you are here on vacation this week, it’s a winner weather-wise!

Florida schools go back early with teachers in Collier starting on Monday, Lee the following week, so it is pretty much a summer wind-down beginning here. Many condo fall projects already are beginning and restaurants/shop workers are talking about when they will be closing for their pre-season breaks.

Vacation rental bookings have dwindled down too and will continue for the next few weeks until we see the snowbirds start to come back, usually mid-October.

The good news is that although there is not much real estate activity now, the buyers who are here looking, generally are serious.

There was no Realtor® Caravan Meeting this week, but The SanibelSusan Team had a handful of showings and another closing. The activity posted in the Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service over the last seven days, follows a couple of news items.

If you are on our mailing list, this week we mailed an island inventory booklet dated July 22, 2015. It is organized by island (Sanibel and Captiva) and property type (condos, homes, lots) and subdivision/complex. Included are the properties for sale and recent sales. If you want to be added to our mailing list, please call 888-603-0603 or 239-471-HOME (4663), or email Susan@SanibelSusan.com.

Where Do Buyers Come From?

The following comes from the National Association of Realtors® Economists’ Outlook blog on July 15:

“Getting involved in your community once only meant volunteering for a civil group, joining a sports club, or running for local governance. People stayed connected through face to face interactions. In an industry like real estate that thrives on friendly interactions and personal connections, building online communities through websites, social media, and digital communication is now one of the most efficient ways that REALTORS® can build and expand their network to generate new business.

“The majority of business for real estate professionals comes from referrals and repeat business, which makes sense since the industry is built upon personal relationships. At first, the idea of expanding online communities to grow the real estate industry seems like a no-brainer. All businesses these days rely on digital connectivity or they get left behind. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)’s Research department flipped through its survey data to take a deep look at how its members value online communities for their business. Here is what the surveys said:

“The NAR 2015 Member Profile, an in-house survey that gathers demographic data on its 1 million real estate members, reports that:

65% of REALTORS® use social media for their business.
64% said that open houses brought no business.
40% of business for younger agents are from referrals and repeat business and 64% for more experienced agents.

“Naturally, word of mouth remains the largest source of income for NAR members and only grows by the number of years REALTORS® stay in the game. What is interesting to note is that open houses are almost a dead avenue for REALTORS® – they brought two-thirds of NAR members no business. Websites do not appear to bring in new clients on their own. However, two-third of members said they actively use social media as a means to market their brand and showcase their listings.

“The NAR 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, NAR’s profile of the buying and selling process, states that:

The first step in the home-buying process for 43% of home buyers was looking online for properties and 12% looked online for information about how to buy a home.

“Ninety-two percent of buyers use the internet in some way in their home search process and 50% of buyers use a mobile website or application in their home search.

“Real estate agents were viewed as a useful information source by 98% of buyers who used an agent while searching for a home.

“Eighty-eight percent of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker—a share that has steadily increased from 69 percent in 2001. As a frame of reference, in 1964, 61% of buyers contacted agents, 40% read newspaper ads, and seven percent drove around when looking for a home. In 2014, 43% looked for properties online. While the initial process may start online, when buyers seek to make a home purchase, they turn to the advice from a real estate agent that they connected with from a trusted friend or family member.”

Sanibel Considers Increases for Beach Parking, Rec Center Fees

From the “Santiva Chronicle” on Tuesday, August 4, 2015:

“Beach parking prices and Recreation Center fees are about to go up on Sanibel. The Sanibel City Council will consider an ordinance at its September meeting that would raise the hourly fee for public beach parking from $3 to $4. Also to be considered at that meeting will be an ordinance that would raise fees for the various programs at the Sanibel Recreation Center in a range up to 20%.

“Both ordinances were proposed at the council’s meeting Tuesday, Aug. 4, as part of ongoing process of finalizing the 2016 fiscal year budget. “It’s important that taxpayers of Sanibel, the ones who are here all the time, not pay for increases in tourism on the island. The tourists should pay,” said Vice-Mayor Mick Denham, who moved to have the parking fee increase come before the council in September in the form of an ordinance. Beach parking fees pay for beach related expenses and Denham said the increase could be used to fund beach erosion projects, security cameras and other improvements.

““Beach parking pays for itself, but the beaches have other issues, like traffic and security,” Councilman Chauncey Goss said. He has advocated an increase in the parking fee since he came on the council this year.

“It’s a supply and demand issue,” Goss said. “If the beach parking lots are always full, then they may not be priced right.” “It’s a user fee, is what it is,” Councilman Marty Harrity said. “Let it pay for itself.” Denham urged that the council take Tuesday’s action in order to get the ordinance in front of the council in September for a first reading.

““Our population hasn’t changed. What’s changed is the number of visitors. It is reasonable to ask visitors to pay,” Denham said following the meeting. “We’ve already got $2.5 million going into our beaches, but that doesn’t pay for all of the expenses. We’ve got to live within our means.”

“Recreation Center – The council, at the urging of Mayor Kevin Ruane, sought ways of saving money at the Recreation Center and in response to that it received a report from Recreation Director Andrea Miller outlining ways to save $121,700. Among them is an across-the-board 10% increase in fees that would raise $60,000 more.

“Instead the council asked for an ordinance to be prepared that would evaluate programs at the Rec Center and determine appropriate increases in each up to 20%. “What programs are being heavily subsidized?” Goss asked. “We should identify those.”

“Presently the year individual rate for a resident is $157.50. A 10% increase would raise that to $173.25 and a 15% increase would take it to $181.13. “This gives us flexibility. Residents will still find that even with increases that our Rec Center is very competitive,” Ruane said.”

NAR Survey Finds Like-Kind Exchanges Promote Job, Economic Growth

According to a recent press release: “Real estate like-kind exchanges are an important vehicle for disposing of and acquiring properties and support the nation’s financial growth, job creation and economy, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®.

“The Like-Kind Exchanges: Real Estate Market Perspectives 2015 survey of NAR’s commercial and residential members found that real estate investors and commercial property owners place a very high priority on current like-kind exchange tax rules; 40% indicated that transactions would not have occurred in the absence of the tax provision, and 56% said even if the project would have occurred it likely would have been smaller in scale.

“Realtors® are active participants in like-kind exchanges; 63% of Realtors® participated in a like-kind exchange transaction between 2011 and 2015. The survey found that like-kind exchanges in which Realtors® participated created between 10 and 35 new jobs, mostly resulting from spending on building improvements following acquisition.

“”Like-kind exchanges that allow investors and businesses to defer capital gains taxes on the exchange of similar properties bring great advantages to investors, real estate markets and the economy,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Realtors® and their clients often look for better economic use of existing properties that are underutilized, which helps promote local economic development and increase the nation’s gross domestic product.”

“Internal Revenue Code Section 1031, a provision that has been in the tax code since 1924, provides individuals and businesses with critically needed tax deferment on gains after the disposition of a property as long as the proceeds are reinvested in a similar property through a like-kind exchange. Replacement properties must be identified in 45 days and the transaction completed within 180 days.

“Survey respondents said the primary reason that they or their clients participated in a like-kind property exchange, aside from the deferral of capital gains taxes, was for equity to acquire additional properties. Other reasons were for estate planning, portfolio diversification and completion of a development project.

The tax savings resulting from like-kind exchanges are also helping bring more capital into local markets. Eighty-six percent of respondents said the savings from tax deferment allowed them or their clients to invest additional capital and make improvement in their acquired properties; these investments are generally responsible for the creation of new jobs, such as in construction and property management.

“According to the survey, in 68% of like-kind transactions, Realtors® acted as a broker or agent, and 24% participated as an owner or investor in the transaction. A larger percentage of commercial members (76%) reported engaging in a like-kind exchange transaction compared to residential members (45%). Of the total, 40% participated in between 1 and 3 transactions, and 23% participated in 4 or more transactions.

Residential properties comprised the largest portion of recent deals, accounting for 27% of disposed properties and 24% of acquired properties, followed by apartments (17% of dispositions and 22% of acquisitions). Land assets accounted for 19% of dispositions and 17% of acquisitions; retail properties accounted for 8% of dispositions and 13% of acquisitions; and office buildings comprised 11% of dispositions and 10% of acquisitions.

“Investors tend to hold on to their properties for several years; 47% of respondents reported their holding period was between 5 and 9 years, and 27% indicated a holding period of 10 to 14 years.

“NAR believes like-kind exchange transactions are fundamental to the real estate investment sector, and repealing the tax provision would have negative effects across real estate markets and the industry.

“Like-kind exchanges help investors more efficiently allocate capital and resources with less borrowed money into new investments that drive economic activity in communities across the nation,” said NAR President Chris Polychron, executive broker with 1st Choice Realty in Hot Springs, Ark. “Any tax reform plan repealing like-kind exchanges would hurt investors and small businesses, increase financial leverage, weaken growth and the economy, and result in the loss of jobs.”

“Survey respondents indicated that repealing like-kind exchange tax provisions would reduce equity in real estate; 67% indicated repeal would lead to a large increase in financial leverage. Realtors® said the negative result would be reduced purchase money and new construction loans, and increased property holding periods. Ninety-six percent of Realtors® also said real estate values would decrease if like-kind exchange provisions were repealed….”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity July 31 to August 7

Sanibel

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Sanibel Inn #14 2/2 now $739K.

1 new sale: Captains Walk #F7 2/1.5 listed at $310K.

3 closed sales: Captains Walk #F6 2/2 $285K, Sunset South #9C 2/2 $425K (our listing), Sundial #R304 2/2 $735K.

HOMES

1 new listing: 249 Daniel Dr 2/2.5 $834.9K.

3 price changes: 999 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 now $547K; 9032 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 now $549,999; 1188 Harbor Cottage Ct 3/3 now $899,555.

2 new sales: 1744 Bunting Ln 4/2 listed at $649K, 734 Sand Dollar Dr 3/3.5 listed at $1.195M.

1 closed sale: 1521 Wilton Ln 3/2 $520K.

LOTS

1 new listing: 5821 Pine Tree Dr $599K.

No price changes or new sales.

1 closed sale: 4626 Buck Key Rd $178K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Beach Villas #2618 2/2 now $659.9K.

1 closed sale: Lands End Village #1660 3/3 $1.35M.

HOMES

Nothing to report.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Until next week, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Summertime Real Estate Report from Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on July 10, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s SanibelSusan reporting the third week of “summer quiet” in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands real estate business. I have heard some interesting behind-the-scenes comments about how things have changed here this year. There definitely is a change in occupancy with accommodations mostly at capacity and the island busy, just busy having fun and not viewing or buying or listing real estate.

