Read On to Find Out Why the Magic Number Today is 12

Posted on January 14, 2022 by SanibelSusan

It is that time of the year when Floridians are especially grateful to be here. Though a cool front sometimes comes through in the winter, the weather here sure tops what is happening elsewhere.

One of those fronts just came through the islands. Though sunny and bright, it is breezy with temperatures only up into the high 60’s. Do visitors still fill the bike paths and beaches in their shorts and tee-shirts, “yes”. Meanwhile, locals are enjoying more fresh air and relish a chance to wear their long sleeves and an occasional sweater or jacket.

At the office, we continue to finalize action items for our upcoming closings and get ready for our big annual inventory mailing. If you are not already on our mailing list and want a copy of this report, please send your request to Susan@SanibelSusan.com. We update the islands residential inventory list (Sanibel & Captiva condos, homes, & lots) every weekend, so have it available anytime and email it often, but the bulk hardcopy mailing only goes out once a year (saving trees & $). It will go out in early February. (The data is from the local Multiple Listing Services as well as the county tax records.)

Yesterday afternoon, teammate Dave listed his in-laws off-island investment property. He probably set a record for a quick sale. Following several immediate inquiries/offers, he had it successfully under contract by 8 p.m.

So, as we continue to market for new listings, today the magic inventory number is 12. According to the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing service, now there are just 12 condos and 12 homes for sale on Sanibel, while on Captiva, there are 12 in total (4 condos plus 8 homes).

With most colleagues having buyers waiting in the wings, it is tough convincing those prospects that it is going to take a very long time for supply to meet demand. Meanwhile, the strong sellers’ market continues. I am meeting with condo owners tomorrow. Hopefully a new listing follows.

Florida Realtors® Mid-Winter Business Meetings

Last Friday, I attended the Florida Realtors® Resort and Second Home Think Tank meeting via Zoom. During that meeting, Kate Chunka, Vice Present of Industry Engagement at “Visit Florida” provided an update on that agency’s efforts including some interesting statistics. She said that every dollar spent results in $3.27 in tax revenue. Nearly 40% of that in 2020 was the impact of the pandemic on tourism with the third quarter last year exceeding any previous year. In 2021, from first through third quarter, 91.5 million visitors came to Florida. Numbers now are starting to exceed 2019 which was the highest recorded ever. For FY 2022-2023, a $50 million budget has been recommended.

Next, Florida Realtors® Vice President of Law/Policy and General Counsel, Juana Watkins provided an update on the legal options to address local short-term rental ordinance. That has become a huge problem in some areas. Luckily Sanibel and Captiva are proactive in that regard.

A legislative update then was provided by Andy Gonzalez, Florida Realtors® Public Policy Representative. He said, this week legislators are back in session in Tallahassee. On the Senate agenda is a discussion regarding short-term rentals.

He asked Realtor® Broker Marilue Maris from Walton County in the Panhandle to tell us how access to the gulf there is regulated. She described how beach access and use by the public is limited to only the areas of “wet” sand, with security guards sometimes patrolling to ensure that non-property owners don’t settle their chairs or blankets in dry areas. Wow!

Next week, I will be attending a “Florida Real Estate Trends” update by Florida Realtors® Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor. He is scheduled to update policymakers, residents, and Realtors® on what is ahead in 2022. Real estate drives Florida’s economy and as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into its second year, it sure would be nice to know what lies ahead.

Also on the agenda next week are the Forms Content Committee meeting, and Legal and Professional Standards Update – also good stuff to stay up on.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Tuesday was the first 2022 meeting of the local Association’s Professional Development Committee. Many educational classes for members already are scheduled with the focus of this meeting speakers for the upcoming monthly membership meetings. The first of those is February 24.

Our annual Realtors® lnstallation and Awards Breakfast was early yesterday at The Community House. Attendance was lighter than in normal times, but it was great to see many familiar faces in-person for the first time in more than two years.

Congratulations to the incoming Board of Directors and Officers (shown in the Association photo above) and the many “of the year” awards including 2021 Honor Society recipients (my 29^th year).

Though 2021 was a record one for island sales, we all hope that 2022 will be safer, less stressful – and that there will be more product to sell. The details on the activity posted since last Friday in the islands MLS are below.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity January 7‑14, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Sundial #G104 2/2 $875K.

2 price changes: Mariner Pointe #421 2/2.5 now $759K, Sunset South #11C 2/2 now $1.095M.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: Pointe Santo #C3 3/2 $1.095M.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 3324 Saint Kilda Rd 4/4 now $2.995M.

9 new sales: 804 Rabbit Rd 2/1 listed at $499K, 458 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 listed at $925K, 1133 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed at $945K, 1251 Sand Castle Rd 4/3 listed at $1.05M, 4737 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 listed at $1.6M, 719 Periwinkle Way 4/3 listed at $1.895M, 500 Kinzie Island Ct 3/3 listed at $2.295M, 5415 Osprey Ct 3/3 listed at $2.495M, 1360 Eagle Run Dr 5/3.5 listed at $2.695M.

1 closed sale: 1278 Sand Castle Rd 4/3 $1.526M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 845 Pyrula Ave 525K.

No price changes or new sales.

1 closed sale: 3308 Saint Kilda Rd $640K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Land End Village #1659 2/2 now $1.345M.

1 new sale: Sunset Beach Villas #2236 2/2 listed at $1.3M.

1 closed sale: Gulf Beach Villas #2122 2/2 $1.075M.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 57 Sandpiper Ct 2/2 listed at $1.399M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

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

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Enjoy your weekend! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Just Another January Friday on Sunny Sanibel Island

Posted on January 7, 2022 by SanibelSusan

Following up on grumblings last week about heavy traffic, there was a huge reprieve on Monday after holiday visitors left and Lee County Schools reopened. As teammates reminded, there usually is a 2+week window after New Year’s until traffic picks up with more snowbird returns. Then it should be busy again through February and March, or until Easter.

Weather-wise, as islanders watched much of the country experience snow and freezing cold, a cool front passed through Florida Sunday night. That resulted in us enjoying lower humidity and breezy sweater weather both Monday and Tuesday. The forecaster now says the muggy meter is amping up again with warm weather expected until the next cool front which is scheduled to arrive next week when it again may dip into the low 70’s during the day. That’s the best winter weather!

I took a quick spin down to the lighthouse this afternoon on my way back to the office. Christmas décor is gone and bay/gulf waters are looking good. Here are a few pix from 1:30 p.m. when my car said the temperature was 78 degrees F.

Real Estate Scoop

At SanibelSusan Realty, teammate Dave had a busy week accompanying home inspections both Monday and Tuesday, followed by a contractor visit to one of the properties today. With many year-end closings and our island inventory list updated, we all have been working on the database for our big annual mailout which we hope to send out later this month.

Meanwhile, we are working on closing activities for our five sales and beating the bushes looking for new listings. As of this afternoon, according to the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service, there are just 12 condos, 20 homes, and 19 lots for sale on Sanibel – even fewer on Captiva, just four condos and eight homes for sale.

At the state level, Florida Realtors® 2022 Mid-Winter Business Meetings in Orlando are coming up. Many of the meetings again this year are being offered via Zoom as well as in person. I will be attending the Resort and Second Home Think Tank later today, and next week will be at the Forms Content Committee Meeting and the Legal and Professional Standards Update.

On Sanibel, our annual Association of Realtors® lnstallation and Awards Breakfast is next Thursday at The Community House.

The action posted since last Friday in the islands MLS follows a couple of news items below.

Buyers Who Waited for Lower Prices May Regret It

Here’s an article posted at FloridaRealtors® on-line on Dec 20, 2021 and sourced to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

“Some buyers postponed searches, assuming prices would drop as they did in the last recession. But now homes they once considered are financially out of reach.

“FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – As South Florida home prices spiked during the pandemic, some people decided to put their home shopping on pause in the hopes that prices might drop, a decision they are coming to regret.

“Now, a year-and-a-half into record price growth and dwindling inventory, non-buyers are stuck in a precarious situation: they want to buy but are facing higher prices than they did when they first started searching, and they’re finding themselves at risk of being priced out of the South Florida real estate market…. Homes prices jumped, no slowdown in sight.

“Homes prices skyrocketed in South Florida during the pandemic, as intense demand from out of state buyers dovetailed with historically low inventory to create an intense seller’s market where buyers were often faced with paying over asking price and losing out in bidding wars.

“In a market where it’s common for buyers to lose out and face multiple bidding wars, it can cause home shoppers to get discouraged and more hesitant to buy, explained Brian Pearl, principal agent with the Pearl Antonacci Group in Boca Raton. “I’ve had buyers regret waiting more recently, given that the market hasn’t slowed down like they thought it would by now,” he added.

“He’s not the only Realtor to have clients face this issue. Jeff Creegan with Re/MAX Services in Boca Raton said about 30-40% of his clients in the last year end up trying to wait out the housing market. Many were wary of buying in the spring or even last summer as they watched prices skyrocket, only to see them rise even more as the year comes to a close. The overall sentiment, he said, is that they made a mistake in trying to wait out the market.

“Now, as they begin to look again, buyers say they are greeted with homes that are $100,000 more expensive. As a result, Creegan said, “They are looking in different markets, like in Southwest Florida or more affordable markets.”

“In February of 2021, the median sale price of a home in Miami Dade County was $450,000, a 21% increase from the year before, according to numbers from the Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Realtors. For Broward County, the median sale price of a home was $433,000, a 12% increase from the year before. For Palm Beach County, the median sale price of a home was $450,000, a 24% increase from the year prior.

“Flash forward to October of 2021, when median sale prices rose 19% from the year before in Palm Beach County to $500,000 in October. For Broward County, the median sale price of a home was $489,000 in October, a 17.8% annual increase. In Miami Dade County, the numbers shot up 12.6% to $490,000 for October….

“The housing crash of 2007 is likely still fresh in a lot of potential buyers’ mind, noted Eli Beracha, director of the Hollo School of Real Estate at Florida International University, and is potentially one of the reasons that they are trying to wait out the housing market. Beracha also noted, however, that the forces fueling this housing market are different. “We had an excess of supply last time [in 2007]; we don’t have that this time. If you don’t have excess supply, it’s hard for the market to correct in a significant way.” In other words, he does not see a dramatic bust in our future.

