Woohoo, It’s Another Great Friday at SanibelSusan Realty

Posted on February 21, 2014 by SanibelSusan

It’s Susan and The SanibelSusan Team reporting that it has been another busy week on Sanibel. Glorious weather, more real estate showings, and sales activity, plus traffic traffic traffic.

This is the view from the Mariner Pointe condo that closed on Tues (SanibelSusan’s sale)

One of the lessons learned this week is that I may need to change my tune about open houses not being productive for the property being featured. During the 3-hour open house held last Saturday at our Sanibel Lake Estates home listing, there were three showings. One turned into an offer. Turns out, before the day was done, I received two offers. It is always great to get them and it can be especially good for a seller when there are multiples; but it can be a bit disheartening too, as someone always loses out.

View from Kings Crown #104

It was not the only instance of multiple bids this week. Plenty of sales activity has been and continues to be reported. In addition to the Roseate home sale, I put a Kings Crown condo under contract, then this morning put a Sanibel Center home under contract, while this afternoon our 2-bedroom condo listing at Mariner Pointe #812 sold.

Four sales in a week make us and our clients happy!

It’s not just our office that is getting sales as the weekly report of the listing action reported in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service below shows. It follows a few news items. We hope the momentum continues. Tomorrow is expected to the biggest check-out/check-in day of the year, so new prospective buyers will be arriving.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of REALTORS® February Membership Meeting

There was standing room only yesterday morning at our Realtors® monthly membership meeting. In addition to chatter about the increased sales activity, a short educational program was presented about Island Landscaping and Native Vegetation. Presenters were SCCF (Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation) Education Director, Kristie Anders, and Becca Grotrian from the Native Plant Nursery.

For years in cooperation with our local Association of REALTORS®, SCCF has offered a welcome package for new island owners. It includes an introductory free 1-year SCCF membership and a property visit by one of SCCF’s Native Plant Nursery specialists, like Becca.

If you too are wondering how you can reduce landscaping and water costs, aid the environment and critters, and want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, here are a few of the tidbits I learned from their “show and tell”:

• Coral bean – looks like a Charlie Brown tree when it blooms, because it has no leaves then, but the rose-colored tubular blooms attract hummingbirds.
• Gammagrass – is well suited to banks & steep slopes. A good choice along the side of a lake/river/bayou for alligator diversion.
• Joewood – the official tree of Sanibel is slow growing (10-15′) & has small white fragrant blooms, butterflies love it & it’s on the endangered species list.

• Firebush – fun colorful & showy shrub blooms for months & attracts both birds & butterflies. Hummingbirds especially love this plant too.

• Mimosa – often used as a grass replacement/ground cover, has pinky puffy flowers & acts as a host for sulphur butterflies.

• Spiderwort – often used as ground cover has a small blue flower.
• Simpson’s stopper – has small flowers & an orange fruit that birds love.

• Coontie – ground cover that will eventually clump to 3’x3′, it’s a cycad, an ancient plant, with cones both male & female. Birds & small animals like the seeds, & is a host for the atala butterfly, also called arrowroot & Seminole bread because early settlers extracted their edible starch.
• Buccaneer palm – on the endangered list, grows to 10-15′.

• Caroline jessamine vine – has yellow blooms in the winter & grows to 20′.

More info on SCCF’s website: http://sccf.org.

Sanibel Presidents’ Week Traffic

Here’s my traffic story of the week. On the Monday holiday, Periwinkle Way in front of SanibelSusan Realty was blocked in both directions starting mid-afternoon. By 6 p.m. when I was ready to go home and it still was blocked both ways, I decided to be resourceful and head west, thinking I could travel Tarpon Bay Road as a way to get to the Gulf Drives – so I could eventually head east via what we call “the back way”. This time, it didn’t work as when I got to Tarpon Bay Road, it was blocked in both directions too.

My next idea was to take the path of least resistance and to go even further west, by traveling Tarpon Bay Road to San-Cap Road, then to Rabbit Road and West Gulf Drive. That entire trip took an hour. As the cars crawled down Tarpon Bay Road passing the post office, up ahead along the side of the road I spied Matt Asen, owner of The Timbers and The Sanibel Grill. He was standing at the restaurant entrance waving a cardboard sign that said “Beat the Rush Hour Traffic, Come in For Happy Hour”. Since the cars weren’t moving much, that sign may not have been very effective, but it sure gave me a laugh. A little traffic is a small price to pay for the extra business and wonderful weather we enjoyed here this week.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity February 14-21

Sanibel
CONDOS
2 new listings: Loggerhead Cay #474 2/2 $490K, Loggerhead Cay #373 2/2 $559K.
7 price changes: Blind Pass #E206 2/2.5 now $464.9K, Sunset South #1C 2/2 now $474K, Sundial #O302 2/2 now $699K, Shell island Beach Club #5D 2/2 now $775K, Pine Cove #1A 2/2 now $779K, Sundial #E208 2/2 now $799K, Anglers Key #201 3/3 $1.699M.
8 new sales: Sundial #G105 1/1 listed for $319K, Seawind #109 2/2.5 listed for $399K, Mariner Pointe #812 2/2 listed for $459K (our listing), Sunset South #6A 2/2 listed for $520K, Heron at The Sanctuary #2B 3/3.5 listed for $625K, Nutmeg Village #105 2/2 listed for $689.9K, Kings Crown #104 2/2 listed for $895K (our buyer), Plantation Village #A112 3/2 listed for $1.1M.
4 closed sales: Seashells #21 2/2 $316,356; Mariner Pointe #112 2/2 $535K (our sale); Sunset South #14A 2/2 $710K; Bougainvillea #4 3/3 $937.5K.

HOMES
6 new listings: 2079 Wild Lime Dr 3/2 $535K, 696 Sea Oats Dr 3/2 $575K, 706 Emeril Ct 3/2 $679.9K, 5690 Pine Tree Dr 3/2 $839.9K, 5743 Baltusrol Ct 3/3.5 $1.475M, 4265 West Gulf Dr 3/4.5 $4.495M.
9 price changes: 1596 Bunting Ln 2/2 now $409K, 1890 Farm Trl 3/2 now $449K, 1364 Jamaica Dr 2/2 now $499.9K, 778 Cardium St 3/3 now $525K, 590 Lake Murex Cir 2/2 now $699K, 497 Lake Murex Cir 4/3 now $759K, 475 Sea Oats Dr 3/3 now $835K, 1130 Seagrape Ln 4/3 now $839K, 800 Birdie View Pt 3/3.5 now $1.099M.
11 new sales: 966 Fitzhugh St 2/1 listed for $333K (our sale), 1960 Roseate Ln 3/2 listed for $449K (our listing), 4546 Waters Edge Ln 3/2 listed for $499K, 421 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 listed for $569K, 1787 Serenity Ln 3/2 listed for $$579K, 977 Black Skimmer Way 3/2 listed for $599.9K, 706 Emeril Ct 3/2 listed for $679.9K, 1306 Par View Dr 3/3.5 listed for $799K. 231 Daniel Dr 3/2.5 listed for $998.5K, 988 Whelk Dr 3/2.5 listed for $1.095M, 1480 Angel Dr 3/3 listed for $1.545M.
3 closed sales: 696 Durion Ct 3/2.5 $565K, 991 Whelk Dr 4/3 $1.05M, 2380 Troon Ct 4/5 $1.75M.

LOTS
3 new listings: 861 Birdie View Pt $369K, 4363 Gulf Pines Dr $389.9K, 6159 Starling Way $589.9K.
1 price change: 6081 Henderson Rd now $199.9K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 3351 Saint Kilda Rd $349,555.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Beach Homes #6 3/3 now $1.895M.
1 new sale: Bayside Villas #5136 1/2 listed for $295K.
No closed sales.

HOMES
No new listings.
2 price changes: 15127 Captiva Dr 8/8 now $1.595M, 1114 Schefflera Ct 4/3.5 now $1.849M.
1 new sale: 11527 Andy Rosse Ln 4/4 listed for $2.695M.
3 closed sales: 11515 Laika Ln 4/4.5 $2.05M, 1133 Longifolia Ct 3/3 $3.487.5M, 15017 Binder Dr 3/3.5 $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 the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions. If your property currently is listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation of that listing.

Here’s to another busy weekend of real estate sales & sunny weather on Sanibel!

Weekend wishes to all…SanibelSusan

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate Comes With Wonderful Weather

Posted on January 3, 2014 by SanibelSusan

SanibelSusan reports this week that the team and I are very thankful to be living in Southwest Florida. Folks flying in and out of RSW have had some delays, but those here this week just enjoying Sanibel and Captiva have had fabulous weather, particularly when compared to the rest of the nation. The residual effect of the northern storms brought a cool down here today. From temperatures in the high 70’s/low 80’s most of the week, today it is not expected to reach the 70’s – a nice change and a chance to wear long sleeves. Warm weather returns tomorrow, with the next chill not expected until Mon night into Tues.

It will be interesting to hear if the Sat check-outs will be able to get back home. Rental managers already advise that they have received calls from renters requesting late departures or extended stays. The local news last night reported a Canadian family trying to fly home that has been delayed 5 days because of airport closings and connecting flights. What a great reason to buy property here!

Our condo listings were all occupied this week, so there will be a flurry of showings mid-day tomorrow as some of these guests depart and units are cleaned before the next arrivals. Like last Sat, I’ll be out showing homes again too.

After a few news items, below is a report of the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service action over the last week.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of REALTORS®

With no REALTOR® Caravans last week or this, it will be back to our regular Thurs morning schedule next week, alternating each week between east-end and west-end. During the busy winter season, we will continue to hold listings open as they are vacant on Thurs mornings. Serious prospective buyers learn that the islands have their most open houses during that time.

Next Sat is the Installation and Awards Banquet for our Sanibel and Captiva Islands Association of REALTORS®. With a record number of reservations made, we are excited that Florida REALTORS® 2014 President Sherri Meadows and National Association of REALTORS® 2016 President Tom Salomone will be here to perform the installations. Yours truly is the emcee. Should be fun!

Sanibel Hiking & Cycling Trail Improvements

An article on News-Press.com this week included the following information about the upgrades coming to an off-the-beaten path hiking and cycling trail on Sanibel:

“City officials say construction started last week on one of two boardwalks for the Pond Apple Park Trail that runs parallel to Causeway Boulevard and Periwinkle Way. The rest of the trail will remain unpaved, but a layer of shell will be added. Removing non-native invasive plants and creating a new, wildlife-friendly pond also is on the agenda. When completed in the next six to eight weeks, this trail north of Periwinkle Way not only will be accessible most of the year to wheelchair users and others, it will:

• Connect two city parks, Pond Apple Park and Roadside Park

• Lengthen a 1.6-mile-long trail network to 2.4 miles, end-to-end

• Link 74 acres of nature preserves

• Provide another option to the city’s popular 22.6-mile network of paved, shared-use paths.

“For folks desiring a longer trek or ride, the trail system is accessible to the paved path along Periwinkle, via a crosswalk at Roadside Park.

“James Evans, city director of natural resources, calls the trail a “tool to get the people out to enjoy the nature, and see why they’re buying these lands” for conservation. The trail meanders behind several businesses, including Bennett’s Fresh Roast coffee and doughnut shop and the Lazy Flamingo restaurant and Dairy Queen restaurants. At this time, there is no plan to connect business properties to the trail, although Evans didn’t rule that out after all of the improvements are made.

“The city purchased the tract now called Pond Apple Park in 2001, after a voter referendum. It’s made improvements as grant monies became available; however, the process ramped up through partnerships with the state Department of Environmental protection and the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation.

The foundation owns the former homestead of the pioneering Bailey family, best known today for Bailey’s General Store. Pond Apple Park Trail will connect to the Shipley Trail that runs behind the Baileys’ old home, but currently is closed to public use.

“Foundation officials are leery of talking about their plans until they have all of the permits. A fundraising page at sccf.org mentions such possible future public activities at the homestead property as a native plant nursery and a butterfly house, and self-guided house tours.