This week the “Periwinkle Way late-day traffic jam” reappeared. That usually is only during the winter months from about 3 to 7 p.m. when the islands are full and day workers are leaving. It is when traffic gets backed up at the 4-way stop. Typical late afternoon summer showers may have contributed to this extra summer traffic with more visitors on the road once the sun disappears.

The July 4^th festivities last weekend were well attended, with a big turn-out at SanibelSusan Realty for the parade. Here are a few photos, some taken by my cell phone, but the good ones are credited to our pal, Scott Shew, who always is great about sharing his pictures. Thank you, Scott.

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As the week progressed, Scott shared a few more photos. These two at Ding Darling he said were taken when the no see-ums were out in full force so the bird in the second one might be dunking to avoid them.

SZ6A0404

Below are a few news items followed by the action posted in the Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service over the last seven days, there wasn’t much!

Heat Wave Sweeps Through Housing Market

From Realtor®Mag’s “DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS”:

“The housing market is getting hotter this summer, according to a preliminary analysis of June data from realtor.com®. The median list price nationwide in June rose 7% year-over-year, reaching $233,000. The median days on the market is 66 days, also down 7% year-over-year. Also, inventories are growing faster – 4% higher in June over May, but still down over last year. (That’s the case nationally, but not on Sanibel and Captiva where inventory is very low.)

“”Our early read of real estate trends in June suggests good news ahead for the U.S. residential real estate market, especially in the hottest markets with healthy growth in supply,” says Jonathan Smoke, realtor.com® Chief Economist. Traffic and searches on realtor.com® continued to set new highs in June. Unique users for June are now on pace for at least a 40% growth year-over-year and visits and searches at realtor.com® are expected to surge more than 50% and 30%, respectively, Smoke says.”

Economists Pinpoint Inventory Shortage Causes

As follow-up to the last article, this one based on The Wall Street Journal, June 26, has some answers:

“Inventories of homes for-sale remain low due to home owners staying put and homebuilders still keeping supplies tight, economists said during a panel discussion at the National Association of Real Estate Editors’ annual conference.

“Homes listed for resale in May were at a 5.1-month supply at the current sales pace. Most economists consider a supply of six to seven months to be balanced and healthy for the market.

“Economists at the National Association of Real Estate Editors’ annual conference pointed to several factors that are preventing sellers from putting their homes up for sale. Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of REALTORS®, blamed the bulk of the inventory shortage on the lack of new construction. “We will still have an inventory shortage if builders won’t build,” Yun said. “It is just simple math.”

“Other economists during the panel also said the persistent lack of equity four years into the housing recovery for a large number of home owners continues to prevent many would-be sellers. About 5 million homes in the U.S. — or 10% — are underwater, valued at less than the mortgage.

“Also, some home owners may be reluctant to sell partly because they refinanced in recent years at interest rates of less than 4% and they don’t want to give up those low rates, says Frank Nothaft, CoreLogic’s Chief Economist.

“The economists also noted a significant increase in single-family homes being offered for rent that have dented the overall supply of homes for-sale too. Nothaft estimates that since the downturn investors have purchased 3 million single-family homes and converted them into rentals.

“Other economists at the session also noted that stringent mortgage standards, prohibitive land costs, and limited lending to small builders was also prompting a lower supply of homes for sale.”

Study: Biggest Opportunities in Boomer Market

We aren’t giving up on those baby boomers just yet. They definitely are the largest market segment on the islands. Here’s what “DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS” said about them last Wednesday:

“Though the real estate industry has made it a mission to bring Millennials into home ownership in recent years, a new study by research firm HouseCanary suggests we not ignore an inconvenient truth: Baby boomers have the buying power.

“The study raises questions about how wise it is to focus on Millennial buyers, given their economic limitations. If interest rates — which are expected to keep ticking up this year — were to increase to 6%, more than one in three Millennials would no longer be able to afford a home at their current prices, HouseCanary found. Millennials are carrying high debt with limited savings, and their career growth has been slow.

But baby boomers have fueled the housing market for decades as the biggest drivers of growth in the entry-level market in the 1970s and ’80s, as well as the move-up market in the ’90s and 2000s. Boomers aren’t slowing down: They’re expected to continue to drive household growth over the next 20 years “due to significant wealth and high home ownership rates,” according to HouseCanary. Over the past year alone, baby boomers accounted for 244% of household growth annually.

“”The vast imbalances in wealth and home ownership among baby boomers and Millennials are resulting in wide disparities in the demand for home buying versus renting,” says HouseCanary President JP Ackerman. “Our analysis indicates that rising interest rates and home prices will exacerbate the situation, as the Millennials’ ability to purchase homes will be severely jeopardized as monthly payments get further out of reach.”

“HouseCanary CEO Jeremy Sicklick says his company’s research indicates greater opportunity for developers to target the aging population with for-sale inventory while targeting the younger generation for-rent inventory.”

New Fire Station on Captiva

The grand opening of the new fire station on Captiva is scheduled for Sat, July 18, from 10 a.m. until noon. The public is invited. It also is the 60^th anniversary of the creation of the Captiva Island Fire District. During that time, it has transformed from a volunteer bucket brigade to a squad of highly-trained professionals with equipment for not just fighting fires but also for advanced life support. Congratulations! www.CaptivaFire.com

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity July 3-10

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Tennisplace #D31 1/1 $239K, Heron at The Sanctuary III #1B 3/2.5 $650K, Nutmeg Village #309 2/2 $799K.

No price changes.

1 new sale: Colonnades #15 1/1 listed for $225K.

3 closed sales: Sunset South #2D 2/2 $500K, Breakers West #C2 2/2 $522.5K, Nutmeg Village #214 2/2 $920K.

HOMES

2 new listings: 976 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 half-duplex $495K, 3402 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $2.2M.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 1774 Bunting Ln 3/2 listed for $539K.

1 closed sale: 1325 Par View Dr 3/2.5 $695K.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 2460 Library Way listed for $324.9K.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

2 new listings: Bayside Villas #5144 1/2 $299.9K, Ventura Captiva #1B 2/2 $1.35M.

1 price change: Bayside Villas #5310 3/3 now $585K.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

2 new sales: 16785 Captiva Dr 3/3.5 listed for $1.395M, 1105 Tallow Tree Ct 3/3 half-duplex 3/3 listed for $2.0449M.

1 closed sale: 16512 Captiva Dr 7/5.5 $6.525M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Good weekend wishes to all. Little rain is expected here over the next few days, so no traffic jams expected! Here’s hoping the sunsets are as beautiful as this one. (Thanks, Melissa!)

Cheers! Susan Andrews (aka SanibelSusan)

Happy Birthday, America! From Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on July 3, 2015 by SanibelSusan

Lots of families are vacationing on Sanibel and Captiva Islands this week, but not much real estate action. The market here continues to improve, albeit it slowly now that most of the “in season” sales have closed and not many buyers are in town. Below is a sampling of the statistics today compared to prior year sales.

Only 263 properties currently are available for sale on Sanibel; 397 sold last year. Considering those under contract too, there are 350 Sanibel sales already this year, a record number with only half the year over. Once those snowbirds get back, this might turn into a banner year!

Before a report of the activity posted over the last seven days in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service, here is some other summer, holiday, and real estate news.

Celebrating July 4^th on Sanibel

Here for the 4^th? The City website www.MySanibel.com posted the following special event permits:

7 – 9 a.m. – Pancake Breakfast, Sanibel Community Church, 1740 Periwinkle Way, info (239) 472-2684
9:30 a.m. – Independence Day Parade – “For the Fun of It” – Parade begins at Tarpon Bay Rd on Periwinkle Way to Casa Ybel Rd, info (239) 246-2981 (Good watching from SanibelSusan Realty if you are in the neighborhood.)
10:30 a.m. Boy Scouts Independence Day Celebration (after parade), Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, water slide, food, & refreshments; info (239) 472-9300
12 noon – San-Cap Optimist Club’s 36th Annual Road Rally, Timbers Restaurant, 703 Tarpon Bay Rd, info (239) 472-0836
9:00 p.m. – Fireworks Display (rain or shine) – Sanibel & Captiva Islands’ Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring this year. Fireworks will be launched from the north end terminus of Bailey Rd. Best viewing from Sanibel Causeway Islands and bay side of the island.
Holiday Sidewalk Sales – The following retailers and shopping centers obtained annual Retail Holiday Sidewalk Sales permits, so may be holding special sidewalk sales over the holiday:

Sanibel Square, 2200-2250 Periwinkle Way
Olde Sanibel Shoppes, 630 Tarpon Bay Road
Tahitian Gardens Shopping Center, 1975-2019 Periwinkle Way
The Village Shops, 2340 Periwinkle Way
Periwinkle Place Shopping Center, 2075 Periwinkle Way
Gene’s Books, 2365 Periwinkle Way
Palm Ridge Plaza, 2330 Palm Ridge Road #1
Ickle Pickle, 2427 Periwinkle Way
Bailey’s Center, 2477 Periwinkle Way

Weather Service Again Recognizes Sanibel as Storm Ready

Here on the islands we don’t like to use the “h” word, but we also know it’s best to be prepared for those events. Posted on Monday on the “Santiva Chronicle” on-line”:

“The City of Sanibel has again been recognized by the National Weather Service as a “Storm Ready” community. This special recognition was first achieved in June 2009 and the City of Sanibel was the 8th community of the 410 Florida municipalities to be recognized as Storm Ready. Today, only 22 communities in Florida have received this designation.

“It is the goal of the National Weather Service to use the program to prepare communities for all dangerous weather. Storm Ready communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of hazardous weather through advanced planning, education and awareness. Click here to see the notice received from the National Weather Service.

“”It is important to remember that this designation does not render us storm proof, but as a barrier Island in the sub-tropics it is important we prepare collectively for the worst Mother Nature can send us. There is no substitution for preparation and planning,” stated City Manager Judie Zimomra upon receiving notice of the designation.

“The City of Sanibel’s 2015 Hurricane Seminar can be viewed by clicking here.”

Turn Out the Lights! Sea Turtles Starting to Hatch

A great a photo posted on-line by Florida Atlantic University researcher Jake Lasala of Sanibel homeowner and SCCF Turtle Patrol volunteer, Jewel Jensen. It shows her checking a green sea turtle nest. Jewel and her hubby bought one of our listings a couple of years ago. Here’s the turtle news that was posted on the “Santiva-Chronicle” on Tuesday.

“Turn out the lights! It’s not because the party is over. It’s because the party is in full swing.

“The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reports that three of the reported 417 sea turtle nests on Sanibel and Captiva have hatched and in two of those nests hatchlings were disoriented by light and didn’t head into the Gulf of Mexico.