“Out-of-state home shopper Dr. Ketang Modi, his wife and two daughters are making the move from New Jersey to Broward County and are looking for a home that is around 4,500 square feet with a minimum of four bedrooms. When they searched previously, they looked at homes in a community in Davie that were priced around $1.2 million, and now, four months later, prices are hitting $1.6 million, prompting him and his family to consider renting to wait out the market. “Everything is overpriced,” he lamented. “I’m not sure when there will be a correction or when prices will stabilize.””

Expected Market Drivers in 2022

Several real estate forecasters have published their 2-cents worth on what 2022 will bring to the business. Here are some favorites that likely apply to real estate on Sanibel & Captiva.

International Buyers – For years, Florida has been a favored destination for international buyers, mostly those from Canada and Europe. That trend came to an abrupt stop with COVID travel restrictions in early 2020. Now that borders are reopening, a surge of international buying is expected with more action expected than in the past two years. Florida is the top state for wealthy individuals and families who want to acquire residences outside their home country.

Listings from Baby Boomers – Demand for homes is expected to continue to outpace supply. Nationally, boomers (those 55 to 75) own 42% of homes. With many facing health issues, including mobility, which can impact their ability to live independently. This generation controls the single-family home inventory with a huge portion of these homes coming on the market in the next few years.

Affordability – Gen Z and millennials are posed to enter Florida’s housing market – provided they can afford it. In the past two years, real estate prices have risen dramatically with no sign of a downturn in 2022. Many prospective buyers – all ages – already are finding they are priced out of the island market.

Inflation – Inflation returned to the U.S. economy in 2021. From construction materials to home appliances and automobiles, supply chain shortages are pushing prices up for consumers. A global energy shortage is also increasing prices of gasoline, oil, and natural gas. While some economists expect these pressures to subside in 2022, changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Federal Reserve actions that affect interest and mortgage rates also may affect real estate sales.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 31 – January 7, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Pointe Santo #C26 2/2 $1.279M.

No price changes.

3 new sales: Breakers West #C2 2/2 listed at $749K, Sand Pointe #222 2/2 listed at $1.125M, Tarpon Beach #110 2/2 listed at $1.35M.

5 closed sales: Sundial #H410 1/1 $422.5K, Seashells #43 2/2 $588K, BlindPass #A202 2/2 $610K, Breakers West #C4 2/2 $692K, Sanibel Surfside #213 2/2 $875K.

HOMES

9 new listings: 1948 Roseate Ln 2/2 $769K, 458 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $925K, 1133 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $945K, 1398 Jamaica Dr 2/2 $995K, 1251 Sand Castle Rd 4/3 $1.05M, 2695 Wulfert Rd 4/4/2 $1.895M, 500 Kinzie Island Ct 3/3 $2.295M, 5415 Osprey Ct 3/3 $2.495M, 4322 West Gulf Dr 4/3.5 $3.45M.

No price changes.

4 new sales: 1948 Roseate Ln 2/2 listed at $769K, 1305 Par View Dr 3/4 listed at $1.749M, 2695 Wulfert Rd 4/4/2 listed at $1.895M, 1146 Golden Olive Ct 5/4 listed at $2,999,999.

5 closed sales: 534 Piedmont Rd 3/2.5 $725K, 3840 West Gulf Dr 3/2.5 $1.596M, 1220 Morningside Pl 6/4 $1.8M, 1356 Eagle Run Dr 5/5.5 $2.145M, 927 Kings Crown Dr 3/3.5 $2.295M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Beach Villas #2236 2/2 listed at $1.3M.

2 closed sales: Beach Villas #2626 1/1 $684K, Bayside Villas #4306 3/3 $935K.

HOMES & LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

It’s Almost 2022 on Sunny Sanibel

Posted on December 31, 2021 by SanibelSusan

As the sun gets ready to set on another year, why is it always a surprise when the islands are snarled with traffic during Christmas/New Year week? With mostly delightful weather (sunny with daytime temperatures high-70’s to mid-80’s), the causeway has been a slow crawl in the mornings from before the toll booth coming onto the island through the 4-way stop and down Periwinkle Way.

About 3 p.m., the same crawl begins in reverse making it a fun ride home in the evening. It sure appears that more folks have been enjoying things on-island this year.

Today, with holiday closings, there is less traffic and it started out foggy – an unusual occurrence here. It burned off about noon, but more fog is expected tomorrow morning with a cool front forecast to pass through Florida Monday. (That probably means daytime temperatures then will only go into the low 70’s that day.) Otherwise, the next ten days are expected to be sunny and warm.

A summary of the week’s real estate activity is after a couple of news items below. There have been a few more year-end closings so first an updated island inventory table. (Data from Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service as of 12/31/21.)

Hard to believe that there are only 19 Sanibel condos/homes for sale and that nearly 700 have gone under contract/sold this year.

Status	SANIBEL						CAPTIVA
	Condos		Homes		Lots		Condos		Homes		Lots
	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $
For sale	14	1,160,628	15	2,922,733	19	630,210	4	2,684,750	8	6,248,000	0	N/A
Under contract	27	900,883	31	1,662,258	7	676,840	5	905,600	3	5,361,333	0	N/A
Sold 2021	284	877,655	355	1,341,881	68	703,830	62	1,161,369	44	2,988,520	2	2,950,000

New Year Weekend Happenings

San-Cap Motor Club Cars and Coffee Cruise-in – Sat, Jan 1 at Periwinkle Place – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society Bird Walk – Sat, Jan 1 on Wildlife Dr at J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge at 9 a.m. Meet in overflow parking lot on left as you enter the Refuge. On a side note, the Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count conducted Sun, Dec 18, with 108 participants counted a total of 10,869 birds comprised of 96 different species. The results of the San-Cap count are reported to the National Audubon Society and will become part of the 122^nd Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The overall count was below average. Warm temperatures up north may have delayed migrations could have played a part.
Sanibel-Captiva Polar Bear Plunge 2022 – Sat, Jan 1 at northside of Sanibel Causeway Island B. (Island closest to Sanibel). Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. At “crack of noon”, swimmers will plunge into the “frigid” (70 degree) water to kick off the new year!
Community House Arts & Crafts Show – Sun, Jan 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

New Lending Rules Threaten Some Condo Sales

By Kerry Smith, the below article was posted Dec 22 on FloridaRealtors®:

“Fannie and Freddie tighten condo-lending rules. Details vary, but they generally won’t back single-unit condo loans if a building has deferred maintenance issues.

“ORLANDO, Fla. – In response to the Surfside tragedy, Freddie Mac announced last week that it would immediately start taking a closer look at a condo development’s maintenance issues before approving individual loans. The change follows a similar announcement made earlier by Fannie Mae. The two mortgage giants back over half of all U.S. loans.

“The new requirements can be complex – Freddie Mac posted its announcement online – but they will generally deny condo and co-op unit loans if the building has deferred maintenance issues, special assessments to fix deferred issues or other problems.

“All changes announced in Freddie Mac’s bulletin “will be effective for Mortgages with Settlement Dates on or after Feb. 28, 2022.” Fannie Mae’s earlier bulletin says its rules will be “effective for whole loans purchased on or after Jan. 1, 2022, and for loans delivered into MBS pools with issue dates on or after Jan. 1, 2022.”

“Both policies “remain in effect until further notice.”

“As part of the process, Fannie Mae lenders will send condo managers a five-page form that must be completely filled out. Under the section that covers insurance types and amounts, it even includes instructions, such as “Do NOT enter ‘contact agent.’” The regulations apply to all condominiums with five or more units, even if that complex is otherwise exempt from review.

“While individual condo buyers may immediately face hurdles getting a loan approved, the tighter policies could have a longer-term impact on entire condominium complexes. Even condo associations without concerning maintenance issues could find that unit owners – without the backing of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – will have a harder time selling their property if the new paperwork isn’t filled out correctly and returned promptly.

““Loans secured by units in condo and co-op projects with significant deferred maintenance or in projects that have received a directive from a regulatory authority or inspection agency to make repairs due to unsafe conditions are not eligible for purchase,” Fannie Mae states in its Oct. 13 announcement. And those projects “will remain ineligible until the required repairs have been made and documented.”

Fannie Mae considers acceptable documentation to be “a satisfactory engineering or inspection report, certificate of occupancy, or other substantially similar documentation that shows the repairs have been completed in a manner that resolves the building’s safety, soundness, structural integrity, or habitability concerns.”

“While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s changes apply nationwide, Florida may feel a greater impact due to the number of condo buildings across the state. In addition, condo complexes that have deferred maintenance issues or one of the other problems noted won’t be approved for Fannie Mae- or Freddie Mac-backed loans until those issues have been fixed.”

Updated Captiva Land Development Code & Regulations

Realtors® were noticed this week (see letter below) following amendment approvals to Captiva’s land development code by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. The new code revisions are shown below in red while some rule reminders are included too:

“CAPTIVA COMMUNITY PANEL

P.O. Box 72, Captiva, FL 33924-0072

“Dear Captiva Property Owners and Companies Doing Business on Captiva:

“The Lee County Board of County Commissioners has just approved amendments to the Captiva land development code. These changes were recommended by the Captiva Community Panel and they will keep our Village beaches pristine at the end of each day, protect our dark skies and reduce unnecessary light trespass onto neighboring properties, protect our bicyclists and pedestrians from dangerous conditions caused by overgrown vegetation on Captiva Drive, and reduce the number of contractor, design professional and real estate signs on our islands.

“It is important that all of us who live and work on Captiva review these new updates to the code as well as existing provisions which protect and preserve our fragile barrier island. The Panel believes in the power of community and in voluntary compliance with our codes and ordinances. Enforcement on Captiva should be necessary only as a last resort.

“To assist us, the Panel has summarized the new code provisions (in red) and reminds everyone of some of the existing regulations that apply to Captiva (in black). Please remember that Captiva is an unincorporated part of the Lee County and that many Lee County regulations (in addition to the Captiva-specific rules) apply to Captiva. We ask everyone to comply with them all.

“Beach Furniture and Equipment

All beach furniture and equipment when not in use and unoccupied must be removed from the beach between 9:00 p.m. and 8 a.m. at all times of the year between Alison Hagerup Park and the south end of Wiles Drive. Beach furniture and equipment not removed shall be considered abandoned property and subject to removal.

Remember: A similar rule applies to the rest of Captiva’s beaches during turtle season – from May 1 to October 31.

“Outdoor Lighting

All new outdoor lighting, including landscape spotlights, must be hooded or shielded so that the light source is masked, and does not shine beyond or above the structure, property or highest foliage to be illuminated or spill onto adjacent property. Fixtures attached to poles, trees or buildings must also be hooded or shielded, shall be no more than 15 feet above grade, and directed downward. No new or existing lights may be aimed, directed, focused onto adjacent property, or allowed to cause direct light or glare to be projected onto adjacent property. Seasonal decorations are permitted for up to 60 days per year.