“Pond Apple Park Trail currently has a marked trailhead adjacent to the parking lot for the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce at 1159 Causeway Blvd. Evans took a reporter on the Pond Apple Park and Shipley trails for a show-and-tell recently. He noted that exotics removal and pond creation are intended “to create a mosaic of habitats so the wildlife can thrive.”

“Wildlife already is robust along the trail, and includes a bald eagle nest as well as alligators and an array of birds that frequent a pond of treated wastewater that’s stored for use in residential and golf course irrigation. Habitats include a pond apple slough, pine flat woods and a tropical hardwood hammock.

The stretches of boardwalk, 270 and 420 linear feet respectively, will have aluminum rails. The composite decking with a wood-grain look and a non-slip surface will be about 18” off the ground. This will permit water flow, but make cycling and hiking safer in the wet months.

“Most of the boardwalk will be 8′ wide, allowing for easy passing of hikers and cyclists. However, for the longer boardwalk in the Schlosser Preserve, one section will be 12′ wide and include a bench overlooking a pond. And, at different points along the trail system, you’ll see benches, a Miccosukee-built chickee-style picnic pavilion and a gazebo very recently built by the all-volunteer Hammerheads group. When the longer trail system debuts in March, there’ll be a trail information kiosk at Roadside Park. People can use chamber of commerce restrooms during business hours. Both the chamber and Roadside Park have outdoor drinking fountains. The chamber’s lot has eight parking spaces trail visitors may use, all at no charge; Roadside Park has at least twice as many spaces, all free.”

The article also included some fun “Pond apple facts” sourced to the education staff at Naples Botanical Garden: “Pond apple is a swamp and slough tree (up to 40 feet tall) with glossy green leaves, yellowish flowers with red bases, and fruit with a pear- or mango-like shape. The fruit’s scent has been likened to ether. Its taste is poor: nothing like a grocery store apple. Flowering typically occurs April through June, with fruit ripening into the autumn. Even though pond apples are not popular human food, ripe fruit may drop into the water and provide food for wildlife, such as raccoons or alligators.”

Happenings at J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge

“Ding Darling News” on-line this week, says:

“From birding and biking the Refuge, to learning about gators and crocs, the seasonal calendar of FREE programs and tours at the Refuge begins today, Jan 2, 2014, and runs through Apr 25.

Click here for a complete calendar of free activities and descriptions.”

NAR: Housing Market Is Stabilizing

REALTOR®Mag on-line today posted the following positive news:

“Contracts to buy new homes leveled off in Nov, ticking up slightly by 0.2%, the National Association of REALTORS® reports. Pending home sales — which reflect contracts and not closings — were 1.6% below year-ago levels. “We may have reached a cyclical low because the positive fundamentals of job creation and household formation are likely to foster a fairly stable level of contract activity in 2014,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Although the final months of 2013 are finishing on a soft note, the year as a whole will end with the best sales total in seven years.”

“Pending home sales in Nov posted the largest gains in the South and West, rising 2.3% and 1.8% month-over-month, respectively. The increases helped to offset declines in pending home sales in the Northeast (down by 2.7% in Nov) and the Midwest (down by 3.1%).

“Total existing-home sales are expected to end the year with nearly a 10% gain over 2012. However, Yun says that existing-home sales will likely remain at around 5.1 million in 2014. A rise to 5.3 million in existing-home sales is expected for 2015.

“Existing-home prices for 2013 are expected to be about 12% higher than year-ago levels, averaging $197,300. NAR predicts that home prices will grow modestly in 2014 at a pace of 5 to 5.5%, and values will increase another 4% in 2015.”

More Than 3 Million Regained Equity in 2013

Another on-line article sourced to HousingWire (Dec 30, 2013) also has positive news:

“Home prices rebounded in 2013, helping more than 3 million home owners regain long-lost equity, according to CoreLogic’s latest MarketPulse report. “We’re encouraged by the improvements of the past year and have every reason to be cautiously optimistic about continued progress in 2014. That said, monitoring the current and potential headwinds the industry faces is critical,” says Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic. More than two-thirds of all homes with a mortgage now have at least 20% equity, giving home owners more options in the housing market in the new year and increasing their employment mobility.

“Still, 6.4 million residential properties have negative equity, and a third of those are concentrated in five states: Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, and Georgia. Some of the biggest jumps in home prices over the last six months have occurred in Chicago and Raleigh, NC, CoreLogic reports. “That acceleration is consistent with our prior analysis, which showed that Chicago has had the most rapid growth of any market for owner-occupied purchase transactions in the past two years,” the report said.”

App for Homeowners

In the Jan/Feb “FloridaRealtor®” magazine that arrived this week, there is info on a cool new-home project estimator app. “HomeZada is a new app for Android and iOS that enables homeowners to determine how much a project is going to cost and the supplies that will be needed; to comparison shop; and to track their budget until project completion. Hundreds of home improvement projects are already loaded into the app. Check out the shopping lists! Get it at homezada.com, free for basic.”

Florida TaxWatch Reviews Flood Insurance

Another article from the same “FloridaRealtor®” magazine continues the discussion on flood insurance in Florida. When showing property today, the most frequent questions from prospective buyers and sellers are about flood insurance.

“A new study by Florida TaxWatch, a non-partisan research group, confirms what Florida Realtors® has said all along: Florida policyholders make a major financial contribution to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) but not its biggest beneficiary.

“Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 to help reduce the $25 billion debt of the NFIP by bringing rates charged more in line with the risk and losses in flood-prone areas. Many discounts and subsidies policyholders received in the past will be eliminated or phased out.

“The Florida TaxWatch study found:

Most of NFIP’s current $25 billion debt is due to claims from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy, which had minimal impact on Florida.
Floridians paid $3.60 in premiums for every $1 collected in flood claims from the program.
Eleven states (not Florida) have received more in payouts over the 30-year period of the study than their policyholders paid in premiums, with six of those states receiving at least double the amount that policyholders paid in premiums.

“The complete Florida TaxWatch study and other flood insurance information are available from the Florida Insurance Toolkit at floridarealtors.org.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity Dec 27, 2013 – Jan 3, 2014

Sanibel
CONDOS
4 new listings: Coquina Beach #F 2/2 $575K, Nutmeg Village #103 2/2 $612K, Kings Crown #218 3/2 $1.25M, Sanibel Seaview #B2 2/2 $1.395M
2 price changes: White Pelican #123 2/2 now $799K, Pine Cove #1A 2/2 now $849K.
No new sales.
4 closed sales: Colonnades #13 1/1 $150K (short sale), Beach Road Villas #106 2/2 $287.5K, Oceans Reach #4C2 2/2 $779K, Gulfside Place #121 2/2 $928K.

HOMES
6 new listings: 1890 Farm Trail 3/2 $489K, 450 Lake Murex Cir 3/2 $569K, 566 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $995K, 2405 Wulfert Rd 4/5.5 $1.949M, 1306 Seaspray Ln 3/4 $4.195M, 5615 Baltusrol Ct 4/4/3 $4.699M.
4 price changes: 970 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 now $525K, 1824 Woodring Rd 4/4 now $1.395M, 5423 Osprey Ct 3/2.5 now $1.479M, 3744 West Gulf Dr 4/4 now $1.795M.
3 new sales: 398 Old Trail Rd 3/3 listed for $499K, 696 Durion Ct 3/2.5 listed for $599K, 211 Daniel Dr 3/2 listed for $749.9K.
3 closed sales: 731 Nerita St 3/2 $540K, 9405 Beverly Ln 3/2 $650K, 1950 Woodring Rd 3/3.5 $1.8M.

LOTS
1 new listing: 592 Sea Oats Dr $350K.
1 price change: 761 Donax St now $224K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 1344 Eagle Run Dr $250K.

Captiva
CONDOS
Nothing to report.

HOMES
2 new listings: 51 Oster Ct 2/2.5 $795K, 16790 Captiva Dr 5/5 $5.9M.
1 price change: 15631 Captiva Dr 5/4.5 now $1.715M.
No new or closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Until next Friday, here’s to another successful selling season on Sanibel & Captiva Islands where even the winter weather is warm!

Sanibel Sunsets & Island Real Estate News

Posted on July 19, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Another summer week is behind us, surprisingly with Southwest Florida being touted as one of the coolest spots in the nation a couple of times. It is definitely an unusual weather pattern if Florida is cooler than 40 of the 48 contiguous states.

Over the last seven days, Sanibel and Captiva Island have had mostly sunny days but plenty of rain too, particularly yesterday. More is expected later today and again tomorrow. Swales are full, ponds and lakes overflowing, and the tropical vegetation is growing like crazy.

Here is a photo sent to me earlier this week by one of our happy island homeowners. Those afternoon/early evening storms usually are followed by fabulous sunsets! Luckily this family now owns in the perfect location for viewing those.

Sanibel sunset, photo thanks to Scott, 07-13-13

Here are a couple of news items, followed by the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service action this week. We had another nice closing on Monday, the last of our “winter sales”, now on to summer…

Association of Realtors® July Membership Meeting

SanibelSusan Realty listings starred in the Realtor Caravan following our local Association of Realtors® meeting yesterday. Since our Association had not met for four weeks because of the July 4th holiday, most attendees expected that many new listings would be announced, but “no”, there was just a handful, including our new listing in Sanibel Shores. The new-listing caravan had only five properties on tour (15 is the maximum allowed). Three of the five were SanibelSusan listings including Marine Pointe #631, Pointe Santo #B23, and 9477 Peaceful Drive (photos below). We got good feedback on them too! Now we just need to see buyers in town.

Mariner Pointe #631, photo by Dave

9477 Peaceful Drive, photo by JMA Photography

The educational segment of the meeting featured a panel of rental company managers offering helpful information on how these companies can best work with sales associates. One of the items discussed was the new Florida Realtors/FloridaBAR sales contracts that are expected to be approved during the upcoming August Florida Realtors® Annual Business Meetings in Orlando. Both the traditional “Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase” and the “”AS IS” Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase” in addition to other changes includes one about future rentals. In the paragraph about “Occupancy and Possession” a new paragraph with check-box is added which says:

“CHECK IF PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO LEASE(s) OR OCCUPANCY AFTER CLOSING: If property is subject to a lease(s) after Closing or is intended to be rented or occupied by third parties beyond Closing, the facts and terms thereof shall be disclosed in writing by Seller to Buyer and copies of the written lease(s) shall be delivered to Buyer, all within 5 days after Effective Date. If Buyer determines, in Buyer’s sole discretion, that the lease(s) or terms of occupancy are not acceptable to Buyer, Buyer may terminate this Contract by delivery of written notice of such election to Seller within 5 days after receipt of the above items from Seller, and Buyer shall be refunded the Deposit thereby releasing Buyer and Seller from all further obligations under this Contract. Estoppel Letter(s) and Seller’s affidavit shall be provided pursuant to STANDARD D. If Property is intended to be occupied by Seller after Closing, see Rider U. POST-CLOSING OCCUPANCY BY SELLER.”During a follow-up question-and-answer period, a local bank Vice President and Association Affiliate Member, mentioned that checking this box could adversely affect a Buyer’s loan scenarios/terms. That makes sense, since investment property is generally considered highest risk (compared to primary residences and 2nd homes).

Another Realtor® member mentioned that sometimes Seller’s have future rental bookings at reduced rates or they block future rental periods for themselves/family/guests at no cost. Sometimes that is looked upon unfavorably by a prospective Buyer who may be looking to maximize income.

A good time to revisit your lease/rental agreement and think about the best way to get your property sold is before it is listed. Many rental contracts have obligations about future bookings. Be sure and pass that information along to your Realtor® and perhaps, when you decide to sell, think twice about how far out you are willing to accept bookings, sometimes prospective buyers do not want to honor rentals. (In recent years, the percentage of buyers wanting rental income has declined. Rather, most buy primarily for their own use.)

