Well, it appears that the dredging at Blind Pass is making a lot of “folks” happy, apart from the obvious homeowners that will soon have better Gulf access (and higher property values) when all is said and done.

Seashell collectors seem to believe that all of this “kickin’ up the dirt” on the ocean floor is causing a lot of otherwise-never-found, obscure shells to make their way to the surface and run ashore!  Let’s just say that the “Sanibel Stoop” is alive and well these days!

So, if you are a collector, you will probably want to head on down to Blind Pass and have a look…

The other remarkable feature of the dredging process is one of the most vivid examples of the food chain that we may ever get to see up close.

It appears that with the dredging, millions of microscopic organisms are being “dislodged” from the sand on the ocean floor and are now present in the “unsettled” ocean water.  This, in turn, has drawn an enormously large amount of smaller fish to the area, of whom are feasting gleefully on these small delicacies.

You can probably see where this is going…

With so many small fish around, naturally through the laws of the ecosystem, even larger fish yet, begin to appear and they, themselves gleefully have a feast!  And yes, some of these “bigger fish” are definitely sharks!  Not the “great white” kind, of course, but sharks nonetheless.

There have been many sightings in the vicinity of the dredging and some have even been caught, photographed and released.

Now, keep in mind, that Sanibel and Captiva Islands are not known for having any sort of shark problems, however it is the ocean, after all, and this dredging project is not a common occurrence, so it is probably best to be extra careful when swimming over the next few months, until this project is completely finished and things get back to normal.

If you have any questions regarding this issue, please contact the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation which specializes in preserving our island wildlife, as well as marine wildlife habitat landscaping, they’d be happy to give you more details.

So, that’s it for this week!  I can’t believe that January is already over… wow, where does the time go?

Hope you have a great weekend,

p.s.  Did you notice that we added weather to the blog on the left?  Do you like it?  Leave a comment “yes” or “no”…

p.s.s.  Have you checked out our Hot Listing on King’s Crossing listed at the top of this blog?  You can see other great properties recently listed as well, over at our main website, SanCap One Source Realty – Sanibel Captiva Real Estate.

What a week!

With our new president being sworn in this week, hopes are riding pretty high that he will come to the rescue of ALL the problems facing our great nation today.  I’m not so sure that we, as a nation, should expect one man to “save us”, however, I am excited at the prospect of his energy and ideas giving all of us the power to do so ourselves!

Of course, Rob and I are particularly interested in the affairs surrounding the housing and lending crisis.  Even though, we know that we are in a very special micro-market that has seen very little negative effect, we still worry a bit about the psychological toll that the mainstream media plays in the minds of people that could be our future buyers.

Home buying and real estate investment are local phenomenons that must be looked at from the vantage point of the individual buyer or investor and their particular goals.  There is a lot of opportunity out there right now.

I came across an interesting article that I wanted to share with you, written within the last two weeks, talking about the “Housing Outlook for 2009″.

It comes from the respectable “All Business” website and discusses 10 solid reasons why “the real estate sky is not falling”.  Here’s a snippet:

You can read the entire article here at:  2009 Real Estate Market Outlook

He makes some very interesting points in his list of ten reasons.

Let us know your thoughts on whether you think he is “on target” or not, by leaving us a comment below (just click on the blue “Comment” link below our names).

Ok, that’s it for this week…

Have a great weekend,

Well, nothing like “working” on a holiday to keep our readers up-to-date!

Just got our hands on the latest Blind-Pass Dredging Report for December 21 to January 10th and we wanted to share it with you immediately.

Consistent with our previous post, you will find all of the pages of the report just below, but you can also download the entire PDF document here:  January Blind Pass Project Update.

You can also view our previous posts here easily as well:  our original post on Blind Pass written on Nov. 14th and our December update written on December 31st.

Ok, here goes… We’ll let the report speak for itself, it’s short and sweet…

Enjoy and Happy Martin Luther King Day,

You would not believe how many times a week Robert and I are asked about the “health” of the real estate market here on Sanibel and Captiva.

The truth of the matter is that prices have softened a bit, but not much!

Relative to all of Florida Real Estate and particularly in Southern Florida, we are doing pretty darn good and I’ve got the proof in the pudding to show you!

In the top half of the chart above, you can see that the price of Residential Homes have dipped a tad, especially as you look at the SP:LP ratio (Sales Price:List Price Ratio) going down from 93% to 91% from 2007 to 2008 when the recession kicked into full gear!  Two percent is not too shabby when looking at the rest of the Florida and more so, the entire country, which is in the 5-25% range!

As you can see, condos have also softened a bit, a little more than residential, going from 93% to 88.75% from 2007 to 2008.

The last column for both sections is also very telling, in that, you can see that it’s taking longer to sell each property with the average “Days On Market (DOM)” going from around 6 months (180 days) to around 8-9 months (248-278 days).

The good news is that interest rates are at an all-time low, which could be a great opportunity for the right buyer/investor.

Also, as people need to sell a property for whatever reason;  health, moving, need to invest in another venture, etc.,  it certainly never hurts to make an offer on a property that you like.  You just never know…. Times are such that the situation may work out in your favor based on the circumstances, so it never hurts to ask or make an offer!

Ok, that’s it for this week…

Hope you have a great weekend,

Ok, this is a carry-over from our Part 1 post last week where we discussed the first type of real estate investor on Sanibel, namely, the “Buy and Hold-ers”.

So, today we’d like to discuss the other two types, which are the “Rental Property Purchasers” and the “Flippers”.

Buying investment properties for the sole purpose of renting them out is yet another excellent way to make money for those investors with their sights set on long-term property investments.

Investors typically finance the mortgage with the rents paid each month and hopefully have a little left over to pocket or reinvest in the property.  If purchased outright (without the need for a mortgage), then obviously, all of the rent paid each month is pure profit.  These properties are simliar to the buy-and-hold crowd when it comes time to sell it in the future for a substantial difference.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is the expense regarding upkeep on the house and property, as well as the tenants that you choose to live there.  If these numbers are kept in check and the tenants you choose are respectful to the home and the property, then this type of investing can be quite enjoyable and profitable.

“Flipping” is another common type of real estate investment that is receiving a lot of press these days. The process simply involves purchasing a property below market value, investing in the repair, or “rehab”, of the property, and then reselling it for a substantial profit.

This is one of the few short-term options available to investors, which is why it has become so popular.  Investors get-in and then get-out relatively quickly making it the “day-trading” option for real estate, if one compares it to the stock market.

While there is not a great deal of “flipping” on Sanibel or Captiva Islands, there are some properties, both single family homes and condos, that could be great candidates for this type of investor.

In the current real estate market, short sales, bank-owned REO and foreclosures are also adding to the investment possibilities. With interest rates at all-time lows and many of these types of properties selling for $0.50 on the dollar, investors are snatching up these homes well below market value, as well as “never lived-in” new homes even below construction cost!

The idea is to buy low, place qualified renters (ideally previous homeowners themselves) in the property to cover your mortgage/expenses.  You then hold on to the properties until the market stabilizes and eventually sell for a tidy profit.

Those benefiting from these types of great deals also include first-time homebuyers and parents buying homes for their children to “rent” while they go to college with the thought of selling it upon graduation at a substantial profit.

Whether your investment needs are short-term, long-term, or somewhere in between, there is a style of real estate investment that is appropriate for your specific investment needs.

Robert and I can certainly help you find the property that will fit your specific investment criteria to a tee.  We look forward to working with you!

That’s it for now… Have a great weekend!

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!