Raising Sanibel RPAC Dollars & Reporting on Turtles, Restaurants, Events, & More…

Posted on October 15, 2021 by SanibelSusan

SanibelSusan here reporting more blue skies and rain-free island weather this week. Daytime temperatures now are mostly in the mid-80’s, followed by nights dipping into the low 70’s. Roadways are getting busier as more snowbirds return.

As summer projects finish up, fall projects are underway in a few locations. At Pointe Santo, new roofs are going on, while at Mariner Pointe, their project is wrapping. On Captiva, their beach renourishment project is ahead of schedule, expected to complete later this month, while on the Sanibel causeway, work continues both on bridge repairs and the multi-year causeway improvement project.

In the world of real estate, there were a few more island listings this week. Sanibel now is up to 29 homes and 21 condos for sale. On Captiva, eight homes and three condos are available. There also were a few new sales and several closed sales.

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

What’s Up With Sanibel-Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Wednesday after work was the 25^th Annual Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® End of Season Party and RPAC Auction. Usually held in the spring after the busy winter season, this year, the event again was delayed because of the pandemic. Though, it probably is accurate to say that “season” never really ended this year, it was great to socialize again in-person with colleagues. It had been almost two years since some of us had been together. Held at The Sanctuary, the event began with an afternoon golf tournament followed by the party with auction.

The final tally of RPAC dollars raised has yet to be announced, but the islands Association of Realtors® usually is the recipient of state awards for the goals they surpass and level of organization participation. (Awards from last year shown here.) Hopefully enough was received this year to garner a few more.

RPAC (Realtor® Political Action Committee) has been around since 1969 and promotes candidates who will protect and promote the real estate industry and individual property rights. From each dollar raised, 30% goes toward national issues through the National Association of Realtors®, 35% to Florida Realtors® for state issues, and 35% to local associations. Funds here have been used for such environmental issues as to improve water quality, prevent over development, ensure redevelopment, and beach renourishment.

Looking to Tallahassee, each year the Florida legislature introduces more than 4,000 bills. Florida Realtors® monitors each one and, when appropriate, works to influence the bill’s direction. RPAC isn’t Republican, isn’t Democrat, but provides an independent voice, fighting for homeowners and Realtors®.

This year for the auction, SanibelSusan again donated a Jumbo Lobster Dinner for 4 (or gift certificate) from the Lobster Net in Brewer, Maine. If you ever want fresh Maine seafood, delivered right to your door, check them out at www.TheLobsterNet.com.

The donation is always a hit. Thanks to affiliate Attorney Nikki Naumann for buying this year and introducing attendees to the youngest at the event, her adorable new daughter Blake Savannah, just two months old.

Sanibel/Captiva Sea Turtle Update

SCCF photo

The 2021 island sea turtle season is finishing up. Nesting ended September 30 and nearly all nests have hatched. This year, there were 931 nests on the islands. That number ties the record set last year. So far, 46,726 hatchlings have made it to the Gulf with just a few nests still incubating.

SCCF’s (Sanibel & Captiva Conservation Foundation) team of 100 trained and experienced volunteers survey the 18 miles of island beach (from Sanibel Lighthouse to Blind Pass). Each week from April 15 through October, they start their surveys around 6:30 a.m. and walk their assigned stretch of beach (approximately one mile) to look for tracks that the sea turtle left behind the previous night. Becoming a sea turtle volunteer requires committing for the entire nesting season and completing training in early April. For more info, go to http://www.sccf.org/our-work/sea-turtles.

Matzaluna Restaurant

Island restaurant news is always big news. This week on their Facebook page, Matzaluna posted: “So the rumors are true. After 26 wonderful years, we are closing shop and leasing the premises to another group. Will be business as usual until mid-November. Stop by, see the crew and get your fill of our Italian specialties and wood-fired pizza.”

According to the gossip mill at the Realtor® event Wednesday, I heard that 400 Rabbits owners are opening a restaurant at the Matzaluna location. Also, that their owners (from Paper Fig Kitchen) in addition to opening their 2^nd take out at The Fig East End also are opening a new restaurant at the former site of Il Tesoro on Tarpon Bay Rd. Scheduled to open mid-November, the new one will feature a Pan Asian Kitchen and be called “Bamboo”. Stay tuned for more restaurant news.

Reopenings & Upcoming Events

Sanibel Historical Museum & Village Reopening – Both the museum and village are reopening next week for season on October 19. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, with masks required inside the buildings. Their new pavilion also is scheduled to open in December. Full guided tours will be available only if reserved in advance for groups of no more than six and depending on docent availability. Upcoming season highlights include two Twilight Talks (March 15 and April 5) and their annual gala fundraiser which this year will be a movie premier at The Community House on Sanibel on February 22. More info at http://www.SanibelMuseum.org.

The Seahorse Social – School PTA Fundraiser – Tickets are on sale for the Sanibel School’s first large-scale fundraiser in over a year. The Seahorse Social is scheduled for October 22 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at The Community House and will feature Spanish- and Latin-inspired food and drinks, live music by the Heat Latin Jazz Band, a performance by school Steel Drum Band, and live and silent auctions. To buy tickets, visit http://www.TheSanibelSchoolPTA.com.

29^th Annual SCCF Tennis Tournament – To register for the upcoming annual Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) tennis tournament on November 13 and 14 at Beachview Tennis Club, contact Club owner/pro Toni Halski at 239-472-9099.

Tween Waters 2021 Tree Lighting Celebration – Once fall arrives and pumpkins are out, Thanksgiving and Christmas are not far behind. If planing ahead, the Tween Waters 2021 Tree Light Celebration is Friday, November 26 at 4:30 p.m. This annual event is when their 30’ Christmas tree is lit and 200,000+ holiday lights start dancing in synchronicity at Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa on Captiva. The celebration includes holiday music, fireworks show on the beach, laser lights, and even real snow falling for palm trees. Though viewable by some public areas (like the beach and gulf), the resort itself has limited parking, open to guests of Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts (which include Tween Waters, West Wind Inn Island Resort, Beachview Cottages, and Castaways Cottages) and those with dinner reservations at Old Captiva House and Crow’s Nest Bar & Grille. More info at http://www.tween-waters.com/tree-lighting-celebration.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity October 8-15, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Pointe Santo #A21 2/2 $1.15M, Sand Pointe #111 2/2 $1.2M.

No price changes.

7 new sales: Sundial #F407 1/1 listed at $569K, Villa Sanibel #1D 2/2 listed at $799K, Villa Sanibel #3A 2/2 listed at $810K, Mariner Pointe #622 2/2.5 listed at $849K, Oceans Reach #4C1 2/2 listed at $899K, Sanibel Arms West #E3 2/2 listed at $965K, Nutmeg Village #109 2/2 listed at $1.299M.

No closed sales.

HOMES

4 new listings: 2138 Egret Cir 3/2 half-duplex $769K, 4619 Bowen Bayou Rd 3/2 $996K, 1665 Sabal Palm Dr 3/2 $2.25M, 2391 Wulfert Rd 4/5 $2.395M.

1 price change: 719 Durion Ct 3/2 now $995K.

1 new sale: 2030 Sunrise Cir 3/3 listed at $1.625M.

5 closed sales: 720 Elinor Way 3/2 $939.9K, 556 Sea Oats Dr 3/2 $995K, 5786 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 2/2 $1M, 4954 Joewood Dr 3/2 $1.599M, 4771 Tradewinds Dr 3/3 $2.99M.

LOTS

2 new listings: 0 Bowmans Beach Rd $145K, 5850 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 499K.

No price changes.

3 new sales: 1219 Par View Dr listed at $449K, Rue Bayou lot 17 listed at $699K, 3938 West Gulf Dr listed at $899K.

2 closed sales: 1272 Par View Dr $449K, 2133 Starfish Ln $475K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings

1 price change: Beach Homes #2 3/3 now $3.395M.

1 new sale: Lands End Village #1649 2/2 listed at $1.395M.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 11530 Paige Ct 4/4.2 listed at $4.799M.

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 the “Island Sun” this week.

Enjoy your weekend & next week too!

See ya next Friday, Susan Andrews aka SanibelSusan

Celebrating July 4th Weekend on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on July 2, 2021 by SanibelSusan

Another Friday has rolled around as Sanibel and Captiva have settled into summer – with sunny, occasionally cloudy mornings, then late afternoon showers cooling things down before a beautiful sunset.

It was quiet in the office all week, with similar news from other real estate offices. With the real estate market hot and only 81 properties available on both islands (condos/homes/lots), many prospective buyers are discouraged and playing the waiting game.

The weekly action posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follows a couple of news items below.

July 4^th Holiday Weekend on the Islands

Though some are disappointment that there will not be a holiday parade or fireworks on Sanibel, the precautions are understood and appreciated. We still can decorate though – so, as usual, SanibelSusan Realty will be decked out in red, white, and blue as thankful freedom reminders.

If you are looking for some pre-July 4^th fun, the San-Cap Motor Club is hosting a Cars and Coffee cruise-in tomorrow, Sat, Jul 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Periwinkle Place Shopping Center.

After that, the Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club’s 41^st Annual Road Rally will line-up for a noon start time at The Timbers Restaurant parking lot. To sign up for the 2021 Freedom Road Rally, contact Randy Carson at RCarson@gmail.com. Cost is $50 per vehicle and prizes will be awarded. Registration will be accepted until 11:45 a.m. on race day. The afterglow party and awards presentations will immediately follow the rally in The Sanibel Grill at The Timbers.

On 4^th of July, there is a celebration at American Legion Post #123, 4249 San-Cap Rd with free hot dogs served all day, plus music by The Marty Stokes Band from 3 to 6 p.m.

Also on July 4^th, South Seas Resort will host their annual golf cart parade and fireworks. You must be a registered guest to enter the resort grounds.

At the J.N. “Ding” Darling Visitor and Education center, the refuge staff will observe Independence day on Mon, July 5, with the administrative building and Visitor Center closed, but Wildlife Drive and its trails, Bailey Tract, and Tarpon Bay Explorers remain open with their regular hours.

Presenting Offers: OK with License Law? Code of Ethics?

Posted recently at FloridaRealtors on-line, this article by Meredith Caruso (Associate General Counsel for Florida Realtors®) provides direction for Realtors® but offers good information for Sellers and Buyers too.

“Your exhausted seller received five offers in one day. Four are over asking price, but the last one offers $50,000 less, possibly making it a waste of time for an already exhausted seller. Must you still present it? Perhaps not – but only under very specific conditions.

“ORLANDO, Fla. – In today’s fast paced market, sellers receive many competitive offers on their properties. Some sellers may choose to ask for highest and best; some sellers may just accept one of the offers presented to them.

“This article isn’t about that though. This article focuses on the agents involved and their actions with regards to offers and counteroffers.

“Florida real estate licensees can have one of three types of agency relationships with buyers and sellers: single agent, transaction broker or no brokerage relationship. Unless a licensee has something in writing with their respective party indicating single or no brokerage relationship, Florida law presumes you are in a transaction broker relationship.

“Under a transaction broker relationship – as well as single agent relationship – you have obligations with regards to offers and counteroffers. Additionally, Article 1, Standard of Practice 1-6, 1-7 and 1-8 of the Code of Ethics set forth further requirements regarding the presentation of offers and counteroffers.

“Specifically, per Florida Statute 475.278, the licensee is obligated to present all offers and counteroffers in a timely manner, unless a party has previously directed the licensee otherwise in writing. This article focuses on the language of this statute.

“What does this mean in plain English? Unless your buyer or seller sent you something in writing in advance, or you’ve added something into your listing or buyer brokerage agreement clarifying what kinds of offers and counteroffers they want to see, you must present them all.

“We all know the market is hot right now, so I understand the pressure to act quickly, on both sides. However, Florida Realtors Legal Hotline calls have included statements from Realtors® indicating that some sellers feel overwhelmed by the number of offers they’re receiving. As a result, these agents try to help by picking and choosing which offers the sellers see.

“Let me be clear: If you don’t have something in writing in advance – before you received those multiple offers – stating that you’re able to do this, it’s a violation of your real estate licensing law.

“Does this mean this can’t happen at all? No! But you must do it properly.