Helping Mother Nature on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

One of my favorite things about living on Sanibel and Captiva is the general positive attitude about coexisting with nature. This summer with a beach renourishment project coming up, staff and volunteers with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Sea Turtle Monitoring Program are even assisting Mother Nature.

Each day during nesting season, May to October, the 18 miles of the island gulf beaches from Sanibel’s east-end lighthouse to the tip of Captiva are checked starting at dawn by Turtle Patrol volunteers. Sea turtle nests are identified and marked for monitoring and protection. New hatches are evaluated and recorded with the data helpful in future state and national decision-making that protects sea turtles.

SCCF photo of Sanibel’s first turtle nest of 2013

Unfortunately, this year nesting season falls smack-dab in the middle of a long-planned August beach renourishment project which will add more than 800,000 cubic yards of sand on Captiva from Redfish Pass to Blind Pass, and also on the Captiva-end of Sanibel, where an additional 75,000 cubic yards will be added.

In preparation for this project, SCCF and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stepped in and took action. A special permit was issued which allows SCCF’s biologist and Turtle Monitoring Program Coordinator, Amanda Bryant, and other FWC Marine Turtle permit holders to move nests that would be impacted.

SCCF photo of turtle hatchlings heading to gulf

According to Amanda, as of last week, they had moved 21 nests. According to an article in today’s “Island Sun”, she trained for two years with FWC to obtain this permit and she knows how to create a new egg chamber, just like a mama turtle would. Moving the eggs quickly also is key. The new nests are staked, marked and numbered, just like the ones the mamas create. Thanks to Amanda and her team of volunteers, hundreds of new hatchlings may emerge in about two months – just another wonderful example of how life is on the islands.

City of Sanibel Continues To Be Cost Cautious

At Tuesday’s Sanibel City Council meeting, a preliminary millage rate of 2.0861 was established as recommended by the City’s financial department with a 2014 budget described by City Manager Judie Zimomra as “tight”. This rate is slightly less than last year’s 2.1 mils. Council will conduct the first budget public hearing on Saturday, September 7 at 9 a.m. The 2nd and final hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 17 at 5:01 p.m.

Sanibel Crosswalk Study

Another item on Tuesday’s City Council agenda was discussion about three of Sanibel’s busiest areas for pedestrian and bike traffic. To improve crosswalk safety, several design alternatives were presented as part of this study.

The three intersections being investigated are:

Periwinkle Way & Bailey Road (near the Dairy Queen and Lazy Flamingo)
Periwinkle Way & Casa Ybel Road (across from Jerry’s Market)
Tarpon Bay Road & Island Inn Road (across from Lily & Company)

Following public input and discussion, these areas will be examined further and the topic is continued until Council’s next meeting.

Helping You Save During the Heat Wave

In getting ready for our closing this week, the buyer asked for advice on the appropriate HVAC temperature setting for their new home. Most of the time, I keep my home and the office set at 78 degrees F, but was happy that a flier arrived from Lee County Electric Co-op with my electric bill on the same day and about that very subject. It says:

“Warmer weather has arrived and you may be looking for ways to save energy and lower your bill. Our energy experts are here to help you save energy by following these simple tips:

When cooling your home, set the thermostat at 78 degrees F. Each degree below adds 8 to 12% to cooling costs.
While away from home for more than two hours, set the thermostat at 83 degrees F.
Install a programmable thermostat that will automatically raise and lower the temperature at certain times of the day.
Turn off fans when the room is not occupied. Each continuously running fan costs approximately $7 per month on your electric bill.
Do not close A/C vents or interior doors when A/C is running.

For more green energy tips visit www.lcec.net.”

One for the Birds

When I saw this article posted on VisitFlorida.com this week, I knew Sanibel would have to make the list.

“Five Top Spots for Birding in Florida – Florida, birding and wildlife viewing is a big deal – even bigger than you might imagine.

In fact, birding is second only to beach-related activities as a form of outdoor recreation for both visitors and residents. The trend is still on the rise, so count on seeing more and more people carrying binoculars and spotting scopes around the Sunshine State.

If you’re already into birding, you probably know that Florida is considered one of the best places in the world for the activity. Here are five of the top spots you don’t want to miss:

• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – For Titusville, having one of the state’s most diverse wildlife habitats on your doorstep is a good thing. In January, the area hosts the annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, which is the largest of its kind in the country. Birders flock to the area en masse to get a look at migrating waterfowl and all manner of shorebirds along Black Point Wildlife Drive, a 7-mile loop around salt marsh impoundments. Whether you’re visiting for a day or a week, you’re sure to check a few species off your life list here.

• Everglades National Park – When wildlife lovers dream, they more than likely dream about the Everglades. Not only is it a National Park, it’s also designated as an International Biosphere Reserve for its ecological importance. Residents of Everglades National Park include the Florida panther, American crocodile, the rare Ghost orchid, manatees and much more. For a good day trip, check out the Anhinga Trail and the Shark Valley tram. www.nps.gov/ever

• Dry Tortugas National Park – Located about 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park is a little difficult to reach, but the reward is well worth the effort. Catch a ride on the Yankee Freedom Ferry, a high-speed catamaran that can get you there in just a couple of hours. Go in the spring and you’ll be rewarded with the rare sight of thousands of Sooty terns and Brown noddies nesting on Bush Key. www.nps.gov/drto

Roseate spoonbills in J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, photo by Hans.

• J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge – Year-round birding and wildlife viewing is terrific on Sanibel Island. At “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, you can drive around the 4-mile Wildlife Drive and get looks at Roseate spoonbills and Gray kingbirds. Take a walk on the Indigo Trail in the summer months, where Mangrove cuckoos can be found. www.fws.gov/dingdarling

• STA5/Lake Okeechobee – It’s not a National Park or a National Wildlife Refuge, but STA-5 is one of the best birding spots in South Florida. Stormwater treatment areas are designed to filter out excess nutrients that would otherwise flow to the Everglades, but they also turn out to be excellent places for birding. To access STA-5, you’ll need to register a visit with one of the local Audubon Society chapters. The birding is fantastic year-round, and you’ll definitely add a few life-listers at STA-5. www.hendrygladesaudubon.org

If five locations aren’t enough, don’t worry. The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail covers the entire state, with 514 official sites to explore. Check out www.floridabirdingtrail.com for more information.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 12-19

Sanibel
CONDOS
2 new listings: Mariner Pointe #733 2/2 $395K, Sanibel Arms #C4 2/2 $489.9K.
3 price changes: Sanbel Arms #C8 2/2 now $429K, Loggerhead Cay #451 2/2 now $485K, White Pelican #112 2/2 now $799K.
2 new sales: Tarpon Beach #206 2/2 listed for $667K, Gulfside Place #323 2/2 listed for $969K.

Our closing this week, Lake Palms #2

3 closed sales: Lake Palms #2 2/2.5 $235K (our sale), Island Beach Club #P3A 2/2 $450K, Tarpon Beach #205 2/2 $650K.

HOMES
4 new listings: 1520 Center St 2/2 $319K, 659 Donax St 2/2 $449K (our listing), 735 Donax St 3/2 $489K, 1480 Angel Dr 3/3 $1.545M.
2 price changes: 4563 Brainard Bayou Rd 3/3 now $649K, 1826 Woodring Rd 3/2 now $1.33M (short sale).
1 new sale: 1941 Roseate Ln 3/2 listed for $449.9K.

Our new listing this week at 659 Donax St

3 closed sales: 966 Greenwood Ct S 3/2.5 half-duplex $322.5K, 1193 Kittiwake Cir 4/3 $530K, 407 Bella Vista Way E 4/4 $2.6M.

LOTS
No new listings.
1 price change: 708 Durion Ct now $359K.
1 new sale: 5891 SanCap Rd listed for $448K.
No closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Sunset Beach Villas #2238 3/3 now $825K.
2 new sales: Bayside Villas #5208 1/2 listed for $255K, Bayside Villas #5134 1/2 listed for $267.9K.
1 closed sale: Beach Villas #2533 2/2 $685K.

HOMES
No new listings.
2 price changes: 11516 Andy Rosse Ln 5/5 now $1.899M, 14971 Binder Dr 4/3 now $2.695M.
No new or closed sales.

LOTS
1 new listing: 16297 Captiva Dr $1.749M.
No price changes, new or closed sales.

Here’s to a rain-free weekend or if not, at least one with more fabulous sunsets!

Don’t forget to call The SanibelSusan Team for all of your island real estate needs! (both Sanibel & Captiva)

SanibelSusan

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Are Lushing Up Again Thanks To Andrea!

Posted on June 7, 2013 by SanibelSusan

It has been a rainy few days on Sanibel with off-and-on showers as Tropical Storm Andrea passed by Southwest Florida. Not very good beach days if you were lucky enough to be on the islands this week; but the parched lawns are greening up quickly – almost growing as one watches them! The rain finally abated today, but we are still waiting for blue skies again. Should happen by Sunday Her is one of SanibelSusan’s favorite island beach photos (by our pal, Jim Anderson of JMA Photography) to remind us of what it will look like!

Yesterday, only three new listings were on our Realtor® Caravan which is now on the biweekly summer schedule. Dave and Lisa checked those out for us and then held open houses trying to attract some of the island visitors looking for things to do on a soggy day. Elise’s report below covers the activity posted in the Sanibel Captiva Multiple Listing Service this week. Usually there is a downtrend in the number of sales this time of the year, but I’ve been working on an offer all week and Elise’s report shows I’m not the only one. All good progress in a recovering market. We hope it continues!

More on Flood Insurance

Even though I’ve mentioned this subject several times lately, here is more info on a topic that has been in the forefront recently with Realtors® working in waterfront areas. With the June 1 onset of Hurricane Season, the following article was in the Fort Myers “News Press” on Saturday.

“Starting in 2014, the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 will phase out grandfathering practices for changes to Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Currently, some policyholders can keep their old flood insurance rates if changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps impact them negatively. According to a Federal Emergency Management Agency fact sheet, this practice will be phased out gradually.

“Some Southwest Florida property owners are going to see drastic increases in their flood insurance rates. A law passed by Congress in 2012 is working to phase out many of the nation’s subsidized flood insurance policies – which in Southwest Florida tend to be older houses in flood-prone coastal areas like Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach. The law’s goal, in part, is to make the National Flood Insurance Program financially stable and to have subsidized properties reflect their true flood risk.

“However, this law is especially troublesome for Southwest Florida residents who bought subsidized flood insurance policies after the law went into effect July 6. These policyholders will incur the full rate increase at once on October 1 when policies need to be renewed – despite many having purchased these policies before the Federal Emergency Management Agency began to understand the law’s impact. As of December 31, Lee County had 30,631 flood insurance policies affected by the 2012 legislation. Collier County had 17,224, according to a FEMA spreadsheet….

“According to a fact sheet from FEMA, the law known as Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 will affect subsidized properties first. Subsidized policies are on properties built before Flood Insurance Rate Maps were put in place, and different communities adopted these maps at different times. Sanibel, for example, adopted the maps in 1979 while Fort Myers Beach adopted them in 1984 when part of unincorporated Lee County.

“About 20% of flood policies nationwide receive subsidies. The immediate impact of the law is on vacation homes in areas defined by FEMA as having at least a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. These properties began seeing 25% annual increases on renewals following January 1. Likewise, properties with repeated or severe flooding and businesses located in flood zones will see 25% increases on renewals following October 1. These increases will continue until rates are high enough to cover the property’s risk.

“Primary residences won’t be hit as hard. These policyholders will continue to receive subsidized rates unless or until: the property is sold, the policy lapses, the property suffers severe or repeated flood loss, or a new policy is purchased. These policyholders may still see rate increases….”

5 Mistakes Foreign Buyers Make

“Florida Realtor®” June magazine had a good article about the mistakes foreign buyers often make when investing in U.S. real estate. Though most of our sellers are U.S. citizens, it has some good advice for those who are not. Here’s a synopsis:

“Mistake #1 – I don’t need to worry about estate taxes, I’m in good health – …The U.S. imposes an estate tax at a rate of up to 40% on the portion of a foreign individual’s gross estate (assets controlled by taxpayer) situated in the U.S. that exceeds $60K….” It is best to consult a tax attorney/certified public accountant.

