A bike ride through Bokeelia

   This morning on my usual bike ride around Bokeelia, saw lots of interesting sights, including

a Kingfisher on the pier at Batty's Landing, and going out on the pier, Pine Island Sound looked like indigo glass.

  Then up in Bokeelia, I noticed there is a new sign for Jug Creek Cottages, which I guess is part of Cayo Costa State Park.   There are six rustic cottages there, a place to park your car and boat, and a place to put in your boat or kayak and head out to Cayo Costa State Park. 

Bokeelia Backyard Bird Count

   I heard about the Great Backyard Bird Count this week on WGCU public radio.  This is a nationwide effort to count birds in every zip code.  I looked back on records of previous bird counts (visit the website http://www.birdsource.org/) and was disappointed no one has submitted a bird count from Bokeelia in a few years.

So I hope everyone on Pine Island will be part of the bird count this coming February 17 - 20.  There is also a bird count photography contest...maybe I will enter one myself, like of this owl across the road from me.

For more information about Pine Island and property for sale here, contact me, Erika Foye, Real Estate Broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com.

Gardenias blooming in January on Pine Island

    We've had such a beautiful and mild winter here on Pine Island, one of my gardenia bushes is blooming in January!   Usually gardenias bloom here in April and May.  Maybe it is La Nina, causing a mild winter.

Excellent bird watching on Pine Island

  Yesterday was an excellent day for bird watching on Pine Island!  I started out on my bike ride just before dawn and noticed  not one, but two, beautiful great horned owls just across the street from my home in Bokeelia.

Then I biked down to Pineland, and went out on the pier on Batty's landing and found these two wood storks fishing on a low tide.

Then I continued on my bike ride to back bay Bokeelia, Jug Creek, and found a small flock of
beautiful White Pelicans.











Later in the day, I had lunch with my sister in law Anne Foye down at Hobo's in Saint James City (great fish chowder) and these two Bald Eagles had built a nest in the Australian pine trees near the Saint Jude Trail.

Pine Island is such a beautiful natural place, that provides habitat to an incredible number of bird species, as well as lots of mammals (otters, rabbits, squirrels, armadillos, possum, coyote, bobcate, bats, wild pigs and maybe even a panther), reptiles and amphibeans. Not to mention an incredible number of dragonflies and butterflys.
If you are interested in finding a home or land on Pine Island, contact me, Erika Foye, Real Estate Broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com

Winter Events on Pine Island, Florida

Great Horned Owl at Dawn in Bokeelia

A New Year has dawned on Pine Island and there are a slew of island festivals and activities planned for the first three months of 2012.

January Events:

Jan 13, 14 and 15 is Florida's Creative Coast Weekend, featuring special exhibit, workshops, demonstrations tours and music.  Check the website:  http://www.floridascreativecoast.com/, for details.

Jan 28 is Pine Island Moose Bicycle Poker Run, annual bicycle poker run with 6 stops from Saint James City up to the Moose Lodge, 10 am to 3 pm. $5 per ticket, food and music at the Pine Island Moose Lodge.  For tickets call 239-283-4245.

January 28 and 29 is Taste of Pine Island, 11 AM - 5 pm at Phillips Park in Pine Island Center.  Two full days of local restaurants featuring the best of their fare.  Also live entertainment and children's activities.  Day on eis the chowder cook off, day two is the chili cook off.  For more info:  http://www.tasteofpineisland.com/.

February Events

February 4, Annual Southwest Florida Mullet Toss at Matlacha Community Park, Children's Competition starts at 10:30 a.m., adult's competition starts at noon.  Fund raiser for Pine Island Charities, for more info: http://www.matlachamariners.org/

February 10, 11, 12, Island Pirate Fest and 2nd Annual Pirate's Ball.  Sponsored by Bert's Bar in Matlacha, there will be a Parade of the Mermaids, Pirates Ball and Costume Contest, and Boat Parade.  More info:  http://www.piratesball.com/, and http://www.islandpiratefest.com/.

February 11 and 12.  My favorite annual event, this year will be the 40th Annual Pine Island Art Association Fine Art Show and Sale.  At the Matlacha Community Building in Matlacha Park, the show and sale will be from 10 am to 4 pm on both days.  I get a new painting here almost every year!  More info:  http://www.pineislandart.com/.