“Captiva Drive Landscaping

No vegetation shall be allowed to grow on Captiva Drive or its paved shoulder. A setback of at least 2 feet from the edge of the pavement must be maintained at all times for all vegetation below the height of 8 feet.

“Signs on Captiva

All residential identification signs shall not exceed 6 square feet. Remember: The height of these signs may not exceed 4 feet above grade. If illuminated, the lights must shine downward and wattage may not exceed 36 watts per sign. Uplighting is prohibited and approval for electric hookup to illuminate a new sign must be obtained from Lee County.

All contractor, subcontractor, or design professional signs shall not exceed 6 square feet. There may be no more than 2 signs per property and they must be removed within 10 days of the issuance of the certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance. Remember: Any design professional, landscaper or contractor signs not located at a work site under construction are prohibited and must be removed.

All real estate signs advertising a property for sale or rent in a residential neighborhood may not exceed 2 square feet in size with the bottom edge of the sign no more than 12 inches above the ground. A property is limited to one real estate sign at any given time.

Remember: Sandwich signs, banner signs, pennants, flying signs and neon signs are prohibited on Captiva. (There are some exceptions for short-term special events.)

“DON’T FORGET

Rentals: Residential dwelling units cannot be rented for less than a week on Captiva. The one-week minimum does not apply to rooms in hotels and motels.

Golf Carts: Golf carts can operate between South Seas and ‘Tween Waters, and at night with the required lights and equipment. But no one can operate a golf cart on Captiva without a valid driver’s license.

Parking: Parking on all Captiva streets is prohibited.

Littering: It is unlawful for any person to place litter on a street, beach, or waterway on Captiva. Litter includes cans, bottles, boxes, straws, paper, and cigarette butts.

Open Containers: It is illegal to carry an open alcoholic beverage or drink any alcoholic beverage on a street, sidewalk, beach, or parking lot on Captiva. It is also illegal to have an open container of an alcoholic beverage while a passenger in a car or on a golf cart.

Dunes: No person may harm or destroy a dune or dune vegetation on Captiva, or harass, molest or disturb wildlife. And no one may light or maintain any open fire on the beach.

Building Height Restrictions: Captiva has very strict building height restrictions and requirements from which no variances or deviations can be permitted. Anyone planning construction should review these regulations carefully.

“Please remember: This letter only summarizes the new regulations – and only lists some of the existing ones. If any of them apply to you, it is important to review the full text of the regulation. Amendments to our Noise, Fertilizer, Parking, Golf Cart and Septic regulations have been presented to the County for future adoption.

“2021 CAPTIVA COMMUNITY PANEL

Members: Ann Brady – Jay Brown – Ken Gill – John Jensen – Mike Kelly – Linda Laird

Mike Lanigan – Tony Lapi – R. Bruce McDonald – David Mintz – Bob Walter”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 24-31, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Pointe Santo #D41 2/2 $1.45M.

1 price change: Gulfside Place #117 2/2 now $1.789M.

3 new sales: Blind Pass #D102 2/2 listed at $625K, Sanibel Moorings #1132 2/2 listed at $799K, Pointe Santo #D37 2/2 listed at $1.395M.

3 closed sales: Captains Walk #B4 2/2 $510K, Loggerhead Cay #422 2/2 $769.9K, Sedgemoor #205 3/4 $4.27M.

HOMES

1 new listing: 2114 Egret Cir 3/2 $769K.

No price changes.

4 new sales: 9217 Dimmick Dr 3/2 listed at $699K, 5307 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/3 listed at $865K, 1347 Jamaica Dr 2/2 listed at $1.498M, 2711 Wulfert Rd 4/4/2 listed at $1.595M.

9 closed sales: 1667 Atlanta Plaza Dr 2/1.5 $650K, 1841 Ibis Ln 2/2 $680K, 4226 Gulf Pines Dr 3/2 $852K, 2539 Coconut Dr 2/2 $1.1M, 1585 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 $1.2M, 1410 Sanderling Cir 3/2 $1.2M, 737 Periwinkle Way 3/3 $1.9M, 807 Limpet Dr 3/2 $2.15M, 1146 Golden Olive Ct 5/4 $2.9M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: Bayside Villas #5320 3/3 $1M.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes.

2 new sales: 16897 Captiva Dr 5/5.5 listed at $4.989M, 11548 Wightman Ln 4/4.5 listed at $7.5M.

1 closed sale: 15300 Captiva Dr 9/7 $6.19M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Happy New Year! Wishing your good health & safety, happiness & colorful sunsets in 2022!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

The SanibelSusan Team is Grateful! Another Listing Sold Christmas Eve Morning!

Posted on December 24, 2021 by SanibelSusan

After a couple of breezy days earlier in the week, the cool front now has passed through Florida. It caused more winter-like temperatures with lows into the 60’s both Tues and Wed nights, while daytime temps barely got into the 70’s. Low humidity too, which is a welcome change.

The forecasters say that today through Christmas and the days after, island temperatures again will reach into the 80’s. I just drove up Periwinkle and my car says it’s 75 degrees at 1 p.m. Christmas Eve. Great weather for a tropical holiday! Guess, we can save our holiday sweaters for another year.

This week and next, there are no Realtor® meetings/caravans scheduled, but teammate Dave held another Open House at our Sealoft Village listing just before it went under contract Tues. It was a busy week for all of our listings, with a nice closing on Monday and multiple offers on the others.

By this morning all of them are under contract. One condo sold by a Sanibel Realtor®, another by one from Ft. Myers, while I was the lucky one to put our last listing under contract. What a great Christmas Eve Day! We are thankful

It looks like this sale surge will continue into 2022. Supply and demand are in control with demand high and supply so limited. The SanibelSusan Team doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. Prospective buyers on the sidelines waiting for the market to normalize, may find that this is the new normal. We just hope we can find enough new listings to satisfy their needs.

The week’s details about the action in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follow a couple of news items below. First another update of island inventory today based on data from the islands MLS.

On Sanibel, just 53 properties (including condos, homes, & lots) are for sale,15 on Captiva. Year-to-date, 695 Sanibel properties have sold/closed, 106 on Captiva, plus another 69 are under contract on Sanibel, 7 on Captiva. Never, ever has the market been like this!

Status	SANIBEL						CAPTIVA
	Condos		Homes		Lots		Condos		Homes		Lots
	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $
For sale	16	1,103,050	18	2,644.111	19	630,210	4	2,684,750	11	6,247,545	0	N/A
Under contract	26	1,011,144	36	1,691,027	7	676,840	6	913,000	1	3,595,000	0	N/A
Sold to 12/24/21	281	867,274	346	1,340,276	68	703,830	61	1,164,014	43	2,914,067	2	2,950,000
Sold 2020	192	733,876	290	954,718	23	606,233	47	821,713	27	2,923,148	4	2,537,500
Sold 2005	232	758,507	260	1,028,584	68	496,726	45	863,642	31	2,309,758	0	N/A

Shell Museum Announces New Classes

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum recently announced a new 2022 class lineup for adults. Taught by museum Curator and Science Director Dr Jose H. Leal, senior marine biologist Rebecca Mensch, and professor of drawing with Florida Gulf Coast university Ehren Gerhard, the spring lineup includes:

Feb 10 – Fantastic Shells & Where to Find Them
Mar 2 – San Carlos Bay – Bunche Beach Marine Biology & Field Lab
Mar 17 – Biodiversity & Taxonomy of Molusks
Mar 31 – Drawing & Illustrating Shells
Apr 13 – Shell Morphology: Understanding Shell Descriptions

Also, on the 4^th Tues of each month January through June, beginning at 5:30 p.m. after the museum, closes, they are offering “After Hours in the Aquariums” which will enable participants to experience the aquariums and marine life of the Living Gallery in an interactive program. Program tickets will include admission, tour, snacks, choice of beverage, and one museum pass redeemable for a future visit. Maximum capacity per event is 15 attendees, registration required at www.ShelMuseum.org/after-hours. Or for the classes, register at www.ShellMuseum.org/classes.

Living Shoreline Structure Completed on Woodring Rd

In their Wed, e-mail update, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) posted a link to this article:

“Mangrove wetland habitats lining Southwest Florida’s coastlines are highly effective in diminishing wave action and damage from high winds. They also trap pollutants and provide crucial habitat for a host of sea life, including the endangered small-tooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). When biologists notice areas of mangrove-covered shorelines disappearing from erosion, it is a cause for serious concern.

“Nearly 18 months ago, a Dutch marine biologist contacted SCCF about designing, funding, and installing a pilot project on Sanibel to protect mangroves threatened by erosion. This project, completely funded by the Dutch government, will provide an alternative to concrete and riprap, which often lead to additional mangrove loss.

“The Netherlands-based company, BESE Products, uses a biodegradable habitat restoration structure made from the production waste of potato chips and french fries. The waste is collected in the Netherlands and sent to Germany, where it is manufactured into a 3D lattice that helps deposit sediment and can protect mangrove seedlings along high-energy shorelines, such as those along Woodring Road. The goal of this project is to protect the mangroves along Woodring Road, a stretch of Sanibel’s shoreline that has been gradually disappearing over the past few decades.

“SCCF Coastal Watch volunteers spent several hours helping prepare these elements for installation. Hundreds of biodegradable sheets needed to be snapped together to form the completed structures. Volunteers also attached thousands of oyster shells to the structures to promote oyster attachment and growth. Volunteers handily completed this tedious task.

“On installation day, Dec. 20, the BESE structures were placed with rebar just off the shoreline along Woodring Road. With the assistance of 15 volunteers planting mangroves, hammering rebar, and transporting the material to the project site, the installation was completed in two hours. The newly installed temporary structures will allow a surface for oysters to start forming a reef and protect the mangroves from high wave action. The BESE structures are expected to last up to five years and leave behind an established oyster and mangrove habitat. If successful, this will be a positive alternative for future restoration projects.”

Florida. Grand Jury Recommends More Condo Inspections

Posted last weekend by Florida Realtors® and sourced to The Associated Press:

“A Grand Jury tasked with recommending Fla. condo law changes in the wake of the Surfside collapse wants more inspections, less corrosion and faster reporting.

“MIAMI (AP) – A Florida grand jury issued a lengthy list of recommendations Wednesday aimed at preventing another condominium collapse like the one that killed 98 people in June, including earlier and more frequent inspections, and better waterproofing.