“Mistake #2 – Believing that use of a foreign corporation will offer protection from U.S. estate tax – This may be true if it’s done correctly. In general, purchasing U.S. real property through a foreign corporation can shield a foreigner from the U.S. estate tax. The shares of a foreign corporation are considered non-U.S. situs property, which means the shares of the foreign corporation are considered as being situated outside the United States. As such, they are not subject to U.S. estate tax upon the foreigner’s death. However, for such corporate ownership to be respected for tax purposes, it is important that the foreign owner of the foreign corporation enter into a lease agreement with the foreign corporation any time that foreign owner uses the underlying real estate for personal purposes. Adequate rent for such personal use should be paid to the foreign corporation, which may have U.S. income tax consequences as well as require the filing of both a federal and a Florida corporate income tax return. Otherwise, the Internal Revenue Service could assert that the foreign corporation lacks substance and that the underlying U.S. real property is owned directly by the foreigner, thereby subjecting that U.S. property to estate taxation.”

“Mistake #3 – Deciding to use the same structure used by a friend – Buying U.S. real estate through a foreign corporation can potentially insulate a foreigner from U.S. estate tax if the sale is structured properly. However, this structure will result in significantly higher income tax when the foreigner sells the property. A foreign corporation’s capital gains from the sale of real estate is subject to combined U.S. federal and Florida corporate income tax rates totaling up to 38%. There is also the potential of an additional 30% U.S. branch profits tax, which is an extra income tax that the U.S. imposes on a foreign corporation’s earnings. On the other hand, capital gains earned by an individual or pass through entity, such as a limited liability company, are subject to capital gains tax of up to 20% in 2013. Accordingly, if a foreigner intends to invest in U.S. real estate and sell it for profit, a foreign corporation is clearly not a good ownership vehicle.”

“Mistake #4 – Transferring one’s U.S. real estate to someone else – A foreigner’s gift, sale or other transfer of U.S. real estate is generally subject to U.S. income tax under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). The federal government collects this income tax (or at least a portion of it) by requiring the recipient (e.g. the buyer) of the U.S. real estate to withhold 10% of its gross proceeds or fair market value…Further, in 2013 the federal government imposed a gift tax on the transfer of U.S. real estate to the extent that the gift exceeds $14K (or $143K if the gift is made to a spouse)…Finally, Florida imposes a documentary stamp tax on the sale of real estate in Florida and certain other transfers to the extent that the real estate is mortgaged….”

“Mistake #5 – Thinking “I am fine as long as I don’t stay in the U.S. for more than six months in a year” – Many foreigners believe that they can be physically present in the U.S. up to six months each year without becoming a U.S. tax resident for income tax purposes. However, this is technically incorrect. A foreigner is deemed to be a U.S. resident for income tax purposes if the average number of days spent in the U.S. over a 3-year period equals or exceeds 183 per year. Under this “substantial presence” test, a foreigner will generally become a tax resident if he or she is physically present in the U.S. for more than 120 days per year….”

Again, early planning whether buying or selling, including consulting a U.S. tax professional who specializes in international taxation is best!

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity May 31 – June 7

Sanibel
CONDOS
3 new listings: Duggers Tropical Cottages #2 1/1 $249K, Cottage Colony West #103 1/1 $538.9K, Heron at The Sanctuary II #2-A 3/2.5 $609K.
4 price changes: Sundial #G401 2/2 now $459K, Tarpon Beach #206 2/2 $667K, Sayana #103 2/2 now $769K, Seascape #104 3/3 now $2.495M.
5 new sales: Sanibel Arms West #M3 2/2 listed for $395K, Sanibel Arms West #M2 2/2 listed for $395.9K, Sanibel Arms #A1 2/2 listed for $420K, Sanibel Arms West #H2 2/2 listed for $469K, Pointe Santo #A22 2/2 listed for $759K.
8 closed sales: Captains Walk #D5 2/1 $195K, Lake Palms #7 2/2.5 $229K, Sundial #F307 1/1 $274K, Loggerhead Cay #432 2/2 $415K, Sundial #J107 2/2 $445K, Loggerhead Cay #583 2/2 $510K, Heron at The Sanctuary III #1B 3/2.5 $550K, Sanctuary Golf Villages I #5-2 3/3 $535K.

HOMES
2 new listings: 1549 Wilton Ln 3/3 $499K, 236 Hurricane Ln 3/3 $555K.
5 price changes: 1021 Sand Castle Rd 2/2 now $409K (short sale), 1667 Sabal Sands Rd 3/3 now $450K, 1364 Jamaica Dr 2/2 now $499K, 5423 Osprey Ct 3/2.5 now $1.595M, 4717 Rue Belle Mer 3/3 now $2.45M (short sale).
4 new sales: 2560 Coconut Dr listed for $495K, 9319 Kincaid Ct 3/2 listed for $525K, 1316 Eagle Run Dr 4/3 listed for $899K, 1550 Angel Dr 3/2.5 listed for $995K.
5 closed sales: 531 Birdsong Place 2/2 $300K, 9484 Peaceful Dr 3/3.5 $565K, 1511 Angel Dr 2/2 $590K, 4207 Gulf Pines Dr 4/4.5 $870K, 4949 Joewood Dr 5/5 $2.3M.

LOTS
No new listings or price changes.
1 new sale: 1503 San Carlos Bay Dr listed for $1.295M.
No closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
1 new listing: Marina Villas #710 2/2 $559K.
3 price changes: Tennis Villas #3110 1/1 now $225K, Bayside Villas #5208 1/2 now $255K, Lands End Village #1665 2/2 now $1.225M.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: Beach Villas #2534 3/3 $738K.

HOMES
1 new listing: 14980 Binder Dr 3/3 $1.465M.
1 price change: 15631 Captiva Dr 5/4.5 now $2.175M.
No new or closed sales.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Happy Weekend, Bring on the Sun!

Gulf of Mexico beach in front of Loggerhead Cay condominiums on Sanibel Island, pix by Jim Anderson, JMA Photography

Record Temps & Picture-Perfect Sanibel & Captiva Islands Weather

Posted on January 11, 2013 by SanibelSusan

Photo courtesy of Jim Anderson, JMA Photography

You probably have heard about Florida in the news this week. It was the warmest state in the nation several times and set records some days for some of the highest recorded January temperatures in SW Florida. Gorgeous bright blue skies and sunny days with 80 degree weather have kept islanders – and visitors and vacationers – smiling.

The roads and bike paths thinned out a little this week when the holiday visitors departed, but my pals in reservations tell me that they had a few record days with bookings this week – undoubtedly thanks to our terrific weather – and the opposite in other parts of the world. Be sure and tell your friends/family planning an island visit this winter that they should not delay in making reservations. Rumor has it that many popular peak nights already are fully booked.

Check-ins are expected to be light again tomorrow and the following Saturday, with the big influx of winter visitors expected to arrive on the 26th. The island will be busy from then until Easter.

Here are a few real estate and island news items followed by the activity reported in the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service this week.

Traveling from Sanibel to Captiva

Teammates Dave and Lisa viewed some Captiva properties that were open for Realtor® Caravan yesterday. During their travels, they took a few pictures of the wildlife in Clam Bayou and along Sanibel-Captiva Road.

View into Clam Bayou

Eagle’s nest in Gulf Pines

Gopher Tortoise stopping traffic on San-Cap Road

Osprey in flight with fish

Quite a few upcoming happenings were added to my island events calendar too. Check them out if you are looking for things to do on particular day. It’s going to be busy winter here, http://sanibelsusan.com/island-events-calendar/

Beginning the New Year at The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors®

David, Lisa, and I attended the local Association of Realtors® Installation and Awards Banquet on Saturday night. Incoming Florida Realtors® President Dean Asher came to Sanibel to perform the induction ceremony. I was one of twenty local Realtors® to receive an Honor Society Award – perhaps the only one for the 20th year in a row. Honor Society awards are presented annually to those of our ~300 Realtor® members earning recognition for their professionalism through education, participation, and community service. Our leadership’s goal this year is to get more of those Realtors® involved.

In 2013, I again am chairing the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Professional Development Committee. Several educational events already are scheduled and others planned.

My other committee work this year will be with the Professional Standards Committee. That group is the Realtors® governing body that hears ethics and arbitration cases that have passed Grievance Committee and need resolution. The beauty of working on these small islands, where most business is handled professionally, is that Professional Standards usually hears few if any cases. I sure hope that applies this year too.

Another New Sanibel Restaurant – The Sandbar

Islanders always get excited when we hear a new restaurant is opening. If you have seen the many contractor vehicles parked at the 2761 West Gulf Drive location of the former Stone Crab restaurant, it was purchased in December by the same island residents who own the nearby Shalimar Cottages and Motel. Called “The Sandbar”, the new restaurant opened this week with hours from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It features a new open-view kitchen and retail market. The general manager who has previously managed other popular island restaurants advises they will feature creative entrees of fresh fish and choice beef, plus menu staples like King crab, shrimp, Maine lobster, and mile-high mud pie. They have a full liquor license too.

Another Coffee Shop Also Coming

This week, Bennett’s Roast was cleared for a City Permit for a 40-seat coffee shop with outdoor seating at 1020 Periwinkle Way, the former Century 21 office east of the Lazy Flamingo. You may remember, I mentioned it several weeks ago, that their permitting process had a few hurdles. The challenges include the property being located in a bald eagle nest buffer zone, wetlands in the back, and being on Sanibel’s highest traffic area near the 4-way stop. Kudos were handed out from both sides for the way the applicants and city staffers worked together to overcome the hurdles.

Island Water & Piping Work Done at The Dunes

The big project to replace old water pipes in The Dunes subdivision is complete ahead of schedule. All Island Water member water meters were replaced with radio-read meters too. The second phase of this two-phase project was not expected to begin until this year, but instead was fully accomplished before Christmas! Way to go Island Water! Did you know that Island Water was incorporated 47 years ago, in 1965, and franchised by Lee County as a member-owned not-for-profit association? As part of our Realtor® education, many of us have toured the facility, seen how the reverse-osmosis water is made, its usage and conservation. It’s a fascinating process. Island Water’s winter newsletter says they will be putting more info on their website this year, check it out at http://www.islandwater.com.

Where The Jobs Will (And Won’t) Be In 2013

Here is part of an interesting forecast that was posted in December on-line at www.Forbes.com.

“Though Florida is still recovering from the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 and the state unemployment rate sits at 8.5% (almost a point higher than the national rate of 7.7%), some pockets of the state are experiencing strong job growth. In fact employers in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area are projecting a net job increase of 23%, the highest in the nation, according to the latest employment outlook survey by the employment services firm, ManpowerGroup. One other Florida metropolitan area, Lakeland-Winter Haven, also landed in the top 15 cities for job growth, according to Manpower….

“In Cape Coral, employment has gotten a boost from the recovering housing market and the fact that the city has a low density rate, at 45%, so there is plenty of room to grow. As home construction has revived, property values have climbed, going up 18%-20% since the trough, says Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce President Mike Quaintance. Housing growth has also fueled growth in restaurants and retail chains…. Cape Coral is getting a new Wal-Mart and a Sam’s Club store. Jobs at those budget retailers don’t tend to pay well, concedes Quaintance. But the housing recovery is also funding better-paying construction-related jobs and home-based businesses like landscaping.

“In neighboring Fort Myers, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Colleen DePasquale says job growth may in part be seasonal, because the population always swells in the winter months, and two baseball teams, the Twins and the Red Sox, go to Fort Myers for spring training. At the same time, clothing chain Chico’s is based in Fort Myers and doing well, and the city just opened a new waterfront development, with plans for a hotel and other businesses.