“If you’re a listing agent taking a listing, you can easily have a conversation with the sellers and should be asking a variety of questions, including what kind of offers the sellers are looking for. Do they only want to see cash offers? Do they only want to see offers over a certain price point? Do they only want to see offers that can close by a certain time? If so, clarify that in writing in your listing agreement or get it in writing some other way from your sellers. Then if you get offers that don’t fall within the sellers’ criteria, you do not have to present those offers and are able to move forward, confident you are in compliance with your real estate licensing law and the Code of Ethics.”

SCCF’s June 30, 2021 Turtle Update

As locals and visitors tentatively watch what is happening south of Florida with Tropical Storm Elsa, it was great news to read this week’s email update from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. Here it is, titled “Green Sea Turtles Return to Nest on Sanibel”:

“In the last few weeks, SCCF’s sea turtle team has documented 12 green sea turtle… nests on Sanibel. The team has been able to identify four different individual green nesters, two of which have been seen on Sanibel in years past and were part of a satellite tag tracking project in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

“Most of the nesting on Sanibel and Captiva is primarily by loggerhead sea turtles so a different species is always extra exciting,” said Research Associate Andrew Glinsky. “Based on the number and timing of nests there could possibility be as many as two more green sea turtles that we have yet to positively ID.”

“…As of today, Sanibel has 440 loggerhead nests… and Captiva has 139 loggerhead nests as hatching season is ramping up on our islands…. To date, nine nests on both islands have hatched, with nearly 1,000 hatchlings.”

Surfside Condo Tragedy Could Influence RE Market

As we all have watched the devastation on Florida East Coast, this article posted Wed on FloridaRealtors® is sourced to 2021 “Miami Herald” and distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. There is some interested info in the article.

Sanibel residents appreciate that there are no high-rise buildings here, prevented by our building code. Interestingly, in recent months, local West Coast Realtors® have seen an increase in business from East Coast buyers looking to get out of the Miami hustle bustle post-COVID. I wonder if the Surfside tragedy will mean even more future business here.

“It could take years to understand the Surfside tragedy’s cause, and condo buyers will likely pay more attention to building inspections and assessments going forward.

“MIAMI – As grim images of rescue workers sifting through the wreckage of the Champlain South Tower circulate around the world, Miami’s kingpin condo real-estate industry is bracing for a slide.

““In the short-term, the effect of the collapse will be jarring,” said real estate attorney Jesse-Dean Kluger, who said he spent the weekend fielding calls from clients under contract for units in older buildings. “You’re going to have some pushback from buyers on the closing dates, because why would you close before you have an inspection and a satisfactory report?” he said. “This could be a deal-breaker for some clients.”

“Built in 1981, the beachfront Champlain Towers South condo, located at 8777 Collins Ave., partially collapsed on the morning of June 24 shortly after 1:30 a.m. The building was going through its 40-year recertification process.

“Search and rescue efforts are ongoing – While the exact cause of the collapse probably won’t be known for at least a year, two suspected contributors – salt air and ocean water – are cause for concern for would-be buyers of waterfront condos in older buildings. In the short-term, at least, some experts say they expect the brakes to slam on what has been a county-wide sales bonanza.

““At the very least, people are being more sensitive to association fees and checking the financial health of the association,” said Ron Shuffield, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty. “These 40-year recertifications are now something that everyone is aware of, instead of just the industry. Buyers are also looking more closely to the construction of the building.” Increased attention to such detail is a positive development, said Shuffield. But it likely also will lead to higher prices and deter some buyers, say experts.

““Every condo, especially the older ones, are going to want to hire an expert and verify the integrity of their buildings,” said Alex Barthet, managing member of the Barthet Construction Law Firm and publisher of thelienzone.com website. “These are probably not fully budgeted items, so this will increase the assessments,” Barthet said. “That’s going to send buyers away, because they only have a certain number of dollars to spend, so why spend them on an older building?”

“According to the Miami Association of Realtors, sales of existing condos jumped a whopping 286% in May year-over-year, from 563 to 2,176, driven primarily by U.S. buyers from tax-burdened states. The median sales price of existing condos rose to $325,000, a 25% year-over-year increase, and sales of existing condos priced between $400,000-$600,000 – a range that includes many older waterfront buildings – increased 475.4% to a total of 328 transactions.

“The Champlain Towers South, where property records show a total of 14 units were sold over the last three years, was part of the sales boom. Condos in the town of Surfside may be particularly hard hit for the next year, especially in older buildings, said Ana Bozovic, founder of brokerage and consulting firm Analytics Miami. Buildings located near the collapse site may be most affected. Bozovic said resale prices might drop for the ultra-luxury Eighty Seven Park, which is adjacent to the site of the collapse and currently has seven units for sale priced between $2 million-$11 million. “Who wants to buy something overlooking this collapse? People died there,” she said. “People don’t want to look at the site.”

““When 9/11 happened, it affected the lower Manhattan area,” she said. “It’s going to be the same thing here.”

Buyer hesitation also may affect newer buildings, say experts. Such was the case for an attorney whose clients were scheduled to close on a Bal Harbour condo the day after the Surfside collapse. “They got cold feet, even though the building where they were buying is only three years old,” said the lawyer, who declined to be named. “They just needed a minute to hear more about what happened at the Champlain Tower. A lot of people with active contracts can delay their closings, but they can’t pull out because they would lose their deposits. They’re stuck.”

“Inspections underway – Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami Beach have started doing visual inspections and audits of buildings nearing or at their 40-year recertification process, which is required by county law. The city of Miami has gone further, requiring inspections of all buildings 40 years and older that are six stories or taller. The city has given condo associations a 45-day deadline to provide letters detailing the condition of their buildings signed by licensed structural engineers.

“But the enforcement boost hasn’t eased buyer concerns. “The question is, does being able to walk out on the sand surpass the value of safety?” said real estate analyst Jack McCabe. “What I thought was going to be paradise could now be a danger. “This collapse is the tip of the iceberg,” McCabe said. There are a lot of other buildings affected by sea level rise and hurricanes that are 40-50 years old, that have not been well maintained, and that have put off special assessments” – that can run into millions.

“Favorable pricing has been the chief attraction of older buildings. “It comes back to affordability,” said Dan Kodsi, CEO of the Miami-based development firm Royal Palms Companies, which developed the Paramount Worldcenter tower. “A lot of people live in those older buildings because they can afford it and still get to live by the water.”

“But repairs can diminish the differential. “Getting hit with a huge assessment bill is going to become a bigger factor in the minds of buyers,” McCabe said. “It could be a much more costly endeavor buying an existing unit than it was in the past.”

“Age matters – The numbers tell the story. According to the real estate firm Condovulturesrealty.com, some 1,660 units in buildings on the barrier islands built before 2000 – or before Florida’s building code was strengthened to its current standard – currently are listed for sale, with an average price per unit of $589,692. During the first three months of 2021, 779 sales were closed at an average price of $487,384. Currently 491 units are under contract at an average price of $484,821.

“In comparison, the current 1,241 active listings of condos in buildings on the barrier islands built after 2000 have an average asking price of $3,141,845 – a price tag beyond the reach of all but the wealthy.

“The gap likely will widen. “What you’re going to see is anything built before 2000 is going to suffer and [drop] their prices,” said Peter Zalewski, co-founder of Condo Vultures. “We have always told our clients not to look at anything built before then. Right now the system is stacked against any due diligence by the buyer. The associations are very private, and they’re not going to share any information that might impact pricing. They give the condo docs, and in three days your offer is locked in by default according to state law.” “According to Zalewski, there were 139 towers fronting the Atlantic Ocean in Miami-Dade County as of November 2019. Of those, only 60 were built between 2000-2019. The other 79 towers were built between 1930-1999.

“While waterfront has long been considered prime territory, inland locations have been gaining favor as waterfront prices soar and climate change becomes a greater concern. A recent study of “climate gentrification” in Miami-Dade showed home buyers and renters are increasingly choosing properties on higher-elevation land, most of which happens to be in primarily Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

“The collapse may speed the inland migration. Cordelia Anderson, founder of the Miami-based I Heart Real Estate LLC brokerage firm, said one of her prospective condo buyers from New York is now considering moving her search more inland, expressing concern about the structural integrity of coastal buildings and sea level rise.

“Falling prices? The seemingly inevitable price drop of older condos in beachfront locations isn’t just a problem for their owners and brokers. According to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, the county is poised to collect more than $94 billion in 2020 taxes from condominium owners – money that goes to everything from schools and police and fire services to infrastructure repairs and maintenance.

“If prices of older condos take a nosedive, all Miami-Dade residents will feel the pinch, since taxes are calculated by property values. But if prices drop far enough in older buildings to make selling too much of a loss for the owner, there’s another possible scenario that could eliminate the problem altogether, said Alicia Cervera, chairman and principal of Cervera Real Estate: Condo termination, in which owners decide to sell the entire building to a developer interested in building something new at the location.

“When you sell an entire building in a triple-A location to a developer, you get a much better price for your condo,” she said. “It may be that some associations are not doing the repairs because they simply can’t afford it. Selling to a developer could be a solution for the owners and would result in the buildings being taken down before they become unlivable. It’s a good exit strategy for a lot of condo owners.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity June 25-July 2, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Mariner Pointe #231 2/2 now $674K.

1 new sale: Loggerhead Cay #433 2/2 listed at $735K.

7 closed sales: Sundial #F106 1/1 $440K, Sanctuary Heron #3A 2/2.5 $760K, Pointe Santo #A1 2/2 $868.5K, Sanibel Surfside #123 2/2 $905K, Loggerhead Cay #101 2/2 $964K, Sundial #P403 2/2 $1.3M, Sanddollar #A102 3/2 $1.425M.

HOMES

2 new listings: 5809 San-Cap Rd 3/2 $1.35M, 5379 Shearwater Dr 4/3 $2.295M.

1 price change: 5270 Indian Ct 6/6.5 now $2.295M.

5 new sales: 1376 Jamaica Dr 2/2 listed at $710K, 1270 Par View Dr 3/2 listed at $859K, 1450 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 listed at $1.199M, 633 Lake Murex Cir 3/3 listed at $1.235M, 1206 Par View Dr 3/2 listed at $1.249M.

12 closed sales: 1643 Bunting Ln 2/2 $626K, 1737 Serenity Ln 3/2 $635K, 429 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $740K, 1585 Serenity Ln 3/3 $749K, 2480 Library Way 3/2.5 $725K, 770 Donax St 2/2 $850K, 1469 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $969K, 450 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $980K, 812 Sanddollar Dr 3/3 $1.2M, 3385 Twin Lakes Ln 5/5 $1.5M, 1460 Middle Gulf Dr 4/4.5 $1.725M, 4701 Rue Belle Mer 4/5 $3.395M.

LOTS

1 new listing: Dixie Beach Blvd $399.5K.

1 new sale: 2431 Shop Rd listed at $249.9K.

1 closed sale: West Gulf Dr $3.895M.

Captiva

CONDOS

No listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Beach Homes #20 3/3 listed at $3.549M.

3 closed sales: Bayside Villas #4118 1/2 $425K, Bayside Villas #5318 3/3 $789.9K, Lands End #1629 2/2 $1.376M.

HOMES

Nothing to report.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy July 4^th holiday weekend.

Fluffy Osprey Chicks & A Real Estate Market on Fire

Posted on May 14, 2021 by SanibelSusan

Another Friday is here with more summer-like weather in Southwest Florida this week. Traffic is considerably less but many visitors here now, the regulars at this time of year, have said that it is busier than they remember it. Even so, comparing it to my neighborhood and chats with vacation rental managers, many snowbirds have departed, but the vacationer rental business is up considerably compared to a usual spring.

Weather, Osprey, & Gas

The islands still need rain. Though it was overcast for a bit yesterday and earlier today, only a few showers have been reported in SW Florida, mostly inland. We know not to wish for too much spring rain or water releases from Lake Okeechobee pick up.

If you have followed the photos that our pal, Scott, has shared with us the past two weeks, I hope you enjoy these which he sent last night. Look how the baby chicks are growing. They are fluffy as their feathers fill in. Baby osprey usually fly about 60 days from hatching, spending two months with their parents, in and near their nest. (Scott, thanks again!)