““Please observe Lights Out For Sea Turtles!” SCCF said in its weekly sea turtle report issued Monday, June 29, for the period ending Friday, June 26. “Three nests hatched last week but hatchlings from two of the three nests were disoriented. Please shield lights on the beach; hatchlings head to the lightest horizon (which is normally the water).”

“The rest of SCCF’s report is good news. SCCF breaks down turtle nesting into three zones and all three showed healthy nesting activity in the past week for a total of 417 nests and false crawls approaching 1,000 for the season at 994. Here is the breakdown for the June 26 report, with the previous week’s statistics in parentheses:

Sanibel East: 82 (71) nests, 216 (176) false crawls
Sanibel West: 247 (193) nests, 617 (458) false crawls
Captiva: 88 (71) nests, 161 (110) false crawls
TOTAL: 417 (335) nests, 994 (744) false crawls

“Last year produced 535 nests, tied for second best since 1996 and just two off the record 537 recorded in 2000.

“SCCF also reports that 12 green sea turtle nests have been discovered, with 11 of them on Sanibel West and one on Captiva.

“SCCF continues to cover as many nests as possible to prevent raids by coyotes.”

The “Sanibel Plan” Now Available Electronically

If was great to read this news release on Tuesday from the City Planning Department:

The City of Sanibel’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, also known as the “Sanibel Plan,” is now available electronically in its entirety on the City of Sanibel webpage at www.mysanibel.com . To access the Sanibel Plan Click here.

“The original Sanibel Plan was adopted in 1976. The plan was amended and extensively revised in 1985, 1989, 1997 and 2007. In 2007, the American Planning Association recognized the Sanibel Plan with the National Planning Landmark Award.

“In 2013, the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) for the Sanibel Plan was completed and adopted. This report concluded that the Plan is consistent with all State requirements including changes made to State Statutes contained in the Community Planning Act of 2011. In 2013, the State of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Division of Community Development, issued a finding that the Sanibel Plan, as adopted by City of Sanibel Ordinance 12-010, is in compliance with Section 163.3184(4) of Florida Statutes.

Questions regarding the Sanibel Plan should be directed to City of Sanibel Planning Director James Jordan at jimmy.jordan@mysanibel.com or 239-472-4136.”

The second volume of the plan includes what is called the “Future Land Use Map Series”. Realtors often refer to several of these maps, so it is great news to find that they are now handy on-line. The maps include: Ecological Zone Maps (remember, Sanibel’s different zones allow different development and coverage), Commercial Zoning Map, Resort Housing District Map (showing areas where short-term rentals are allowed), Wetlands Conservation Lane Maps, Environmentally Sensitive Lands Conservation District Map, and Development Intensity Maps. All good stuff. Thank you, Sanibel, for making these so easily available.

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity June 26-July 3

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Colonnades #51 1/1 $219K, Sanibel Arms #B1 2/2 $525K, Sundial #E205 2/2 $859K.

5 new sales: Colonnades #51 1/1 listed for $219K, Spanish Cay #F2 1/1 listed for $250K (our listing & sale), Captains Walk #F3 2/1.5 listed for $289.9K, Sundial #H302 2/2 listed for $599K, Sanibel Sunset #202 3/2 listed for $1.745M.

At Spanish Cay

2 closed sales: Seashells #27 2/2 $315,375, Pelicans Roost #101 2/2 $745K (our sale).

HOMES

3 new listings: 499 Leather Fern Pl 3/2 $625K, 1148 Shell Basket Ln 4/2 $699K, 3728 West Gulf Dr 5/5 $1.995M.

1 price change: 1806 Ibis Ln 3/2 now $465K.

1 new sale: 4636 Buck Key Rd 2/2 listed for $419K.

9 closed sales: 2407 Shop Rd 2/1 $272.5K, 982 Main St 3/2.5 $420K, 4515 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 $540K, 2220 Camino del Mar 3/3 $570K, 4241 Old Banyan Way 3/2 $660K, 1136 Golden Olive Ct 4/4.5 $2.35M, 4203 Dingman Dr 4/3 $2.8M, 2980 Wulfert Dr 4/6.5 $2.8M, 4525 Waters Edge Ln 3/2.5K, $3.725M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 2400 Blue Crab Ct $309K.

No price changes, new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: 3117 Tennis Villas 1/1 $244K.

1 price change: 3131 Tennis Villas 2/2 now $415K.

1 new sale: Beach Homes #30 3/2 listed for $2.195M.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings or sales.

2 price changes: 11490 Old Lodge Ln 3/3.5 now $1.329M, 11521 Laika Ln 3/3 now $1.395M.

1 closed sale: 11513 Wightman Ln 5/5 $1.64M

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Best wishes from Susan & The SanibelSusan Team for a safe & happy 4th!

Almost Fathers’ Day 2015 on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on June 19, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s SusanSusan reporting that it was another fairly quiet week on the islands – but with gorgeous weather, occasional afternoon showers, fabulous sunsets, and probably more people on the island than we typically see in mid-June. The activity posted since last Friday in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follows a few news items below.

June Membership Meeting – Sanibel/Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Though it had been three long weeks since our last local Realtor® Caravan Meeting, attendance was light at our monthly breakfast meeting on Thursday.

Two affiliate members spoke during the professional development segment of the meeting: Art Monahan with Seacoast Cottage Company discussed the various window types and designs used on the islands. “It’s amazing”, he said “how many consumers don’t realize that the windows used in Florida are different from those in homes in northern states.” Here we want to keep the heat out. There they want to keep the heat in. The impact resistant windows required here now are tested to 170 mph, many have three layers of glass and an inner shatterproof Mylar membrane which is what keeps the elements from penetrating a home even when the glass may break.

Jeff Carroll with Tradewinds Custom Homes discussed the three varieties of home exterior finishes popular in Florida because of their easier maintenance and durability (as compared to wood): vinyl siding, Hardie board, and Boral. He brought samples. Most of us recognize vinyl siding, it’s been popular for years. Hardie board, perhaps not as well know, was developed by James Hardie and is a siding made of fiber cement. Cement is combined with sand, water, and cellulose wood fibers to make a solid building material well suited for protecting building exteriors. We see a lot of Hardie board here. I hadn’t heard of Boral until Jeff’s presentation. He said that it is a relatively-new product that does not change even when submerged in water. His sample was in a jar of water and had been for two months, without compromising its integrity. Jeff said that Boral is made from fly ash and resin. He also described it as a true green product from cradle to cradle, meaning no nasty byproducts or gases are produced during its manufacturing. Sounds like a perfect material to be used on homes in hot humid Florida. In comes in a variety of shapes and sizes too, so can look like wood shakes, shingles, beadboard, and a variety of lapboards, etc.

LCEC Island Vegetation Trimming

Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) has advised the City of Sanibel that circuit crews will begin trimming vegetation on Sanibel and Captiva the week of June 22, 2015. Crews expect to be trimming vegetation for approximately three months, weather permitting.

The trimming will begin near East Gulf Drive and Bella Vista Way and proceeding through Sanibel to Sanibel-Captiva Road. See LCEC’s map below showing where trimming will occur.

As part of this vegetation trimming process, LCEC crews will make efforts to contact home/business owners prior to trimming. Door hangers will be left where person-to-person contact is not possible.

Vegetation management is part of the ongoing LCEC electric system maintenance and reliability improvement plan and is critical to reducing outages and ensuring safety. Residents with questions should call LCEC directly at 239-656-2200.

F.I.S.H. Moving to New Location

According to an article in today’s “Island Sun”, F.I.S.H.’s soon-to-be-occupied new headquarters at 2430 Periwinkle Way, behind Bleu Rendez Vous French Bistro will give them more than 1,000 sq. ft. than their current location.

F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva, Inc. is a nonprofit, non-sectarian, human services organization focused on “neighbors helping neighbors” on Sanibel and Captiva islands. From their web site “The mission of F.I.S.H. is to lend a helping hand to those in need who live, work or the islands. Their objective is to make a social investment in our community that assists our neighbors to live independently with dignity in their homes.”

Founded in 1982, F.I.S.H. operated out of volunteers’ homes until their first office in The Village Shops. They have been in their second and current location at 1630 Periwinkle Way since 2007. The move to their own building later this month will allow them to expand their walk-in center to better serve their employees, volunteers, and clients.

The “Island Sun” article reports their success by giving some statistics from last year. “In 2014, FISH impacted the lives of 1,317 households representing 1,737 individuals. Las year, 86% of its annual budget was used for client programming. This included 386 senior households which benefitted from FISH programming such as Alzheimer’s assessments, daily well-check calls and prepared meals, emergency financial assistance, health equipment loans, non-emergency medical related appointment transportation and workshops. Also during the past year, 931 households – including 192 children – benefitted from FISH programming such as adult education assistance, community resource referrals and counseling, emergency financial assistance, ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) instruction, notary services, VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) tax assistance, youth lunches, and scholarships.”

This wonderful hardworking organization is led by its 2015 President and CEO, Maggi Feiner, and Board Chair, John Pryor (also a fellow singer in the BIG ARTS Community Chorus & Ensemble). If you have the time or the wherewithal, please support them. They are always looking for volunteers and contributions, their web site also has a list of the food pantry needs. Today, it says canned proteins (tuna, chicken, beef), milk, juices (boxed for kids), paper towels, and toilet paper. When finishing up an island visit or prepared your hurricane box for the summer, it’s a good time to thin out your pantry and bring those non-perishable not-expired items to FISH.

Best wishes to FISH in their new location!

(You will be pleased to try Bleu Rendez Vous French Bistro too. I tried it a couple of weeks ago and it is divine. New décor, authentic yet reasonably-priced French menu. Open 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Hosts are Chef Christian and Mari Vivet. Check out their menu and be sure to make a reservation. http://www1.bluerendezvousbistro.com/)

Housing Solutions for Emerging Markets

No related to island real estate, but interesting info in this on-line article posted last Friday on “DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS”:

“Housing markets all over the world are dealing with a lack of affordable housing options. In many developing markets, builders are creating innovative properties that seek to solve the growing affordable housing and urbanization issue, as well as provide shelter for at-risk populations that battle natural disasters on a regular basis.

“Floating structures, monolithic domes, and even housing made from paper are just a few of the inventive housing creations that have popped up in emerging markets in order to solve various housing crises, according to global online real estate portal Lamudi, which focuses exclusively on emerging markets.

“Here are some examples of these housing solutions:

Paper Refugee Shelters, Rwanda – After the civil war in Rwanda left more than two million people homeless, Shigeru Ban, an award-winning modernist architect, decided to use low-cost paper tubes to build shelters for those in need. This inexpensive solution helped to conserve trees and avoid deforestation, and inspired Ban to make paper shelters all over the world in areas of need.

