Well, today we tackle the age-old question of whether beachfront property is always a good investment.

First off, I want to clarify the difference between “beachfront” property and “island” property because there actually is a difference.

Besides sounding more exotic, “island” property has a more substantial feel to it than simply “beachfront” property that has the perception of possibly floating away or being hit head on by a massive tidal wave or something.  Thoughts of California falling into the ocean come to mind when I think of those high cliffs and “beach front”.

On the other hand, “island” property (depending on the size of the island, of course) has a more perceived stability factor over the long term.  In my opinion, beach front property is for vacation and island property is for living, simple as that.  And living is more valuable to invest in than the hopes of multiple beach vacations.

However, with that said, beachfront property is HOT!  Maybe too hot.

Everyone knows that prices are typically inflated and supposedly never go down, but that seems not to be the case these days.  There are many rental signs on the homes as you walk along coastal beaches.  And word on the street is that prices are lowering a bit when it comes to investors that were just buying to “flip and profit” and are now stuck holding the bag.

European investors are taking advantage of the soft dollar and cherry picking the best beach properties, but they are not buying up everything and seem to be looking toward “island” property which appears to be more stable.

One thing that these two types of real estate do have in common, is the fact that there is a limited supply of each, island property and beachfront property, which has always been its appeal to investors.

Low supply + high demand = Cash in the bank

Hmmm… what do you think?

Have a great Halloween weekend!

Rob and Sandy

p.s.  Don’t forget to make your way over to our main website for all of your Sanibel and Captiva Island Real Estate needs.  See you soon!

As if you didn’t know, there are a ton of great places to eat on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.

Whether you are in the mood for fresh seafood, a big juicy steak or just hamburgers or pizza, we’ve got it all!

You’ve got an island favorite at the “Island Cow“, and how ’bout those breakfasts at the “Over Easy Cafe“.  The “Blue Giraffe” is always a big hit with the kids and “Ellington’s” 7 nights of beautiful jazz is always a great “date night” with the spouse.  And you cannot forget the “Mucky Duck” over on Captiva, wow!

Tourists and locals alike both agree that you just can’t go wrong in choosing from the 60+ places spread out over the two islands.

Thankfully, one of our local real estate cohorts, Karen Cooper, has managed to get an online version of all of their menus, as well as a great map to each location on her website called Cuisine-Scene.  Thanks Karen!

So, bring your appetite when you come to Sanibel and Captiva, there’s plenty to indulge yourself upon… Enjoy!

Until next week, have a great one!

Robert and Sandy

p.s.  Don’t forget to make your way over to our main website for all of your Sanibel and Captiva Island Real Estate needs.  See you soon!

The time of year is upon us when we celebrate our beautiful on-island wildlife paradise, the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge with our 19th Annual Ding Darling Days Festivities!

And this year is extra special because we are celebrating 100 years since 3 small wildlife refuges, the Matlacha Pass, Pine Island and Island Bay refugees, were dedicated by Teddy Roosevelt in 1908.  These 3 refuges were eventually to become part of the Ding Darling Wildlife Reserve.

Starting October 19th, Sunday, the week’s long events will kick off.  This year’s theme is “Let’s Go Outside”, so as to encourage families to get outside and experience nature together.

Tarpon Bay Explorers and Captiva Cruises are joining with the J.N. “Ding” Darling Refuge to provide everyone with a plethora of activities to choose from this year, including kayak rides, bike tours and nature cruises just to name a few.

You can find the entire schedule of events right here at Ding Darling Days.

So, get out there and enjoy this week, hope to see you there!

Until next post,

Robert and Sandy

p.s.  Don’t forget to make your way over to our main website for all of your Sanibel and Captiva Island Real Estate needs.  See you soon!

Well, I have some good news and some bad news…

The bad news first, is that unfortunately, due to our most recent Tropical Storm Fay, the Bonita Springs area where our annual Jazz Festival is held, is flooded and in need of repair.  Therefore, this year’s Jazz On The Green Festival scheduled for October 18-19 must be postponed until January 16-17, 2009 and it will instead be held at Centennial Park, Downtown Ft. Myers.  Only a short 3 month delay, so don’t worry.

Now for the good news.

In January, the lineup has been confirmed and it’s looking to be the best show ever!  It will feature a 16-year-old sensation, an ex-NBA All-American, a Latin goddess and a 5-time Grammy winner for his jazz perfection, among many other amazing artists that promise to make it a beautiful 2-day affair.

You need to book your tickets early!

Oh, and I forgot to mention that this all is being done for a great charitable cause, the Children’s Charities of Southwest Florida, so now you definitely need to book your tickets, right?

Ok, here’s the official website with all the scoop…  Jazz On The Green

Have a great weekend!

Robert and Sandy

p.s.  Don’t forget to make your way over to our main website for all of your Sanibel and Captiva Island Real Estate needs.  See you soon!

Does anyone actually believe that the world is coming to an end with all of this “financial crisis” talk?

I certainly hope not because as it turns out in the economic cycles of this planet, it is quite normal and we all just need to roll with the punches until we get through this…

Now, that’s not to say that some people are not losing money on the stock market or that many people that purchased their homes with a subprime mortgage are not suffering as they foreclose on their home, but it is to say that not every market is being hit as hard as the naysayers would like you to believe and those that have the financial means are obviously in a great position to take advantage and grab some real deals.

Sanibel and Captiva Islands are two places where real estate has always held its value and weathered many a storm, figuratively, as well as literally.

Foreigners are now discovering this magical place and swooping in to buy up what actually does come available, once again proving that beachfront property is always in demand.

We are seeing a lot of inquiries from abroad, which is interesting because this financial debacle is not only in the US, but global as well, yet investors everywhere are realizing where the “diamonds” are and wanting in on the action.

I hope that you are ok through all of this mess and please know that if you need any help on Sanibel or Captiva Islands, you can call Rob or I at anytime.

Until next week, have a great weekend,

Sandy

p.s.  Don’t forget to make your way over to our main website for all of your Sanibel and Captiva Island Real Estate needs.  See you soon!