From the many national media reports about potential gas shortages from the temporary closure of the Colonial pipeline, it was unusual here Wed night to see a huge line to gas-up at the Chevron Station on Periwinkle. As I headed home shortly after 5 p.m., it was tough to maneuver around the line-up. Patrons should have listened to the entire news report which said the only Florida areas possibly affected by that pipeline closure are in Tallahassee and the panhandle. There actually is a surplus of gas in SW Florida. Those hyped-up buyers emptied the island of gas temporarily. Things are back to normal now.

At SanibelSusan Realty

Here in the office, SanibelSusan has been struggling this week with computer withdrawal. The hard drive on my office laptop crashed last week and was determined corrupt. I know Realtors® spend a lot of time tied to their computers, but to say I missed mine, is an understatement. Operating by iPad and iPhone just is not the same. Luckily, most of our shared office work is either internet-driven or on our network, so the team has not missed a beat and I tried to keep my grumbling to a minimum.

Thankfully, Wally Mulka, owner of Barrier IT Solutions, lives on-island and quickly came to my rescue. His wife is a Realtor® pal so he knows our pain and has plenty of patience. Early this week Wally was able to recover my data, buy and install a new hard drive, and today he reinstalled it and the software to get me back in business. I am a happy camper with that friendly laptop back on my desk.

It likewise was tortuous fun to receive three offers on our next-to-last listing over the Mothers’ Day weekend – the offers were presented through three busy Realtor® mothers who had opportunities to view and show that property on Saturday during a short 2-hour window between renters.

With inventory tight and demand high, the successful offer was significantly over asking price. It had no contingencies, included a huge escrow deposit, with closing in two weeks. The buyer and seller are happy, but it was not fun relaying sad news on Mothers’ Day to the Mom Realtors® representing the unsuccessful buyers. The team and I are very thankful for the sale but were reminded again that this business is more fun when everyone comes out a winner. Gratefully, those Realtor® Moms were professional and understanding. We hope to do another deal with them soon.

Our weekly reports of the activity posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is after a couple of news report below. First, an update of inventory based on MLS data today.

	SANIBEL						CAPTIVA
	Condos		Homes		Lots		Condos		Homes		Lots
	#	$ Price	#	$ Price	#	$ Price	#	$/Price	#	$ Price	#	$ Price
Available for Sale	22	794,354	34	2,218,658	16	564,452	4	2,181,000	13	6,017,538	1	3,995,000
Under Contract	52	850,299	75	1,498,296	20	1,002,295	9	1,225,100	9	2,153,777	0	N/A
Closed 1/1-5/14/21	128	854,281	159	1,293,272	39	614,461	28	1,058,892	25	2,998,016	1	2,000,000
Closed in 2020	192	733,876	290	954,718	23	606,233	47	821,713	27	2.923,148	4	2,537,500
Closed in 2019	127	694,392	211	1,112,748	15	372,200	29	1.037,077	17	2,737,503	1	1,375,000

Note: Prices in italics are asking prices (properties available & under contract)

It is true, there are only 90 properties for sale on both islands (Sanibel & Captiva, condos, homes, lots), with 545 already sold this year. The market is CRAZY! The buyers who have said, “I’m going to wait awhile for things to cool off” are likely going to miss out. Read more about that in the article below.

The Real Estate Market Isn’t in a Bubble – It Just Isn’t

Posted last Friday on FloridaRealtors®: “Rising home prices and recession memories have convinced some buyers that a bubble will pop and prices will drop. But it’s just too much demand and too little supply.

“NEW YORK – The U.S. housing market is on a hot streak with double-digit annual gains in home prices, bidding wars and surging buyer demand. That type of soaring housing market is prompting more “bubble” fears in some corners, but economists say the housing market isn’t getting overinflated. A bubble won’t pop, thousands of homes won’t slide into foreclosure, and buyers who wait likely won’t be better off.

““We have strong conviction that we are not experiencing a bubble in U.S. housing,” Vishwanath Tirupattur, a Morgan Stanley strategist, wrote in a note to clients this week.

“Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors®, agrees. He told Axios last month: “This is not a bubble. It is simply lack of supply.”

“The rapid rise in prices may be concerning to home shoppers, however. The median selling price for a home is up $35,000 compared to a year ago, which is the fastest-paced increase since 2006, Tirupattur says.

“But this isn’t 2006. Housing inventories are low, credit remains tight, and lenders aren’t issuing risky loans like they did back then. Product risk – such as from mortgages with introductory periods, teaser rates or balloon payments – comprised about 40% of the mortgage market between 2004 to 2006. Those factors are now at only 2% of the mortgage market, according to Morgan Stanley.

“Also, the housing market has a record low number of homes available for sale, in part likely caused by the pandemic. At the end of March, there were 1.07 million homes available for sale, according to NAR data. For comparison, during the housing bubble, in July 2007, there were more than four times that – 4 million homes available for sale.

“Still, while home prices won’t keep climbing at the current pace, they aren’t expected to fall either, economists say.

““We are not at all suggesting that home price appreciation will maintain its current torrid pace,” Tirupattur writes. “Home prices will continue to rise, but more gradually.””

Source: “Why Morgan Stanley Is Convinced the Housing Market Isn’t in a Bubble,” Yahoo! Finance (May 5, 2021) and “The Dispiriting Housing Boom,” Axios (April 11, 2021)

Island Scoop

July 4^th Parade – It was announced this week that out of an abundance of caution, the July 4^th Parade 2021 again is cancelled this year.

Sanibel City Manager Retiring – Longtime Sanibel City Manager, Judie Zimomra announced this week – just after her 20^th anniversary with the City – that she is retiring on Sep 24. Successfully leading Sanibel through through some unusual times – Hurricanes Charley and Irma, economic crises, Sanibel Bear visits, red tide and blue-green algae events, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Judie is most deserving of a wonderful retirement, but she sure is going to be a tough act to follow. She multi-tasks better than the best.

Sea Turtle Nesting Season – Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) turtle patrol have already documented six sea turtle nests on the islands, marking the official start of the sea turtle nesting season. They remind us to turn out lights at night, remove beach furniture, fill in holes, pick up litter, and only use flashlights with red filters when on the beach after dark. To sign up for the Adopt-a-Beach and Adopt-a-Nest programs to help with sea turtle research and monitoring, email SCCF’s Coastal Wildlife Director, Kelly Sloan at ksloan@sccf.org. For more tips on how you can help, visit www.SanCapLifeSavers.org.

Wildlife Drive Summer Fees – “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society announced that admission fees for Wildlife Drive remain the same after “season” ends. However, the $10 vehicle fee is good for three days of admission from May 1 through Sep 30. Visitors are reminded to show their receipt at the entrance fee booth when returning. Daily fees for cyclists and pedestrians are $1 each visit for those aged 16 and older.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity May 7-14, 2021

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Mariner Pointe #712 2/2.5 $669K, Sanddollar #C103 3/2 $1.375M.

No price changes.

7 new sales: Spanish Cay #D6 2/2 listed at $549K; Cottage Colony West #102 1/1 listed at $579,990; Sanibel Arms West #I8 2/2 listed at $624K; Island Beach Club #330A 2/2 listed at $739K; Loggerhead Cay #101 2/2 listed at $998,899; Pointe Santo #C43 3/2 listed at $1.05M (our listing), Atrium #102 3/2 listed at $1.498M.

11 closed sales: Sundial #F206 1/1 $465K, Mariner Pointe #733 2/2 $531K, Sanibel Arms West #H4 2/2 $549K, Island Beach Club #210A 2/2 $729K, Signal Inn #14 2/2 $790K, Sanibel Surfside #234 2/2 $800K, Sanibel Arms West #E4 2/2 $885K, Oceans Reach #1C1 2/2 $899K, Pointe Santo #C23 3/2 $920K, Sanddollar #A101 2/2 $1.13M, Pointe Santo #E26 2/2 $1.2M.

HOMES

6 new listings: 5161 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 3/2 $574K, 1649 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 half-duplex $599.9K, 1605 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex $699K, 429 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $749.5K, 1187 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $1.399M, 4014 West Gulf Dr 4/4 $3.849M.

1 price change: 2011 Mitzi Ln 2/1 now $675K.

9 new sales: 9195 Dimmick Dr 2/2 listed at $550K, 9214 Kincaid Ct 2/2 listed at $695K, 1585 Serenity Ln 3/3 listed at $749K, 450 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 listed at $878K, 750 Nerita St 3/2 listed at $899K, 1296 Par View Dr 3/3 listed at $949K, 486 Surf Sound Ct 3/3.5 listed at $1.2M, 999 East Gulf Dr #103 4/3 listed at $1.995M, 950 Victoria Way 4/4 listed at $2.25M.

13 closed sales: 2405 Los Colony Rd 3/2 $380K, 2015 Wild Lime Dr 3/3 $560K, 2620 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $735K, 1560 Royal Poinciana Dr 3/2 $825K, 445 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $839K, 613 Lake Murex Cir 3/3 $985K, 751 Windlass way 5/5 $1.5M, 2464 Blind Pass Ct 3/2 $1.175M, 742 Sand Dollar Dr 3/3 $1.525M, 6412 Pine Ave 3/2.5 $1.579M, 4809 Tradewinds Dr 3/3.5 $1.835M, 813 Angel Wing Dr 3/3.5 $2.639M, 4601 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $2.9M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 461 Sawgrass Pl $699K.

No price changes.

3 new sales: 2095 Wild Lime Dr listed at $269K, 2299 Starfish Ln listed at $549K, 1028 Bayview Dr listed at $2.195M.

3 closed sales: 1318 Par View Dr $375K, 1226 Isabel Dr $1.2M, 5301-25 Sanibel-Captiva Rd $1.2M.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings, price changes, or new sales.

1 closed sale: Marina Villas #708 2/2 $750K.

HOMES & LOTS

Nothing to report.

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

Until next Friday, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Sanibel/Captiva Real Estate Scoop, Realtors Packing Meals, & Other Island Stuff

Posted on July 26, 2019 by SanibelSusan

It’s quiet on the islands now – the usual annual lull before local schools begin again on August 12. Even after living on Sanibel for close to 30 years, I still shake my head when schools restart so much earlier here than up north. When the weather is like summer, seems only right that the kids are off enjoying it.

Below are some photos of our listing at 1238 Isabel Drive in Sanibel Harbours. Filmed Monday by JMA Photography, a close look will show that the new landscaping is in, with exterior almost complete. The final interior punch-list items are being finished now. Looking for a new owner for this bay-front beauty which has just undergone months of renovations! It includes a lot with dock and lift in the nearby boat basin too!

Next week at this time, island Realtors®, families, and friends will be participating in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® 2019 packing event for Meals of Hope. As one of the Super Sponsors, we helped the Association raise the $5K needed to buy the supplies, now the goal is to pack at least 20,000 meals in 3 hours. We have done it before (photo below from our event last year), so should be able to do it again.

This time of the year, the local food banks are low, yet the need is high. The SanibelSusan Team is thankful that we again can help! If you want to participate, just let us know. All helpers are welcome.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Also this week at the Association of Realtors®, our new Multiple Listing Service (MLS) went live. It will be run in parallel with the old system while final program kinks are worked out and our membership is fully trained. The final cut-over date is August 26. The new system has plenty of new bells and whistles, so the team and I are practicing with the new system and watching on-line webinars before some upcoming training sessions at the Association Office.

If you receive listing notifications through the old system’s automatic emails, those will continue, though beginning August 26 when the system cuts over, your saved listings will disappear. We are revisiting each prospect’s search criteria, so if your preferences have changed, please let me know. It’s a good time to update them.

Yesterday was the Association’s July Membership Meeting. Not a single new sale was announced and just five new listings were open during the 3-hour Caravan that followed. There were a handful of new sales though as detailed in the week’s MLS summary that follows some other news below.

The meeting speaker was Jeannine Joy, President & CEO of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee United Way. Here are some takeaways.

Each United Way organization is independent, so donations stay in the community. With this organization, 92.3% of each dollar donated is given to the 82 local agencies and 245 programs they support and provide. F.I.S.H. of SANCAP is one of these agencies. Mention was made of the additional emergency funding provided to F.I.S.H. after Hurricane Irma and again last summer after local water woes affected island business and livelihoods.