Paper Log Housing, Philippines – Paper tubes were also a solution after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, destroying 130,000 homes in the process. Shigeru Ban Architects were able to create emergency housing that included beer crates filled with sandbags, floor panels made of coconut wood and plywood, and paper tubes as the structural frame.
Makoko Floating School, Nigeria – In Lagos, urbanization and lack of space is a big problem. To confront this issue, NLÉ designed a prototype for a floating school to be built in the water community of Makoko.

Earthquake-proof Housing, Indonesia – A devastating earthquake in 2006 inspired the partnership of Domes for the World (DTWF) and the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) in building 80 monolithic domes in Indonesia. These structures are made to withstand various natural disasters and provide a secure shelter for those most as need in the area.

Ecovillage, Uganda – Earthbag construction technology was the solution for the growing environmental, economical, and social challenges in Uganda. More than three million people near Lake Victoria are at-risk for violence and natural disasters, and this earthbag ecovillage was created specifically to provide protection from bullets, fire, wind, and rain.”

Upcoming Events

Father’s Day – Captiva Cruises is offering free travel to Dads with a paid child on June 21, Sunday. Trips to Useppa Island or Cabbage Key, dolphin/wildlife adventure cruises, half-day shelling trips, and more. Reservations needed, call 239-472-5300.

Mango Tasting at The Community House – June 24, Wednesday, 6 p.m. The owner of FruitScapes on Pine Island will be there with ten different types of mangoes for attendees to sample. Bring your own potluck item to share with about six people. RSVP at The Community House at 2173 Periwinkle Way, 239-472-2155.

90% of Properties Now Have Equity

More positive recovery news was posted on-line Wednesday at “Daily Real Estate News”:

“As home prices rise, more home owners are regaining equity. During the first quarter of this year, about 254,000 properties regained equity, according to CoreLogic’s latest equity report. That now brings the total number of residential properties with a mortgage that have equity to about 44.9 million – or 90% – by the end of the first quarter.

“Five states alone accounted for 31% of negative equity in the U.S., according to the report. Those states with the highest percentage of properties with a mortgage in the negative equity position in the first quarter are: Nevada: 23.1%, Florida: 21.2%, Illinois: 16.8%, Arizona: 16.8%, Rhode Island: 15.7%.

“About 90% of home owners now have housing equity and, as a result, have experienced an increase in wealth, which can spur additional consumption and investment expenditures,” says Frank Nothaft, chief economist for CoreLogic. “The remaining 10% of owners with negative equity will find their home value rising while they continue to pay down principal on their amortizing mortgage loan.”

“The still elevated number of home owners who have negative equity remains a concern, however. The number of negative equity households stood at 5.1 million, or 10.2% of all properties with a mortgage in the first quarter of this year, according to CoreLogic’s report. That represents a slight drop from 5.4 million homes, or 10.8%, that had negative equity in the fourth quarter of 2014.

““Many home owners are emerging from the negative equity trap, which bodes well for a continued recovery in the housing market,” says Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic. “With the economy improving and home owners building equity, albeit slowly, the potential exists for an increase in housing stock available for sale, which would ease the current imbalance in supply and demand. There are still about 5 million home owners who are underwater and we estimate that a further 5% appreciation in home values across the U.S. would reduce the number of owners with negative equity by about one million.”

“The following states had the highest percentage of properties in the positive equity territory by the end of the first quarter: Texas: 97.7%, Hawaii: 96.9%, Alaska: 96.8%, Montana: 96.8%, North Dakota: 96.2%.

“In general, the majority of positive equity properties are centered at the high end of the housing market, according to the report. For example, 94% of homes valued at greater than $200,000 have equity, compared with 85% of homes valued at less than $200,000.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity June 12-19

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Sanibel Inn #3522 2/2 $749K.

1 price change: Sanddollar #C101 2/2 now $870K.

1 new sale: Sunset South #9C 2/2 listed for $449K (our listing).

Sunset South #9C view

6 closed sales: Colonnades #41 1/1 $185K, Spanish Cay #A7 1/1 $230K (our listing), Sundial #F303 2/2 $460K, Cottage Colony West #102 1/1 $611K, Sand Pointe #214 2/2 $715K, Island Beach Club #P2E $720K.

HOMES

1 new listing: 4221 Gulf Pines Dr 2/2 $589K.

6 price changes: 1024 S Yachtsman Dr 3/2 now $589.9K, 9032 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 now $598,150, 1388 Tahiti Dr 3/2 now $639K, 420 East Gulf Dr 3/3 now $698K, 2969 Wulfert Rd 6/7.5.5 now $2.15M, 1253 Anhinga Ln 4/4 now $3.7M.

7 new sales: 9106 Mockinbird Dr 2/2 listed for $499K, 1314 Tahiti Dr 2/2 listed for $525K, 1593 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 listed for $529K, 1521 Wilton Ln 3/2 lissted for $549K, 1409 Albatross Rd 3/2 listed for $595.9K, 1710 Sand Pebble Way 3/2 listed for $645K, 4241 Old Banyan Way 3/2 listed for $739K.

7 closed sales: 9446 Beverly Ln 3/3.5 $600K, 741 Nerita St 3/2 $625K, 1528 Angel Dr 3/2 $730K, 5076 Joewood Dr 3/2 $795K, 518 N Yachtsman 3/3 $995K, 1101 Schooner Pl 3/2.5 $1.089M, 5290 Caloosa End Ln 4/3 $1.4M.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

3 new sales: 9239 Dimmick Dr listed for $139K, 1429 Albatross Rd listed for $269K, 3411 West Gulf Dr listed for $3.74M.

1 closed sale: 1336 Eagle Run Dr $250K.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: 2416 Beach Villas 1/1 $535K.

No price changes.

2 new sales: Marina Villas #707 2/2 listed for $595K, Lands End #1616 3/3 listed for $1.99M.

1 closed sale: Marina Villas #902 2/2 $620K.

HOMES

1 new listing: 7 Sunset Captiva Ln 2/2.5 $2.195M.

1 price change: 11530 Paige Ct 4/5.5 now $3.79M.

1 new sale: 11516 Andy Rosse Ln 6/6 listed for $2.349M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Happy Fathers’ Day weekend!

Summer Rain in the Neighborhoods on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on June 12, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It was another fairly quiet week on Sanibel with late-day summer rains continuing and not much real estate action over the last seven days. Just had the electricity in the office go on and off multiple times as I was trying to post this blog. Those folks who scooted out early on a Friday afternoon had the right idea as a huge rain is dousing Southwest Florida now (4 p.m.).

In the real estate world, The SanibelSusan Team had another nice closing on Tuesday, the charming olde-Florida home with guest house, separate garage, and resort-style pool at 375 East Gulf Dr. Due to building code restrictions, we don’t see many multi-building residential properties like it on Sanibel. Since it dates back to the late 50’s, before City incorporation, it has some wonderful and unusual features.

Pool at 375 East Gulf Dr

Wednesday, we also had a walk-in looking for an entry-level income-producing condo at Sundial and we continue to receive inquiries about where to rent next winter. There aren’t many vacancies left!

Teammate Dave and I had a couple of listing presentations this week which resulted in two new listings – both pool homes. One, a split-plan 3 bedroom 2-1/2 bath near the beach in Little Lake Murex has an amazing wide and long lake view. The other, a large 5-bedroom 4-bath in gated Laguna Lakes with amenities, is just off-island.

View at 597 Lake Murex Circle

View at Sunset South #9C

It was another week without a Thursday Association of Realtors® Caravan Meeting, but there will be one next week when our new listing at Sunset South #9C is on the schedule.

Little real estate activity has been posted in the Sanibel/Captiva Multiple Listing Service since last Friday. Compared to “high season” when we may see as many as 15-25 island properties go under contract in a week, this week there were just five: a single Sanibel condo and four homes, three on Sanibel and one on Captiva. Those details follow a few news items below.

Florida’s Economic Growth Beats U.S. Average

The following article was posted at FloridaRealtors® on-line yesterday:

“Florida’s economic growth in 2014 outpaced the national average, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Wednesday. Goods and services produced in Florida increased 2.7% last year compared with 2.2% nationally, the bureau said.

“Growth in Florida topped all states east of the Mississippi River except West Virginia where the economy jumped 5.1% thanks to its mining industry, said BEA spokesman Thomas Dail.

“Florida’s economy, meanwhile, has benefited from strong growth in real estate and rental and leasing, Dail said. Florida, with more than triple the national growth in the real estate sector, was behind only North Dakota, the federal data showed.

“”There has been fairly strong contributions from retail trade as well,” Dail added. Florida had nearly double the national growth in the retail sector and was behind only Arizona, Washington and North Dakota, according to BEA’s numbers.

“Overall, Florida’s economic growth ranked 11th in the nation – good enough to beat any state touching the Atlantic – including New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and Georgia.

“The one bleak spot: Florida’s per capita share of the economy – the state’s output of goods and services divided by its population – continues to lag the nation’s. Last year, Florida’s was $38,690 vs. the nation’s $49,049. Florida has yet to recover to its pre-recession high of $44,048 in 2006.

“Florida has been rebounding from a deep recession since 2011, when the state’s economy actually contracted 0.6%, federal data shows. Goods and services grew only 1.7% in 2012, below the 1.9% national average.

Florida’s economy outpaced the nation’s in 2013 and 2014.”

Sanibel + Captiva Islands: Florida’s Best Family-Friendly Nature-Loving Escapes

We know it has helped the real estate market and the economy here as the islands have made top-ranking on many internet sites. FYI, here’s the article about Sanibel and Captiva that was posted yesterday on-line on “Forbes” by their travel writer, Katie Kelly Bell:

Photo from Forbes on-line 06-11-2015

“The sister islands of Sanibel and Captiva are something of a special breed in Florida. You won’t find bustling theme parks, water parks or alligator attractions on these islands. There won’t be long lines of sweaty tourists or beaches thronged with sunbathers either. In fact, these islands with their fertile unspoiled habitats seduce visitors without even trying.

Photo from Forbes on-line 06-11-15

“The islanders like to think the appeal is in the numbers: 15 miles of beaches, 25 miles of bike paths, 50 kinds of fish, 230 kinds of birds, 250 kinds of shells and their favorite number of all—zero traffic lights. Sanibel alone is home to 6,400 acres of mangrove wilderness, which is almost half of the total island. Many visitors just come to spend time in the J. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge—a birders paradise, but also an ideal place for nature hikes and the occasional alligator spotting.

“Sanibel and Captiva (which are connected by a short causeway) also have a few simple guidelines in place that keep this wildlife-rich paradise as pristine as it was when I first visited as a young girl almost 40 years ago. The island allows no weekly home rentals (although smaller condominiums can be rented weekly) and no developer, no matter how deep the pockets, is permitted to build a structure higher than three stories.

