ARTICLES & ARCHIVES

Buying a home for the first time is an exciting and important milestone for many Americans, but achieving that milestone is getting more difficult as prices and interest rates continue to rise. Last year, first-time buyers made up just 21% of the market, compared to the historical average of 40%. ​ People willing and able to invest in a house this year must balance what they want and need with what they can afford. Often, people begin searching for their dream home without a

Construction on Sanibel's new police station will proceed after the Lee County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with the city to use a federal grant to fund the project. The department's office flooded during Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. "Everything that was ground level got destroyed," said Chief William Dalton of the Sanibel Police Department. The Board of County Commissioners awarded the $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of H

Expedia just dropped its second annual Expedia Island Hot List for 2026, a ranking that reveals the next big island vacation destinations that have been gaining momentum in recent years. Expedia used its own flight search data to compile its list of the 10 fastest-rising islands, and only one island in the United States made the ranking. And that island is none other than Florida’s very own Sanibel Island. Ranked No. 8 on Expedia’s Island Hot List, Sanibel Island was consider

Skyrocketing home values, local spending increases, inflation, and rising costs of providing local government services have significantly driven up property tax bills across the country, and Florida is no exception. Over the past couple of years, Florida taxpayers have voiced concerns about the affordability of owning a home. During this same time, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has pushed the idea of amending the state’s constitution and completely eliminating property taxes on homes

Attention residential home sellers: Florida is the nation's "hot spot" for relocations the first half of 2026. In fact, Florida far and away leads the nation in 30% of all inbound searches nationwide, according to studies by MoveBuddha. The relocation agencuy studied almost 98,000 searches made through its Moving Cost Calculator January-June of 2026— with three out of every 10 inquiries Florida-based, the highest rate of any state. In addition, that surge in Florida searches

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas — in July. According to Lee County officials, property values are up and gaining momentum all across our coastal communities. And that's good news for everyone who's selling, as well as a call to action for would-be buyers. As of July 1, the following positive trends have been reported: Sanibel's property values are increasing faster than expected due to now-rapid rebuilding of the island. Initial estimates projected a decrease,