The United Way provides help from early childhood development through senior life. Below is info on a couple of their programs.

Dial 211 – United Way 211 is a free 24-hour non-emergency helpline for referral to health and social services that provide food, housing, child care, and veteran services in Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties.
VITA – United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax preparation by IRS certified volunteers for household incomes of $66,000 or less. Dial 211 or 239-433-3900 to schedule an appointment.

2019 Lee County Market Report for June

On Wednesday, the Royal Palm Coast Realtor® Association’s Florida Gulf Coast MLS emailed their June Market Report for the county. It reported that overall, Lee County sales slipped a bit in June. It further says: “June showed Medial Sale Prices were up slightly at 2.0% for Single Family, while Townhouses and Condos showed a decrease of -5.0%. Broken down by cities, Single Family in Pine Island (30.0%), North Fort Myers (29.2%), Fort Myers Beach (28.0%), and Estero (10.0%) had double-digit increases for June over 2018. There was a significant drop in sales for Sanibel/Captiva at -30.8% over 2018. All other cities showed slight increases or decreases for the month.”

5 U.S. Beaches to Visit

I saw a blog posting this week by The Discoverer Blog. The actual posting title is “5 U.S. Beaches to Visit and 5 to Avoid”. It begins by saying:

“From the pristine sandy shores of Sanibel Island to the calm cool azure waters of Kapalua Bay, a trip to the beach is always a good idea. The United States has some of the most amazing beaches in the world. That doesn’t mean that all beaches are trip-worthy. There are some beaches around the country that are either overrated or just places you need to stay away from. So, we’ve put together a list of the five best beaches to add to your must-see list and five that you need to avoid like the plague.”

Since I prefer the positive, here are their five “best” beaches. Read their blog yourself to find the others.

Sanibel Island, Florida
Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii
Key West, Florida
La Jolla Beach, California
Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

Potential Title Insurance Pitfalls When Transferring Property into a Trust or LLC

In an email this week from the Legal Scoop Blog of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Hold, P.A. by Caleb Hinton on July 23, 2019:

“As a real estate attorney, one request I often receive from clients is to prepare a deed to transfer their real estate into either a trust (such as a revocable trust for estate planning purposes) or an LLC (for liability purposes). At first glance, this may appear to be a simple request with no adverse effects or consequences. However, depending on when the property was acquired, transferring your property may have adverse effects on your owner’s title policy that you received when you purchased the property.

“Florida Title Insurance Policy Forms – The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“Florida OIR”) governs the title insurance industry in several ways, including the rates charged and the title insurance policy forms issued by attorneys and title agents to purchasers of real estate.

“In 2011, OIR approved a new title insurance policy form for both owner’s and lender’s policies that is known as the ALTA 2006 Form (“06 Form”). The 06 Form includes an expanded definition of “Insured” under the policy, including transfers by the Insured listed on Schedule A (“Named Insured”) of the policy into a trust if the grantee is a trustee or beneficiary of a trust created by a written instrument established by the Named Insured of the owner’s policy.

“The 06 Form also expands the definition of “Insured” under the 06 Form to include the grantee of the Named Insured if the Insured on Schedule A wholly owns the stock, shares, membership, or other equity interests of the grantee.

“Potential Pitfalls – Before 2011, title insurance agents were using the ALTA 1992 Form (“92 Form”) which contained a narrower definition of “Insured.” More specifically, the 92 Form defined “Insured” as the Insured on Schedule A of the owner’s policy (which is the name in which you took title) and those who succeeded to their interest by operation of law including heirs, distributees, devisees, personal representatives (of an estate), or corporate fiduciaries or successors. Simply stated, your title insurance coverage would pass to your heirs in the event of death.

“Under the 92 Form, the definition of “Insured” does not expressly include entities (such as LLCs) where the Named Insured on the policy conveys the property to an LLC of which they are the sole member. Also, the 92 Form does not expressly include transfers from the Named Insured to a trustee of trust such a revocable living trust used in traditional estate planning.

“Accordingly, if you took title to your property prior to 2011 and subsequently convey the property to your trust or a LLC, you may lose your coverage under your owner’s title policy.

“Take-Away – There are many factors to weigh when transferring real estate and it is essential to understand the consequences of any potential transfer being considered. It is important, therefore, to have an attorney review your individual situation, including whether or not any proposed transfer would potentially create coverage issues with the title insurance company that issued your owner’s policy. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact me at caleb.hinton@henlaw.com or by phone at 239-344-1125.”

Help the Sea Turtles

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) posted this yesterday on Facebook:

“Early Sunday morning 7/21/19, a very familiar face visited Sanibel. Jane, a green sea turtle we first met in 2017, came ashore to nest. Our sea turtle team had already seen her six times this 2019 season, and Sunday marked our seventh encounter and her fifth nest!

“When she finished nesting, Jane attempted to return to the ocean but quickly became disoriented. Lost in the dune vegetation, Jane began to crawl in circles and away from the water, likely mistaking the light from nearby cities for her natural lighting cue of moonlight reflecting off the water. Our team stayed with Jane until she was able to safely find her way back to the beach and return to the sea.

“On Sanibel we are very fortunate to be designated a “dark beach” with ordinances focused on minimizing light pollution. Nevertheless, we are seeing an increase in sea turtle disorientation events every year.

“But how can sea turtles become disoriented if every place on the island has their lights off? Light from nearby cities that do not have lighting ordinances spills across the sky, brightening the horizon from inland, a phenomenon we call “skyglow”. Skyglow is the leading cause of disorientation for Sanibel’s nesting females and hatchlings. Sea turtles are born with the instinct to crawl towards the brightest light. Skyglow disorients turtles causing them to end up in dune vegetation, swimming pools or even roads where they are struck by vehicles.

“SCCF is reaching out to local governments to combat skyglow. Recently, a member of the Cape Coral City Council joined our nighttime survey to observe skyglow on Sanibel and learn about the effects on sea turtles.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 19-26, 2019

Sanibel

CONDOS

1 new listing: Cottage Colony West #117 1/1 $625K.

No price changes.

1 new sale: Seashells #42 2/2 listed at $379.9K.

3 closed sales: Tennisplace #D22 1/1 $220K, Sundial #C310 1/1 $442K, Loggerhead Cay #562 2/2 $560K.

HOMES

No new listings.

8 price changes: 325 East Gulf Dr 1/1 now $518.5K, 9401 Beverly Ln 3/3 now $675K, 1558 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $699K (our listing) (some aerial photos below), 1559 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $749K, 707 Cardium St 3/2 now $750K, 9393 Peaceful Dr 3/2.5 now $799K, 534 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 now $899K, 599 Lake Murex Cir 3/3.5 now $1.299M.

2 new sales: 3386 West Gulf Dr 3/3.5 listed at $1.199M, 4014 West Gulf Dr 4/3 listed at $3.699M.

2 closed sales: 993 Fish Crow Rd 3/3 $654.9K, 9454 Calla Ct 3/2 $835K.

LOTS

No new listings.

3 price changes: 5821 Pine Tree Dr now $439K, 5251 Indian Ct now $649K, 2510 Coconut Dr now $749.9K.

1 new sale: 486 Ponce De Leon Rd listed at $199K.

No closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Villas #2436 3/2 $825K.

No price changes, new, or closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 11509 Chapin Ln 4/4 now $1,974,999.

No new sales.

3 closed sales: 16825 Captiva Dr 3/2.5 $2,316,055; 16814 Captiva Dr 2/2.5 $4.9M, 17030 Captiva Dr 6/7.5 $6M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Until next Friday, when this will be posted earlier!

Enjoy your weekend!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Happy Lucky Friday the 13th on Sanibel

Posted on July 13, 2018 by SanibelSusan

It’s SanibelSusan reporting that the island real estate market still is pretty quiet. Attendance was light at our Realtor Caravan meeting yesterday morning, with just a handful of new listings open for viewing.

I was pleased to announce one of the few new sales and also advised attendees about our new listing at Moonshadows. With a reduction in the former price, but an increase in commission, it got their attention.

It’s a unique property, a half-duplex beach-front 3 bedroom 3 bath, with about 3000 sq. ft. of air-conditioned living space, plus covered parking, gulf-side patio and storage areas. In a small (12 owner) Property Owners’ Association with community pool and tennis., it’s like owning a home, but with the amenities of a condo. Only four Moonshadows homes are right on the gulf – all assessed between $1.9 & $2.2M.

Asking price of this one which is in an estate (lovingly enjoyed by the same owners since 1982) is just $1.695M. Neat clean, well maintained, and furnished, it’s by-far the lowest-priced Sanibel home on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s included in the islands’ Multiple Listing Service changes posted after a few news items below.

Summer Sunsets

There have been some spectacular sunsets this week. Clouds have been rolling onto the island from the mainland side almost every afternoon. Sometimes they bring a few showers, but often not until evening, so some of the sunsets before/after these quick storms are stunning. Here are a few from this week. They remind me of why there are both songs and drinks called “Sanibel Sunsets”.

Update on Sanibel Summer Projects

Bailey Tract Restoration – The Bailey Tract remains closed due to the planned hydrological restoration project underway in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Photo from Refuge email

Crews still are working on transferring fill to Ani March and are continuing to pump water as the marsh constantly drains into the pond. The other areas of the refuge remain open (though Wildlife Drive is always closed on Fridays). Check the schedule at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/JN_Ding_Darling/ for days/times/updates.
Dunes Resurfacing Project Has Begun – The City’s annual street resurfacing project began on Monday with paving being done during normal daytime hours. Access to residences and businesses will be maintained at all times, but the public is reminded to use caution when traveling through a construction zone. Every year, the City resurfaces selected roads based on a time schedule and existing condition. This year’s contract involves full-width resurfacing of the following eight streets: Albatross Rd, Sand Castle Rd, Pelican Rd, Mockingbird Dr, Kittiwake Cir, Sandpiper Cir, Sanderling Cir, and Causey Ct. The contractor is required to complete the project within 45 days.
2^nd Half of Spanish Cay Paver Project – has begun. The asphalt is being removed from the east side of the parking lot now, but there still is plenty of room for the few occupants in town to park on the west side – including anyone showing our listing in Building A.

Ordinance Prohibiting Distribution of Plastic Straws

At Tuesday’s Sanibel City Council meeting, councilors unanimously approved a draft ordinance prohibiting the distribution of plastic straws on Sanibel. The prohibition would not apply to prepackaged beverages prepared outside of the city, medical and dental facilities, use of straws by disabled people who rely on their use to consume beverages or dietary supplements, multiple use straws or on land owned and managed by the Lee County School Board, Lee County, the state of Florida, or the federal government.

The idea of banning plastic straws on the island was brought before council in June by representatives of Coastal Keepers, whose Strawless on Sanibel (SOS) initiative began last year. Since then, more than a dozen island businesses have joined the initiative and eliminated using single-use plastic straws.

Baby Turtles Are on the Move

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SSCF) reports that 15 sea turtle nests have hatched so far this year. These early nests are the ones that were incubating when Tropical Storm Alberto hit, so they are encouraged that they survived the storm.

SCCF photo of sea turtle hatchlings heading to the gulf

As of July 9, 2018, SCCF’s turtle patrol has identified a total of 532 loggerhead nests (68 on Sanibel’s east-end, 339 on the west end, and 125 on Captiva). Two rare green turtle nests also have been identified, both on Sanibel’s west end. Remember, until sea turtle nesting season ends on October 31st, please help keep our beaches sea turtle friendly:

Close curtains or blinds after dark.
Remove all beach furniture after 9 p.m.
Fill in holes after your day at the beach.
Turn off or shield ALL lights visible from the beach.
No flash photography or cell phone lights after dark.
Avoid using flashlights and NEVER shine them on a nesting turtle of hatchlings.

Alligators Also on the Move

This guy was crossing Casa Ybel Road this week, a good reminder that summer is alligator mating season too. Always good to be on the lookout for them wherever there are bodies of water.