Feb 11, 12 & 13.  Another Pine Island Creative Coast Weekend.  Check the Website:  http://www.floridascreativecoast.com/

Feb 18 is the Annual Pine Island Garden Gala from 10 a.m. to 4 pm at Phillips Park at Pine Island Center.
Annual fund raiser for the Pine Island Garden Club, there will be plant sales, seminars, raffles, demonstrations, bake sale and more.  More info:  http://www.pineislandgardenclub.org/.

March and April Events
March 3, Annual Rubber Duck Race to benefit the Calusa Land Trust in Saint James City, time and location to be announced.

March 10 - Seventh Annual Calusa Heritage Day from 10 am - 4 pm at Randell Research Center's Calusa Heritage Trail in Pineland.  This annual celebration focuses on regional archaeology, history and ecology.  $5 per adult, children under 123 are free.  More info:  www.flmnh.ufl.edu/RRC

March 17 - Annual Southwest Florida Seafood Festival and Car Show from 11 am - 5:30 pm, not on Pine Island, but close at the German American Club in Cape Coral.

April 7 - Explore the Estuary of Pine Island Sound.  From 9 am to 12 noon at the Calusa Heritage Trail pavilion.  "Muck About" Pine Island Sound and learn about the plants and animals of the local estuaries.  Pre-registration only by calling: 239-283-2157.  Children must be over 9 with accompanying adult.

All of these events are a great way to support local organizations and learn more about beautiful Pine Island, Florida.

Pine Island Florida 2011 Real Estate Round Up - Part Three

   Fewer Foreclosures and Shortsales on Pine Island in 2011  In 2011, 13% of all home sales on Pine Island were foreclosures, and 10% of all home sales were short sales, so 23% of all island residential properties sold in the past year were distressed sales.  While that number is high, it is lower than in 2010, when 33% of sales were either foreclosures or short sales.  So, distress sales dropped by 33% in 2011.  There should be fewer distress sales in 2012, because only 23 distress sales, or 8 percent of the residential market, are now actively listed for sale in the MLS.  Slowly but surely, the Pine Island market seems to be recovering.  There were 5 closed sales so far in 2012, including this cute bayfront cottage (which was not a distress sale) but was deeply discounted...the asking price was $299,000, the selling price was $229,000.

I am certified as a short sale and foreclosure resource by the National Association of Realtors.  To contact me, Erika Foye, Real Estate Broker for All Island Realty, Inc., based in beautiful Bokeelia, email me at erikafoye@embarqmail.com.  I'd be glad to assist you in your Pine Island real estate search.

Little Pine Island Guided Hikes

  Guided nature walks at the High Marsh in Little Pine Island are available now thru April 11, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. - noon.  Field trips are free but advance registration is required.   For more info, call the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park at 941-575-5861, or go to www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor.

This Night Heron is one of the birds you might see on the hundreds of acres of Conservation Land at Little Pine Island

Pine Island Florida 2011 Real Estate Round Up - Part Two

Top Stories                 Most Popular Pine Island Types of Housing and Neighborhoods

(I sold this Alden Pines, Bokeelia Home in 2012)

The most popular type of home sold on Pine Island in 2011 was a single family, waterfront home on a canal leading to the Gulf of Mexico.  There were 93 such sales in 2011, representing 40% of all residentail sales.

The second most popular type of Pine Island Home Sold was an off-water single family home, with a total of 65 sales, representing 28% of all residential sales.  The third most popular type of home purchase was a manufactured home, with a total of 59 sales, representing 25% of all property sales.  The fourth and fifth most popular type of home purchase was a condominium, or a duplex, with a total of 8 sales, each, representing about 3% of all residential sales each.

The most residential sales were in Saint James City, with 119 homes sold, or 50.4% of all residential sales.  Bokeelia was next with 88, or 37.2% of all residential sales.  Matlacha, being our smallest community, had the fewest sales, 29 sales or 12.2% of all residential sales.

The most popular, non-waterfront neighborhood was Alden Pines, the Bokeelia golf course community, with 12 home sales.  The most popular waterfront subdivision was Gulf Haven, in Saint James City, also with 12 home sales.  The most popular manufactured home subdivision was the over 55 community of Pine Island Cove in Saint James City, with 17 sales.

