What’s Happening at SanibelSusan Realty
Mariner Pointe
It has been another productive week for the SanibelSusan Team.
Though the weekend was quiet, and Mon not much better, on Tues we received a terrific new listing at Mariner Pointe. This condo has cottage-style decor and island sophistication – could be in a magazine. Jim Anderson, our professional photographer, is filming it today and we will have it open for Realtor Caravan next Thurs morning.
Beach at Loggerhead Cay
Also on Tues, I showed our Loggerhead Cay listing to a prospective buyer, a Midwest Realtor® familiar with the island, but just starting to think about buying. Always amazes me that folks often do that just before they are leaving to go home.
It always pays to go to these last-minute showings armed with info.
Beach at Island Beach Club
On Wed, the paperwork was finalized for an Island Beach Club listing that went under contract. With a new kitchen and excellent income, it was priced right so got lots of showings.
Yesterday and today, I worked with buyers looking at homes in Gumbo Limbo. That community has seen a lot of activity this year. With eleven homes already sold/closed in 2013 and just eight available, it shows how Sanibel homes are moving – or certainly better than any other time in the last five-plus years. More inventory is needed, so if you know of anyone thinking of selling, I hope you will recommend us.
Late yesterday, I opened our Sanibel Shores listing for a positive viewing too. With several other listings also shown this week, you will notice below that we saw increased action in the Multiple Listing Service this week. First, some additional island and real estate scoop.
Wondering About the Island Weather?
How about dry and sunny for the last week on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, with more of the same expected at least until Wed.
The forecast says highs of 84 and lows of 64 through the holiday weekend and Tues.
Then on Wed, it may only go up to 75 degrees F – and into the high 50’s at night – just the way we like it in the fall on Sanibel and Captiva!
Blue Coyote Supper Club Sanibel
As follow-up to our report last Fri about the new restaurant in Beachview Estates opening this week, Dave and I tried it on opening day for lunch, while Elise and I went yesterday. Little staff treat that I try to fit in occasionally so we can recommend new island businesses (or not).
Both days we saw lots of islanders there, likewise giving it a try. We definitely will go back! The new decor is fresh and quite interesting, service quick and attentive, and food well presented and delish. Probably their biggest hurdle will be getting those of us who have dined here over the last 20+years, retrained to go in through the new central entrance. You may want to give it a try too.
Lots of Events This Weekend on Sanibel Island
When the islands pick up for “season”, there are so many fun things happening that visitors and locals have trouble selecting which to attend. If you are planning in advance, you can always check our website (http://sanibelsusan.com/island-events-calendar/). Meanwhile, here’s a summary of some events this weekend:
Tonite 5th Annual Cracker Fest, The Bait Box, 6-10 p.m.
“Remembering the USO” Dance Party, Sanibel Community House, 7-10 p.m.
Sat, 11/9 2nd Annual “Ding” Darling Kids Fishing Derby, Causeway Island “A”, 8:30 a.m.-noon
5th Annual Esperanza Woodring Memorial Cast Net Rodeo, The Bait Box, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
8th Annual Beach Ball Fundraiser (for The Sanibel School), Sundial Beach Resort, 5-9 p.m.
SCCF’s Wines in the Wild, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, 6-8 p.m.
Sun, 11/10 Sanibel Farmer’s Market, City Hall Grounds, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
CROW’s 32nd Annual Taste of the Islands,The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Mon, 11/11 Annual Veteran’s Day Ceremony, Sanibel City Hall Flagpole, 10:30 a.m.-noon
“Free Meal for Veterans”, American Legion Post 123, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
How Men & Women Differ on Home Buying
Pool home for sale in Sanibel Shores ($449K)
Here a repeat of an article I read on Tues on “Daily Real Estate News”:
“Men are from Mars, women are from Venus — and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to home buying. According to Prudential Real Estate’s third-quarter Consumer Outlook Survey, men and women are quite different when it comes to what they value most about home ownership and the process of buying and selling.
“Women enjoy the home search more than men, with 87% of women versus 77% of men saying they like looking at homes, the survey finds. More women associate home ownership with “pride,” “accomplishment,” or “independence,” while men tend to associate it with “control over living space” and “more space for my family.”
“”As the real estate market strengthens and household formation grows, men and women approach the buying-selling process from different angles,” says Earl Lee, president of Prudential Real Estate. “What’s most interesting is the dynamic that exists among couples and the role that agents play in balancing couples’ real estate objectives.”
“Agents may often find themselves stuck in the middle, but both sexes say they trust their agent to be the voice of reason and settle any disagreements among couples. Eighty-three% of survey respondents say their real estate agent was helpful in moderating an agreement, and 86% value the agent’s point of view as much as — or more than — their partner’s, according to the survey. Both sexes cited “honesty” and “knowledgeable” as the most important traits in a real estate agent.
“Men and women tend to take on different responsibilities when it comes to home buying, the survey finds. Men take on more of the financial aspects, while women tended to take the lead on planning aspects, such as neighborhood research. Nearly 40% of men said they researched banks and secured the mortgage; 42% of women said it was their responsibility to manage appointments, and 34% took the lead in researching neighborhoods.
“When it comes to the most important home features, men and women are mostly in agreement. Both genders ranked “safe neighborhood”, “overall condition of home”, and “number of bedrooms” the highest.”
Economy Good or Bad? “Yes”
Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research at the National Association of REALTORS® recently posted on-line:
“Amidst contradictory economic news, homeowners’ wealth is rising.
