SanibelProperty.com

& CaptivaProperty.net

Sanibel Real Estate - Captiva Real Estate -  Island Real Estate - South West Florida Real Estate - International Investment

 Island Condos - International Property Specialists - Tropical Paradise

 

 

 

Island Activities

If this is going to be your first trip to our islands, we recommend contacting the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce in advance of your trip. (Call them at 239 472-1080)  They will send a package of information which you will find useful.

Once you arrive, pick up a copy of  "Sunny Day" magazine which contains details about everything there is to do here, including shopping and dining. It also includes maps detailing beach access points and bike paths.

There are  many different outdoor activities here on the islands, including  biking, rollerblading, tennis, fishing, sailing, kayaking, guided walking tours in the J.N. "Ding" Darling nature preserve and the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation and golfing on the two public golf courses.

In addition, there are a number of good restaurants and some good shopping as well as live theater, a first-run movie theater, a shell museum, an historical village, an animal rescue center and a thriving community of local artists.

Click on any of the links below for more information:

Sanibel and Captiva offer a myriad of activities from biking to beach walking. Click on the links below for up-to-date information on •Bike Rentals• , •Bird Watching locations• , •Fishing Charters• , •Fishing Regulations• , •Golfing •on the islands at •Beachview Golf Club• , or •The Dunes Golf & Country Club• , •Offshore Sailing• , •Beaches• shells and •Shelling• and nature tours with the •Tarpon Bay Explorers.•

Attractions abound for everyone on our islands. Sanibel and Captiva are islands of the arts with •Galleries, Theaters & More• . We document our colorful history at the Sanibel Historical Village and the Sanibel Lighthouse, and celebrate our unique natural ambiance at the  •Bailey Matthews Shell Museum• , the •Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation• , and the •J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge•

Wildlife on Sanibel is always all one word. Check out the •Birds of Sanibel Island• , and the •C.R.O.W. Wildlife Clinic• , which cares for injured animals throughout Southwest Florida and invites visitors to tour their facility on certain days. The •International Osprey Foundation• also headquarters here.

There's a multitude of restaurants on Sanibel and Captiva. The •Island Dining Guide• provides menus and price guides, or read the restaurant reviews at •Sanibel-CaptivaMenus.com•   Two of the most popular eateries are The •Lighthouse Cafe• , for bountiful breakfasts and the •Mucky Duck •for a sunset drink or dinner on the beach on Captiva.  •Beach Cam live from the Mucky Duck•

We know you don't come to the most beautiful islands in the world for shopping, but everyone has to eat and we have two supermarkets, •Baileys General Store• and •Jerry's Grocery Store• . And if you just have to have a shopping fix, check out •Periwinkle Place• and the first original •Chico's•  store.

See below for some other "fun" and informative links

•Beach Cam live from the Mucky Duck• - •Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce Calendar of Events• - - •Island Jobs• - •Local Weather• •What should you pack?• •Island History• - •Our Beaches•

•Nearby Attractions •Edison-Ford Winter Estates• - •Everglades Day Safari•

Average island prices drop but sales pick up pointing to good season

The average price of property sold on Sanibel between January 1st and September 30th has dropped 19% so far this year making a 25 percent decrease on average prices of sold property on Sanibel over two years.

The most expensive properties showed the biggest drop with a 27 percent drop in beachfront property prices and a 23 percent drop in bay front property. The only property type that gained was inland property which increased 13 percent in the first three quarters of this year.

Captiva fared no better with property prices overall dropping 30 percent over the year and 26 percent over two years. All categories dropped with near beach properties dropping as much as 55 percent.

Take a longer view and the picture is better. Captiva does better than Sanibel. Over five years, the average price of Captiva property has gained 57 percent. (But bear in mind that Captiva was still recovering from Hurricane Charlie five years ago and prices were depressed.) Average prices on Sanibel dropped just  9 percent over five years.

 

Take a still longer view and all categories fared, if not brilliantly, at least adequately.  Sanibel prices have increased 50 percent in the last ten years  and Captiva prices have gone up 42 percent with Captiva beachfront and Captiva near beach homes starring with 86 percent and 94 percent increases respectively. For a spreadsheet of island prices over ten years and more, e-mail Wendy at Wendy@SanibelProperty.com

And now for even better news……  Following a dismal start, a lackluster spring and a mediocre summer, sales have already started picking up for the fall with 17 homes and 14 condos either pending or contingent. This is highly unusual: October is generally our slowest month.