“In its report on the Surfside collapse, the Miami-Dade County Grand Jury called on state and local officials to require condominium towers to have an initial recertification inspection by an engineer between 10 and 15 years after their construction and every 10 years thereafter. Currently, Miami-Dade and neighboring Broward County require inspections at 40 years. Other Florida counties have no requirement.

“Champlain Towers South, built in 1981, collapsed June 24 as its 40-year recertification was due. No cause of the collapse has been determined, but records show the building had significant structural damage in its underground parking garage. An engineer had already concluded that $15 million of repairs would be required to bring it up to code. Some of the damage at the oceanside building is believed to have come from saltwater in the air.

“The grand jury report laments that the state repealed a requirement imposed in 2008 requiring that all condo towers bigger than three stories be inspected every five years. The requirement was repealed two years after it was imposed because it was deemed too costly. “In hindsight, it would appear the Legislature’s repeal of that statute was a huge mistake!” the report says.

“Other recommendations include:

Requiring that condo towers be repainted and waterproofed every 10 years to prevent corrosion.
Having local governments increase the size of their building departments, including by hiring more inspectors.
Suspending for at least a year the licenses of engineers and architects who submit false or misleading recertification reports and barring their employers from doing such inspections for the same period. Requiring that a second offense result in a license revocation.
Requiring architects and engineers who find severe structural damage during an inspection to report it to local officials within 24 hours and not just to the condo board.
Requiring condo board owners to take courses on their role in overseeing building maintenance and effectively managing a building’s finances.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 17-24, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

4 new listings: Sanibel Moorings #1132 2/2 $799K, Heron at The Sanctuary III #1B 3/2.5 $875K, Sand Pointe #218 2/2 $1.099M, Pointe Santo #D37 2/2 $1.395M.

1 price change: Gulfside Place #210 2/2 now $1.5999M.

7 new sales: Duggers #1 1/1 listed at $475K, Ibis at The Sanctuary #A101 2/2 listed at $665K, Donax Village #7 2/2 listed at $699K (our listing), Donax Village #9 2/2 listed at $750K, Sanibel Surfside #213 2/2 listed at $899K, Sealoft Village #109 2/2 listed at $899K (our listing), Tarpon Beach #106 2/2 listed at $1.095M.

2 closed sales: Donax Village #10 1 /2 $555.5K, Atrium #106 2/2 $1.71M.

HOMES

1 new listing: 543 East Gulf Dr 2/2 $3.5M.

No price changes.

3 new sales: 644 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 listed at $869K, 3702 Coquina Dr 2/2 listed at $899K, 857 Birdie View Pt 3/2.5 listed at $1.795M.

3 closed sales: 719 Durion Ct 3/2 $995K, 375 East Gulf Dr 5/5 $2.9M (our listing), 1320 Seaspray Ln 3/4.5 $3.765M.

Resort-like pool at 375 East Gulf Dr

LOTS

No new listings, price changes.

1 new sale: 860 Lindgren Blvd listed at $1.2M (our listing & sale).

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Villas #2635 3/3 $1.6M.

No price changes, new or closed.

HOMES & LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

The team and I wish you a wonderful Christmas and safe/healthy 2022. Though the office will be closed tomorrow and New Year’s Day, we will be on our electronic devices and look forward to another successful year. We appreciate our readers and look forward to their business!

Happy holidays!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

White Christmas Here = Beach Sand & Seashells

Posted on December 17, 2021 by SanibelSusan

Susan here, reporting that Florida warm weather continued this week with daytime temperatures in the high 70’s to mid-80 degrees F. Island roadways have been getting busier by the day with early arrivals of holiday visitors.

Even after living almost 30 years on Sanibel, it still is a surprise when Christmas sneaks in with temperatures like this. It’s great!

At SanibelSusan Realty

Our phones were noticeably quieter this week, probably with many shopping and concentrating on upcoming celebrations.

The activity posted since last Friday in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follows a couple of other news items below.

Next Friday (Christmas Eve day), the SanibelSusan Team has the day off. Like on New Year’s Eve the following Friday, you still can expect to see an update posted on the week’s happenings. I won’t ever forget the year that I sold a house on Christmas Day, so even when we are not in the office, we are just a phone call or electronic message away, and always respond quickly. Technology is our friend.

This morning, I had a pre-closing walk-through and seller document signing at Superior Title, before the actual buyer walk-through on Sunday, and closing on Monday. Title companies are super busy in December with many sales to finalize before the end of the year. We always appreciate when some of the closing activities can be done before the actual closing day, especially with holidays fast approaching. That will be our last closing of 2021 and a nice one to report next week.

Singing Your Way Into Christmas

Always fun this time of the year to remember some familiar tunes that have been modified to fit our island paradise. Here are a couple of songs that the BIG ARTS Community performed in past years and still apropos now. Bet if you read the words, you start humming.

Sung to the tune of “Winter Wonderland”, words by Doug MacGregor:

Seagulls sing, are you list’nin’?

At the beach, surf is glist’nin’

A beautiful sight, a sunset tonight

Walking’ in a winter wonderland.

Stored away are the snow skis

Here we stay in our short sleeves

You sing a new song, “This is where I belong!

Livin’ in a winter wonderland.

In the yard, we can trim a palm tree,

Then pretend to shovel lots of snow

You’ll say “Do you miss it?”, I’ll say, “no ma’am”

“I feel younger by the minute don’t you know.

Later on, we’ll conspire

And grill some shrimp on the fire

The plans we have made include sun and some shade

Walkin’ in a winter wonderland.

This one with words modified by Mike Bugler is to the tune of ”Here Comes Santa Claus”:

We’re on Sanibel, we’re on Sanibel

We just got here by plane

Escaped the snow & bitter cold

Snowbird is my name

Seashell bringin’, ocean swimmin’

The sun is always real bright

So, let’s give a thought to our friends up north

Whilst we’re having fun tonight

We love Sanibel, we love Sanibel

Warmer down here than Maine

Deck chairs set out on the beach

More sunshine here than rain

Sip that cocktail, spray that suntan

All here just seems just so right

We’re not going north for another few months

So, let’s all have fun tonight

Realtors® Get Update on Water

Yesterday was the December membership breakfast meeting at the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®. Chauncey Goss, former Sanibel City Councilor and son of Sanibel’s first mayor was the guest speaker. With a long career in public service, Chauncey currently is Chairman of the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Here are few highlights from his presentation:

SFWMD began in 1949 and expanded as a result of the Water Responsibilities Act of 1972. Today several projects are underway that are part of the solution to improving Florida’s water quality. The C-44 reservoir project which mostly affects the St. Lucie River and Florida’s east coast was just completed in November. The filling of that reservoir has just begun. This is the first major project to be completed in 21 years. (I can attest to that with our local and state Realtors® working hard during that time to keep water issues in the hearts and minds of FL property owners and their legislators. The fight must continue as water is a major ingredient in real estate here.)

Chauncey offered some distance references to put the expansive work of SFWMD in perspective. Would you believe the distance of the waterways they manage is like from going from here to Quebec. Over a million acres are under their management including some big marshes which are wonderful not only for the protection they provide, but for birdwatching!

C-43 is the west coast basin which more greatly affects what happens with water here. That project is

expected to complete in May 2022. About 67% complete now, you can see it on the right on Rte 80 on way to LaBelle. The storage reservoir for that project is expected to be completed in Dec 2023 and will be ~3 miles by 6 miles (that’s like half the size of Sanibel).

The third project he highlighted is the FAA Reservoir Project which is in the Everglades Agricultural Area. This one also will have a storm water treatment area. Construction is expected to complete in Sep 2023.

Managing Florida’s water quality requires efforts from multi-agencies and multi-solutions. Chauncey urged attendees to remind their customers to stay attuned to water quality issues.

Islands To Receive $ for Beach Shoreline Projects

At their Dec 7 Lee County Board of County Commissioners meeting, funds were approved for local beach and shoreline projects including approximately $2.43 million for Sanibel/Captiva. The commissioners voted to approve interlocal agreements to fund 17 projects across Lee County using more than $4.5 million tourist development tax dollars. Among the agreements, Sanibel will receive $2,070,100 and the Captiva Erosion Control District (CEPD) will get $358,500.

On Sanibel, the City requested and received in full: $1,605,100 for facility beach maintenance, $225,000 for the Bowman’s Beach bridge replacement, $200,000 for changing room rehabilitation at Bowman’s Park, and $40,000 for beach erosion monitoring.

On Captiva, the CEPD requested and received $127,500 for beach park maintenance. It also requested $680,000 for Alison Hagerup parking lot upgrades but was approved for $231,000.

The county reported that beach and shoreline project funding accounts for 26.4% of the proceeds from the tourist development tax assessed on short-term lodging, such as hotels, resorts, and motels. For more info, visit www.leevcb.com/funding-programs/beach-and-shoreline.

New Restaurant Alert

I saw yesterday on Facebook that Bamboo Pan Asian Kitchen just opened. Located on Tarpon Bay Rd behind Tower Gallery, their message said “Come on in, today, Friday, Saturday 4pm to 8 p.m. We will update our hours after the opening 3 days!”.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 10‑17, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Duggers Tropical Cottages #1 1/1 $475K.

No price changes.

2 new sales: Pointe Santo #A26 2/2 listed at $1.35M, Atrium #106 2/2 listed at $1.71M.

5 closed sales: Spanish Cay #F8 2/2 $479K, Blind Pass #C207 2/2.5 $625K, Coquina Beach #3E 2/2 $875K, Sanibel Arms West #E3 2/2 $915K, Junonia #101 3/2 $1.579M.

HOMES

3 new listings: 3702 Coquina Dr 2/2 $899K, 1196 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 $899K, 2711 Wulfert Rd 4/4/2 $1.595M.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 1195 Sand Castle 3/2.5 listed at $1.225M.

7 closed sales: 5308 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/3 $779K, 328 Palm Lake Dr 3/2 $925K, 1187 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 $1.2M, 993 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 $1.4M, 924 Pecten Ct 4/4 $1.865M, 1511 Angel Dr 3/3 $1.996M, 4014 West Gulf Dr 4/4 $3.8M.

LOTS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: 5850 Sanibel-Captiva Rd $450K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

2 new sales: Bayside Villas #4306 3/3 listed at $850K, Bayside Villas #5341 3/3 listed at $969K.