Land sales were fairly slow this year, representing on 21% of all property sales.  46 inland lots sold and 21 waterfront lots sold.

Only three commercial properties sold on Pine Island in 2011, representing just 1% of all property sales.

For more information about Pine Island Real Estate, contact me, Erika Foye, Real Estate Broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com. I am an accredited buyer's representative and shortsale and foreclosure certified.

Summary of 2011 Real Estate Sales on Pine Island

Good Bye 2011!  Hello 2012!

With the New Year here, before we turn the page completely on 2011, here is a snap shot of real estate sales on Pine Island, Florida in 2011:

Sales are Up/Prices are Down (With Some Exceptions) For the second year in a row, the number of real estate sales on Pine Island exceeded the number of sales in the year 2005, which represented the peak year of the housing bubble.   There were 309 MLS sales of all types of real estate on Pine Island in 2011, which was an increase over sales in 2010 by about 7%.  The total dollar volume of real estate sales on Pine Island, Florida in 2011 was $49,055,785, representing an overall decrease in sold price by about 6.7% comparing 2010 with 2011.

Prices in a few property categories are starting to increase.  For example, the median sold price of an off-water, single family home on Pine Island was $135,000 in 2011, an increase of 15% over 2010.  The median sold price of a Pine Island condominium was $202,500. in 2011, an increase of 6.4% over 2010.  The median sold price of an off-water Pine Island lot was $15,500. in 2011, an increase over 2010 of 3%.

Median sale prices in other housing categories on Pine Island fell in 2011.  The median sold price of a waterfront, single family home on Pine Island was $240,000. in 2011, a decrease of 6% compared to 2010.  The median sold price of a water front lot in 2011 was $130,000, a decrease of 10% compared to 2010.  The median sold price of a duplex in 2011 was $95,313, a decrease of 2.6% compared to 2010.  The median sold price of a commercial property was $205,000 in 2011, a decrease of 12% complared to 2010.  The greatest drop in  median sold price was for manufactured homes, where median sold price of $85,000 was 24% below selling prices in 2010.  Unfortunately, single wide manufactured homes, and all manaufactured homes built before 1977 no longer qualify for conventional financing, so that makes them harder to sell, because a cash buyer or seller financing would be required.  For more information about Pine Island Real Estate, contact me, Erika Foye, at All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com.  This is the first of a four part blog discussing real estate sales statistics on Pine Island, Florida for 2011.

Beautiful Beach Day on Upper Captiva

Monday we enjoyed a gorgeous boat ride and picnic day on the beach on Upper Captiva Island, a short boat ride from Pine Island.  Most of this island is conservation land and we were thrilled to find a huge flock of literally hundreds of large white pelicans roosting in the shallow bay front waters off southern Upper Captiva.

Here are a few photos of that day.

Pine Island is a great jumping off point to the outer islands (bridgeless islands) of Upper Captiva and Cayo Costa.  You can either take the Tropic Star Ferry out of Bokeelia (http://www.tropicstar.com/) or rent a kayak at the Bowline Marina, or at Gulf Coast Kayak, or rent a power boat at 4 Winds Marina in Bokeelia, or go in your own, or a friends, boat.
Either way,  Pine Island, Florida is the gateway to a beautiful world of nature in Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Aquatic Reserve. To find out more about Pine Island real estate, contact me, Erika Foye, real estate broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com

Pine Island Flower Collage

Here is a photo collage of some of the many beautiful flowering trees and plants you'll find on Pine Island, Florida

Last week of December in Bokeelia

I haven't checked in from Pine Island in a few weeks, because I've had lots of clients looking at and buying real estate on Pine Island this month.  It is no wonder people are discovering beautiful Pine Island.  The weather has been just about perfect for the past few months.  Temperatures during the day have been in the seventies to low eighties with nice breezes, in the evening it has been from the high fifties to the low sixties.  Truly spectacular.  I have been getting in some nice bike rides on our 17 mile bike path, and this morning took this photo of a woman and her golden retriever enjoying a nice walk at the tip of Bokeelia on a low tide.