Captiva’s Sunshine Seafood Café & Wine Bar Reopens

Following eight months of downtime, Captiva’s Sunshine Café has reopened in a new location. Previously on Captiva Lane, the cafe had been leasing its space since it sold in 2004. Its new spot (the former home of Latte Da at 11508 Andy Rosse Lane) required significant rebuilding (not just remodeling) after Hurricane Irma so, the project took a little longer than expected. The new site has more inside dining plus room to sit at the bar and watch the operations in the expanded open kitchen.

More Water News

On West Gulf Drive this week. You can be sure it doesn’t look like this in the river!

At Tuesday’s Sanibel council meeting, Mayor Ruane informed councilors that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to cut back on the frequency of water quality testing, including sample tests that are currently being conducted on a weekly basis at Bowman’s Beach. Sanibel’s lone testing facility, part of the Florida Healthy Beaches program, also is under consideration of being eliminated.

According to James Evan’s of the City’s Department of Natural Resources, the weekly tests which screen for bacteria harmful to humans and animals – cost $62.78 per sample.

In addition to requesting a call for action so citizens can get involved, council members authorized Councilor Smith to submit a request to the Lee County Tourism Development Council (TDC) for funding to continue water quality testing on the island.

Vice Mayor Denham also suggested that the City reach out to every homeowners’ association on Sanibel and request that they contact Florida Governor Rick Scott’s office, the federal government, and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) with a letter expressing concerns for water quality.

On Wednesday, a coalition of local real estate association leaders from Southwest Florida’s District 5 (which covers from Cape Coral to Marco Island) met in Naples with our local District VP and SCCF’s Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel to discuss cooperative efforts in the recent calls-to-action about water quality at our local Realtor® Associations. Presentations about the importance of water quality to real estate values are in the works for further discussion at Florida Realtors® upcoming governance meetings in Orlando in early August.

SCCF Notice Posted Today

The below article is lengthy, but worth posting in its entirety. Some more good and some not-so-good “water” news. It was emailed this morning to SCCF’s members.

“Speak Up About Caloosahatchee Flows

“A lot has been going on with water this week! We ask you to please take a moment to take action and read the good news and challenges on our waterfront.

“Increasing Flows

“Today, Caloosahatchee flows will be increased with releases up to 3,000 cfs from Lake Okeechobee. This water will be in addition to flows originating from the 45 miles of river watershed between Lake Okeechobee and the Franklin Lock in east Lee County. The past week no water was discharged to the Caloosahatchee or St Lucie from the lake. The harm threshold for estuary flow at the Franklin Lock is 2,800 cfs which has been exceeded continuously since May.

“Emergency Order – Link Here

On Monday SCCF Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel was invited to meet with Governor Rick Scott and Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein on a tour of the estuary to discuss the devastating conditions caused by the cyanobacteria bloom that extends from the Lake to our beaches. Later that day the Governor issued an Emergency Order that allows the Corps and South FL Water Management Districts to exercise operational flexibility in moving water south and through the system outside of the standard operational protocols.

“With this flexibility available, this week we requested the Corps and SFWMD redirect the harmful estuary flows south onto 484,000 acres of crop lands south of the lake, an area larger than the acreage of Lake O which is 470,000 acres. By spreading the water over this acreage, it will saturate soils on fallow fields and crop lands that can expedite evaporation and evapotranspiration. In addition, the organic load from the algae will enrich the soils instead of contaminating our waterways.

“We ask that you take action now by pressing the Send A Letter button at the bottom of this email that will direct you to the next page where a sample letter has been addressed to the Governor, state and federal water managers, and our Congressmen. We ask that they use this operational flexibility to stop the harm to our estuaries while agricultural crop lands are afforded complete flood control, exacerbating the problem. Why are coastal communities asked to shoulder the harm alone especially when AG lands are protected from any such losses? It’s time to demand new actions for better outcomes.

“Some Good News: Everglades Reservoir Approved by OMB and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

“On a brighter note this week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the Everglades Reservoir project, so it can be included in the 2018 Federal water bill, (WRDA) bill for authorization.

“This is a critical project that will create a new outlet from the Lake to send water south reducing estuary discharges by 40 – 60% and providing needed water supply for the Everglades and Florida Bay.

“The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is online at the link here. Public comments on the plan will be accepted through July 24 and can be sent electronically to: EAAReservoir@usace.army.mil/

Send A Letter

*Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 6-13, 2018***

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Sunset South #9B 2/2 $589.9K, Loggerhead Cay #184 2/2 $789K.

4 price changes: Sanibel Moorings #141 1/1 now $435K, Breakers West #A4 2/2 now $534K, Snug Harbor #312 3/2 now $648K, Sunset South #10C 2/2 now $775K.

2 new sales: Mariner Pointe #1073 2/2 listed at $499K, Sundial East #N403 2/2 listed at $889.5K.

3 closed sales: Sanibel Inn #3522 2/2 $677K, Island Beach Club #230D 2/2 $1.325M, Tamarind #B302 2/2 $1.73M.

HOMES

8 new listings: 531 Piedmont Rd 3/2 $462.5K; 9211 Dimmick Dr 3/2 $599.9K; 1018 Demere Ln 4/2 $759K; 480 Las Tiendas 3/3 $799K; 1564 Middle Gulf Dr 3/2.5 $1,295,555; 5657 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 3/2 $1.299M; 1351 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 $1.695M (Moonshadows #2C, our listing); 4771 Tradewinds Dr 3/3 $1,795,555.

4 price changes: 1805 Ibis Ln 2/2 now $559K, 1676 Middle Gulf Dr 3/2 now $999K, 1244 Par View Dr 4/3 now $1.022M, 243 Daniel Dr 4/3.5 now $1.494M.

3 new sales: 9240 Belding Dr 3/2.5 listed at $535K, 5430 Osprey Ct 3/3 listed at $599.9K, 4772 Tradewinds Dr 3/2.5 listed at $819K.

3 closed sales: 966 Greenwood Ct S 3/2.5 half-duplex $440K, 1627 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 $585K, 1183 Kittiwake Cir 3/2 $745K.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 5321 Punta Caloosa Ct listed at $335K.

1 closed sale: 1219 Periwinkle Way $750K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Beach Homes #2 3/2 now $1.999M.

2 new sales: Beach Villas #2414 2/2 listed at $640K, Marina Villas #803 2/2 listed at $749K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 15147 Captiva Dr 6/5.5 now $5.295M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Wishing you a weekend of stunning sunsets!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Island Real Estate, Sea Turtles, Freebies, & Other Sanibel Scoop

Posted on April 20, 2018 by SanibelSusan

It was quiet on Sanibel and Captiva Islands this week, but with more gorgeous weather including reports of outstanding shelling thanks to stiff winds last weekend and some super low tides. Roadway and bike path traffic continues – though less of it – from visitors on spring breaks from some northern states that keep getting wintry weather. Here we cherish the balmy breeze days in the 70’s – like this week.

Spring events are in full swing. A few are mentioned below before a report of the action posted in the Sanibel & Captiva Island Multiple Listing Service this week.

Island Sales Statistics Year-to-Year

SanibelSusan loves statistics, so here’s a little info confirming my recent posts about Sanibel homes being the most popular product this year. The 83 Sanibel home closings that have already occurred this year are more than all of the other sales on both islands combined.

Closed Sales from January 1 to April 20	Sanibel			Captiva
Closed Sales from January 1 to April 20	Condos	Homes	Lots	Condos	Homes	Lots
2016	54	56	15	12	13	2
2017	44	66	15	8	12	1
2018	48	83	5	8	12	0

2018 Sea Turtle Season Has Begun

As reported on-line by The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation this week:

“On Monday we had our first sea turtle nest of the 2018 season!

“For only the 3rd time in the history of the SCCF Sea Turtle Program, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nested on Sanibel Island! The Kemp’s ridley is one of the smallest and most endangered species of sea turtle in the world. We are beyond thrilled that our first nest of the season was laid by a rare Kemp’s ridley!

“Last year SCCF’s Sea Turtle Program had a total of 684 nests on Sanibel – 650 loggerhead nests and 34 green nests – and 189 nests on Captiva. Both the loggerhead and the green nest counts for Sanibel surpassed previous records. 2017 was the fourth year in a row that Sanibel has broken historic nesting records, so we are hopeful that conservation efforts from the past 20-30 years are starting to pay off and sea turtle nest counts will continue to rise. More information on SCCF’s Sea Turtle Program can be found here.

“Please keep our beaches sea turtle friendly:

Turn off or shield all lights that are visible from the beach. Do not use flashlights or cell phone lights on the beach. If necessary, use amber or red LED bulbs.
Do not disturb the screens covering nests. They prevent predators from eating the eggs and the hatchlings emerge through the holes without assistance.
Remove all beach furniture and equipment from the beach at night.
Dispose of fishing line properly to avoid wildlife entanglement.
Fill in large holes that can trap hatchlings and nesting sea turtles.
Do not disturb nesting turtles – please do not to get too close, shine lights on, or take flash photos of nesting sea turtles.
Pick up litter.

“If you have any questions or concerns about nesting or injured turtles please call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at (978) 728- 3663.”

Free “BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) on May 12

As posted on-line at the “Santiva Chronicle” this week:

“Get a BYOB washable canvas bag from Coastal Keepers free of charge, while supplies last, starting at noon May 12 at Bailey’s General Store, 2477 Periwinkle Way.

“On May 12 at Bailey’s General Store, Coastal Keepers will hold an event to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags on our islands and educate locals and visitors about the harm plastic bags cause to our environment.

“More than 100 billion disposable plastic bags are used annually in the United States, making them one of the most common trash items collected on beaches worldwide. Plastic bags have a short usage time and are rarely recyclable, taking 1,000 years or more to decompose. They pose a threat to wildlife as countless animals become entangled or mistake them for food each year.

“The solution to this problem is simple – bringing your own reusable bags when you shop eliminates the need for disposable plastic bags! On May 12 starting at noon, Coastal Keepers and Bailey’s General Store, 2477 Periwinkle Way, will partner to distribute reusable, washable canvas bags for free while supplies last. We invite everyone to come out, grab a bag, and go reusable!

Coastal Keepers, formerly the Sanibel-Captiva Chapter of START, operates as an independent branch of Sanibel Sea School to create and implement conservation initiatives that promote and improve the future of marine resources and our coastal heritage. Additional BYOB events are being planned for 2018. For more information about Coastal Keepers, please contact coastalkeepers@sanibelseaschool.org.

Upcoming Events

Public Meeting on Blind Pass Inlet Management Study – April 27 at 1:30 p.m. in the Sea Pearl Room at South Seas Island Resort at 5400 South Seas Plantation Rd. Provided by the Lee County Division of Natural Resources. More info about the study at www.leegov.com/naturalresources/blind-pass-2016–inlet-management-plan-study.
Annual Seahorse Festival – May 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, hosted by The Sanibel School PTA. With a “taste” theme this year, featuring local restaurants with food, desserts, drinks, raffles, silent auction. Entertainment by Wilder Sons, students performing skits, games, inflatables, & more.
Sanibel Sea School Summer Camp – June 4 to August 24 at three locations: Sanibel Sea School’s Flagship Campus, Sundial Beach Resort, & Canterbury School in Fort Myers. Programs for campers ages 4 to 18. Also space available in Pea-Sized Pufferfish Week, a program for 4- to 6-yr-olds; a coral reef expedition to the Florida Keys for 11- to 12-year-olds; an expedition to Belize for teens 15 to 18, and a variety of camps for 6- to 13-year-olds, each with ocean-related themes. More details at www.sanibelseaschool.org.
Summer Junior Sailing Program – June 11 to 22 & July 16 to 27. A U.S. Sailing Certified program hosted by the Captiva Island Yacht Club at 15903 Captiva Dr. Open to children ages 8 to 15, of all skill levels. More info at www.captivaiyc/activities/sailing.

Changes Coming to Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center

As reported in the “Island Sun” this week, announced at the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting last week were plans to renovate the chamber’s Francis P. Bailey, Jr. Visitors Center on Causeway Road. “With work expected to begin in early fall, the visitor center “refresh” will include a redesigned interior that will increase visitor “flow”, incorporate a classic coastal design with enhanced visitor experience integrating technology.”