“Yet, most people really don’t care about the rules; they come for the uncrowded beaches and unparalleled shelling. During my first visit as a child, my father and I decided to go shelling in the rain. We discovered the most magical things on that gloomy day–lighting whelks, king conch, shark eyes–even the occasional fish or horseshoe crab washed ashore by storm tide. Our pockets bulged with loot. I felt like an explorer, alone in the beachy wilderness. The adventure remains one of my most treasured memories with my dad to this day.

“In the following years I’ve taken my own babies down those beaches—each walk its own treasure hunt. Shelling on Sanibel is a rewarding pursuit simply because it yields intact shells—the ones with critters have to go back—but the empties are yours to keep. Of course you can sunbathe, or just drift in the gentle waves, but busy bees like me find the shelling hard to ignore.

“The island is threaded with bike trails and it’s a great way to get around or just explore sections you haven’t yet seen. I prefer biking through the wildlife refuge to driving—one always sees more when you slow down—and see you will. You can also take a guided tour by kayak through the refuge or through the mangrove forest. (Tarpon Bay Explorers offer several options led by naturalists). Expect to see a wide range of wildlife including dolphins, manatees, alligators, anhinga, pelican, and more.

“Shoppers won’t be disappointed, nor will those who just eat out every meal…Sanibel and Captiva have enough of both options to keep visitors busy for weeks without ever having to return to the dreary “mainland”.

“Today I go for different reasons—my mother, who lives there now, is aging and we spend more time shuttling her to the hospitals in Ft. Myers than shelling or kayaking. But, on each trip the wildlife still give–I’ll spy an anhinga drying its wings, or a pelican diving for dinner, and shells still wash ashore. Maybe that’s why people come back year after year—the island never changes–and you can feel, if only for a while, that you haven’t changed either.

“When to Go: Summer is certainly hottest—but the islands are quieter during this season. Once November hits (through late April) you’ll be competing with the high season in terms of pricing. There are never any lines or crowded beaches here—just traffic getting off and on the island. So year-round it’s still a pleasure to visit….”

Sanibel Sewer Project Moves to Last Phase

The Sanibel Sewer Expansion Program is moving into Phase Four which is the last portion of the program which included centralization in 1974 and consolidation of island wastewater in 1991.

The program is about 99% complete with 42 properties in Phase Four remaining to be converted from their current septic systems. A low flow exemption has been granted to 28 properties, which will remain on septic for a temporary time period, which allows these properties to remain on their systems until they fail. The construction of Phase Four is estimated to take three off-seasons with the potential of being completed in just two. A more firm timetable will be established for City Council’s July meeting.

Read a Book, Get a Donut

Sanibel’s Bennett’s Fresh Roast is encouraging children to read while out of school for the summer. The shop is offering donuts in exchange for reading. Through August 31, school-aged children, from kindergarten through 5^th grade, may receive a complimentary fresh donut each time they read a book at Bennett’s. Children may receive one free donut per day before 4 p.m. when they read a book while accompanied by a parent. Books appropriate for children are available for reading on-site.

Island Businesses Earn Trip Advisor Awards

Trip Advisor has awarded several Sanibel businesses with Hall of Fame Awards (which are earned after winning five years in a row) or single excellence awards. Trip Advisor says Sanibel is “a family destination offering the best of both worlds. Sanibel Island is a vibrant community with laid-back beach relaxation or deep sea adventures. Fishing excursions, dolphin-watching tours and snorkeling appeal to travelers of all ages. Sanibel vacation homes are praised for their cozy, yet airy vibes and proximity to some of American’s most gorgeous beaches, with views into the Gulf of Mexico to make for a frame-worthy picture or postcard.”

Here are the businesses that recently received awards:

Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream

Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame Winner.

Tarpon Bay Explorers

2015 Hall of Fame

Oceans Reach Condominiums

Customer Satisfaction Index of 98.2 when rated for value, rooms, service, cleanliness, and location.

Beachview Cottages

Hall of Fame Award for their unique vacation experience.

Fourth of July Events Announced

The 4^th of July is on Saturday this year. Here are the events promoted in today’s “Island Sun”.

25^th Annual Independence Day Parade – themed “For The Fun of It”. Parade line-up begins on Island Inn Road at 8:30 a.m. & the parade begins at 9:30 a.m., traveling from Island Inn Road to Tarpon Bay Road down Periwinkle Way to Casa Ybel Road. Commemorative T-shirts are available at Bank of the Islands and will be sold along the parade route.

36^th Annual Road Rally – sponsored by Sanibel-Captiva Optimists Club, teams puzzle out clues while following a prescribed driving course around the island. Prizes are awarded for correct time and mileage, the most correct answers to the quiz about things seen along the route, as well as best decorated vehicle. Entry forms available in various locations around the island. Fee covers car, driver, navigator, unlimited crew, and includes one official Road Rally T-shirt (additional shirts available for $15). Rally begins at Timbers Restaurant/Sanibel Grill parking lot at noon, and ends there for the “after-glow party”. Starting times are staggered. All proceeds provide funds for college scholarships.

Sanibel Island Fireworks Nights 2015 – at 9 p.m. set off from the end of Bailey Road into San Carlos Bay. Best viewing from the causeway. (Sorry, no public event at The Dunes this year, but member and VIP event 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.)

First Federal Junior Duck Stamp Judging On Sanibel

Next year, for the first time, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge will hose the Federal Junior Duck Stamp judging. The public is invited, so mark April 22, 2016 on your calendars, and stay tuned for news of other activities in the planning stages.

““Ding” on the Wing”, the “Ding’ Darling Wildlife Society newsletter, announced this week that “Every year, the Refuge hosts the judging of the Florida Duck Stamp program. In 2016, it will welcome the nationwide judging – a fitting tribute to Sanibel Island as the birthplace of the JDS program.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity June 5-12

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Somerset #B201 3/2.5 $1.95M.

2 price changes: Captains Walk #B4 2/2 now $315K, Blind Pass #G203 2/2 now $485K.

1 new sale: Sanibel Arms #E7 1/1 listed for $339K.

5 closed sales: Colonnades #41 1/1 $185K, Sundial #H109 1/1 $315K, Seawind #A106 2/2.5 $450K, Sundial #J401 1/1 $465K, Lighthouse Point #231 2/2 $640K.

HOMES

5 new listings: 1314 Tahiti Dr 2/2 $525K, 1388 Tahiti Dr 3/2 $679K, 887 Casa Ybel Rd 4/3 duplex $699K, 597 Lake Murex Cir 3/2.5 $749K (our listing), 689 East Rocks Dr 3/3 $768.5K.

4 price changes: 1182 Kittiwake Cir 3/3 now $659K, 1085 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $670K, 3364 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 now $789K, 5773 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 2/2 now $1.95M

3 new sales: 1599 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex listed for $489K, 4515 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 listed for $585K, 2999 Twin Ponds Dr 4/3.5 listed for $865K.

5 closed sales: 536 Boulder Dr 3/2.5 $650K, 820 Sand Dollar Dr 3/2 $950K, 375 East Gulf Dr 4/3 $970K (our buyer), 6170 Dinkins Lake Rd 3/3 $1.575M, 428 Bella Vista Way 4/4 $1.6M.

LOTS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: 915 Main St $150K.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Villas #2525 2/2 $649K.

1 price change: Tennis Villas #3111 1/1 now $249K.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 16237 Captiva Dr 5/5.5 $3.95M.

1 price change: 1105 Tallow Tree Ct 3/3 now $2.049M.

1 new sale: 1121 Schefflera Ct 4/4.5 listed for $3.99M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Memorial Day Weekend 2015 on Sanibel/Captiva Islands

Posted on May 22, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s already another Friday with Sanibel and Captiva Islands gearing up for a holiday weekend. Our phones at SanibelSusan Realty have been quiet today, but those coming from off-island this morning remarked that there were families staking out spots on the causeway as early as 7:30 a.m.

Below are a couple of cell phone photos snapped this afternoon. It’s that time of the year when the sky is bright blue and the gulf is bright blue-green – gorgeous! These were taken at the Fulgur Street beach access between Compass Point and Sanibel Siesta.

At SanibelSusan Realty Associates

Our listings had few inquiries and showing requests this week, probably related to a slowdown in traffic, but with a home closing on Monday, us assisting clients in town doing due diligence and inspections, and another closing coming up early next week, we have stayed busy.

Teammate Dave has heading out to show a condo, while Elise finalizes her weekly report of the activity posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service which follows some news items below.

Wednesday was the annual island Association of Realtors® RPAC fundraiser at The Sanctuary. Dave played in the afternoon golf scramble, while I attended the event after work which included both silent and live auctions.

Talley in process for total funds raised. I know my checkbook has another good dent in it. The Sanibel/Captiva goal is to win five of the five state awards this year.

Because of the RPAC event, there was no caravan yesterday, but there will be one next week. Always interesting this time of the year to see if there are any new listings. We have one in the works.

Save Sea Turtles

It is sea turtle nesting time, so worth a repeat of the below info that was contained in a May 1, 2015 flier that accompanied City mail last week:

“Turn Off Lights & Close Curtains/Blinds After Dark – Hatchling sea turtles are guided to the ocean by an instinct to travel away from the dark silhouettes of the dune vegetation and toward the brightest horizon – light from the sky reflecting off the ocean. Artificial light near the beach can deter females from nesting and disorient hatchling sea turtles. Most hatchlings that wander inland die of exhaustion, dehydration or predation. Local ordinances in effect year-‘round prohibit BOTH interior and exterior lights from illuminating the beach.

“PROBLEM: Interior lighting sources including chandeliers, lamps, and other fixtures that are visible from the beachfront. Unshielded interior lighting, even from just a single beachfront condominium, resort unit, or residence, is enough to disrupt the normal sea-finding behavior of sea turtle hatchlings. SOLUTION: Close curtains and blinds or turn off lights after dark.

“PROBLEM: Exterior lighting sources including flood lights, porch, ceiling fan lights, parking area lights, and other fixtures that are visible from or directly, indirectly, or cumulatively illuminate the beach. SOLUTION: Shield or turn off outdoor lights near or facing the beach. Replace the light source with a low-wattage yellow or amber bulb.

“PROBLEM: Portable lighting sources including flashlights, lanterns, or flash photography. SOLUTION: Avoid using flashlights, lanterns, or flash photography while on the beach at night. Cover the lens of your flashlight with red cellophane to make it less disruptive to sea turtles.

“For more information regarding sea turtles on Sanibel or the City’s beachfront lighting regulations, please visit the City’s website at http://www.mysanibel.com/Departments/Natural-Resources/Protecting-Our-Beaches/Sea-Turtles….”