3 closed sales: Tennis Villas #3217 1/1 $405K, Tennis Villas #3120 1/1 $470K, Bayside Villas #4220 1/2 $535K.

HOMES

1 new listing: 11548 Wightman Ln 4/4.5 $7.5M.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 5 Sunset Captiva Ln 2/2.5 listed at $3.595M.

No closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Until Christmas Eve day! Best wishes, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Countin’ Down to Christmas on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on December 10, 2021 by SanibelSusan

It has been another week of above average temperatures here on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. After several beautiful sunny blue-sky days, it was a surprise to wake up yesterday to heavy fog. It is rare to see any fog here, and especially rare that it did not burn off shortly after sunrise. Local forecasters say this was because of the mild temperatures, light winds, generous humidity (for Dec), and an absence of any strong cold fronts moving in the region. The photo below was taken at the lighthouse as the fog was starting to disappear, about 1 p.m. yesterday.

Daytime temperatures next week also are expected to be warm – into the low 80’s. It was blue sky, sunshine, and 82 degrees F, when I returned to the office today at 1 p.m. Santa better be readying his shorts and sandals.

National Association of Realtors® Economist Reaction to CPI

Always a fan of National Association of Realtors Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, here is his instant reaction to the Consumer Price Index info posted today (Dec 10, 2021):

“If you are younger than 40 years old, then you never have experienced such high inflation. Consumer prices rose 6.8% in November. We are already well aware of higher food and gasoline prices, up 6% and 58% respectively from a year ago. Rents are up 3% and accelerating at better than 5% on an annualized basis. The heating bill will not be pretty, as natural gas prices are higher by 25%. This rapid inflation is the reason higher mortgage rates are expected in 2022. The Federal Reserve will have to raise interest rates to contain them. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is likely to reach 3.7% by the end of 2022 from the current near 3% rate.

“One aspect of inflation is that real estate has proven to be a good hedge. In the 1970’s, a high inflationary period when CPI averaged 7.1% per year, home price gains outpaced inflation with a 9.9% gain. Even when interest rates soared in the 1980’s and thereby crushed home sales, home prices still held up to consumer price inflation: 5.5% versus 5.6%. That’s because rents were soaring. Other decades also show similar patterns. Therefore, for those concerned about the loss in purchasing power of money and savings, be assured that real estate has proven to be a good hedge against inflation.”

At SanibelSusan Realty

SanibelSusan listings had some good action this week, with Dave continuing to hold Open Houses. The activity posted since last Friday in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follows a couple of news item below.

The team and I also got some things completed on a couple of sales in our pipeline. The buyers flew in to see the Sanctuary home they are closing on in January. Their timing was perfect as they got to hear details about the property directly from the sellers who built the home. It is not often here that buyers and sellers meet, so it was special.

Dave and I also attended the Gulf Pines home inspection with buyers for the home they put under contract last week. The seller’s agent was there too, while Lucas Stokes with Allied Building Inspection Services performed the inspections. We always recommend inspectors that also are authorized to prepare 4-point inspections and wind mitigation reports needed for insurance. When those inspections are done at the same time as other property inspections, it saves $.

More Island Holiday Fun

New landscaping is going in at Bank of the Islands. Here is a photos of one of their holiday “dog” decorations.

South Seas Island Resort 9th Annual Holiday Stroll – This is when the resort opens to the public and invited to view thousands of twinkling lights, visit Santa, taste s’mores, listen to live music, and watch holiday movie classics. The remaining days open to the public are tonight and tomorrow night, Dec 10 and 11, plus Dec 17 and 18 – from 6 to 9 p.m. Stroll tickets are $10 per adult with proceeds helping Captains for Clean Water. Tickets are complimentary for resort guests.

Captiva Chapel by the Sea 11^th Annual Community Carol Sing – Sunday, Dec 12 from 6 to 7 p.m. with seating both outside and inside the chapel. More info at http://www.captivachapel.com.

Sanibel Public Library Again Ranks High

For about 15 years, The Sanibel Library has been at or near the top ranking in Florida. This year is no exception. The state library rankings are out, and the Sanibel Library ranked number one per capita (per 1,000) for circulation (number of books or items borrowed), availability of print, audio, video, and other materials to check out, website visits per capita, and square footage availability. The ratings are based on Florida Library Statistics which measures 82 libraries and library systems.

In addition to the state rankings, the library has won annual Star Library awards (top 200 public libraries of 9,000 measured nationally) from the Library Journal in five of the last 10 years. It has been No 1 on TripAdvisor for “Things to do on Sanibel” and has earned TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence awards.

The library is open Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www.sanlib.org for more information.

Fun Facts About Florida

Perfect Lawn & Pest Control’s November/December 2021 newsletter highlights some fun facts about Florida. I bet they don’t mind if I give them a shout-out and share them:

“Florida is similar in size to England and Wales COMBINED.
Key West has the highest recorded average temperature in the United States.
Florida has 1,197 statue miles of coastline and 663 miles of beaches.
No matter where you are in Florida, you are never more than 60 miles from the ocean.
Clearwater is the city with the highest rate of lightning strikes per capita in the United States. It also is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for having the most days of sunshine.
Florida is the flattest state in America.
Siesta Key beach won an award in 1987 for having the finest whitest beach sand in the world – It is 99% pure quartz crystal and is, therefore, cool to the feet.
A woman can be fined for falling asleep under a hair dryer in Florida – The salon owner can also be fined.
State law dictates that, if an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.
Doors to public buildings in Florida must open outward – In case of an emergency, exiting the building is more efficient.
Walt Disney Resort encompasses 30,500 acres, making it approximately the same size as San Francisco.
Can you guess the number of stones in Cinderella’s Castle? Zero – the whole shell of the building is fiberglass.
Happy Hour begins at 9 a.m. at the Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West.
Florida has more golf courses than any state in America and has over 30,000 lakes.
An unmarried woman is not permitted to parachute on Sunday. She can face a fine or even be arrested.
There are no dinosaur fossils in Florida.
Florida’s oldest tree is 3,500 years old and is still standing – It is a cypress tree called “Senator” located just north of Longwood at Big Tree Park.
Once a year, thousands of Floridians stand at the state line and toss dead fish into Alabama – It is the annual Mullet toss sponsored by Flora-Bama Beach Bar in Pensacola.
In 1996, Miami installed the first bank ATM in Florida specifically designed for rollerbladers who couldn’t go inside the bank.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 3-10, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Tarpon Beach #106 2/2 $1.095M, Pointe Santo #D5 2/2 $1.3M.

No price changes.

2 new sales: Lighthouse Point #212 3/2 listed at $929K, Nutmeg Village #308 2/2 listed at $1.2499M.

5 closed sales: Sundial #F407 1/1 listed at $569K, Sanibel Arms West #J1 2/2 listed at $679K, Oceans Reach #4C1 2/2 listed at $875K, Sand Pointe #228 2/2 $1.05M, Compass Point #133 3/2 listed at $1.625M.

HOMES

2 new listings: 644 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $869K, 697 Birdie View Pt 3/2 $1.495M.

No price changes.

6 new sales: 1841 Ibis Ln 2/2 listed at $628.5K, 697 Birdie View Pt 3/2 listed at $1.495M, 1245 Par View Dr 3/2.5 listed at $1.575M, 853 Tulip Ln 3/2 listed at $1.735M, 1356 Eagle Run Dr 5/5.5 listed at $2.295M, 1304 Seapray Ln 3/2.5 listed at $4.695M.

6 closed sales: 2138 Egret Cir 3/2 $710K, 2548 Wulfert Rd 3/4 $934.5K, 4619 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 $976K, 4077 Coquina Dr 3/2 $1.299M, 1665 Sabal Palm Dr 3/2 $2.22M, 1237 Isabel Dr 6/6.5 $3M.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 3308 St. Kilda Rd listed at $649K.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Bayside Villas #4306 3/3 $850K.

No price changes, new, or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 57 Sandpiper Ct 2/2 $1.399M.

No price changes or new,sales.

1 closed sale: 11529 Andy Rosse Ln 4/4 $2.625M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Enjoy your weekend! Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Post Thanksgiving Update from Sunny Sanibel Island

Posted on November 26, 2021 by SanibelSusan

Susan here reporting that the island has had nice holiday weather with mostly blue skies since Wednesday. Though temperatures have dipped into the 50’s a couple of nights and are expected to do the same over the weekend, the mostly sunny daytime temperatures in the mid to high 70’s are delightful.

Christmas holiday decorations are starting to go up in a few locations. Islanders are excited to again experience more traditional local luminary festivities this year. Sanibel Luminary, always the first Friday evening in December, is next Friday Dec 3, followed by Captiva’s, the next evening, on the first Saturday or Dec 4. These celebrations are 5 to 9 p.m. when bike paths and roadways are lined with luminary candles and shops/businesses are open offering holiday cheer, special sales, and family events. Below are some upcoming special happenings on and around the islands:

Upcoming Events

Tween Waters 2021 Tree Lighting Celebration – is today, Friday, Nov 26 from 5 to 9 p.m. following the tree lighting at 4:30 p.m.

Edison & Ford Winter Estates 46^th Annual “Holiday Nights” – celebration kicks off tonight, Nov 26 with tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. This year’s theme is “Holidays Under the Stars”, incorporating elements of nature & the outdoors. Holiday Nights will be open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, but closed Christmas Day. Through Jan 2, guided Holiday Tradition Tours will be offered at 6 and 7 p.m. every night, or attendees may meander at their own pace on a self-guided tour. Guided Inside-the-Homes tours will be offered on Dec 1, 8, and 15 at 6:30 p.m. To view the complete schedule of events, visit http://www.Edison-Ford.org.

Sanibel-Captiva Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale – begins tomorrow, Saturday Nov 27, and runs through Sunday, Dec 19 (or until they run out). Located at the old gas station in Bailey’s Shopping Center, sales are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed through Sun, offering fresh Michigan Frasier Fir trees, tree stands, & wreaths.

Pre-Luminary Open House at Sanibel Historical Village – featuring “Trees, Timelines, & Special Memories”, village admission is free from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec 3.

Luminary at Sanibel Community Church – Friday, Dec 3, Holly & Ivy Bazaar & Silent Auction from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the out-door events from 5 to 9 p.m. They include live nativity, music, petting zoo, kids snowball play area, Christmas carol sing-along, food, & fun.

Luminary at Jerry’s Center – Friday, Dec 3 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Their celebration includes photos with Santa, Girl Scouts serving hot dogs & soda, live music, wine & food tastings, & more.