Average 30-Year Mortgage Rate Rises to 4.47% This Week

Though most island sales continue to be “as is” and “cash”, we always watch the interest rates because we know that it “only takes one” to make a sale and that “one” may want/or need a mortgage. Here is the Associated Press article that was posted yesterday on-line at FloridaRealtors®.

“Long-term U.S. mortgage rates climbed upward this week, slightly worsening affordability for homebuyers.

“Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages rose to 4.47% from 4.42% last week. This benchmark rate averaged 3.97% a year ago.

“With the start of the traditional spring home buying season, people shopping for homes are dealing with higher loan costs and fewer properties for sale. Rising rates could further erode inventories as existing homeowners renovate homes rather than putting them up for sale to avoid a more expensive mortgage that would come with a new house.

“If higher rates lead to fewer homes on the market, it could push prices higher and further squeeze would-be homebuyers.

“”These increasing rates will serve as an added challenge to home shoppers in what is already perhaps the toughest home buying market in recorded history,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist for Realtor.com.

Home borrowing costs have risen in response to higher yields on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes. The interest charged on this form of government debt has risen from 2.78% last week to 2.9% early Thursday.

“The interest paid by the government is up along with the federal budget deficit in the wake of President Donald Trump’s tax cuts and plans by the Federal Reserve to raise short-term borrowing rates for banks.

The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate loans rose this week to 3.94% from 3.875.”

Apply Now If You Want Flood Insurance Before Hurricane Season

The Atlantic hurricane season coincides with the Florida rainy season which is June 1 to November 30, so seeing the below article posted yesterday on FloridaRealtors® was a timely reminder that it is just around the corner. If you want flood insurance or need to make a change to your policy, now is the time. See the article and some provider recommendations below:

“Nearly a million property owners filed claims for various insured losses from Hurricane Irma, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, with estimated insured losses totaling nearly $8 billion. More than 750,000 of the 900,000 claims were made by residential property owners.

“With 1.7 million National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies, Florida has the largest percentage – 35% – of NFIP policies in the entire system. When Irma made landfall Sept. 10, 2017, many homeowners, renters and business owners had flood insurance policies, but many more did not.

“Flooding can occur anywhere, even in low-risk areas. Almost 25% of claims come from areas not considered at high risk for flooding and receive one-third of all federal flooding disaster help.

“Homeowners, renters and business insurance does not typically cover flood damage, making it important for Floridians to buy an NFIP policy now. An NFIP insurance policy becomes effective 30 days after it is purchased. Flood insurance pays policyholders even if there is no federal disaster declaration.

“Floods are the most common and most costly natural disasters in the United States. Without flood insurance, it may be too expensive for owners to repair or rebuild.

“NFIP policyholders have been paid more than $887 million to repair and rebuild since Irma. Many policyholders received up to 50% advance payments–nearly $121 million–to minimize waiting for money to start work.

“By mid-March this year, 97% of the more than 28,000 submitted NFIP claims had been closed, with an average payment of $49,000.

“Homeowners, renters and business owners who live in NFIP-participating communities are eligible to purchase flood insurance through an insurance agent or an insurer participating in NFIP.

“To find out if a community participates in NFIP, ask an insurance agent or go online to fema.gov/cis/FL.html….

“To find an agent who sells flood insurance, contact the NFIP Referral Call Center at 800-427-4661.

For more information on general flood insurance questions, contact your local floodplain administrator, NFIP at 800-427-4661, or your insurance agent….”

Here are the four local insurance providers on SanibelSusan’s Directory of Services & Utilities:

Heidrick & Co. Insurance, Chris Heidrick, 239-579-0660, www.SanibelInsurance.com
Monteagle Insurance, Theresa Carney, 239-541-2222, www.MonteagleInsurance.com
Private Client Insurance Services, David Arter, 239-481-1949, www.PrivateClientInsuranceServices.com
Rosier Insurance, Angela Larson-Roehl, 239-472-1152, www.RosierInsurance.com

Freebies From SanibelSusan Realty

If you’d like a copy of our directory, mentioned above, just email Susan@SanibelSusan.com. This list was compiled as a courtesy and is updated as we get recommendations. Vendors and service providers are included based on past service to us or our clients.

Also, if you are wondering when SanibelSusan’s next mass mailing of our inventory tables will go out, it will be soon. (With nearly 9,000 copies mailed, it makes our phones ring.) My team is confirming sales and updating our database now, while they also continue each Saturday to update the individual (Sanibel condo, home, lot, & Captiva) tables. To be added to our mailing list to receive a copy in early May (or anytime), just email Susan@SanibelSusan.com. (Easy to email these inventory lists too. ) They show the addresses and prices of the properties for sale now, those under contract, and, for comparison, sales over the last few years too.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity April 13-20, 2018

Sanibel

CONDOS

4 new listings: Seashells #43 2/2 $379K, Mariner Pointe #732 2/2 $489.9K, Mariner Pointe #533 2/2.5 $499K, Loggerhead Cay #143 2/2 $799K.

4 price changes: Loggerhead Cay #313 2/2 now $535K, Mariner Pointe #1052 2/2 now $549.9K, Cottage Colony West #101 1/1 now $624.5K, Loggerhead Cay #214 2/2 now $625K.

1 new sale: Nutmeg Village #313 2/2 listed at $999K.

2 closed sales: Loggerhead Cay #332 2/2 $474.5K, High Tide #B102 2/2 $1.765M.

HOMES

6 new listings: 1827 Middle Gulf Dr 2/2 $549.9K, 1001 Lindgren Blvd 3/2 $899K, 3708 Coquina Dr 3/2 $909K, 829 Birdie View Pt 4/3.5 $1.25M, 725 Donax St 6/2.5 $1.548M, 6071 Sanibel-Captiva Rd 4/3.5 $3.395M.

12 price changes: 9477 Peaceful Dr 3/2 now $509.5K, 1805 Ibis Ln 2/2 now $549K, 1339 Tahiti Dr 3/2 now $669K, 4239 Gulf Pines Dr 3/2 now $695K, 5307 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/2 now $635K, 5739 Pine Tree Dr 3/3 now $809K, 5280 Ladyfinger Lake Rd 3/2 now $825K, 501 Lagoon Dr 2/2 now $979K, 1349 Eagle Run Dr 3/2.5 now $1.135M, 1426 Causey Ct 3/2.5 now $1.175M, 2479 Blind Pass Ct 3/2 now $1.199M, 4992 Joewood Dr 3/3.5 now $1.449M.

11 new sales: 6143 Henderson Rd 4/3 listed at $399K, 1938 Roseate Ln 3/2 listed at $499K, 1621 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 half-duplex listed at $565K, 1478 Albatross Rd 3/2 listed at $639K, 4439 Gulf Pines Drive 3/2 listed at $695K, 3320 St. Kilda 4/2.5 listed at $1.049M, 500 Periwinkle Way 3/3 listed at $1.195M, 519 Kinzie Island Ct 3/2.5 listed at $1.195M, 1995 My Tern Ct 4/2 listed at $1.349M, 1033 S Yachtsman Dr 3/3 listed at $1.495M, 411 Bella Vista Way 4/4 half-duplex listed at $2.075M.

6 closed sales: 1040 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $540K, 1008 Demere Ln 2/2 $607.5K, 1295 Par View Dr 3/2 $640K, 5757 Baltusrol Ct 3/3 $1.497M, 536 Lighthouse Way 4/4.5 $2.85M, 1008 Bayview Dr 4/4.5 $3.5M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 412 Tiree Cir now $319,555.

No new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Beach Cottages #1408 2/2 $1.195M.

1 price change: Marina Villas #610 2/2 now $699K.

2 new sales: Bayside Villas #5102 1/2 listed at $375K, Lands End Village #1665 2/2 listed at $950K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 11506 Wightman Ln 3/3 now $1.339M.

No new or closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Until next Friday, here are a couple of fun photos borrowed from Facebook.

A mama & baby dolphin photographed this week during a Sanibel Thriller rider (departs from The Sanibel Marina, more info at http://www.SanibelThriller.com).

Plus another Sanibel sunset!

TGIF, Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

August Arrives to Sunny Sanibel

Posted on August 5, 2016 by SanibelSusan

The SanibelSusan Team had a little boost of activity this week. Maybe, it was related to schools starting here next week and families getting in their last summer island vacations. Several of our listings had good showing action and Wednesday in arranging appointments to show investment condos, we found that only a handful were vacant.

Not much was announced yesterday at our Thursday morning Association of Realtors® Caravan Meeting which was lightly attended. Guess many Realtors® are getting in their last summer vacations too. Only two properties were on the following Caravan, including our new listing at 533 Rabbit Road.

It is a sweet near-beach home with more than $38K in rentals booking with just 4 long-term tenants from November 1 through June 1. Great opportunity for someone to buy now and enjoy that income. Click here to view the streaming video.

The activity posted since last Friday in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service follows a few news items below, but first a few more photos from our friend Scott who was still in town snapping his wonderful bird shots. I am so thankful that he happily allows me to share them with you too. He said these Great White Egret pix were taken Sunday in Tarpon Bay. Each one is special, so I had to share them all!

egret 6 egret 5 egret 3 Egret 2 egret 4 Egret 1

Now or Neverglades Declaration

Also yesterday morning, a diverse crowd of supporters gathered in front of The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce to sign the “Now or Neverglades Declaration”. It calls for a scientific solution to stopping the damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee. In addition to many business owners, Realtors®, local leaders and concerned citizens, participants included Daniel Andrews of Captains for Clean Water, SCCF’s Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel, and City Natural Resources Director James Evans – all speaking about the issues facing Southwest Florida waters and what needs to be done to save it.

“One of the most critical things we need to do now is communicate with the governor and ask him to move the planning process for storage south of (Lake Okeechobee) up to this summer,” Wessel told the crowd. “(It needs to happen) while they plan storage for north of the lake.”

The declaration calls for the use of Amendment One money to create storage and treatment and move water south from the lake to The Everglades. More than 200 scientists say that it is essential to restoring the Everglades, Florida Bay, and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie River estuaries.

There are currently more than 21,000 supporters who have signed the declaration. To learn more or sign it, visit gladesdeclaration.org.

Baby Boomers Chart New Direction in Housing

As a Baby Boomer who has no intention of retiring anytime soon, I enjoyed this recent article from “Daily Real Estate News” on line by “Realtor®Mag” who sourced it to “Mortgage New Daily” (July 19, 2016).

“Economists are having a tough time figuring out what housing market moves baby boomers will make next.

“Americans over the age of 55 are veering from previous generations, opting not to retire but instead launching second or even third careers. They are shunning the traditional patterns of retirement and that could have a big impact on their housing choices, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Insight report focusing on the baby boomer generation.

“Baby boomers are a critical piece to the housing market puzzle. Americans over the age of 55 make up a quarter of the population and control about two-thirds of the single-family home equity in the nation. Sixty-five-year-olds who, on average purchased a home 35 years ago now tend to have a home value that is likely 3.7 times what they purchased it for.

“Nearly a quarter of baby boomers recently surveyed by Freddie Mac say they need major renovations in their current home in order to stay there as they age. Many say they may face financial constraints to take on those remodels. For others who do plan to age in place, they may be underestimating the extent of the financial costs of outfitting their home with features so they can do so, says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

“As such, about 18 million home owners over the age of 55 may be shopping for another house in the next few years, according to the Insights Report.

“The main reasons to move aren’t due to downsizing either. Instead, the survey showed the key influences making these generations move are: Affordability of the community, the need for retirement amenities, and a home with less maintenance.

“Bottom line, the authors note, the 55-plus population likely is to be an active part of the housing economy for years to come still.

Source: “Boomers Ignoring Conventional Housing Wisdom,” Mortgage News Daily (July 19, 2016)

Banner Year for Sea Turtles Continues

It was so much fun on Wednesday when showing property to hear the prospect say that she can’t wait to move here and become a “turtle” volunteer. A 1-hour session with SCCF’s Education Director, Kristie Anders, and a few beach strolls talking to some already-trained turtle patrollers have her excited. She loved hearing that our Association of Realtors® years ago got Kristie approved to teach a segment of the continuing education required for Realtors® to maintain our real estate licenses. Every two years in Florida, 14-hours of classroom instruction are required. Each fall our local association offers a new curriculum meeting that meets that annual requirement. I am all signed up for September where Kristie will be one of the instructions and will update us on island environmental considerations.