Sea Turtles & Gopher Turtles – Big Difference

With so much in the news about sea turtle nesting, it was with interest that I saw the following posting this week on the Facebook group page called “Beautiful Sanibel Island”.

I messaged the author, Kelly Everette Householder, who agreed to share her thoughts here too. Thank you, Kelly!

“Friends of this page – I want to relate a story that happened on the beach yesterday. My husband and I were sitting in our chairs at the water’s edge just enjoying the day. There was a small commotion behind us. There was a kind old gentleman who had found a “turtle”. He placed it at the waters edge but it tried to crawl toward the beach so this man thought to “help” the turtle by carrying it out past the second sandbar and letting it go.

“Although we did not get a good look at the animal, we became convinced that it was not a sea turtle but instead a small tortoise. The man returned from his rescue and walked off down the beach. My husband and I and another family watched as this “turtle” floated and swam. My husband swam out and got him and brought him back to the beach. Sure enough it was a gopher tortoise as we had suspected. Hubby took him over the dunes and released him back to his habitat.

“I post this to educate people the difference between a tortoise and a sea turtle. The biggest difference that is obvious is sea turtles have flippers (or fins) while land turtles have claws for digging. (See pictures below. Sea turtle in top photo, gopher tortoise on bottom.) Other differences include shape of the shell and color. I know this man thought he was doing a good deed but we should all remember that wildlife does not first and foremost need our human help except in rare instances such as what my hubby did. If you see an island animal in danger please call the authorities (i.e. C.R.O.W., or even the Sanibel Police Dept).

“We have been coming to this island for 22 years and have raised our children to love and respect the wildlife here. I’m saddened by several things I have seen on this trip. A man sailing sand dollars like Frisbees and a young mother who swatted a young child’s hand after he picked up a tiny crab to show her. We have seen people leaving the poles to their umbrellas on the beach overnight and even after being tagged for it continuing to do so. I guess they thought they were special and did not have to follow the laws that the rest of us follow every day. And finally, the people who came from the public park next to our complex and set up camp at the end of the beach in front of our building and proceeded to help themselves to our pool. I have been amazed and disheartened by the lack of respect to nature and mankind in general.

“I’m not sure all the awards and advertising is a good thing for our island sanctuary. This truly is not a beach for everyone. If you are looking for white, pristine beaches with absolutely nothing on them but people please go to one of the many other beaches in Florida that can accommodate the average beach-goer.

“Please come to Sanibel to enjoy the preserved and as unspoiled as possible flora and fauna that we all appreciate so much. Keep in mind that our beaches have many, many shells that can hurt your feet. There are shell casings, driftwood and numerous washed up items on the beaches. Our beaches are not groomed to look like a perfect photograph. We find that real nature provides a much more beautiful picture. Enjoy it but leave only footprints!”

Summer Vacation Bookings

At lunch today with pal David Schuldenfrei and his wife, Roberta, we talked about how our business stayed busy longer this year and how this is the first week that the phones have noticeably stopped ringing. David manages VIP Vacation Rentals and sells real estate here too. He remarked with another “first” when he said, “Of VIP’s many weekly vacation rental properties, fewer than 35 are available for any week between now and the end of August.” With schools not out yet, he said that is a new record, probably related to the recent announcement that Sanibel is the nation’s top family vacation destination.

Soooo, if you know anyone looking for a vacation rental here this summer, better suggest that they get those reservations made now!

City of Sanibel Hurricane Seminar for 2015 Season

Next Friday, May 29, from 1 to 3 p.m., the City of Sanibel will sponsor the 2015 Hurricane Seminar to educate residents, property owners, business owners, and island workers. The seminar is free and will be held at BIG ARTS at 900 Dunlop Road. Sanibel hurricane re-entry permits will be available for residents and businesses. For requirements, visit the Police Department section of the City website www.mysanibel.com. (The 2012 hurricane re-entry passes still are valid and in use.)

Economists Revise Housing Forecasts

Here is a little change in the forecast as posted today on Realtor®Mag’s “DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS” on line:

“Economic growth is expected to moderate for the rest of the year, but housing is one sector that is expected to post solid gains, according to Fannie Mae’s newly released report from its Economic & Strategic Research Group.

“Economists with mortgage giant Freddie Mac also released a report this week revising housing forecasts upward for the remainder of the year. Economists expect that with tight for-sale inventories home prices will rise 4.5% this year, revised up from 4% in a prior report.

“”The labor market has added 5 million additional jobs, the unemployment rate is significantly lower, and housing markets are generally in much better condition than two years ago,” says Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac.

“Fannie Mae economists note that mortgage applications for home purchases –a gauge of home sales — have moved up consistently for the past couple of months.

“”While refinance applications have recently pulled back, the actual volume of both purchase and refinance originations earlier in the year came in stronger than we had projected,” says Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist. As such, Fannie Mae economists have raised their mortgage origination forecast to $1.46 trillion for this year

“”We are seeing positive developments in the housing space, supporting our forecast of moderate but broad-based improvement in 2015 compared to last year,” Duncan says.

“The wild card for the market may be what happens with mortgage rates in the next few months. Low mortgage rates have helped to keep homebuyer affordability high in the first quarter of this year, but housing markets will likely see an increase in interest rates for the remainder of year, Freddie Mac economists note.

“”For the remainder of this year, we’re likely to continue to see these mortgage rate swings as market participants try to anticipate Fed timing around rising short term interest rates,” says Kiefer. “Unfortunately, perspective home buyers may experience bouts of affordability shock in many housing markets. So far it’s been low mortgage rates that have helped to keep homebuyer affordability strong in the face of rising house prices, while income growth remains stagnant.””

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity May 15-22

Sanibel

CONDOS

4 new listings: Sundial #B408 1/1 $465K, Island Beach Club #F230 2/2 $649K, Sandalfoot #4C3 2/2 $699K, Junonia #210 3/2 1.195M.

3 price changes: Sanibel Arms #E7 1/1 now $339K, Sanibel Arms #F2 1/1 now $639K, Seascape #301 3/3 now $1.28M.

4 new sales: Duggers #2 1/1 listed for $329K, Sundial #H109 1/1 listed for $339K, Sundial #J401 1/1 listed for $499K, Sandpiper Beach #504 2/2 listed for $669K.

6 closed sales: Captains Walk #A2 1/1 $205K, Sealoft Village #105 2/2 $450K, Nutmeg Village #304 2/2 $600K, Sanibel Surfside #211 2/2 $759K, Lantana #102 4/3.5 $1.325M, Seascape #105 3/3 $1.75M.

HOMES

2 new listings: 2451 Blind Pass Ct 3/4.5 $2.41M, 1238 Isabel Dr 5/3/3 $3.97M.

5 price changes: 450 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 now $539K, 9032 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 now $598.9K, 987 Sand Castle Rd 4/3.5 now $675K, 420 East Gulf Dr 3/3 now $709K, 1065 Fish Crow Rd 2/2 now $749.9K.

3 new sales: 2407 Shop Rd 2/1 listed for $299K, 1409 Causey Ct 3/3 listed for $599K, 4203 Dingman Dr 4/3 listed for $2.695M.

12 closed sales: 1452 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex $320K, 868 Rabbit Rd 3/2 $350K, 659 Donax St 2/2 $475K (our Seller), 3168 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $530K, 603 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $640K, 8999 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 $755K, 228 Hurricane Ln 3/2.5 $775K, 395 Old Trail Rd 5/4 $800K, 1056 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $835K, 190 Violet Dr 3/2.5 $995K, 1138 Harbour Cottage Ct 3/2.5 $1.05M, 2720 Coconut Rd 3/3.5 $1.5M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 1304 Eagle Run Dr now $219K.

1 new sale: 3354 Barra Cir listed for $319K.

3 closed sales: 1332 Eagle Run Dr $242.5K, 643 East Rocks Dr $300K, 2494 Blind Pass Ct $600K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings.

2 price changes: Beach Villas #2322 1/1 now $499K; Captiva Bay Villas #B 3/3.5 now $1,895,555.

No new sales.

2 closed sales: Sunset Beach Villas #2237 2/2 $670K, Sunset Beach Villas #2335 3/3 $755K.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 16464 Captiva Dr 8/8.5 now $7.699M.

1 new sale: 1131 Longifolia Ct 4/4 listed for $3.69M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Early May Happenings on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on May 8, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s SanibelSusan reporting that for early May, there is a surprising amount of real estate activity on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. This week, The SanibelSusan Team had a nice closing on Tuesday, fielded a few inquiries, had a handful of showings, fulfilled several action items on upcoming closings – including attending two home inspections, and even got to work on a couple of offers.

After a couple of news items below is the action posted since last Friday in the Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service.

How about all those closings? It is amazing that there were not only 13 Sanibel home closings, but also 13 new sales over the last few days. Similarly with Sanibel condos, there were seven closings and six new sales. Today there are just 97 Sanibel condos for sale. Near-beach homes remain the favored product, but it is the first time since before Hurricane Charlie in 2004, that I remember condo inventory being under 100.

I bet it’s going to be a busy summer too!

Sanibel on “Today Show”

The talk of the islands this week was the segment slated to be on The Today Show yesterday. Sanibel was declared the best family-friendly spot in the U.S. and the top tourist town on NBC’s Today Show. My blog mentioned the results of “FamilyFun” magazine’s survey that put Sanibel No. 1 back in March. Then the results appeared in the April issue of the magazine. The FamilyFun list went to the next level when it was aired yesterday morning on “Today” in a segment hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. If you are wondering about the complete list of the top ten, they are:

Sanibel
Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Washington
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington
Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, NE
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, IN
Gatlinburg, TN
Savannah, GA
St. Augustine, FL
Mackinac Island State Park, Mackinac Island, MI
St. Louis, MO, Zoo.

Maybe that publicity will ensure a busy summer. If you missed it, here is the video:

http://www.today.com/video/4-family-friendly-travel-destinations-for-the-summer-441449027688

Workshop on Island Traffic

With all these accolades come more people, so it was good to read in the “Santiva Chronicle” that Sanibel City Council will hold a workshop at 9 a.m. Monday, June 1, at City Hall to address the island’s traffic, considered by most to be the major issue facing Sanibel.