Luminary at Olde Sanibel Shoppes – Friday, Dec 3 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Island Brass is playing at the Over Easy Café outdoor patio. Join their sing-along at 8.

Sentimental Journey by Captiva Historical Society – This salute to the WWI years on Captiva through imagery, narrative, & song is Tuesday, Dec 7 at 7 p.m. in the South Seas Island Resort ballroom. Complimentary tickets for WWII veterans & spouses, others $12/person through EventBrite.com.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate Update

It is that time of the year when more listings pop on the market as owners return to get their properties ready for “season”. Some are selling quickly, others taking a little longer. The large ones, particularly on the beach, continue to move best.

The post-pandemic pent-up demand includes many buyers wanting not just a reprieve from winter weather, but a place where they can spend more time, often working remotely.

Below is an update with data from the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service as of today, Nov 26. Unbelievable that there are just 58 properties for sale on Sanibel and 12 on Captiva when this quarter and next are usually when there are the most island sales.

Year-to-date on Sanibel, a whopping 656 properties have sold, 98 on Captiva. Another 75 on Sanibel are under contract, 14 on Captiva. It certainly is a year for the record books in many ways. Inventory today, sales this year, and comparisons to 2020 and 2005 (when there were the most sales) are shown.

Also, this week, The Blue Dolphin Cottages, a commercial property at 4227 West Gulf Dr closing was posted for $5,300,000.

If you are thinking of selling or buying, please contact us. Now more than ever, it is important to have a well-connected island Realtor® in your corner. This one celebrates her 30^th year here in January. Time flies!

Status	SANIBEL						CAPTIVA
	Condos		Homes		Lots		Condos		Homes		Lots
	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $
For sale	17	1,035,282	21	2,764,285	20	686,450	4	2,709,750	8	5,627,375	0	N/A
Under contract	29	1,006,408	39	1,686,769	7	530,982	7	732,000	7	4,062,571	0	N/A
Sold to 11/26/21	263	857,884	326	1,321,737	67	707,619	58	1,199,912	38	2,874,865	2	2,950,000
Sold 2020	192	733,876	290	954,718	23	606,233	47	821,713	27	2,923,148	4	2,537,500
Most Sold 2005	232	758,507	260	1,028,584	68	496,726	45	863,642	31	2,309,758	0	N/A

Next is all the island action posted this week in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity November 19-26, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Donax Village #7 2/2 $699K (our listing).

Donax Village #7, 732 Donax St

4 price changes: Sandalfoot #5B1 1/1 now $768K, Pointe Santo #C3 3/2 now $1.095M, Gulfside Place #124 2/2 now $1.459M, Gulfside Place #210 2/2 now $1.649M.

8 new sales: Donax Village #10 1/2 listed at $539K, Blind Pass #A202 2/2 listed at $629K, Donax Village #17 2/2 listed at $719K, Sanibel Inn #3421 2/2 listed at $899K, Sand Pointe #228 2/2 listed at $1.095M, Compass Point #141 3/2 listed at $1.407M, Gulfside Place #124 2/2 listed at $1,459M, Sedgemoor #205 3/4 listed at $4.295M.

4 closed sales: Mariner Pointe #231 2/2 $636K, Villa Sanibel #3A 2/2 $817K; Pointe Santo #B36 2/2 $1,389,100; Pointe Santo #B46 2/2 $1.395M.

HOMES

3 new listings: 9217 Dimmick Dr 3/2 $699K, 1356 Eagle Run Dr 5/5.5 $2.295M, 807 Limpet Dr 3/2 $2.295M.

1 price change: 1320 Seapray Ln 3/4.5 now $4.195M.

3 new sales: 6429 Pine Ave 3/2 listed at $869K, 1410 Sanderling Cir 3/2 listed at $1.2M, 1146 Golden Olive Ct 5/4 listed at $2,999,999.

2 closed sales: 700 Birdie View Pt 3/2 $850K, 5298 Umbrella Pool Rd 3/2.5 $985K.

LOTS

2 new listings: 223 Robinwood Cir $425K, 1340 Eagle Run Dr $520K.

1 price change: 4767 Tradewinds Dr now $2.149M.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 5633 Baltusrol Ct $365K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Tennis Villas #3120 1/1 listed at $480K.

2 closed sales: Bayside Villas #5102 1/2 $549K, Lands End Village #1663 2/2 $1.35M.

HOMES & LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Enjoy your weekend! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

HOT HOT Real Estate & Other Island Scoop

Posted on October 8, 2021 by SanibelSusan

SanibelSusan reporting another nice week for The SanibelSusan Team with terrific weather too – bright blue skies, no rain (saving that for this weekend), and lower temperatures. Fall weather in Florida certainly differs from that in my home state of Maine, but is especially nice, particularly this week.

Here in the office, our gulf-front listing at Sanibel Arms closed Tuesday, we completed some action items with other closings, and another big bulk postcard mailing went out advertising our new Lindgren Blvd canal-front listing.

Though there was no island Association of Realtors® Caravan meeting this week, this morning I attended a Brokers’ Roundtable where Association Officers and Board Members received input from local company leaders on two issues: “Coming Soon” listings and recent delays in Sanibel’s permitting process and Planning Department.

After a couple of news items below, are the details on the action posted since last Friday in the Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service.

First a summary of the island residential inventory today (also from the Sanibel/Captiva MLS). Note that sales this year are in record numbers. It is the first time in my 30 years here that more properties have sold in nine months than in any other year (counting all 12 months). The first table shows both islands, followed by the individual island details. Included are units for sale today, those under contract, those sold/closed through today, total sales in all of 2020, total sales in all of 2005 (the most recent high sales year). Note: Residential properties include condos, homes (single-family & half-duplex), and vacant lots.

Status	SANIBEL & CAPTIVA
	All residential properties
	#	Avg $
For sale	82	1,939,593
Under contract	59	1,460,247
Sold 2021 to 10/8	679	1,160,251
Sold 2020	578	959,903
Year Most Sold 2005	636	923,976

Status	SANIBEL						CAPTIVA
	Condos		Homes		Lots		Condos		Homes		Lots
	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $	#	Avg $
For sale	25	917,565	25	2,518,139	21	704,238	3	1,496,666	8	6,734,375	0	N/A
Under contract	13	751,100	30	1,592,948	5	476,376	7	1,846,571	4	3,323,499	0	N/A
Sold 2021 to 10/8	238	862,475	295	1,327,359	62	734,346	48	1,118,977	34	2,524,434	2	2,950,000
Sold 2020	192	733,876	290	954,718	23	606,233	47	821,713	27	2,923,148	4	2,537,500
Yr Most Sold 2005	232	758,507	260	1,028,584	68	496,726	45	863,642	31	2,309,758	0	N/A

South Seas Island Resort Sells for $50.38 Million

South Seas Island Resort on the northern tip of Captiva Island recently sold for $50.38 million. The Timbers Company, Wheelock Street Capital and the Ronto Group teamed together to purchase the property from BRE/South Seas Resort Owner LLC, which is part of Blackstone investment management company. Blackstone had purchased the resort in 2006 for $23.4 million.

The 330-acre South Seas resort takes up about a third of the northern tip of Captiva. With over 430 units ranging from hotel guestrooms and suites, to condos, homes and cottages, there are ~20 swimming pools, a pool complex, beachfront golf, tennis, a full-service spa, and restaurants.

The new owner efforts begin with property spruce-ups including painting and landscaping. Over the next six months, the workforce that has been living on the property will be relocated to off-island housing. The new owners are expected to eventually tear down and redevelop the existing workforce housing. Resort workforce also is projected to grow by about 20% from the current number of about 220 employees.

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Terminal Expansion Project Begins

A recent news release from Lee County Port Authority announced that the Lee County Board of Port Commissioners authorized the construction and total budget for the Terminal Expansion Project at RSW. The $331-million project focuses on improving the airport’s efficiency by consolidating and streamlining security checkpoints, adding concession space, and providing passengers more amenities and options.

The project begins this month and construction is planned for three years. This expansion is the second largest public works project in Lee County history, only surpassed by the airport Midfield Terminal Complex construction completed in 2005.

Plans for the project include consolidating the Transportation Security Administration checkpoints into a new 16-lane configuration and providing additional seating, concession spaces and a business lounge. In total, more than 164,000 sq. ft. of space will be remodeled, and 117,000 sq. ft. of new walkways and concession space added.

RSW is an award-winning medium-hub airport that served nearly 6 million passengers in 2020 and had record-breaking traffic this summer. For more info, visit httP://www.flyclcpa.com/RSWTerminalExpansion.

Lee County COVID-19 Update

Posted on-line today: “A statement from Lee Health President & CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci on current COVID-19 trends: “For the first time since July 16, Lee Health is treating fewer than 100 COVID-19 patients in our hospitals, down from a peak of 690 on August 25. The previous peak was 372 in July of 2020….”

Protect Yourself from Wire Fraud

Florida Realtor® October magazine had some advice about protecting yourself from wire fraud. As it mentions, “Criminals comb through sites looking for pending property sales. Once identified they will find contact information for the parties involved in the transaction. It is easy to do through public websites and online searches. Then, they hack into an agent or title company email system, monitor communications, and when the time is right, send a fraudulent email that looks like it’s from a trusted advisor. That email will offer falsified wire transfer instructions to steal mortgage payoff funds, a down payment or closing costs.

“How Can You Avoid Being a Victim?

“1. Be Skeptical – Beware of any changes in wiring instructions like those that have you wire money to a company that is not the same name as the title company you’re using.

“2. Ask for Phone Calls – Ask for all wire transfer instructions to be delivered to you via phone with the number listed on the title company’s website. If you receive an email that details changes in the wire transfer instructions and that email contains a phone number, don’t call it.

“3. Verify All Communications – Call the title company immediately after you send any funds via wire transfer to verify it right away. This check-in will give you the confirmation that you sent the funds to the appropriate account and the confidence and peace of mind that the transaction wasn’t real estate fraud.

“4. Confirm the Details – Ask your bank to confirm the account number as well as the name listed on the account before sending a wire transfer.

“5. Lean to Spot a Fraudulent Email – There are telltale signs that an email is a fraud. Look for misspellings, poor grammar and mistakes in the content. Many times, the property address is spelled incorrectly, dollar figures are missing dollar signs, and the return email address doesn’t match, or the company name is spelled incorrectly.

“If you are a victim of a wire fraud crime in Florida, call the Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline at (866) 966-7226. You also should file a complaint with the FBI. FBI Field Office locations are listed at fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices.”