“Second on Manpower’s list after Cape Coral-Fort Myers: two Arizona metro areas in a tie, Phoenix Mesa-Scottsdale, and Tucson, with a net employment outlook of 20%…. At the other end of the spectrum, St. Louis has the worst employment outlook in the country at -5%. The next-worse is Portland, ME, at ‑2%, followed by Wichita, at -1%….”

Florida Releases Info on State Insurance Companies

Florida Realtors® posted the following article this week:

“The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has released its 2012 Fast Facts report, created to give interested parties statistical data about Florida’s insurance market. The report compiles financial and regulatory information, insurance premium volume, number of domestic insurance companies and related entities, enforcement actions/consumer recoveries, public hearings and more. The Fast Facts report also includes four “Top 20” lists with information about insurance companies in Florida for personal residential, personal automobile, life and annuity, and accident and health lines of business. For residential homeowner policies, Florida-owned Citizens Property Insurance tops the state list with 1.4 million policies, or more than the number covered by the four largest private insurers combined.

“The latest report includes the following breakdown for residential insurance writers by size, followed by number of Florida policies in December 2012:

1. Citizens Property – 1,423,160
2. Universal Property & Casualty – 578,825
3. State Farm Florida – 453,997
4. St. Johns Insurance – 174,021
5. Security First – 147,080
6. USAA – 142,733
7. Castle Key Indemnity (Allstate) – 131,759
8. Castle Key Insurance (Allstate) – 127,540
9. Homeowners Choice – 122,737
10. ASI Assurance – 113,603
11. Florida Peninsula – 112,372
12. American Integrity – 106,052
13. Tower Hill Prime – 104,594
14. American Bankers – 96,381
15. United Property & Casualty – 95,036
16. Florida Family – 87,059
17. ASI Preferred – 78,977
18. Tower Hill Signature – 78,816
19. Universal Insurance – 76,559
20. Southern Fidelity – 74,556

The Fast Facts report can be downloaded through the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website.”

Vote Sanibel as “Happiest Seaside Town”

Coastal Living Magazine listed Sanibel Island as one of ten of its “Happiest Seaside Towns” of 2013. The locations chosen were based on criteria like well-being index, percentage of sunny days, healthiness of beaches and “coastal vibe”.

Starting yesterday (Jan 10) and running through February, you can go online and cast your vote to make it number one at www.coastalliving.com/happytowns2013.
Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity January 4 – 11

Sanibel
CONDOS
2 new listings: Sundial #G106 1/1 $292.9K, Seawind #A102 2/2.5 $439.9K.
5 price changes: Tennisplace #D31 1/1 now $179K, Tennisplace #B32 2/1 now $249K, Blind Pass #D205 2/2 now $291K (short sale), Ibis at The Sanctuary #A202 2/2 now $384.9K, Island Beach Club #220B 2/2 now $499K.
3 new sales: Tennisplace #C35 2/1.5 listed for $249K, Blind Pass #B103 3/2 listed for $469K, Oceans Reach #1B4 1/1 listed for $698K.
1 closed sale: Coquina Beach #1D 2/2 $362K.

HOMES
7 new listings: 1809 Farm Trl 3/2 $499K, 525 N Yachtsman Dr 3/2 $579K, 5431 Shearwater Dr 3/3 $825K, 1213 Par View Dr 3/2.5 $890K, 4709 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $2.1M, 4461 Waters Edge Ln 5/5.5 $5M.
7 price changes: 2079 Wild Lime Dr 3/2 now $460K, 5650 San-Cap Rd 2/2 now $635K, 928 Pepper Tree Place 2/2 now $639.9K, 977 Black Skimmer Way 3/2 now $649K, 569 Lighthouse Way 3/3 now $795K, 9007 Mockingbird Dr 3/3 now $1.1M, 1826 Woodring Rd 3/2 now $1.595M (foreclosure).
4 new sales: 2985 Island Inn Rd 3/2 listed for $399K (our listing), 2560 Coconut Dr 3/3 listed for $495K, 967 Beach Rd 2/2 half-duplex listed for $498K, 1032 Lindgren Blvd 3/2.5 listed for $615K.
3 closed sales: 3050 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $542K, 963 Kings Crown Dr 3/3 $700K, 4689 Rue Belle Mer 3/2 $1.975M.

LOTS
No new listings.
2 price changes: 3005 Turtle Gait Ln now $249K, 1898 Woodring Rd now $2.695M.
No new or closed sales.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Bayside Villas #4106 1/2 now $295K.
1 new sale: Bayside Villas #5326 3/3 listed for $639.5K.
No closed sales.

HOMES
No new listings.
3 price changes: 16838 Captiva Dr 6/7.5 now $5.995M, 15747 Captiva Dr 5/6.5 now $6.95M, 15172/174 Wiles Dr 12/1 multi-family now $11.5M.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: 15783 Captiva Dr 5/5.5 $8.5M.

LOTS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
1 closed sale: 11516 Wightman Ln $650K.

Hooray for the weather in Sanibel & Captiva Islands on January 11, 2013!

It’s glorious!

Photo by Jim Anderson, JMA Photography

Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate Ready for Labor Day Buyers

Posted on August 31, 2012 by SanibelSusan

Yes, we are all breathing a sigh of relief on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Our “for sale” signs which were removed in advance of Tropical Storm Issac now are back into position, most properties have had their pool and porch furniture moved back out, and we are all looking forward to typical Florida summer weather this weekend – bright blue skies, big white popcorn clouds, and maybe a quick afternoon shower just before a spectacular sunset.

Hopefully the island will be busy over the holiday weekend. I heard today that most of the island nightly rental units are booked.

SanibelSusan Realty will be open right through the weekend, including on Monday, hoping to catch some Labor Day business.

Tropical Storm Isaac Will Cost Owners Less

Though I am not aware of any local damage from Tropical Storm Isaac, I thought this article posted today on-line on Florida Realtors® interesting. “Most Florida insurance policies switch gears when damage is inflicted by a hurricane rather than other problems. However, the definition of a hurricane is outlined in Florida law. Since Tropical Storm Isaac was not declared a hurricane until Tuesday, Aug 28, at 11:20 a.m., property insurance policies should not use the unique hurricane standards against any homeowner who puts in a claim for storm damages. In most cases that means homeowners will pay a smaller deductible; in some cases, it’s a much lower deductible. Kevin McCarty, commissioner of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, sent a memo to insurers on Aug. 30. He reminded them that the law defines windstorm damage as “wind, wind gusts, hail, rain, tornadoes, or cyclones caused by or resulting from a hurricane which results in direct physical loss or damage to property.” For most Florida homeowners – except possibly for those in the western Panhandle – Tropical Storm Isaac damage occurred before the storm became an official hurricane. “For these property losses, all insurers must apply the deductible that is unrelated to hurricane, generally referred to as the ‘all other perils deductible’ or ‘other than hurricane deductible,” McCarty said in a memorandum. “An insurer that fails to apply the appropriate deductible is subject to administrative action.””

Thursday Island Realtor Caravan Meeting

Though the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® had their bi-weekly Caravan Meeting yesterday, there were neither any new listings announced nor any open for viewing. This is definitely not the way we like this time of the year. Rather, this is the time of the year when we expect to see new listings.

It appears that the upcoming election has affected seller confidence, though I think that we will see good real estate action over the next few weeks. There already is evidence of long-time fence-sitters recognizing that the market is turning.

School Shell Collection Kits

Now that most schools are back in session, you might mention to those in your area, that the Sanibel Shell Museum offers a collection of seashells with an accompanying teacher’s guide for schools, children’s museums, and similar educational organizations. The Shell Collection Kit is designed to be part of classroom curricula for grades 4 through 8.

The kits which include shells and accompanying videos are available for purchase at the Museum website. More than 2,000 schools and museums in the U.S., American Samoa, Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and Switzerland already have received kits.

Mariner Pointe New Seawall

Those driving on and off island this summer have watched the renovation project work at Mariner Pointe condominiums including replacing the nearly 900′ seawall along the bay, as well as the wooden boardwalk along the top.

According to Dave Wahl, the property manager, the nearly $1/2-million project also included an additional rip-rap barrier, native plant landscaping, irrigation, and external lighting along the boardwalk. The seawall which originally was constructed in the early 70’s had been scheduled for replacement in 2017, but was showing significant signs of wear and tear.

A client and now a happy Mariner Pointe owner, Dianne Reich, spearheaded the selection of the new plantings along the new 60′ boardwalk. They include sea lavender, beach sunflowers, golden creepers, muhly grass, Christmas berry, sea oats, beach verbena, and blanket flowers. It’s very attractive!

The walkway was constructed from treated Tandex boards and it has several bench seats. Perfect for manatee and dolphin viewing! Nice job, Dave, Dianne, and our other friends at Mariner Pointe. (As a former Mariner Pointe owner and resident, SanibelSusan always recommends this complex to boaters, fishermen, and other water-lovers.)

Annual Street Resurfacing

The City’s annual street resurfacing projects began nearly two weeks ago and will continue for another month. Some of the paving is done at night to minimize inconvenience. Every year, the City resurfaces selected roads based on a time schedule and existing condition. This year’s project involves 13 streets (East Periwinkle Way (Causeway Blvd to Kings Crown), Periwinkle Way (Cause Blvd to just east of Huxter’s), Periwinkle Way (just west of Casa Ybel to just west of Palm Ridge), Causeway Blvd, Lindgren Blvd, the 4-way stop, Tarpon Bay Rd, Purdy Ln, Roseate Ln, Ibis Ln, Baltusrol Ct, Troon Ct, and Wulfert Rd; plus Nerita St paving (currently unpaved); and several other small projects.

Temporary Membership Available at The Sanctuary Golf Community

In an e-mail received today from Sheryl Tatum, Director of Membership and Marketing at The Sanctuary Golf Club, she reminded Realtors of the Temporary Membership available at the club and advises that it is suitable for prospects staying there while they are looking for a home and would like golf/tennis/dining. Here are the details:

“Temporary Members have, for their limited one or two month membership, the same use of and access to the Club’s facilities as Equity Members, but without any voting or redemption rights or an Equity position in the Club, and cannot play in tournaments. The Temporary Membership duration is one month or two months and is not renewable. Temporary Members do not have any additional fees or food and beverage minimums. Cost is $5,000 for 1 month, $7,500 for 2 months. They also have Introductory, Equity, and Social Memberships available.”

Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity August 24-31

Sanibel
CONDOS
1 new listing: Golden Beach #2 3/2.5 $1.495M.
3 price changes: Sundial #H107 1/1 now $354K, Pointe Santo #D35 2/2 now $669K, Pointe Santo #A21 2/2 now $795K.
1 new sale: Sundial #G207 1/1 listed for $239.9K.
2 closed sales: Sundial #E305 2/2 $795K, Compass Point #153 2/2 $1.05M.

HOMES
3 new lsitings: 1211 Periwinkle Way 3/2 $349.9K, 490/460 Old Trail Rd 3/2 $390K (short sale), 4207 Gulf Pines Dr 4/4.5 $1.1M.
2 price changes: 1536 Bunting Ln 3/2 now $433.5K, 413 Bella Vista Way 4/4 now $1.849M.
4 new sales: 531 Piedmont Rd 2/2 listed for $314.9K, 2991 Singing Winds 3/2 listed for $379.9K (our buyer), 1603 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 half-duplex listed for $435K, 615 Lighthouse Way 3/4.5 listed for $2.495M.
3 closed sales: 2102 Egret Cir 3/2 $300K, 940 S Yachtsman Dr 3/2.5 $465K, 1120 Junonia St 3/2 $612.5K.

LOTS
1 new listing: 1898 Woodring Rd $3.17M.
No price changes, new or closed sales.

Captiva

CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Bayside Villas #5132 1/2 now $273.9K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: Captiva Hide-A-Way #1B 2/2 $615K.

HOMES
Nothing to report.

LOTS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
1 closed sale: 13470 Palmflower Ln $650K.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Real Estate – With All Eyes on Tropical Storm Isaac

Posted on August 24, 2012 by SanibelSusan

The SanibelSusan Team has been watching the weather channel entirely too much today; but better safe than sorry. As a precaution, Dave brought in all of our “For Sale” signs this morning. We don’t want them to become airborne.