“The spectacle of our federal government this fall struggling to fund its operations and pay its bills is only the latest bit of strangeness in what has been a strange time for our country.
“The economy has been statistically out of recession for more than four years, yet a majority of households say we are still in a downturn. The Consumer Confidence Index has been rebounding from a low of 45 at the depth of the recession to a figure of 80. But 100 is the point at which more than half of the population says the country is heading in the right direction.
“The August unemployment rate of 7.3% is an improvement from the rate of nearly 10% a few years ago, with 7 million jobs added in the past three years. Still, the economy shed 8 million jobs during the downturn and even today, the employment rate remains stuck at a low of 59%.
“The housing market and stocks have been among the bright spots. Rising home prices have pushed up net equity holdings by $2 trillion in the past couple of years and stock gains have helped push total household worth to an all-time high, although that wealth is heavily concentrated in a small percentage of the population.
“The most telling evidence of the contradictory nature of our times is reflected in the net worth of home owners versus renters. On average, home owners have a median worth of nearly $200,000, while renters are essentially living paycheck to paycheck, with only $4,000 in net worth on average. And renters as a share of households are growing; their ranks having risen by 6 million from a decade ago.
“So, we are living in the strangest of times. Let’s see if 2014 brings us more of the same or something different.”
8 Kitchen Trends for Remodelers
HGTV photo
Several clients recently have asked “What’s “in” with kitchen remodels?” – so this recent article in “Home Trends, Realtor®Mag” is timely:
“Home buyers love kitchens, so what trends are cooking up lately? The remodeling website Houzz surveyed 7,812 home owners about their kitchen remodeling plans this fall. Here are the big trends that emerged from the survey:
“1. Bigger isn’t better: Home owners don’t mind a small kitchen, but they do want a feeling of space, the survey found. One way they’re achieving is that is by adding kitchen islands.
“2. Wide open: 77% of home owners say they plan during their remodel to have their kitchen open to other rooms.
“3. A love for granite: Granite continues its reign as the most popular countertop (favored by 50% of those surveyed), but quartz is following up behind at 36%.
“4. Mix and match: Mixing materials is becoming a more popular fad in the kitchen. For example, home owners are mixing stainless steel appliances with appliances in other finishes, like white or appliances integrated with cabinetry. Also, they’re mixing countertops, such as opting for a different choice for the kitchen island than the other countertops.
“5. Conservative with color: Conservative color schemes are the most popular, with 75% of home owners say they’re choosing soft and neutral colors for their kitchen walls and decor compared to 14% who are opting for bright, colorful selections.
“6. Style varies by age: Younger home owners show a stronger preference toward contemporary and modern kitchens while over 55’s tend to favor a more traditional look in the kitchen.
“7. Flooring favorites: Top flooring choices in kitchen are hardwood floors (with 35%), but followed closely behind tile flooring (32%).
“8. Being green: Nearly 50% of home owners say having eco-friendly appliances and materials in their kitchen is important to them.”
Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity from Nov 1 – 8
Sanibel
CONDOS
2 new listings: Mariner Pointe #812 2/2 $499K (our listing), Oceans Reach #4C1 2/2 $825K.
3 price changes: Tarpon Beach #203 2/2 now $668K, Bougainvillea #4 3/3 now $999K, Golden Beach 32 3/2.5 now $1.1M.
2 new sales: Island Beach Club #310C 2/2 listed for $549K (our listing), Sanctuary Golf Villages I #3 3/3 listed for $699K.
2 closed sales: Atrium #307 2/2 $1.05M, Shorewood #3 3/3 $1.5M.
HOMES
7 new listings: 4724 Rue Belle Mer 2/2 $629K, 3808 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $699K, 1658 Sabal Palm Dr 2/2 $875K, 1130 Seagrape Ln 4/3 $939.5K, 340 Cowry Ct 5/3.5 $1.079M, 991 Whelk Dr 4/3 $1.195M, 1307 Seaspray Ln 4/3.5 $1.75M
6 price changes: 420 Lighthouse Way 3/2 now $549K, 5307 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/3 now $624.5K, 426 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 now $659.9K, 750 Sand Dollar 2/2 now $799K, 1817 Buckthorn Ln 4/3.5 now $1.199M, 2980 Wulfert Rd 5/5 now $1.199M.
7 new sales: 747 Martha’s Ln 3/2 listed for $549K, 1073 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed for $549K, 4515 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 listed for $569K, 4570 Bowen Bayou Rd 2/2 listed for $599K, 1860 Ibis Ln 3/2 listed for $629K, 720 Periwinkle Way 3/3.5 listed for $1.379M, 1175 Bird Ln 4/3.5 listed for $2.995M.
No closed sales.
LOTS
2 new listings: Bowman’s Beach Rd $199K, 1325 Eagle Run Dr $499,555.
No price changes, new or closed sales.
Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings or price changes.
1 new sale: Sunset Captiva #101 2/2 listed for $869K.
No closed sales.
HOMES
2 new listings: 15899 Captiva Dr 4/3 $2.895, 16897 Captiva Dr 5/5.5 $3.59M.
No price changes, new or closed sales.
LOTS
Nothing to report.
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors or its Multiple Listing Service. Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the association or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions. If your property currently is listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation of that listing.
Best wishes from SanibelSusan for wonderful weekend.
P.S. If you are on the island & want to look at property, please give me a call at 239-472-HOME (4663). If your goal is to own by “season”, the time to buy is NOW!