“Mayor Kevin Ruane presented a brief outline he has prepared to take on traffic problems at the regular monthly meeting of the City Council, Tuesday, May 5, at City Hall and it will be used as a basis at the workshop. “Traffic management is an issue,” Ruane said. “It is important enough to revisit this subject once again.” Ruane included in Tuesday’s meeting agenda 50 documents involving various aspects of traffic dating back to 1988. It amounted to 2,671 pages. “There is some good data here, and there is some that is outdated,” Ruane said. “We have just put this list together and I or no one else has had time to read all 2,000 pages. But this data provides a good starting point. “We will go over expectations,” Ruane said. “We won’t promote false expectations about what we can and cannot do.” “This is a good starting point,” Vice-Mayor Mick Denham said. “The process you have defined is a great idea.” “I appreciate your remarks over expectations,” Councilman Chauncey Goss said. “There is no silver bullet on this island when it comes to traffic and nobody should be led to believe there is.”

“I support this session (workshop) if it doesn’t turn into a gripe session,” Councilman Jim Jennings said. “I understand some of that is necessary.”

“The June 1 workshop will be held just ahead of the monthly council meeting on June 2. The council cannot vote on anything at the workshop. “We can’t vote, but we can frame in what I hope is a free-flowing type of workshop,” Ruane said. Following the workshop, the council also will hold a joint workshop with the Planning Commission on June 9.”

Upcoming Events

May 16 – Sanibel School Fund Blue Ribbon Classic at the Sanctuary Golf Club begins at 11:30 a.m. with 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. Proceeds pay for a language arts instructor, software, technology and sound equipment and musical instruments, and upgrades in classrooms that give students an advantage at the nationally acclaimed school. The Sanibel School serves approximately 375 students in kindergarten through 8^th grade on Sanibel and Captiva. It has been awarded a Blue Ribbon through the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon School program, which recognizes educational institutions where students achieve overall academic excellence or for success in closing academic gaps. The school has earned an “A” rating from the Department of Education for the past dozen years.

May 20 – Ride of Silence is a worldwide event that takes place each year at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of May to honor bicyclists who have been in accidents & to raise awareness on sharing the road. Hosted by Matzaluna Italian Restaurant, riders are encouraged to arrive for a short educational program at 6:15 p.m. The ride begins at 7 p.m., crosses over the first two bridges of the causeway, around the turn-around under the main span, returning to Matzaluna.

As Luxury Market Soars, A Moment for Concern

This article was posted in late April on Realtor®Mag Blogs under “Speaking of Real Estate””

“Exceptional growth has been the storyline of the luxury real estate market the past few years. No other price segment has rebounded from the housing crash with as much gusto as that of million-dollar-plus homes, which are selling at twice the historical average. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, home sales above $1 million in 2014 grew nearly 9% over 2013 — more than double any other price point. And the conservative expectation is that luxury sales will at least repeat that performance this year. Nearly every major city — if not all of them — shattered its record for most expensive residential sale in the last year, and each one has a listing today that, if purchased at asking price, would break it again.

“There’s no doubt the industry has a lot to celebrate because of the roaring success on the top end of sales. But underneath that fanfare appears to be a little bit of nervousness that only a few will openly — or even hesitantly — admit. Is the upward trajectory of high-end sales and prices rising too fast?

“At the Asian Real Estate Association of America’s Global & Luxury Summit in Chicago this week, the theme was clearly that real estate professionals should jump on the opportunities presented by the soaring luxury market. The conference was mostly tips for how to enter the high end of your local market and serve wealthy buyers’ needs, as well as the outlook for luxury sales going forward. It was on this latter point that a few glimmers of concern shown through at various sessions.

“During a presentation by top luxury producers around the county, the panel was asked by an audience member where they thought the luxury market was going in the future. Craig Hogan, director of Coldwell Banker Previews International in Chicago, answered this way: “We want to see the luxury market go up, but we don’t want to see it go up so fast that then it drops. We hope it keeps doing what it’s doing without a bunch of spikes.”

“On the same panel, Robert Canberg, a salesperson with Nest Seekers International in the Hamptons on Long Island, said his tony area’s average sales price last quarter was around $2 million, up more than 30% year-over-year. Another panelist, Ivan Sher, partner-broker with the Shapiro & Sher Group in Las Vegas, said the number of home sales above $1 million in the city was 19 in January of this year alone, up from 8 in January 2012.

These are, of course, market conditions in only two areas, but against a sea of headlines proclaiming an unprecedented heating-up of luxury sales around the country – San Francisco, Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Miami — it’s clear that the spikes are already beginning to happen. What no one knows is if or when the drop will come. That’s incredibly difficult to predict.

“However, another potentially alarming bit of information: During the opening general session at the AREAA summit, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said that the rising value of the dollar could make foreign buyers pull back on real estate purchases in the U.S. Foreign buyers have been responsible for a large percentage of high-end sales in these years of the fast-and-furious recovery of the luxury market. If they go away, are there enough buyers here who can sustain the price growth?

“Even realtor.com® Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke showed a slide pinpointing the correlation between the U.S. dollar and home-buying demand from international buyers. Beginning in November of last year, the dollar took a sharp turn upward in value, and at the same time, the number of non-U.S. visitors to realtor.com® drastically declined. Pair that with Yun’s statement at the conference that “there is still some uncertainty and risk consideration about where the U.S. is currently. It’s not necessarily the best of times,” he said, noting that GDP growth in the U.S. is expected to “fizzle” this year, though he attributed that to “one-time factors” without elaborating.

“That, of course, isn’t enough to say that doom and gloom is on the horizon for the luxury market or the market as a whole, but it’s something to take note of.

“Economists started to say last year that the potential for another housing bubble was present, but no one would go so far as to say it was actually happening. No one can say that now, either, but it’s worth noting that eerie signs — whether it speaks to a bubble or not — are popping up. And they’re starting to be acknowledged by some in the real estate community.”

Roseate Spoonbill Lovers

If you enjoy photographing these colorful birds, you may be interested to know that there have been many sightings at the J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge this week. If you want to see them, reports say that you need to get there early, as they are usually gone by 10 a.m.

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity May 1-8

Sanibel

CONDOS

4 new listings: Sundial #H109 1/1 $339K, Sundial #H302 2/2 $599K, Pointe Santo #C4 1/1 $639K, Sundial #T302 2/2 $739K.

1 price change: Sanibel Arms #E7 1/1 now $349K.

6 new sales: Captains Walk #A2 1/1 listed for $239.9K, Seashells #27 2/2 listed for $323K, Seawind #A106 2/2.5 listed for $479K, Cottage Colony West #102 1/1 listed for $649.9K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #4 2/2.5 listed for $699K, Sand Pointe #214 2/2 listed for $729K.

7 closed sales: Coquina Beach #4B 2/2 $409K, Sanibel Siesta #308 2/2 $475K, Sandpiper Beach #202 2/2 $611K, Lighthouse Point #127 3/2 $680K, White Pelican #123 2/2 $725K, High Tide #A101 3/2 $1.1M, Somerset #B101 3/2.5 $2.025M (our Seller).

HOMES

2 new listings: 1806 Ibis Ln 3/2 $470K, 513 Lighthouse Way 3/3 $1.995M.

3 price changes: 9032 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 now $599.4K, 4241 Old Banyan Way 3/2 now $739K, 1525 San Carlos Bay Dr 3/2 now $1.975M.

13 new sales: 600 East Rocks Dr 3/2 listed for $535K; 3724 Agate Ct 2/2 listed for $549K, 1586 Century Ct 3/2.5 listed for $629K; 1325 Par View Dr 3/2.5 listed for $710K; 5406 Osprey Ct 3/2 listed for $729K, 1528 Angel Dr 3/2 listed for $749K; 1041 Blue Heron Dr 3/2.5 listed for $839K; 3351 Barra Cir 3/2.5 listed for $869,999; 4620 Rue Bayou 3/3 listed for $899K; 5076 Joewood Dr 3/2 listed for $949K; 518 N Yachtsman Dr 3/3 listed for $398.5K, 4809 Tradewinds Dr 3/3.5 listed for $1.69M; 4525 Waters Edge Ln 3/2.5 listed for $4.495M.

13 closed sales: 1845 Ardsley Way 3/2 $525K, 542 Chert Ct 3/2 $551.25K, 4279 Gulf Pines Dr 4/3 $630K, 3131 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $665K, 547 Chert Ct 3/2.5 $690K, 2210 Camino Del Mar 3/2 $695K, 1173 Kittiwake Cir 4/2 $699.9K, 248 Daniel Dr 3/2 $719K, 2582 Wulfert Rd 3/3.5 $750K, 6101 Castaways Ln 4/2 $790K, 2617 Coconut Dr 3/2.5 $1.29M, 1842 Woodring Rd 3/3.5 $1.84M, 1779 Venus Dr 4/5.5 $3.819M.

LOTS

No new listings.

2 price changes: 5126 Sea Bell Rd now $220K, 5116 Sea Bell Rd now $226K.

1 new sale: 9277 Belding Dr listed for $179.9K.

2 closed sales: 2562 Coconut Dr $308K, 6419 Pine Ave $626K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

2 closed sales: Bayside Villas #5324 3/3 $568.5K, Beach Homes #19 3/3 $2.695M.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 11461 Dickey Ln 3/2 now $1.455M.

1 new sale: 11513 Wightman Ln 5/5 listed for $1.795M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Best wishes for a happy weekend – especially all the Moms!

More Real Estate Sales This Week on Sanibel Island

Posted on March 27, 2015 by SanibelSusan

With Easter next weekend, “high season” on the islands is nearly over. Steady real estate sales were posted again this week making some Realtors® wonder what inventory will be left to sell through the summer. Yes, plenty of inventory remains in many complexes and subdivisions, but the in-demand water-view and near-beach homes are moving, as are large high-end condos.

After a few news items below is a summary of the activity posted in the Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service this week. First a summary of the Sanibel sales activity this year, compared to 2014 and the current inventory.

Prospective sellers, usually those who bought in the “peak” (i.e. 2006), often ask how the market has rebounded as compared to when they purchased. Price-wise, the market is back to somewhere between 2004 and 2005 (when the market was rising) or about 2008 (as it was declining). In a nutshell, property values are coming back nicely. Volume-wise on Sanibel, the 73 condo, 128 home, and 21 lot sales posted this year are huge increases in units sold. That’s what has some Realtors® worried.

Captiva’s smaller inventory has not seen the same increased level of activity, but I bet it comes later in the year.

SANIBEL CONDOS HOMES LOTS

No. Price DOM No. Price DOM No. Price DOM

For sale 111 $729,019 364 139 $1,445,729 227 78 $476,635 765

Sales pending 32 $791,600 352 65 $903,405 195 12 $513,038 449

Sold & closed:

1/1-3/27/2015 41 $726,982 373 63 $904,342 309 9 $314,433 356

1/1-3/27/2014 32 $717,964 208 50 $771,469 299 6 $386,592 633

NOTE: Prices & DOM (days on market) are averages.