We all got our 2012 hurricane re-entry passes in June, but it seems some did not plan ahead. The City/Police Dept stayed open until 8 p.m. last night to accommodate those folks getting them at the last minute.

With all eyes on how Isaac moves after it crosses Cuba, our plan is to be open unless it looks unsafe. Being on the easterly side of a hurricane path is not the best from a wind and storm surge standpoint, so we naturally hope it either veers way out into the gulf or dissipates.

Dave and I did some business on Sanibel’s west end earlier in the week. He snapped these pictures near the dredging area of Blind Pass. The beach sure looked terrific. Let’s hope that Isaac doesn’t bring back the sand that just got moved offshore.

Real Estate Action This Week

We had no real estate caravan meeting yesterday, but there was a little island sales action as posted below. Last week, we had multiple offers on our Rabbit Road lot listing that went under contract. That definitely was a surprise, but fun! It has been a long time since that has happened.

Elise took a class at the Association of Realtors® office yesterday, called “iPads, iPhones, & Tablets”. Now she’s sharing her new knowledge with the rest of us. Our Association also has a new website that went on-line this week, www.SanibelRealtors.com.

Buyers Want a Bargain? Here’s Their Chance!

For home buyers who are looking for a chance to buy low, they may not want to drag their feet too much longer according to an article posted Tuesday in the “Daily Real Estate News”:

““Home prices have probably bottomed in most markets,” David Crowe, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders, said in an NBC News-hosted Web chat with online visitors last week. “Mortgage rates are not likely to go down much further and will eventually rise as the economy recovers. Home builders are hungry and while you will still have to pay a fair price, you may not get a better bargain than now before all the rest of the demand comes back.” However, the best bargains will largely depend on where you’re at, Crowe says. “House prices are rising in some markets, notably Texas… In a few markets that were severely damaged by the recent Great Recession, prices may continue downward for another six to ten months,” Crowe says. Crowe says one hurdle that may slow the recovery is the inability for some home buyers to still not be able to qualify for financing due to banks’ tightened underwriting conditions in the last few years….”

Comparing this article to the Sanibel and Captiva market, I think it is safe to say that the tide is changing here too. Here are the latest inventory statistics with the number of sales “up” in all categories.

# # Sold # Sold # Sold # Sold

For Sale Year-to-Date in 2011 in 2010 in 2009

Sanibel condos 161 132 142 120 87

Sanibel homes 186 150 179 124 144

Sanibel lots 83 30 19 21 11

Sanibel Subtotal 430 312 340 265 242

Captiva condos 47 31 24 25 22

Captiva homes 41 25 22 10 16

Captiva lots 4 4 1 2 3

Captiva Subtotal 92 60 47 37 41

Total Both Islands 522 372 387 302 283

“Rescue Me” Partnership

This week tree trimmers were working along Periwinkle Way, removing some of the vegetation growing over the power lines. That was timely, wonder if they knew in advance that Isaac was thinking about Florida.

This trimming made it particularly timely, when I saw this internet posting: “CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) is working with the City of Sanibel, Lee County Electric Coop (LCEC) and Asplundh Tree service in an effort to protect our nesting birds. This huge undertaking requires a team of volunteers who can help identify which trees have nests and mark those trees in advance to alert the tree service crews. If an active nest is displaced or babies have fallen, the Asplundh Tree Service crew will place the nests and/or babies in “Rescue Me” boxes created by our local Boy& Girl Scouts, mark the location where the babies were found and then deliver them to CROW for short-term rehabilitative care and release back at the original nest site.”

Below are a few Sanibel bird photos. The baby red-shouldered hawk picture came from CROW while the others are from a Facebook acquaintenance who visited the island for many years and is willing to share his pictures. Thank you, Joe Santucci.

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27th Annual Coastal Cleanup September 15

SCCF (Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation) is inviting everyone to participate in an international volunteer effort to rid our coastlines and waterways of marine litter, pollution, and debris. As many as 400,000 volunteers worldwide will be removing 6.8 million pounds plus of coastal trash that can hurt local economies, injure and kill marine wildlife, and choke the ocean environment. SCCF’s partner in the Ocean Conservancy’s 27th Annual Coastal Cleanup is Keep Lee County Beautiful. Participation is easy. Bring your friends and family to SCCF at 3333 San-Cap Road between 9-12 a.m. on Saturday, September 15 to check in and pick up your Coastal Cleanup Data cards and trash bags. Return your data sheets, deposit your trash in the SCCF dumpster, and have lunch or snacks on the Nature Center porch between 10 and 12 a.m. Call SSCF at 239-472-2329 with questions, to pick your “cleanup” spot early, or get data cards ahead of time.

Top 8 College Towns for Investors

I had two clients tell me this week that they are looking at buying investment real estate in their college towns. Again another timely article was posted Wednesday on “Daily Real Estate News”. It says:

“Investors increasingly are eyeing college towns to snag properties at discounts and turn them into rental properties that could potentially offer steady cash flow with student tenants. But which college towns offer some of the best returns? Realtor.com recently released its second annual list of the best college towns for investors, factoring in average monthly rental prices and comparing it to estimated mortgage payments of a median priced home. The following are the top eight college towns for investors, according to this year’s report.

1. Boston, median list price: $334,900, average rent: $3,084, mortgage payment estimate: $1,240

2. Princeton NJ, median list price: $265,000, average rent: $2,056, mortgage payment estimate: $980

3. Chicago, median list price: $194,000, average rent: $1,630, mortgage payment estimate: $720

4. Washington DC, median list price: $395,000, average rent: $2,637, mortgage payment estimate: $1,460

5. Houston, median list price: $183,000, average rent: $1,134, mortgage payment estimate: $680

6. Philadelphia, median list price: $234,900, average rent: $1,475, mortgage payment estimate: $870

7. Atlanta, median list price: $174,900, average rent: $1,187, mortgage payment estimate: $650

8. Pittsburgh, median list price: $140,000, average rent: $1,122, mortgage payment estimate: $520″

Price Your House To Sell Quickly

I have shared articles on this subject before, but thought this one particularly well written. It was posted by Dian Hymer with Inman News on Monday. Dian is a real estate broker with more than 30 years’ experience, a nationally-syndicated real estate columnist and author of “House Hunting: The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers” and “Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer’s Guide.”

“If home lacks features of recent comps, it’s time to subtract value – A 1st-quarter survey of homebuyers and sellers done by HomeGain.com, a real estate services website, revealed that 76% of homeowners believe their home is worth more than the list price recommended by their real estate agent. Homebuyers usually have a better grasp of current market value in the area where they’re looking to buy than do sellers who own and live there. Buyers look at a lot of new listings. They make offers, know what sells quickly and for how much, and what doesn’t and why. HomeGain reported that homebuyers still think sellers are overpricing their homes.

“Your home is worth what a buyer will pay for it given current market conditions. This may not be the same as your opinion of what your home will sell for, or what you hope it’s worth. Relying on emotion rather than logic when selecting a list price can lead to disappointing results…. Listings that sell today are priced right for the market. Buyers need to feel comfortable that they are getting a good deal. Buyers won’t overpay if they feel home prices are still declining, and in some areas of the country, they still are. In areas of strong sales, buyers may shy away from multiple-offer situations if they feel the recovery is fragile and that prices may slide further before stabilizing. Even in areas where home sales have been strong in the first half of 2012, local practitioners wonder how long the uptick will last.

“HOUSE HUNTING TIP: When selecting a list price, it helps to understand how real estate agents and appraisers establish an expected selling price or price range for your home. They research the recent listing inventory for homes similar to yours that sold. The most recent sales give the best indication of the direction of the market. They analyze these comparable sales giving more value to your home for attributes that it has that the comparables don’t, like a remodeled kitchen. Value is subtracted from your home for features it lacks when compared to the sold comparables, like an easily accessible, level backyard.

“It’s difficult for sellers to step back and take an attitude of detached interest in their home. But it’s essential to do so if you want to sell successfully in this market…. If the comparable sale information suggests that the value of homes like yours is declining, select a list price that undercuts the competition to drive buyers — and hopefully offers — to your home. You can take a more aggressive stance on pricing if the comparables show that prices are moving up.

“If there is high demand for homes like yours, you may receive more than one offer. But don’t list too high. It’s better to stay in the range shown by the comparables and expose the house to the market before accepting offers. The market will drive the price up if it’s warranted.

“THE CLOSING: Don’t rely on rumors circulating in the neighborhood about how high a home sold. Prices tend to get inflated when passed from one person to another. Select your list price based on hard facts.”

Sanibel & Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity August 17-24

Sanibel
CONDOS
No new listings.
3 price changes: Blind Pass #E102 2/2 now $395K, Blind Pass #B102 2/2 now $359K, Loggerhead Cay #232 2/2 now $539K.
1 new sale: Compass Point #143 3/2 listed for $1.049M.
1 closed sale: Captains Walk #F7 2/1.5 $205K.

HOMES
1 new listing: 3825 West Gulf Dr 3/2 $2.35M.
2 price changes: 1536 Bunting Ln 3/2 now $433.5K, 5841 Pine Tree Dr 3/2 now $489.9K.
2 new sales: 750 Nerita St 3/2 listed for $499K, 494 Surf Sound Ct 5/2.5 listed for $899,555.
2 closed sales: 2210 Camino Del Mar 3/2 $512.5K, 1043 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $535K.

LOTS
No new listings.
1 price change: 133 Butterknife Pl now $324.9K.
1 new sale: 545 Rabbit Rd listed for $179K (our listing).
1 closed sale: 4771 Rue Helene $345K.

Captiva
CONDOS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
2 closed sales: Captiva Shores #1B 3/2.5 $1M, Captiva Bay Villas #D 3/3.5 $2.5M.

HOMES
1 new listing: 1114 Schefflera 4/3 $1.795M.
No price changes or new sales.
1 closed sale: 11407 Old Lodge Ln $950K.

LOTS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
1 closed sale: 11401 Old Lodge Ln $2.5M.

Mid-August Real Estate Scoop About Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on August 17, 2012 by SanibelSusan

It’s the end of another week of wonderful weather on Sanibel. Here are a few news items, followed by the real estate activity posted this week in the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service.

Did You Know?

Here’s another terrific reason to be on Sanibel Island. These statistics really put things in perspective. The summer issue of the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village newsletter “Sanibel’s Village Voice” says: “Sanibel (17.5 sq. mi.) and Manhattan (22.96 sq. mi.) are close to the same size, yet Sanibel’s population is 6,469 and Manhattan’s is about 1.6 million.”

In other news about the Museum, coming soon to the Village are Shore Haven, a Sears kit home, and its caretaker cottage. They are hoping to welcome them to the Village in September.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Continuing Education

Our local association of Realtors®-sponsored 14-hour continuing education class was this week. Since my license renewal is next winter, this off-season event was a great time to get these education requirements out-of-the-way early.

On Tues morning at o’dark-thirty, 17 of us boarded a Captiva Cruises vessel with Kristie Anders, Education Director of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). In addition to getting a terrific boat ride around Captiva, North Captiva, and up/down Roosevelt Channel, Kristie updated us on recent island development from an environmental standpoint, building code changes, mangrove trimming, and preservation issues. As a daily commuter by boat from her home on North Captiva to Sanibel, Kristie has a keen eye for manatees and dolphins, so she spotted several for us to enjoy along the way.

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That morning education session wrapped up at Island Water with a tour of their facility, a presentation on the state of the reverse-osmosis plant, its history, water sources, statistics on how much water islanders use today, how to better conserve, and their plans for the future.

One of the first signs from J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge. As the story goes, Ding himself was seen nailing one of these to a tree in the Refuge.