Back to the turtles…According to today’s “Island Sun”: “Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) officials are reporting a banner year for loggerheads nesting on Sanibel and Captiva. As of August 1, the nest numbers for the east and west end of Sanibel were 164 and 422, respectively. The previous records for these beaches were 120 and 376 (both set in 2015). As of August 1, 183 nests have been laid on Captiva, also breaking the previous record of 179 nests laid in 2000.

“With 722 total loggerhead nests on the two islands, and scattered nesting continuing into August, this year has shattered the all-time record of 622 nests for the two islands combined.

“While records are being broken on Sanibel and Captiva, the statewide numbers won’t be totaled until the end of the season in October.

“At least for the SCCF Sea Turtle Program, these numbers show that decades of coordinated conservation efforts are starting to pay off, including nest protection, reducing fisheries interactions and limiting artificial lighting in coastal communities.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 29 – August 5, 2016

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sanibel Arms West #J6 2/2 $495K, Sundial A208 2/2 $799K, Somerset #D302 3/2.5 $1.85M.

2 price changes: Sanibel Arms West #B8 2/2 now $529.9K, Gulfside Place #115 2/2 now $1.595M.

3 new sales: Tennisplace #D21 1/1 listed at $229K, Ibis at The Sanctuary #A302 2/2 listed at $485K, Sandalfoot #5A1 2/2 listed at $799K.

4 closed sales: Casa Blanca #6 1/1 $248K, Blind Pass #A102 2/2 $385K, Sealoft Village #106 2/2 $570K, Tarpon Beach #201 2/2 $715K.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 4995 Joewood Dr 4/3 now $2.995M.

2 new sales: 975 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 listed at $769K, 923 S Yachtsman 3/2 listed at $867K.

6 closed sales: 5131 San-Cap Rd 2/2 $445K, 9475 Beverly Ln 3/2 $492.5K, 4737 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $629.9K, 242 Christopher Ct 3/2 $715K, 3335 Twin Lakes Ln 3/2 $751.5K, 824 Limpet Dr 3/3 $1.225M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new sale: Beach Villas #2416 1/1 listed at $519K.

No price changes, new or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 11524 Andy Rosse Ln 5/5.5 $2.695M.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 11530 Paige Ct 4/5.5 listed at $3.585M.

1 closed sale: 17130 Captiva Dr 4/4 $3.4M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

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

Until next Friday, here’s another sunset photo from Scott…each one just gets better and better!

Happy weekend all! Susan Andrews aka SanibelSusan

Sanibel Summer & Ospreys, oh my…

Posted on July 15, 2016 by SanibelSusan

It is Susan reporting that it has been another “quiet” week on the islands. No Association of Realtors® caravan meeting yesterday, but the activity in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service over the last seven days follows a few news items below.

First a few photos from our friend, Scott, who shares his pictures with us – for the blog. These ospreys love his dock! Thank you, Scott!

Sea Turtle Nests Break Record on East Sanibel

Following up on last week’s post about sea turtles, SCCF’s (Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation) blog on Wed, July 13, posted the following:

“Today SCCF’s Sea Turtle Program confirmed that Sanibel’s East End has broken the record for nest numbers since we began recording. We officially have 122 loggerhead nests on the East End.

“2015 was the previous record holder with 120 nests. Prior to that, the average for nests on the East end was 38 per year! We are having an excellent season!

“Here’s how you can ensure all those nests, hatchlings, and momma’s stay safe:

Respect all staked nests.
Turn off all lights – Nesting females and hatchlings primarily emerge after dark so remember to turn off all lights. Sea turtles use the brightest horizon to navigate towards the water. Any artificial lighting will cause confusion and steer turtles in the wrong direction. This includes beachfront lighting, flash lights, flash photography, and even iPhones.
Remove all beach furniture and toys – Clear everything off the beach from 9 p.m. – 7 a.m. Obstacles on the beach can cause nesting females and hatchlings to become entangled.
Fill in all holes on the beach – if you dug a hole on the beach please fill it in. Nesting females and hatchlings can fall into holes, causing them to be vulnerable to predators.
Never approach a nesting sea turtle – if approached the sea turtle will likely abandon her nesting attempt

“Loggerhead Sea Turtle Facts

Loggerheads are one of seven species of sea turtles in the world
Nesting/hatching season occurs from April 15 through October 31
Adult loggerheads can grow to more than 3-feet long and weight 200 to 350 lbs
A female loggerhead may nest around 3-6 times per season
Each nest contains 100 or more leathery ping-pong ball sized eggs
Incubation takes about 55 to 65 days depending on sand temperature
It may take 30 years or more for loggerhead hatchlings to reach maturity.”

2016 Profile of International Activity in U.S. Residential Real Estate

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) just issued the results of the annual survey by their Research Division which measures the share of U.S. residential real estate sales to international clients. The report divides those international or foreign clients into two types:

Non-resident foreigners who are non-U.S. citizens with permanent residences outside the U.S. They typically purchase for investment, vacations, or other visits of less than six months.
Resident foreigners who also are non-U.S. citizens, but are recent immigrants (or in the country for less than two years) or temporary visa-holders residing for more than six months for professional, educational, or other reasons.

The report contains some interesting information. Here are a few excerpts:

“Amid slower economic growth in many countries and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, fewer non-resident foreigners purchased U.S. residential properties while resident foreigners stepped up their purchases. Meanwhile more U.S. domestic clients searched for properties abroad…
Foreign buyers purchase $102.6 billion of residential property from April 2015 – March 2016, a decrease from $103.9 billion in the previous 12-month period…
Non-resident foreigners accounted for 41% of foreign buyers while resident foreigners made up 59%. In past years, the number of foreign buyers was split almost evenly between resident and non-resident foreign buyers…
Foreign buyers typically purchase more expensive properties…
45% of foreign buyers who purchased residential property came from China ($27B), Canada ($8.9B), India ($6.1B), the United Kingdom ($5.5B), and Mexico ($4.8B)…
Non-resident foreign buyers made up the bulk of buyers from Canada and the United Kingdom while resident foreign buyers came from China, India, and Mexico…
Although foreigners purchased property nationwide, five states accounted for 51% of total residential property purchases: Florida (22%), California (15%), Texas (10%), Arizona (4%), and New York (4%)…
72% of non-resident foreigner buyers purchased the property as a vacation and/or residential rental property for investment while 21% of resident foreign buyers purchased the property for vacation and/or rental use…
50% of reported transactions were all cash…
Previous client contacts and referrals accounted for 47%….”
Florida and Arizona attracted buyers from Latin America, Europe, and Canada who tend to purchase properties in warm climates for vacation purposes…
The outlook for international real estate activity in the U.S. remains positive. The decline in the value of the British Pound following Brexit is likely to mean fewer buyers from the United Kingdom. However, businesses and foreign real estate investors may choose to stay away from the United Kingdom, and the United States could become an attractive alternative.”

Corps to Cut Back Lake O Releases

As reported on line yesterday (July 14) by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF):

“Some good news — the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted the request made during this week’s Periodic Scientists Call to reduce flows from Lake Okeechobee to 2,800 cfs measured at the Franklin Lock from last week’s average 4,158 cfs. Flows to the St. Lucie will be reduced to 650 cfs. There should be some improvement in water clarity because of the reduction — but that would also require that rainfall not be heavy enough to increase the amount of runoff from the Caloosahatchee’s own watershed.

“SCCF participates in a weekly conference call with the Army Corps and South Florida Water Management District as part of a local stakeholders group, which also includes J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the City of Sanibel, Lee County, the Town of Fort Myers Beach and the City of Cape Coral. As part of this process, the partners prepare a weekly Caloosahatchee Conditions Report. During this week’s call, stakeholders requested a slowdown on the lake releases.

You can find the reports on our website.”

In other SCCF news, their Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel spoke at a congressional hearing yesterday in DC on the water quality crisis in Southwest Florida and St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties on Florida’s east coast. In part, she said:

“We need to recognize this is a national issue requiring science that informs and directs public policies to protect the natural resources in our backyard,” Wessel testified. “This is an economic crisis as well as an environmental one, with 47,000 jobs in our $3 billion tourism industry at stake. We must act now to stop the harmful algal blooms that extend over 35 miles of the Caloosahatchee as we speak. We ask four things of Congress today. Bring greater science to bear in seeking solutions. Pass WRRDA (The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2016). Continue the Tamiami Trail bridging. Accelerate the implementation of the CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) project to store water in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) south of Lake Okeechobee. These four actions will provide the greatest impacts for resolving the water quality crisis on Florida’s two coasts.”

The Interagency Working Group hearing was the start of “Lagoon-Gulf Action Day” on Capitol Hill. Participating agencies included:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 8-15, 2016

Sanibel

CONDOS

No new listings.

3 price changes: Sanibel Arms #F2 1/1 now $515K, Sandpiper Beach #203 2/2 now $699K, Tanglewood #1A 3/2 now $1.1479M.

No new or closed sales.

HOMES

1 new listing: 4428 Waters Edge Ln 3/2.5 $1,299,999.

5 price changes: 1746 Windward Way 3/2 now $540K, 810 Elinor Way 3/2 now $649K, 519 Kinzie Island Ct 3/2.5 now $1.395M, 513 Lighthouse Way 3/3 now $1.929M, 1306 Seaspray Ln 3/4 now $3.895M.

3 new sales: 726 Cardium St 3/3 listed at $775K, 760 Windlass Way 3/3 now $979K, 2251 Starfish Ln 4/3.5 listed at $1.295M.

2 closed sales: 2407 Shop Rd 3/1 $330K, 1317 Eagle Run Dr 4/3.5 $1.075M.

LOTS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: 1242 Anhinga Ln listed at $525K.

1 closed sale: 2988+2993 Wulfert Rd $799K.

Captiva

CONDOS

1 new listing: Bayside Villas #4214 1/2 $317.5K.

No price changes, new or closed sales.

HOMES & LOTS

Nothing to report.

Scott shared this sunset photo too! It’s a beauty!

Thanks again, Scott ! Here’s hoping everyone’s weekend sunsets are beautiful too!

TGIF! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Dog Days of Summer on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on August 14, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s SanibelSusan reporting that the dog days of summer continue on Sanibel/Captiva Islands with a big shower this morning. More rain is expected over the weekend and into early next week.

The humidity is off the charts, but hopefully not for long.

Luckily not many vacationers will be disappointed about the weather, as I understand that beginning tomorrow, it really will be “off-season” with occupancy way down – for the first time since last year at this time. Happens every year when it’s nearly back-to-school time.

SanibelSusan Realty Associates

Several of our listings had showings this week and we had another nice closing today – both sides (list and sell). Two of our listings got price reductions too.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

Our local Association of Realtors® had a Caravan meeting yesterday (first one in several weeks). Just two new listings were on tour (one of Sanibel, one Captiva), and just a couple of sales were announced which are described in the 7-day report from the Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listings Service which follows a couple of news items below.

New Pavilion Constructed at SCCF Bailey Homestead Preserve

This week, the “Island Sun” reported that one of the final remaining projects to be completed at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Bailey Homestead Preserve was the addition of a large open-air pavilion behind the main house.

Here's a throw-back photo from 2012 of teammate cleaning the sign at the Native Plant Nursery

Here’s a throw-back photo from 2012 of teammate Lisa cleaning the sign at the Native Plant Nursery

It is nearly completed and “the foundation is looking at a November opening date for the Native Plant Nursery, which will relocate there from its current home along Sanibel-Captiva Road.

“The pavilion is planned as the site for SCCF’s Landscaping for Wildlife program, along with other activities hosted by the nursery….The Bailey Homestead had originally been a row farm, growing crops such as tomatoes, squash, eggplant and other vegetables, until the hurricane of 1926 ruined the island’s rich soil. Later, the site included citrus trees such as orange, grapefruit and lime. The property also includes what members of The Hammerheads call the “Honey House”. Built after the original structure, the small building is where workers would process the row crops and honey farmed onsite.

