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Home/Real Estate News/Avoid Condo Catastrophe

Avoid Condo Catastrophe

Sanibel will never have highrise condos.
Why does this matter?

Consider the story of my buddy Rob. He grabbed a great deal on an older condo on Miami Beach early in the boom. Luxury condos were built on either side and were selling for big bucks. Rob was happy that he got in first.

Surely, this new development would be a boon to his investment. Boy was he wrong.

High rise condos cast a shadow on people at the beach
Sanibel will never allow buildings like these that cast their shadow on the beach and neighbors. Unfortunately, many communities do not have such protections.

Sanibel limits condos to only 4 stories. Very few new development opportunities exist, and they will have deep setbacks from the beach.

The towers went bust. The units were sold for pennies on the dollar. Rob’s 1970’s era condo couldn’t compete against these beautiful new properties. Depreciation was brutal. The market for his condo went down 70%.

Would Rob have lost money in our down market had luxury towers not been built nearby? Absolutely. But I bet it wouldn’t have been nearly as much.

Even without the bust, new condo inventory coming into the market capped his potential appreciation. And I didn’t mention the shadows these new towers cast over his pool and balcony.

You can’t predict the future, so make sure you bet on what you do know: Supply and Demand govern free markets. Use this to maximize your investment and buy your home in a community where the supply is limited and the demand will remain high.

Shadows on the beach from nearby condos
Unlike Sanibel, many beaches will be eventually be lined with towers blocking the sun and view
A beach on Sanibel Island that does not have any high rise condos around
SANIBEL ISLAND: No highrise condo will ever be built on Sanibel so no shadow will be cast on your investment

Written by: Jim McCallion

Tagged With: building codes, inventory, market stats, pricing Filed Under: Investing, Real Estate News

About Jim McCallion

Meet the "Marketing Megaphone" and Webmaster behind McCallion & McCallion. After selling his software company, Jim, Susan and kids moved to Sanibel in 2008. With his tech experience, he and Susan bring a fresh approach to island real estate.

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1640 Periwinkle Way, Suite 1
Sanibel Island, Florida 33957
(239) 472-1950

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