The afternoon session presented again by Kristie but at SCCF’s Education Center included statistics from the local Visitor and Convention bureau about current sources of county and island visitors, their vacation preferences, and time of year/length of stays. She also gave us her presentation “The City That Almost Wasn’t” which is a new one offered periodically at SCCF and describing how Sanibel came to be. (I post SCCF’s schedule each month on my website and blog, so check them out if you would like to attend this presentation too. It’s definitely a winner!)

2-day Loggerhead turtle with cord still attached where it connected to egg sac

To answer some questions from the floor, Kristie brought in local SCCF animal expert, Dee Serage Century who brought us up-to-day on the travels of the Sanibel Bear, a coyote family that now resides on Sanibel, the new female crocodile, and other tales of island wildlife coexisting with humans.

The last black indigo snake on Sanibel (per SCCF). Species is endangered in Florida.

We also received a tour of the live turtle exhibits, an up-close-and-personal visit with Sanibel’s only black indigo snake which is a protected species, and a chance to photograph a 2-day-old baby Loggerhead turtle. It is amazing how these tiny hatchlings, make it into the gulf, and survive to grow into such huge creatures.

Mangrove diamond-backed turtles

Kristie also updated Realtors® on state and local water quality issues, ongoing projects at the Marine Lab, and SCCF’s current land preservation projects. SCCF offers a free one-year membership to any new island property owner. Local Realtors® help SCCF in facilitating them.

The 2nd day of class covered Negotiations and Core Law. Though these are not usually fun subjects, our instructor, Mel King from the Royal Institute of Real Estate in Fort Myers, made it more enjoyable by including several case studies particularly suited to our island market and today’s real estate challenges. I think he was impressed that island Realtors® demonstrated strong business practices and ethics. (A true plus from working on a small barrier island!)

4 Strong Reasons to Buy a Home Now

An article posted this week in the “Daily Real Estate News” says:

“It’s hard to argue against buying a house now, assuming you can get a loan,” writes John Waggoner, a columnist with USA Today. Sure, Waggoner says that getting a credit check for approval of a mortgage can be a “only slightly less intrusive than a CIA background check,” but for those who are able to qualify, a lot of analysts say that now can be a good time to purchase a home.

1. The price is right. The median single-family home price hit its lowest in more than a decade when it reached $154,600 in January, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. That was the lowest since October 2001. During the height of the housing market in July 2006, the median home price for a single-family home was $230,900.

2. It’s cheaper to buy than rent. In nearly every major metro market, it is cheaper to buy a home than rent. Rents have been on the rise the last few years and are predicted to continue to rise. Meanwhile, home affordability is at record highs, which means that buying a home is more within reach to the median income family.

3. Inventories of for-sale homes are shrinking. Ned Davis Research estimates that excess inventories of homes to be eliminated by the end of next year. “When excess supply dries up, people start building more new houses, which has the virtuous effect of reducing the unemployment rate and increasing the economy generally,” according to the USA Today article.

4. Mortgage rates are at record lows. Mortgage rates have hovered near record lows for weeks which have helped push housing affordability higher. For example, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, which is the most popular among home buyers, is 3.59%, according to Freddie Mac—just above its record low set on July 26 of 3.49% average. “It’s conceivable that at some point in the next 30 years, your interest rate would be less than the rate of inflation,” writes Waggoner for USA Today.”

Sanibel Summer Dining

Last week, I mentioned a couple of new island restaurants. Today I noticed the first announcements of Sanibel restaurants closing for their annual vacations and pre-season spruce-ups. Trader’s Cafe & Store will be closing for seven weeks after dinner tomorrow (reopening Oct 3).

The Over Easy Cafe will be closed from Sept 10-20. Still plenty of time to in fit a few meals at The Over Easy before they take their break. Dog lovers particularly like the outdoor seating at The Over Easy where pets are welcome. Today I spotted an adorable Maltese enjoying the patio.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity August 10-17

Sanibel
CONDOS
4 new listings: Casa Blanca #6 1/1 $274.9K, Sanibel Moorings #1042 2/2 $449K, Sundial #G201 2/2 $539K (foreclosure), Sundial #L202 2/2 $695K.
6 price changes: Ibis at The Sanctuary #A202 2/2 now $348.9K, Sundial #J103 1/1 now $397K, Sundial #I203 1/1 now $439K, Cottage Colony West #101 1/1 now $498K, Island Beach Club #220B 2/2 now $529K, Shell Island Beach Club #5B 2/2 now $744K.
No new sales.
2 closed sales: Sand Pointe #212 2/2 $602K, Beachcomber #A101 2/2 $1.175M.

HOMES
1 new listing: 1824 Woodring Rd 4/4 $1.175M.
2 price changes: 1001 Lindgren Blvd 3/2 now $634K, 6009 Clam Bayou Ln 4/3 now $877K.
4 new sales: 2134 Egret Cir 3/2 half-duplex listed for $369K, 613 Sea Oats Dr 2/2 listed for $375K, 963 Kings Crown Dr 3/3 listed for $795K, Plantation Village #103 4/3 listed for $1.29M.

1 closed sale: 3229 Twin Lakes Ln 2/2 $435K.

LOTS
No new listings, price changes, or new sales.
1 closed sale: 2299 Starfish Ln $303.5K.

Captiva
CONDOS
3 new listings: Bayside Villas #5144 1/2 $339.5K, Beach Villas #2433 $698.5K, Sunset Beach Villas #2238 3/3 $850K.
No price changes.
2 new sales: Tennis Villas #3120 1/1 listed for $215K, Bayside Villas #5228 1/2 listed for $299K.
No closed sales.

HOMES
Nothing to report.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

August is Sunny & Bright on Sanibel & Captiva Island

Posted on August 3, 2012 by SanibelSusan

The islands have had terrific weather again this week with no rain, just sunny days with bright blue skies. A former client stopped in this morning saying that when he went to the beach earlier it was nearly as busy as it is in the winter. We told him that it may slow down a bit next week, after local schools begin.

Last Friday, another client who owns a small Sanibel resort, also stopped in. She said that her facility has been busy much of the summer and now mostly with European visitors. She noted that one day all of her rooms were taken with German tourists – none who even knew one another. She mentioned some foreign guidebooks left behind starred Sanibel as a “must see” stop for visitors coming to Florida – probably more positive results from the national news about Sanibel being such a great vacation destination.

Here are a couple of other news items, followed by the week’s report of the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service action.

New Plantings at Lighthouse Beach Park

If you remember the photos posted after Tropical Storm Debby passed near Sanibel earlier this summer, you can appreciate that the City has completed planting a large group of green buttonwood trees along the access roadway to the lighthouse, intended to mitigate erosion during abnormally high tides and storm surges. Once established, the root structures of these trees will help to hold the sand in place and minimize damage from future events. Sanibel’s Director of Natural Resources, James Evans, is quoted saying “It was clear from the areas where erosion did not occur that the existing green buttonwoods and mangroves did a good job of protecting the shoreline.” In addition to these trees at Lighthouse Beach Park, the City is also putting in beach dune plantings at Bowman’s Beach Park, Tarpon Bay Beach, and Gulfside Park – funded by the Tourist Development Council Beach and Shoreline Program. (The photos above and below were taken this afternoon. Dave said that both parking lots were full at the Lighthouse – another busy Sanibel beach day – wooohooo!)

Lee County Commission Votes Against Tax Hike

As reported in the Fort Myers NewsPress.com, on Tuesday “Lee County commission voted to keep property tax rates at their current level for the upcoming fiscal year. In a 4-1 vote, commissioners agreed to set taxes at a maximum rate of 4.15% next year – the same they’ve been since fiscal year 2007-08, according to the clerk’s office. The rate can be lowered during budget hearings in September but not increased….”

FHFA Says Fannie, Freddie Will Not Reduce Mortgage Balances

An article posted in “Daily Real Estate News” midweek, says

“The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced Tuesday that after several months of mounting pressure from the Obama administrator and lawmakers that the mortgage giants it regulates, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will not lower the mortgage principal of underwater home owners. Its decision quickly drew criticism. The FHFA insists that through its own analysis it has concluded that reducing the mortgage principal of struggling home owners will not help prevent foreclosures nor save tax-payers money in bailout money to the GSEs. The Obama administration says it disagrees with the FHFA’s decision. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner was quick to argue that a reduction of struggling borrowers’ loan balances by the FHFA could save taxpayers up to $1 billion. “I do not believe it is the best decision for the country,” Geithner wrote to the FHFA shortly after it announced its decision. “You have the power to help more struggling home owners and help heal the remaining damage from the housing crisis.”

“The government had committed to helping to cover some of the costs to implementing such a program if the FHFA would permit mortgage principal reductions to move forward. Yet, Edward DeMarco, the FHFA’s acting director, says that the FHFA has concluded after months of consideration that “the anticipated benefits do not outweigh the costs and risks” with mortgage principal reductions, and that the agency stands by its original decision to not permit it. DeMarco says that only about 74,000 to 248,000 home owners would be eligible for the principal reductions, but developing and implementing such a program would prove costly. Plus, about 11 million Americans are underwater on their mortgages so the program would only be able to help a small share. DeMarco also said he was concerned reducing the mortgage principal on some home owners’ mortgages would prompt other borrowers to fall behind on their payments so that they could receive similar treatment.” (Source: “Fannie, Freddie Regulator Says No to Reducing Principal,” CNNMoney (July 31, 2012) and “Agency Bars Fannie and Freddie From Reducing Principal,” The Associated Press (July 31, 2012))

More Sanibel Bike Path Work

This week, the City’s contractor began the scheduled improvements on the shared use path along Tarpon Bay Road from Island Inn Road to West Gulf Dr.

Take care when biking in that area for the next 45 days.

Housing Market Lifts Off From the ‘Bottom’

Another “Daily Real Estate News” article, posted “Recent housing indexes have shown single-family home prices are on the rise, providing more evidence that the “bottom” of the market is already behind. “We’re wiping out just about all of the decline,” Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors, told NBC.com about recent housing data showing home prices inching up. “It indicates the market has turned the corner on the pricing side.” Some recent housing indexes suggest that the “bottom” of the market was reached in January 2012. Since that time, housing prices have been picking up in many housing markets. But “the turnaround in home prices was unexpected,” says Patrick Newport, an economist with IHS Global Insight. “The conventional wisdom in February, following that landmark agreement [of the $26 billion mortgage settlement with the nation’s five largest banks], was that we would see a surge in foreclosures of some size that would lead to lower home prices. This surge never materialized and home prices have turned.”

“Newport points to several signs of a housing market on the mend. For one, housing starts are up, after reaching a low in the fourth quarter of 2011. Also, he says the FHFA monthly House Price Index shows a 3.7% increase in May year-over-year, which he notes is higher than inflation and “means that real housing wealth, a consumer spending driver, was also up.” The increase in home prices is also leading to a fewer number of home owners who are underwater on their mortgages, owing more on their mortgage than their home is currently worth. The number of underwater home owners fell from 12.1 million at the end of 2011 to 11.4 million at the end of the first quarter this year, according to CoreLogic data. (Source: “Evidence Mounts that Home Prices Hit Bottom Last Winter,” NBC News (July 31, 2012))

New Fire Station Coming to Captiva

A recent article posted locally by Captiva Fire Chief Rich Dickerson, advises that after 33 years of service, the Captiva Fire Station is being retired. Completed in 1980 when the department had just four full-time paid staff, the facility now lacks the space needed to accommodate today’s staff of 11, plus volunteers. Planning for a new station began in 2008 and is targeted for completion in late 2013/early 2014. Not only will the new station be configured to accommodate today’s needs, it will be built to withstand a major hurricane, and designed to service as the main headquarters for a Disaster Unified Command team.