Upcoming Sanibel Capital Improvements Projects

With the on-site of “off-season”, at Sanibel’s Capital Improvements Review subcommittee meeting this week, several ongoing and upcoming projects were discussed and approved. Here are just three of the several that were mentioned in the “Island Sun” today:

Lighthouse Beach restroom construction is under way.
Bowman’s Beach shared-use path project will install a pathway from San-Cap Road to the beach park. Expected completion just after July 4.
Two intersection improvements (Periwinkle Way/Casa Ybel Road and Tarpon Bay Road/Island Inn Road) are in the planning design phase. Construction to be completed by end of November.

Why Age 61 Is Important to Real Estate

This was posted on Realtor®Mag on-line last Saturday:

“By age 61, the majority of people feel free to choose where they most want to live, according to a new study by Merrill Lynch, “Home in Retirement: More Freedom, New Choices.” “Throughout most of people’s lives, where they live is determined by their responsibilities,” according to the report. “Most careers demand that people live within a reasonable commuting distance from where they and/or their spouse work. However, as people enter their 50s and 60s, they begin to cross what this study reveals to be the ‘Freedom Threshold.'” That’s the age when people say they can finally choose where they want to live, according to the survey of more than 3,600 retirees.

“Indeed, two-thirds of the retirees surveyed say they are now living in the best home of their lives. Most retirees move at least once during retirement. But surprisingly, only half choose to downsize into a smaller home. Three in ten of retirees decide to upsize into a larger home. The top reason to upsize: They want to have a home that’s comfortable enough for family members to visit and stay with them, according to the survey. “Retirees often find their homes become places for family to come together and reconnect, particularly during holidays or summer vacations,” according to the report. Some choose to upsize so that family members can live with them too.

“Retirees say the ideal place allows spending time with others their own age yet they also seek to be around those of diverse ages. Compared to younger people, older Americans are far more likely to want diversity in age and generation among their communities and neighbors. As such, just 7% of retirees surveyed have opted to move into age-restricted retirement communities.”

NAR Takes the Global Stage at Cannes

Posted in Broker Issues, Commercial Real Estate, by Wendy Cole on March 12, 2015, this article talks about how Realtors® are expanding into the international market. Cynthia Shelton, Florida Realtors® 2009 President, and others from Florida were in attendance.

“The improving U.S. economy and strengthening dollar provided a welcoming backdrop for the National Association of REALTORS®’ first foray to the major global real estate exposition known as MIPIM held this week in Cannes, Frances. More than 21,000 attendees from 93 countries have gathered to explore global investment opportunities at the trade show.

“The eye-catching 1,200 square-foot NAR-U.S. Pavilion highlighted the association’s commitment to global commercial interests while raising awareness about top markets for foreign investment in the United States. The pavilion showcased three robust U.S. markets that are internationally-recognized for their success in attracting foreign investment: Miami, Chicago, and Birmingham, AL. “There are quite a lot of connections to be made here at MIPIM,” said NAR Treasurer Mike McGrew, who is part of NAR’s delegation at the show.

“Attendee Cynthia Shelton, a commercial practitioner with Colliers International from Orlando, FL and current Committee Liaison to the NAR Leadership Team was energized about the NAR’s presence at the show. “This is going to make the U.S.A. the place to be, to invest in even more than it is now,” she said, in an interview from a MIPIM broadcast on YouTube. “REALTORS® represent the boots on the ground. We’re hoping to bring more investors to the U.S. to invest in things like office buildings, residential developments, and retail. When investments happen, cities give credits, get more taxes, and allow us to develop better projects which helps our schools and employers.”

“The wide range of countries at the show— from Belgium to Brazil— is generating considerable buzz. “Governments have invested large sums to attract attention from buyers, developers, and interested parties,” said Christopher Zoller, CRS, and 2015 residential president of the Miami Association of REALTORS®. “We are getting lots of inquiries here from people looking for investors or investments, developers or developments, small personal purchases or large scale opportunities. It is exciting to see the global scale of real estate excitement.”… NAR’s presence at the show has broadened awareness of the role of REALTORS® in commercial and global real estate. Approximately 70,000 NAR members offer commercial brokerage and related services. An additional 283,000 members are involved in a combination of residential and commercial work.”

Foreclosure Rates Near a ‘Significant Milestone’

Realtor®Mag on-line Tuesday posted this article which is sourced to “RealtyTrac”. Florida continues to have a significant number of foreclosures, but has seen a 35% decrease since last year.

“Foreclosures continue to fall across the country and the return to normal levels may be on the horizon for many places, according to a new report. Foreclosure filings fell 4% in February, reaching the lowest level since July 2006, according to RealtyTrac’s U.S. Foreclosure Market Report. Foreclosure filings reflect the number of default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions. The U.S. foreclosure rate now stands at one in every 1,295 homes that received a foreclosure filing in February.

“”Given that August 2006 was the peak of the housing bubble, this eight-and-a-half year low in foreclosure activity is a significant milestone and a sign that nationwide foreclosure activity is on track to return to historic norms this year — and is possibly even headed below historic norms given the skinny-jeans-tight lending standards over the past five years,” says Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. “In markets where foreclosures were processed more efficiently we are seeing foreclosure numbers now below pre-crisis levels in some cases. Conversely, the cleanup of deferred distress is continuing in markets where a logjam of in-limbo foreclosures is still lingering from the housing crisis — as evidenced by rebounding foreclosure activity in those markets.”

“24 states posted year-over-year increases in foreclosure activity. Activity was most elevated in Massachusetts (up 53% year-over-year) and New York, up 19%.

“The following states posted the nation’s highest foreclosure rates:

Maryland: 1 in every 564 housing units received a foreclosure filing in February (foreclosure activity has fallen 1 percent compared to a year ago there, however)
Nevada: 1 in every 569 homes received a foreclosure filing (a 12% rise from a year ago mostly from a rise in foreclosure starts)
Florida: 1 in every 570 housing units (despite a 35% decrease in foreclosure activity compared to a year ago)
Indiana: 1 in every 871 housing units
Idaho: 1 in every 877 housing units
New Jersey: 1 in every 895 housing units
Illinois: 1 in every 906 housing units
Delaware: 1 in every 957 housing units
Ohio: 1 in every 1,000 housing units
North Carolina: 1 in every 1,088 housing units”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity Mar 20-27

Sanibel

CONDOS

6 new listings: Dugger’s Tropical Cottages #2 1/1 $329K, Sundial #C207 1/1 $429K, Seawind #A106 2/2.5 $479K, Mariner Pointe #842 2/2 $499K (our listing), Sanibel Arms #F2 1/1 $639K, Sundial #K102 2/2 $839K.

(A few photos from Mariner Pointe below. 1st one is the view toward bay from #842, 2nd one is the view toward the canal. Others are some of the water-front amenities. There is a 2nd pool, on-site manager, & deeded beach access too.)

1 price change: Tigua Cay #489 3/3.5 now $2.495M.

7 new sales: Sunset South #9D 2/2 listed for $399K, Sanibel Moorings #1622 2/2 listed for $439K, Lighthouse Point #132 2/2 listed for $497K, Sanibel Siesta #308 2/2 listed for $500K, Sealoft Village #105 2/2 listed for $529K, Blind Pass #G105 3/3 listed for $769K, Sanibel Surfside #211 2/2 listed for $798K.

5 closed sales: Donax Village #8 2/2 $449K, Loggerhead Cay #411 2/2 $475K, Sanibel Arms West #B5 2/2 $492K, Lighthouse Point #215 3/2 $522.5K, Atrium #204 2/2 $1.3M.

HOMES

4 new listings: 3364 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $819K, 5402 Osprey Ct 4/3 $985K, 1245 Isabel Dr 3/3.5 $1.749M, 5125 Joewood Dr 3/3 $3.195M.

8 price changes: 3724 Agate Ct 2/2 now $549K, 9012 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 now $599K, 1409 Causey Ct 3/3 now $599K, 4648 Buck Key Rd 3/2 now $679K, 1173 Kittiwake Cir 4/2 now $699.9K, 428 Bella Vista Way E 4/4 now $1.695M, 6017/6019 Clam Bayou Ln 4/3 now $1.775M, 5615 Baltusrol Ct 4/4/3 now $4.25M.

13 new sales: 1452 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex listed for $330K, 744 Martha’s Ln 2/2 listed for $479K (our listing), 1825 Ardsley Way 3/2 listed for $515K, 475 Sea Walk Ct 3/2 lissted for $524.9K, 9446 Beverly Ln 3/3.5 listed for $595K (short sale), 1228 Anhinga Ln 3/2 listed for $598.5K, 963 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed for $599.9K, 1586 Century Ct 3/2.5 listed for $629K, 543 Chert Ct 3/2 listed for $639K, 547 Chert Ct 3/2.5 listed for $695K, 603 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 listed for $670K, 3968 Coquina Dr 3/2 listed for $699K, 1173 Kittiwake Cir 4/2 listed for $699.9K, 5402 Osprey Ct 4/3 listed for $985K, 2980 Wulfert Rd 4/6.5 listed for $2.995M.

9 closed sales: 317 East Gulf Dr 2/2 half-duplex $415K, 315 East Gulf Dr 3/2 half-duplex $425K, 1294 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $480K, 590 Lake Murex Cir 2/1.5 $635K, 297 Ferry Landing Dr 3/3 $1.2M, 600 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2.5 $1.275M, 960 Whelk Dr 3/3 $1.83M, 4204 Dingman Dr 5/4.5 $1.85M, 461 Lighthouse Way 4/4 $1.995M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 1310 Par View Dr now $369,555.

1 new sale: 6419 Pine Ave listed for $799K.

1 closed sale: 2380 Wulfert Rd $190K.

Captiva

CONDOS

2 new listings: Bayside Villas #5106 1/2 $289K, Marina Villas #902 2/2 $650K.

No price changes.

1 new sale: Lands End Village #1606 3/3 listed for $1.85M.

2 closed sales: Lands End Village #1610 3/3 $1.785M, Lands End Village #1606 3/3/3 $2M.

HOMES

1 new listing: 15843 Captiva Dr 3/3 $6.45M.

3 price changes: 16785 Captiva Dr 4/3.5 now $1.55M, 11523 Wightman Ln 4/4 now $1.999M, 16910 Captiva Dr 4/4 now $4.72M.

No new sales.

3 closed sales: 16585 Captiva Dr 5/4/2 $2.5M, 15747 Captiva Dr 6/6.5 $5.575M, 17020 Captiva Dr 7/8/2 $5.9M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 856 S Seas Plantation Rd now $2.48M.

No new or closed sales.

Until next Friday, best wishes for a great weekend! Susan Andrews/aka SanibelSusan

Sanibel Scoop & Captiva Chatter

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

Tag Archives: Captiva Island

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