Seller Property Disclosure

Good reminder in the October 2021 issue of “Florida Realtor®” magazine under the column “Advice from the Florida Realtors® Legal Hotline:

“Question: I represent an investor who is selling a home. He tells me that since he’s never lived in the property, he isn’t required to provide the buyer with a seller property disclosure statement. Is this true?

“Yes and no. A seller isn’t required to fill out a seller’s disclosure statement regardless of whether the seller occupied the property or not. However, pursuant to the Florida Supreme Court case Johnson vs. Davis, a seller is required to disclose know facts that materially affect the value of the property that are not known and readily observable to the buyer. That disclosure requirement exists whether the seller occupied the property or not.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity October 1-8, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

6 new listings: Spanish Cay #F8 2/2 $479K, Villa Sanibel #1D 2/2 $799K, Oceans Reach #4C1 2/2 $899K, Nutmeg Village #109 2/2 $1.299M, Tarpon Beach #110 2/2 $1.4999M, Pointe Santo #E37 3/3 $1.699M.

No price changes.

2 new sales: Sundial #D304 1/1 listed at $579K, Sandpiper Beach #404 2/2 $929K.

4 closed sales: Captains Walk #B5 2/1 $390K, Beach Road Villas #101 2/2 $515K, Sanibel Arms #F3 1/1 $605K (our listing), Gulf Beach #207 2/2 $1.085M.

HOMES

2 new listings: 696 Sea Oats Dr 3/2 $868K, 4239 Gulf Pines Dr 3/2 $949K.

No price changes.

5 new sales: 2539 Coconut Dr 2/2 $1.1M, 4221 Old banyan Way 3/2 $1.279M, 941 Kings Crown Dr 4/3 $1.35M, 5880 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 3/2 $1.35M, 547 N. Yachtsman Dr 4/3 $1.399M.

5 closed sales: 754 Donax St 4/2 duplex $599K, 4760 Rue Helene 3/2 $1.35M, 528 Kinzie Island Ct 4/4 $1.88M, 5379 Shearwater Dr 4/3 $2.1M, 4601 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $3.5M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 4767 Tradewinds Dr $2.395M.

1 price change: 845 Pyrula Ave now $500K.

1 new sale: Rue Bayou, lot 17 listed at $699K.

1 closed sale: 5398 Osprey Ct $280K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Beach Villas #2626 1/1 listed at $684K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 15261 Captiva Dr 4/4.5 now $10.995M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Below is our ad from today’s “Island Sun”.

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

First Days of Fall 2021 on Sunny Sanibel

Posted on September 24, 2021 by SanibelSusan

Susan here reporting another busy real estate week at SanibelSusan Realty with a home inspection last Saturday, a new listing, two new sales, and follow-up action items completed on other sales scheduled to close soon.

With inventory still soooo low, it remains challenging to find properties that match buyers wants/needs. That means new well-priced listings sell fast. We continue to sleuth out new ones as our list of potential buyers gets longer and longer.

The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® had no Caravan Meeting yesterday, but below is an update of island inventory per their Multiple Listing Service (9/24/21).

SANIBEL	Condos		Homes		Lots
SANIBEL	#	Avg Price $	#	Avg Price $	#	Avg Price $
For sale	19	856,855	23	2,830,195	18	583,888
Under contract	20	739,435	33	1,672,374	7	475,776
Sold/closed thru 9/23	229	864,406	290	1,308,341	61	746,795
Sold/closed last year	192	733,876	290	954,718	23	606,233

CAPTIVA	Condos		Homes		Lots
CAPTIVA	#	Avg Price $	#	Avg Price $	#	Avg Price $
For sale	3	1,496,666	10	6,297,800	0	N/A
Under contract	6	2,040,333	2	2,347,499	0	N/A
Sold/closed thru 9/23	48	1,118,977	37	2,781,632	2	2,950,000
Sold/closed last year	47	821,713	27	2,923,148	4	2,537,500

Note: Prices of units “For sale” and “Under contract” are asking prices.

Next week is the Association monthly membership meeting with a presentation on the National Flood Insurance Program’s new Risk Rating 2.0. Expect to see an update next Friday on how this new risk rating methodology is expected to affect flood insurance. It will apply to any new policies written after Oct 1, plus renewals.

The complete action posted this week in the Sanibel/Captiva MLS follows a few news items.

National Public Lands Day at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

There will be no admission charge tomorrow (Saturday Sep 25) on Wildlife Drive (from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) in celebration of National Public Lands Day. The refuge staff also will be awarding a free one-day pass (good for a year) to any national wildlife refuge, national park, and other federal lands to visitors who collect a bag of trash at the refuge.

Tomorrow, visitors also are invited to the Welcome Table outside the Visitor & Education Center from 9.a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to tour the WoW (Wildlife on Wheels) mobile interactive experience and play fee games in the parking lot.

Interest Rates Rising? In November, Fed May Start Reversing Programs

Posted on-line yesterday at FloridaRealtors® and sourced to “Human Events”:

“The Federal Reserve hinted it may start reversing its pandemic stimulus programs come November – and it could raise interest rates next year. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Fed’s rate-setting committee revised its post meeting statement Wednesday to say that it may start to reduce or taper its $120 billion in monthly asset purchases as soon as its next meeting in early November.

““If progress continues broadly as expected the Committee judges that a moderation in the pace of asset purchases may soon be warranted,” the statement said. New estimates released at the end of the two-day meeting showed half of 18 officials expect to raise interest rates by the end of 2022.

“When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, the Fed cut its short-term benchmark rate to close to zero, and it has been purchasing at least $80 billion a month in Treasury and $40 billion a month in mortgage bonds since June of 2020 to provide additional stimulus.

“Per the Journal: Fed officials laid out a three-part test to raise interest rates one year ago that would require inflation to reach 2% and be on course to exceed that while the labor market returns to levels consistent with maximum employment.

“In December, they said they would buy bonds at the current pace until the economy had made “substantial further progress” toward their goals of reversing a shortfall, then of around 10 million jobs since the start of the pandemic and moving inflation back to their 2% goal over time. The Fed’s asset portfolio has doubled to $8.4 trillion from $4.2 trillion in February 2020.

“Rising vaccination rates and nearly $2.8 trillion in federal spending approved since December has produced a recovery like none in recent memory. Inflation has soared this year, with so-called core prices that exclude volatile food and energy categories up 3.6% in July from a year earlier, using the Fed’s preferred gauge. The gains largely reflect disrupted supply chains, shortages and a rebound in travel associated with the reopening of the economy.

“Wednesday’s projections show half of the officials expected interest rates would need to rise at least 1% from their current level by the end of 2023, and by another three-fourths of a percentage point in 2024.”

Florida-Owned Insurer: Losses and Policies Keep Growing

Also posted yesterday on FloridaRealtors® on-line and sourced to “News Service of Florida”: “Citizens Property Insurance expects to exceed more than 1M policies sometime in 2022 – and private insurers will rack up more than 1B in losses by the end of this year.

“TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s policy count will surpass 1 million next year as private market insurers continue to experience losses expected to reach nearly $1 billion by the end of 2021. Speaking to Citizens Board of Governors, Citizens President, CEO and Executive Director Barry Gilway on Wednesday warned that as Citizens’ policy count grows, so does the risk of assessments on all Florida insurance consumers. A fee could be added to all policies if a major storm or series of storms hits, and causes Citizens to exhaust its $6.4 billion surplus.

“Created as Florida’s insurer of last resort, Citizens is taking on more than 5,000 policies a week as private companies continue to shed policies in response to losses brought on by litigation, damage from Hurricanes Irma and Michael, more expensive reinsurance and other factors. “Citizens is considering all ideas to reduce exposure, and to continue to operate as efficiently as possible during this unprecedented growth period,” Gilway said.

“During committee meetings Tuesday, Citizens officials outlined a series of options to stem growth, including marketing and technology upgrades to the Florida Market Assistance Plan, which was created by the Florida Legislature to refer potential policyholders to private market coverages. Citizens officials are taking steps to reduce risk by increasing inspections on new business and exploring potential changes to Citizens Depopulation Choices and Property Insurance Clearinghouse programs. Such changes would require legislative consideration.

““At this point, everything is on the table as we try hard to support the development of a stronger private insurance market and stabilize the role of Citizens as the market of last resort,” said Gov. Nelson Telemaco, chairman of Citizens’ Exposure Reduction Committee.

“Since October 2019, Citizens has seen its policy count jump from 420,000 to more than 700,000. At this pace, company officials expect the policy count to exceed 760,000 by the end of 2021. Initial estimates call for Citizens’ policy count to reach 1.1 million to 1.3 million by year-end 2022.

Citizens’ policy count reached a peak of nearly 1.5 million in 2011 with nearly $520 billion in exposure. If the state was hit by a 1-in-a-100-year storm during that time, all Florida insurance consumers would have been on the hook for $24 billion in assessments, which would have been tacked onto their monthly premiums for years.”

Temporary Restaurant Closings

The list of temporary restaurant closings is getting shorter as some have reopened following annual vacations, deep cleans, fix-ups, etc. Most of the others reopen week. Below are the ones still closed.

Bleu Rendez-Vous Bistro – closed thru Sep 30, reopens Oct 1.
Island Pizza – closed thru Sep 29, reopens Sep 30.
Mad Hatter – closed thru Sep 30, reopens Oct 1.
The Sandbar Steak & Seafood – closed thru Sep 29, reopens Sep 30.
Traders – closed Sep 11 thru Oct 5, reopens Oct 6.
Traders 2 (T2) – closed thru Oct 4, reopens Oct 5.

Fall Weather on Sanibel

This week, with the first day of fall, there were plenty of social media jokes about how autumn weather on the Gulf Coast (Florida) is much the same as the rest of the year. That is not exactly true. Here the rainy season is letting up a little and the temperatures are dipping down a little lower at night. With a little luck, there will be a day in the not-too-distant future with daytime temperatures only in the 80’s, and nights into the 60’s. Meanwhile, the humidity is dropping a tad too. This afternoon, with plenty of sunshine, I stopped to get a couple of photos at the Nerita Street beach access.

The sky is blue with a few popcorn clouds, the water is clear (still no flows coming from Lake O, just run-off), but there was no one on the beach in either direction. That likely will change in the next few weeks as the early snowbirds start returning.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity September 17-24, 2021

Sanibel

View from Mariner Pointe #1061

CONDOS

4 new listings: Sundial #C305 1/1 $549,945; Sundial #D304 1/1 $595K; Donax Village #9 2/2 $699K; Mariner Pointe #1061 2/2 $724K (our listing).