NAR Emailing 82 Million Americans

A posting today on Florida Realtors® announced that “The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) started an email campaign last week. NAR says it will contact 82 million Americans – 75 million homeowners and 7 million renters – and explain actions in Washington that, if passed, would make homeownership less desirable.
            “The email has two goals. It first attempts to educate consumers about the value of homeownership. It then positions NAR as a consumers’ ally in any fight to keep federal benefits for housing, such as the mortgage interest deduction (MID) on federal income taxes. The MID has been mentioned in some government circles as one of the benefits that could be negated or cut back as the U.S. works to lower the federal deficit.
            “If an email recipient wants more information, he or she will be referred to HouseLogic, NAR’s consumer-facing website. NAR says a second and third set of emails may also be sent to consumers in the coming months if Congress takes any actions that would reduce federal support for homeownership.
            “NAR has posted more information about the email campaign, including a list of FAQs, on its website.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 27 – August 3

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Beach Road Villa #106 2/2 $349K, Nutmeg Village #106 2/2 $649K, Sundial #K203 2/2 $784.5K.

1 price change: Pointe Santo #C32 2/2 now $650K.

1 new sale: Heron at The Sanctuary #2B 3/3.5 listed for $610K.

2 closed sales: Ibis at The Sanctuary #A201 2/2 $310K, Seawind #A103 2/2.5 $410K.

HOMES

2 new listings: 688 Cardium St 5/4 $419K, 1056 Sand Castle Rd 3/2 $849K.

8 price changes: 531 Piedmont Rd 2/2 now $314.9K, 2134 Egret Cir 3/2 half-duplex now $369K, 960 Palm St 3/3 now $374.9K (short sale), 2991 Singing Wind 3/2 now $379.9K, 293 Palm Lake Dr 3/2 now $430K, 1603 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 half-duplex, 220 Palm Lake Dr 3/3 now $529K, 553 Lighthouse Way 4/4 now $1.695M.

3 new sales: 2102 Egret Cir 3/2 listed for $378.9K, 2130 Sunset Cir 3/2 listed for $487K, 731 Nerita St 3/2 listed for $499K.

4 closed sales: 1001 East Gulf Dr 2/2 $377K; 591 Boulder Dr 4/3 $591K; 1290 Bay Dr 3/2 $1,322,500; 5391 Shearwater Dr 3/3.5 $1.495M.

LOTS

1 new listing: 2562 Coconut Dr $349K.

1 price change: 1837 Buckthorn Ln now $425K.

1 new sale: 4771 Rue Helene listed for $436K.

Captiva

CONDOS

No new listings or price changes.

1 new sale: Captiva Hide-A-Way #1B 2/2 listed for $649K.

No closed sales.

HOMES

No new listings.

4 price changes: 11490 Dickey Ln 3/2 now $899K, 15891 Captiva Dr 5/4 now $2.995M, 16645 Captiva Dr 8/9/2 now $3.995M, 16730 Captiva Dr 5/4.5 now $4.695M.

No new sales.

1 closed sale: 11461 Dickey Ln 3/2 $1,027,500.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Midway Thru June With Summer in Full Swing on Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Posted on June 15, 2012 by SanibelSusan

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It has been another week of glorious weather on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. With one of our teammates vacationing at Pointe Santo with her family, we have heard some terrific reports about the children’s programs there, from movie night with pizza and popcorn to island-style arts and crafts projects. Their family has also enjoyed Bubble Room desserts (bet you did not know it was filmed this week for a segment on the Food Channel), golf at The Dunes, plus shelling and Segway adventures. They are having plenty of fun with sunny skies, beautiful sunsets, and temperatures in the low 90’s! The above photos are from our Pointe Santo archives!

Florida Voters

Thousands of property owners stand to save millions of dollars collectively every year if enough voters approve Amendment 4 during the general election in Florida this November. Amendment 4 will provide much-needed property tax relief to non-homestead owners (commercial, vacation/second home and investors) and first-time buyers. The measure requires approval by 60% of voters. To learn more, visit www.floridataxpayersfirst.com.

International Sales Continue to Climb in U.S. Market

Florida Realtors® posted this article on Monday. It illustrates again why it is important to stay in the forefront with international buyers. SanibelSusan is one of only two Sanibel and Captiva Realtors® with the Transnational Referral Certified (TRC) designation and the only one with “platinum” standing or top-billing when a prospective buyer searches on-line at www.WorldProperties.com for a local Realtor® trained in working with international buyers.

“Due to low prices and the relative weakness of the dollar, international buyers continue to identify the U.S. as a desirable place to own property and make a profitable investment. According to the National Association of Realtors® 2012 Profile of International Home Buying Activity, total residential international sales in the U.S. for the past year ending March 2012 equaled $82.5 billion, up from $66.4 billion in 2011. Total international sales were evenly split between non-resident foreigners and recent immigrants. The survey asked Realtors® to report their international business activity within the U.S. for the 12 months ending March 2012.

““Today’s advantageous market conditions have drawn more and more foreign buyers to the U.S. in recent years, signaling how desirable and profitable owning property in this country can be,” said NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc. in Miami and 2002 President of Florida Realtors®. “Low housing prices, a good inventory condition and increased buying power with today’s exchange rates help attract international clients. Foreign buyers also have the advantage of working with a Realtor. Realtors who specialize in serving international clientele have a truly global perspective; they know what hurdles foreign buyers face when purchasing property in the U.S., and have the expertise and knowledge that comes from working with clients from different cultures and real estate practices.”

“International buyers bought homes throughout the country, but four states accounted for 51% of the purchases – Florida, California, Texas and Arizona. Florida has been the fastest growing destination of choice, accounting for 26% of foreign purchases. California was second with 11% and Texas and Arizona accounted for seven percent. Proximity to the home country, the presence of relatives and friends, the convenience of air transportation, and climate and location are all important considerations to prospective foreign buyers. Locations on the East Coast generally attract European buyers, while Asian buyers tend to purchase on the West Coast, particularly California.

“Florida attracts a diverse set of international buyers including South Americans, Europeans and Canadians. Meanwhile, Texas remains popular among Mexican buyers. Within markets in an individual state, it is not unusual to find concentrations of people grouped by nationality.

““Foreign buyers recognize that owning a home in the U.S. has many benefits, both financial and social,” said Veissi. “Many purchase property as an investment, vacation home or to diversify their portfolio. In addition, many recent immigrants view homeownership as an important accomplishment. They believe that being a homeowner is one of many ways they become established in the U.S. and attain stability, security and a sense of community.”

“International buyers came from all over the globe, but Canada, China (The People’s Republic of China including Hong Kong), Mexico, India and the United Kingdom accounted for 55% of all international transactions, according to the survey. Canada and China remain the fastest-growing home countries. Canada accounted for 24% of international sales while China accounted for 11%, up from nine percent in 2011. Mexico was third with eight percent of sales and India and the U.K. both accounted for six percent.

“Forty-five percent of international purchases were under $250,000. In addition, there appears to be a gradual increasing trend toward purchases in the $250,000 to $500,000 price range. In 2012, this range accounted for 30% of purchases, up from 28% in 2011. The average price paid by an international buyer was $400,000 compared to the overall U.S. average of $212,000.

“Several reasons account for why the average international home price is higher than the average overall price. The international client is typically wealthier than the domestic buyer and is looking for a property in a specialized niche, for example, a larger property suitable for multi-generational living or a property that establishes the individual’s presence and standing in the community. Many homes purchased by foreign buyers are used as a primary residence. Vacation and rental use are also major reasons for a purchase. More than half – 66% – of survey respondents reported international buyers purchased detached single-family homes. About half of international buyers, 52%, preferred to buy in a suburban area and about a quarter, 23%, bought in a central city/urban area.

“Sixty-two percent of international purchases were all cash, which has increased since 2007. International buyers still experience many financing challenges when purchasing a home in the U.S. In fact, among transactions that failed, Realtors reported that in 26% of the cases financing issues were the problem. The difficulties facing foreign buyers in trying to obtain a mortgage include lack of U.S.-based credit history and hurdles in meeting mortgage requirements. Other reasons for not purchasing properties were cost/taxes/insurance and immigration laws.

“Twenty-seven percent of Realtors reported having worked with international clients this year. Fifty-two percent of Realtors reported that international transactions accounted for one to 10% of their total transactions, while 27% reported that they made up more than 10% of total transactions. Realtor specialization on the buyer’s side of the market – such as foreign language capabilities, cultural affinity or orientation with the prospective purchaser and experience in explaining the U.S. real estate – appear to be important in working with foreign buyers.”

Why Do Lenders Require More Documentation Than Before?

In an e-blast from a local lender, the following was offered as explanation for the need for so much documentation when securing a bank mortgage today:

“So often, clients complain about the amount of documentation that banks are requiring today when a borrower applies for a home mortgage.

“Explanation: Banks obtain most of the money they lend from the agencies known as “Fannie Mae” or “Freddie Mac”. After the loan closes, the loan is packaged up and sold to the investor (Fannie or Freddie). These investors have checklists of documents that MUST be in the loan package when it is delivered to them. Buyers should be advised that banks now require much more documentation than ever before, because these investors require it. This extra documentation adds time to loan processing too. Conventional loans need a minimum of 30 days, usually longer.”

The article also included the following information tips:

“1. All files are documented equally. It doesn’t matter if a buyer is putting down 5% or 50%, the same documentation is required from each borrower.

2. All unusual or large deposits must be documented and sourced.

3. Verbal verifications of employment are conducted on all loans 48 hours prior to closing.

4. Tax transcripts requested by a lender from the IRS are required in all files and must be received from the IRS before a loan is underwritten.

5. Appraisals and purchase contracts are checked for accuracy.”

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity June 8-15:

Sanibel

CONDOS

3 new listings: Sanctuary Golf Villages #2 3/3 $599K, Pointe Santo #C43 3/2 $949K, Pointe Santo #A2 2/2 $982K.
2 price changes: Loggerhead Cay #232 2/2 now $547.5K, Kimball Lodge #304 2/2 now 599K.

No new sales.

4 closed sales: Sundial #B207 1/1 $269K, Sandpebble #4E 2/2 $340K, Snug Harbor #311 2/2 $439K, Junonia #202 2/2 $775K.

HOMES

1 new listing: 3968 Coquina Dr 3/2 $749K.

6 price changes: 613 Sea Oats Dr 2/2 now $375K, 1390 Middle Gulf Dr 3/3 now $485K, 1271 SandCastle Rd 3/2.5 now $589K, 5820 Pine Tree Dr 2/2 now $649.9K, 1339 Par View Dr 3/2 $651.5K, 780 Birdie View Dr 5/4.5 now $1.899M.
4 new sales: 1001 East Gulf Dr 2/2 listed for $399K, 701 Nerita St 3/2 listed for $519K, 1274 Par View Dr 3/3 listed for $644K, 2964 Wulfert Rd 5/5.5 listed for $2.464M (short sale).
4 closed sales: 533 Rabbit Rd 3/2 $415K, 335 East Gulf Dr 3/2 $759,050, 5864 Pine Tree Dr 3/3.5 $805K, 3401 West Gulf Dr 4/4.5 $4.1M.

LOTS

Nothing to report.

Captiva

CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Bayside Villas: #5134 1/2 now $274.5K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: Bayside Villas #5338 3/3 $557.5K.HOMES
Nothing to report.

LOTS
Nothing to report.

Happy Fathers’ Day & happy weekend to all.

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Tropical Storm Isaac Will Cost Owners Less

Thursday Island Realtor Caravan Meeting

School Shell Collection Kits

Mariner Pointe New Seawall

Annual Street Resurfacing

Temporary Membership Available at The Sanctuary Golf Community

Sanibel and Captiva Multiple Listing Service Activity August 24-31

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

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Did You Know?

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Continuing Education

4 Strong Reasons to Buy a Home Now

Sanibel Summer Dining

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity August 10-17

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New Plantings at Lighthouse Beach Park

Lee County Commission Votes Against Tax Hike

FHFA Says Fannie, Freddie Will Not Reduce Mortgage Balances

More Sanibel Bike Path Work

Housing Market Lifts Off From the ‘Bottom’

New Fire Station Coming to Captiva

NAR Emailing 82 Million Americans

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity July 27 – August 3

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Florida Voters

International Sales Continue to Climb in U.S. Market

Why Do Lenders Require More Documentation Than Before?

Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity June 8-15:

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