The number of real estate sales on Pine Island in 2011 are up above 4% so far this year, comparing 2011 with 2010 and prices are down about 5%, comparing 2011 with 2010, so now is definately a good time to consider buying real estate on Pine Island.    I am an accredited buyer's representative and specialize in assisting buyers of real estate on Pine Island, Florida.  To contact me, please email Erika Foye, Broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com. 

Latest Pine Island, Florida Real Estate Statistics

Entering the last month of 2012, it looks like we're on track to surpass 300 closed real estate sales on Pine Island this year, with a dollar volume that will likely exceed $50 Million.

So far this year on Pine Island, the following properties have sold in the Pine Island communities of Bokeelia, Saint James City or Matlacha:

87 Water front Homes have sold ~ Median Price $240,000.
64  Off water Homes have sold ~ Median Price $135,100.
53  Manufactured Homes have sold ~ Median Price $82,900.
 8   Condominiums have sold ~ Median Price $202,500.
 7   Duplexes have sold ~ Median Price $96,126.
 2   Commercial Buildings have sold ~ Median Price $254,500.
20  Water Front Lots have sold ~ Median Price $121,250.
45  Off water Lots have sold ~ Median Price $16,000.

So far this year, there have been 290 MLS real estate sale closed, with a total dollar volume of $46,294,085.   Prices of water front homes are completely flat, month over month, while the price of off-water homes, condominiums and land is up slightly.

The best new home listing of the week is this two bedroom, two bath remodeled home on Bayview Avenue in Saint James City, was listed for $277,000.

The best home sale of the week was this two bedroom, two bath pool home on the Alden Pines golf course in Bokeelia, sold for $198,000.

For more information about real estate on Pine Island, Florida, contact me, Erika Foye, real estate broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com. I am an accredited buyers representative and certified as a short sale and foreclosure resource by the National Association of Realtors.

Fall Flowers on Pine Island

I enjoyed a nice bike ride in beautiful clear and sunny weather in Bokeelia this morning, and noted how many wild flowers are blooming now, more than I remember seeing before, maybe because we had more than 10 inches of rain in October.    I don't know the names of all of these, but here are some of their names: black eyed susan, wild orchid, showy crotaria, sawgrass and cranberry hisbiscus.   

Best Pine Island Properties, Week Ending November 25

Top Stories     Wow, this week has sped by.  I've been busy showing real estate, there's been an uptick in interest in Pine Island real estate, especially water front homes.

The best new listing of the week is this waterfront home on Manatee Drive in St. James City, it is 3 bedrooms, two baths, with a great pool and nice waterfront including concrete patio, dock, boat house, and boat lift.  The asking price is $389,000. You can search for more Pine Island real estate at my real estate search site, http://www.pineisland.listingbook.com/.

The best real estate value for sold properties this week was this country home on 15 acres, 10 of which were planted for mango.  This home on Quail Trail in Bokeelia sold for $280,000. this week.

Whether you want a water front home or country estate, condominium or golf course home, residential lot or agricultural acreage, Pine Island has a great selection of real estate, on our beautiful tropical and uncrowded island.

Best Real Estate Buys on Pine Island, Florida

  I decided to start a new feature on this blog, posting the best new home listing and the best home sold in the Pine Island communities of Bokeelia, Saint James City, and Matlacha each week.  The best new listing in Bokeelia this week is this home, a three bedroom, two bath home, built in 2007, on a 1/2 acre lot, the asking price is $129,000.  The home shown above is offered as a short sale, the lender must agree to the short sale price.

The home shown below is a bayfront home pool home in St. James City sold for $437,500. this week.  It had many upgrades and was 2,360. sq. feet.

For more information about Pine Island real estate, please contact me, Erika Foye, Real Estate Broker for All Island Realty, Inc. at erikafoye@embarqmail.com

Bright Blue Sky in Bokeelia

Hello Readers, I enjoyed a nice ride through beautiful Bokeelia today, here are some fall scenes of the bright blue sky, bright green pine trees, bright purple bougainvilla and bright orange palm berries.

Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy Pine Island, Florida.

Matlacha Sunrise

This morning I went down to Matlacha before dawn, hoping to catch a glimpse of the kayak fishing tournament participants heading out for the Great Calusa Blueway catch and release challenge.I did not see the kayaking fishermen, but did see a beautiful Matlacha sunrise, and the bridge construction, at dawn...photo's below.