No price changes.

3 new sales: Blind Pass #A206 2/2 listed at $565K, Sanibel Arms #F3 1/1 listed at $599K (our listing), Sanibel Arms West #F6 2/2 listed at $1.049M.

3 closed sales: Breakers West #C3 2/2 $775K, Sanibel Arms West #C6 2/2 $915K, Island Beach Club #330B 2/2 $990K.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes.

6 new sales: 1025 S. Yachtsman Dr 3/2 listed at $820K; 5298 Umbrella Pool Rd 3/2.5 listed at $995K; 554 East Rocks Dr 3/2 listed at $999,995; 682 Pyrula Ave 5/4.5 listed at $1.995M; 375 East Gulf Dr 5/5 listed at $2.9M (our listing); 1237 Isabel Dr 6/6.5 listed at $2.995M

6 closed sales: 1444 Sandpiper Cir 2/2 half-duplex $479K; 1846 Ardsley Way 2/2 $701,498; 9032 Mockingbird Dr 3/2 $740K; 4506 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 $819K; 5817 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 4/2 $1.09M; 2475 Tropical Way Ct 3/3.5 $2.34M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 554 Lake Murex Cir $699K.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 470 Sawgrass Pl listed at $795K.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Captiva Bay Villas #E 3/3.5 listed at $3.549M.

3 closed sales: Beach Villas #2414 2/2 $875K, Marina Villas #905 2/2 $875K, Seabreeze #1251 3/3 $1.9625M.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 11559 Laika Ln 4/3.5 now $6.9M.

1 new sale: 11520 Murmond Ln 5/5 listed at $1,999,999.

2 closed sales: 10 Sunset Captiva Ln 2/2.5 $1.395M, 1072 South Seas Plantation Rd 3/3.5 $3.25M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Until next Friday, enjoy your fall!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Sunny Sanibel September Scoop

Posted on September 10, 2021 by SanibelSusan

Even with the Monday holiday, it has been a quiet September week on sunny Sanibel. The causeway was packed over the long weekend, but Sanibel beaches were not overly busy.

Though the great summer-like weather continues with little traffic, there are a few visitor rumblings about the many temporary restaurant closings. That list has been updated and provided below.

Meanwhile, like me, some of my local pals are not out socializing much, but instead limiting their travels to home, work, necessary shopping, and doctoring. We are anxious for COVID-19 numbers to get under control. It is sad that this week, Lee Health had their highest number of pandemic deaths, as many as 18 a day. The number of unvaccinated cases reported is staggering and hospitalizations now include many children. With the politics about mask wearing and CDC precautions all over the news, it is scary to realize that this pandemic is getting worse – not better. We hope that you and yours remain safe and healthy.

Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate

In the world of island real estate, there was no Association of Realtors® Caravan meeting this week, At the late-August membership meeting, where two local rental managers spoke (Fran Peters with Island Vacations and Sharon Michie with Cottages to Castles), it was interesting to hear how 2021 has set records for both rental income and bookings. Even with cancellations and without foreign visitors, the islands have persevered as a much-desired vacation destination. Both companies were booked until late August. Rental prices continue to rise as the pent-up demand for island vacations goes up.

They also reported that accommodations are fully reserved for the upcoming winter season. Like we have seen in sales, many property owners now are using their condos and homes more themselves, further limiting rental availability. Those companies with accommodations have wait lists of vacationers wanting extended winter stays.

It will be interesting to see what happens with reservations over the next few weeks. There likely will be more COVID-related cancellations, but I bet those timeslots quickly will be scooped up by others anxious to come.

Regarding real estate sales, according to the Sanibel/Captiva Multiple Listing Service (MLS) today, there are just 15 Sanibel condos for sale, 5 on Captiva. Looking at homes, there are 26 on Sanibel and 12 on Captiva.

After a few news items below is the action posted in the MLS since last Friday.

Sanibel Causeway Toll Collection

Posted this week on the Lee Government website: Lee County has moved to an all-electronic process for toll collection. To avoid administrative fees that will be reinstated beginning October 1, 2021, they suggest residents sign up for a LeeWay transponder or use a compatible transponder such as SunPass or E-ZPass. Residents can sign-up to receive a transponder to avoid these extra fees being reinstated Motorists with compatible transponders will continue to pay the same prices. Motorists using pay-by-plate will be charged a $3 administrative fee per toll. This fee covers the manual costs of identifying motorists and billing them by mail. Visit leegov.com/tolls for more information.

Sanibel Farmers Market Beginning Soon

Get ready, the Sanibel Farmers Market opens for its 14^th season on Sunday October 3 at City Hall. Open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on every Sunday (including Easter) through May 29, please check their website at http://www.BuyLocalLee.com for info on all their markets in SW FL and their required COVID-19 precautions.

Revised List of Temporary Restaurant Closings

As in past Septembers, several restaurants are taking time off, some for vacations, some for deep-cleans and annual maintenance. Here is an updated list as of this week:

Bleu Rendez-Vous Bistro – closed thru Sep 30, reopens Oct 1.
Blue Giraffe at Periwinkle Place – closed thru Sep 20, reopens Sep 21.
Blue Giraffe 2 at Beachview Estates – closed thru Sep 20, reopens Sep 21.
Island Pizza – closed thru Sep 29, reopens Sep 30.
Mad Hatter – closed thru Sep 30, reopens Oct 1.
Paper Fig Kitchen – closed thru Sep 13, reopens Sep 14.
Rosie’s Café & Grill – closed thru Sep 13, reopens Sep 14.
The Sandbar Steak & Seafood – closed thru Sep 29, reopens Sep 30.
Sweet Melissa’s Café – closed thru Sep 20, reopens Sep 21.
Traders – closed Sep 11 thru Oct 5, reopens Oct 6.
Traders 2 (T2) – closed thru Oct 4, reopens Oct 5.
Traditions on the Beach – closed thru Sep 23, reopens Sep 24.

Scoop from SCCF

Nature lovers, be sure and check the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Wednesday reports for weekly updates. Here are a couple of tidbits from their report this week:

Nesting Turtles Update – SCCF sea turtle monitors last observed a new sea turtle nest on August 22, which turned out to be a rare green sea turtle nest. While this nest comes later than usual, green nests were documented at later dates in August in three previous years. Overall, while Hurricane Ida impacted 106 nests, 171 still are incubating on our beaches.

World Shorebirds Day – On September 7, SCCF staff and 10 volunteers divided into small groups to cover the East End of Sanibel for shorebird counts as part of World Shorebirds Day. A total of 1,532 individuals of 25 species of birds were counted. To see the detailed list of sightings, visit https://ebird.org/checklist/S94363237

SCCF Launches Weekly Water Conditions Update on Fridays – Have you checked out SCCF’s Weekly Water Conditions Update which can be emailed to you each Friday? (sign up at http://sccf.org/our-work/join-our-mailing-list). It provides a comprehensive understanding of the water quality surrounding the islands. A visual, virtual tour of the waters surrounding Sanibel Lighthouse Beach Park is included with a link to SCCF’s site https://aerialwq.sccf.org/lighthouse/virtualtour/ where beachgoers can see the water’s color and clarity. Also included in the e-newsletter are the status of flows from Lake Okeechobee, red tide and harmful algal blooms in the region, and a real-time look at water quality data throughout the Caloosahatchee estuary through SCCF”s River, Estuary, and Coastal Observing Network (RECON) monitoring system at eight sites (http://recon.sccf.org/).

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity September 3-10, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Sandalfoot #5B1 1/1 $769.5K.

No price changes.

2 new sales: Beach Road Villas #101 2/2 listed at $495K, Blind Pass #A102 2/2 listed at $630K.

4 closed sales: Sundial #I202 1/1 $532K, Sundial #J301 1/1 $610.5K, Sanibel Arms West #K3 2/2 $680K, Sanibel Moorings #512 2/2 $1.15M (our listing).

HOMES

3 new listings: 1245 Par View Dr 3.2.5 $1.575M, 2030 Sunrise Cir 3/3 $1.625M, 1278 Sand Castle Rd 4/3 $1.65M.

2 price changes: 535 Birdsong Pl 3/2 now $695,555; 727 Periwinkle Way 3/3 now $2.1M.

1 new sale: 720 Elinor Way 3/2 listed at $939.9K.

2 closed sales: 1360 Jamaica Dr 3/3 $1.349M, 812 Birdie View Pt 3/3.5 $1.55M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 5642/5648 Baltusrol Ct $738K

1 price change: 3308 Saint Kilda Rd now $595K.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 255 Hurricane Ln $370K.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Villas #2638 3/2 $1.349M.

No price changes, new sales, or closed sales.

HOMES & LOTS

Nothing to report.

Stay well & be safe,

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Florida Realtors® Mid-Winter Business Meetings

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity January 7‑14, 2021

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Real Estate Scoop

Buyers Who Waited for Lower Prices May Regret It

Expected Market Drivers in 2022

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 31 – January 7, 2021

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New Year Weekend Happenings

New Lending Rules Threaten Some Condo Sales

Updated Captiva Land Development Code & Regulations

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 24-31, 2021

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Shell Museum Announces New Classes

Living Shoreline Structure Completed on Woodring Rd

Florida. Grand Jury Recommends More Condo Inspections

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 17-24, 2021

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At SanibelSusan Realty

Singing Your Way Into Christmas

Realtors® Get Update on Water

Islands To Receive $ for Beach Shoreline Projects

New Restaurant Alert

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 10‑17, 2021

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National Association of Realtors® Economist Reaction to CPI

At SanibelSusan Realty

More Island Holiday Fun

Sanibel Public Library Again Ranks High

Fun Facts About Florida

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity December 3-10, 2021

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Upcoming Events

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate Update

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South Seas Island Resort Sells for $50.38 Million

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Terminal Expansion Project Begins

Lee County COVID-19 Update

Protect Yourself from Wire Fraud

Seller Property Disclosure

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity October 1-8, 2021

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National Public Lands Day at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Interest Rates Rising? In November, Fed May Start Reversing Programs

Florida-Owned Insurer: Losses and Policies Keep Growing

Temporary Restaurant Closings

Fall Weather on Sanibel

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity September 17-24, 2021

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Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate

Sanibel Causeway Toll Collection

Sanibel Farmers Market Beginning Soon

Revised List of Temporary Restaurant Closings

Scoop from SCCF

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity September 3-10, 2021

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