“Over the next few months, work to be completed at the Bailey Homestead Preserve includes adding final touches to the pavilion, grading of the properties’ pathways and parking areas, installing fencing and finishing the interior layout of the house itself….SCCF will announce the grand opening date for the Bailey Homestead Preserve in the future. For additional info, visit www.sccf.org.”

Lee County Day at The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum

August 20, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lee County adults get half-off museum admission and Lee County kids get in free.

For one day only and sponsored by LCEC (Lee County Electric Co-op), this is a great opportunity to see the WaterVentures Mobile Science Lab.

Yun Joins “Forbes” as Regular Contributor

As a long-time fan of NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, it was good news to read the following article about him in yesterday’s “Daily Real Estate News” on line:

“Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, has become a regular contributor to Forbes.com, sharing his latest thoughts on the housing market. He will be posting two to four articles every month related to housing and the economy at Forbes.com.

“Yun’s columns will offer insights into the wide range of research activity he oversees at NAR, including NAR’s existing-home sales statistics, NAR’s Affordability Index, and the Home Buyers and Sellers Profile Report. Yun regularly provides commentary on real estate market trends to NAR’s 1 million REALTOR® members as well as to media outlets across the country.

“In his first column at Forbes.com, Yun highlights the drop in the home ownership rate to a near 50-year low, and how that doesn’t necessarily mean the housing recovery is headed for trouble. “This does not mean that the housing market is in a funk,” Yun writes. “Rather it is quite the opposite, with home sales and home prices rising solidly in recent times. Existing-home sales were up eight% year-to-date to June from the same period a year ago, while new home sales were higher by 21%.”

“The home ownership rate has fallen because of the dwindling number of first-time home buyers and the tightening of mortgage underwriting standards in recent years, he says. The drop in first-time home buyers is the most alarming trend for the housing market, Yun writes.

“In 2014, the first-time home buyer share dropped to 33%, the lowest level in nearly three decades. What’s more, the tighter lending environment has prompted an estimated 1.2 million missing mortgages to would-be qualified borrowers based on historic norms, according to a report by the Urban Land Institute.

“Yun notes the drop in the home ownership rate has caused the country’s wealth distribution to become more unequal today — mostly because the drop in the home ownership rate is occurring at a time of rising home values. “Homeowners and property-owning investors are participating in the housing equity recovery but there are fewer in number,” Yun notes.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity August 7-14

Sanibel

CONDOS

No new listings.

1 price change: Sundial #R401 2/2 now $799K (our listing).

1 new sale: Sanddollar #A203 3/2 listed at $1.015M.

1 closed sale: Spanish Cay #F2 1/1 $225K (our listing & sale).

HOMES

3 new listings: 789 Pyrula Ave 4/2.5 $1.275M, 411 Lighthouse Way 4/3 $1.495M, 1552 San Carlos Bay Dr 4/5.5 $3.75M.

2 price changes: 420 East Gulf Dr 3/3 now $679.9K, 5743 Baltusrol Ct 3/3.5.5 now $1.35M (our listing).

4 new sales: 1388 Tahiti Dr 3/2 listed at $639K, 546 East Rocks Dr 3/2 listed at $789K, 169 Southwinds Dr 2/2 listed at $798K, 249 Daniel Dr 2/2.5 listed at $834.9K.

5 closed sales: 4636 Buck Key Rd 2/2 $375K, 1400 Albatross Rd 3/3 $510K, 1710 Sand Pebble Way 3/2 $607.5K, 4620 Rue Bayou 3/3 $835K, 2915 Wulfert Rd 5/6.5 $2.575M.

LOTS

No new listings.

1 price change: 1048 Fish Crow Rd now $399K.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 3354 Barra Cir $295K.

Captiva

CONDOS

3 new listings: Tennis Villas #A205 1/1 $259K, Captiva Shores #1A 3/2/2 $1.55M, Beach Homes #27 5/3 $2.599M.

No price changes or new sales.

1 closed sale: Beach Homes #3 3/2 $1.86M.

HOMES

1 new listing: 16447 Captiva Dr 7/6/2 $3,999,999.

No price changes, new sales, or closed sales.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

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

Until next Friday, enjoy your weekend! Here the turtles are still nesting & the baby sea turtles are still hatching! Cheers! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

Summer In Full Swing on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on July 24, 2015 by SanibelSusan

It’s a little overcast this afternoon on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, but as Floridians know, if we wait a minute in the summer, the sun will be out. If that is late day, it usually results in a beautiful sunset.

Below are a few news items, followed by the activity posted in the Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service this week.

Progress on Sanibel’s Civic Core

During Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, the most recent Sanibel Civic Core conceptual plan, which has been in the works for over a year, was presented. The architect has been meeting with city officials and stakeholders associated with the project – i.e. BIG ARTS, Sanibel Community Association, Sanibel Historical Museum and Village, and The Center 4 Life.

The plan would consolidate the island’s most frequented facilities on a 25-acre site adjacent to City Hall. The latest version of the project layout includes a hub of five buildings – a performance hall, theater, gallery, Lifelong Learning facility, and Center 4 Life – surrounding a central courtyard with stage. It would be elevated between a large community green to the west and parking to the east, surrounded by a shared-use path and including both stairs, access ramps and public seating and gathering spaces.

According to an article in today’s “Island Sun”, “the community green would be located to the north of a smaller green space (where the Herb Strauss Theater is currently located) and would include two pavilions and public restrooms, which would allow two events to be held simultaneously.”

69 Acres of Mangroves Protected on Captiva

Good news reported this week in the “Island Sun” about the end of long-time wrangling with developers of South Seas Plantation and those opposing the destruction of mangrove wetlands in a basin area of Captiva. This case went all the way to the “U.S. Department of Justice who defended the case on behalf of the United States in May 2014…Following months of negotiations, a final settlement has been reached and publicly filed with the court…The U.S. Government, in order to avoid further litigation expense, agreed to compensate PDL (Plantation Development LTD) in the amount of $2.4 million (plus interest and legal costs) in exchange for PDL’s agreement to transfer 69 acres, comprising the potential Harbour Pointe development site, to the United States….The property has now been transferred.

It will be managed as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Kudos to the Captiva Civic Association, SCCF (Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation), and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida for not giving up!

Here’s Where Buyers Are Paying All-Cash

Good article posted on Monday’s “Daily Real Estate News” online. Sourced to CoreLogic (July 16, 2015):

“While the number of all-cash transactions is dropping nationwide, a few pockets across the country are still seeing a large share of buyers paying all-cash for their home purchase.

“Nationwide, the number of all-cash sales making up transactions has plummeted since peaking in January 2011 when cash transactions made up 46.5% of total home sales nationally. Now, that percentage has dropped to 33.7% of total home sales, according to CoreLogic’s cash sales report.

“The year-over-year share of cash sales has fallen each month since January 2013. Despite the drops, cash sales still remain elevated by historical standards. Prior to the housing crisis, cash sales made up about 25% of home sales, according to CoreLogic. If cash sales continue to fall at the most recent pace, the share should hit 25% by mid-2017.

“The largest number of cash sales are through real estate-owned sales, with nearly 57% of cash sales being from REOs. Resales followed with the highest cash share at 33%, followed by short sales at 30% and newly constructed homes at 15%.

“The following states had the highest share of cash sales in April, the latest data available from CoreLogic:

Florida: 51.4% of transactions were from cash sales
Alabama: 48.5%
West Virginia: 48.3%
New York: 45.4%
Kentucky: 41.4%.

“By metro level, the following cities had the largest number of cash sales:

West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, Fla.: 59.1%
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.: 58.5%
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.: 58.1% (SanibelSusan note: it’s much higher on Sanibel/Captiva)
Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Mich.: 58%.
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.: 56.9%.

“Meanwhile, Syracuse, N.Y., had the lowest share of cash sales at 11%, according to CoreLogic.”

Sanibel Draft Budget Presented for FY 2015-16

The initial draft FY 2015-16 budget was presented to City Council this week. Council unanimously approved a proposed operating millage rate of 1.939 mills, identical to last year’s approved and adopted rolled-back rate. The first budget public hearing will be on Saturday, September 19 at 9 a.m. when they will discuss and adopt the tentative millage rate and budget. The second and final budget hearing will be on Tuesday, September 22 at 5:01 p.m.

Turtle Madness

The August-September 2015 “SCCF Member Update” received this week included statistics on sea turtle nesting, including the byline “So Far, An Amazing Season”. Here are a few more details as penned by Kelly Sloan, SCCF Sea Turtle Coordinator:

“Historically, the East End of Sanibel (Lighthouse Beach to Tarpon Bay Road) has been the lowest density nesting beach survey by SCCF’s Sea Turtle Program. An average of 38 nests per year have been laid on the East End between 1996 and 2013.

“2014 was a record year for the East End, with 110 nests laid on the five-mile stretch of beach. This year, in mid-June, the East End had already documented 70 nests. Loggerheads (Caretta caretta) typically nest from May-August, so we anticipate many more to come!

“Mid-season nest counts also suggest that the West End and Captiva are on track for an above-average nesting season.

“We are also excited to report that green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) have returned to nest on our beaches in 2015. You may remember that a record 23 green nests were laid on Sanibel and Captiva in 2013. Sea turtles nest at intervals of about every two years, so another pulse of green nests in 2015 coincides with their biennial nesting pattern.

“But it gets even better – early in the 2015 nesting season, a leatherback (Dermochelys corriacea) nest was laid on Sanibel! Leatherbacks do not commonly nest on the west coast of Florida. The largest nesting population for Atlantic loggerheads is French Guiana, and there are also nesting colonies in the Caribbean and the east coast of Florida. The only other leatherback nest documented on Sanibel was laid in 2009.

“Leatherbacks are the largest species of sea turtle, weighting up to 2,000 pounds. They can dive deeper than any other sea turtle (up to 3,900 feet) and they migrate extreme distances. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to protect a nest laid by this remarkable species!

“Throughout the nesting season, volunteers and staff have been screening nests to protect the eggs from predation by coyotes. As we enter the hatching season, the City of Sanibel and SCCF will partner to promote the “lights out” message in an effort to reduce hatchling disorientation. A grant award from the Sea Turtle Conservancy, funded by the specialty sea turtle license plate (SanibelSusan has one of those), has provided support for educational materials to remind beachgoers and beachfront property owners…Stay tuned for the final nesting and hatching statistics. You can find the current nesting stats at seaturtle.org, accessible from the sea turtle pages at www.scc.org .”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity July 17-24

Sanibel

CONDOS

2 new listings: Sanibel Arms #B7 1/1 $334,999; Sundial #J402 1/1 $465K.

3 price changes: Captains Walk #F7 2/1.5 now $310K, Sanibel Moorings #1512 2/2 now $475K, White Caps #5 1/1 now $535K.

3 new sales: Captains Walk #C7 1/1 listed at $229.9K, Nutmeg Village #209 2/2 listed at $720K, Pointe Santo #B46 2/2 listed for $825K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

2 new listings: 1410 Causey Ct 3/2 $729K, 734 Sand Dollar Dr 3/3.5 $1.195M.

No price changes.

1 new sale: 2915 Wulfert Rd 5/6.5 listed at $2.898M.

6 closed sales: 778 Cardium St 3/3 $435K, 1599 Sand Castle Rd 3/2.5 half-duplex $475K, 1586 Century Ct $610K, 489 Lake Murex Cir 4/2 $860K, 5402 Osprey Ct 4/3 $950K, 1204 Isabel Dr 3/3.5 $3.65M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Lands End Village #1660 3/3 listed at $1.535M.

1 closed sale: Marina Villas #706 2/2 $588K.

HOMES

No new listings.

1 price change: 953 South Seas Plantation Rd 5/5.5 now $6.299M.

No new sales.

3 closed sales: 11537 Andy Rosse Ln 4/4 $2.15M, 1131 Longifolia Ct 4/4 $3.075M, 1121 Schefflera Ct 4/4.5 $3.94M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Until next Friday, raindrops or sunny, have a great weekend!

Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan

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Until next Friday, here’s another sunset photo from Scott…each one just gets better and better!

Happy weekend all! Susan Andrews aka SanibelSusan

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Sea Turtle Nests Break Record on East Sanibel

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Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 8-15, 2016

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July 4^th Holiday Weekend on the Islands