Sanibel Island is a beautiful white beach laden island just off the coast of Florida. It’s a great place to own a vacation home, whether you plan to retire there, stay there for a few months of the year, or simply rent out your vacation home for all but the weeks you want to use it. Plus, right now is an excellent time to purchase Sanibel Island real estate.

Like the rest of Florida, Sanibel Island suffered severely from the recent housing market crash. Prices on gorgeous vacation homes are seriously reduced. This is even true of homes that are right on the beach front! Right now, you can save tens of thousands of dollars on properties that have beautiful views and are gorgeously built to be relaxing beachside homes.

The key to getting a good deal on Sanibel Island real estate is to check out area prices first. The prices of homes whose owners are in foreclosure are going to be a lot lower than the prices of homes whose owners are simply ready to sell without being pressed to do so. If you team up with a good Sanibel Island realtor, you’ll be able to find potential foreclosure homes that you could get really excellent deals on.

The homes that are available right now on the beach are absolutely gorgeous. With prices this low and mortgage rates this good, it’s really hard to pass up. Plus, you can always rent your property for much of the year, which can often mean that the home pays for itself. You can have basically free vacations on this beautiful island whenever you feel like it as long as you choose a property wisely and well.

If you are on a search for Sanibel Island real estate then you certainly have an interest in moving to the area. Contacting a local real estate agent is a good start. Before you decide anything on buying, you may want to know some more facts about Sanibel and Captiva.

Soak in the sun in Sanibel Captiva, Florida

Captiva and Sanibel Island are both great places to live and work. Can you imagine living in such a tropical island paradise every day? Sanibel Island measures under twelve miles in length and only five miles at its widest point. Captive is less than half a mile wide! Even being so small, both islands still have public libraries and post offices. The Islands are a great location to raise children. The Sanibel School is for grades K-8th and has won national Blue Ribbons for excellence. A thriving PTA, free-swimming lessons and fine playgrounds are some of the added benefits. High school students usually ride the bus to the local Fort Myers High School. For little ones too small for school there are a number of nice daycare centers.

There may be some things here that are different from what you remember back at home, on the main land. Water increases the effects of the sun, and sunburns can happen quickly. Being sun smart is very important and includes using sunscreen daily and wearing hats and sunglasses, not to mention staying hydrated. The heat in summer time can easily turn your car into a coffin. Never leave a child or pet in a car, even for “just a moment”, as this can be fatal. Use common sense and you will be just fine living here.

Captive and Sanibel Island, Florida are both wonderful places to work and raise your family in. Enjoy the years flying by at this vacation-quality city. Check with local real estate agents and find the home of your dreams right now!

We all know the old adage of “location, location, location”. This is particularly true for those involved in the Sanibel Island real estate industry in any way. Of course, even Sanibel Island hotels, restaurants, and other industries are well aware of the value of the location as well. What happens when the location begins to lose some of its charm or value? For instance, what if storms and human activities like road building somehow begin to degrade the natural qualities of the location?

This is exactly what occurred in the Clam Bayou area of Sanibel and why volunteers of all kinds are required to help it regain its natural and tourism value. Fortunately, the City of Sanibel, along with a host of partners that include the Nature Conservancy and the SCCF Marine Lab, have pulled together to create an excellent program of restoration.

This program is a unique way to protect your professional interests through volunteerism. Now, this isn’t a simple or casual sort of volunteerism, and there will be no envelope stuffing or community socializing involved. Instead, you will be asked to help with reef building efforts that might include the installation of oyster shell bags, the planting of red mangroves and various sea grasses, and other generally labor-intensive efforts.

When done the area will be returned to its status as a living reef that provides nursery habitat for fish, shrimp, and crab. It will also begin to attract the birds, mammals, and other creatures that bring visitors to the region. Consider the significance of a healthy population of manatees, wood storks, and other endangered species to the entire area. Consider the value such noble creatures have for your business interests in Sanibel. The Community Based Oyster Restoration led by the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation is an ongoing initiative that everyone interested in tourism and real estate should support.