Visiting Sanibel Island offers a showcase of wonderful beaches, outdoor activities, diverse and rich culture and preserved eco-life. Enjoy all these and more by having the right address. Being a resident in this breathtaking island is the beginning of an adventure. With the right agent and budget, a myriad of Sanibel fl properties are ready for you to buy.

Island overview and unique properties

This island is very much geared to environmental consciousness. It utilizes a land use plan of not exceeding 9, 000 residential and business units. There are already estimated 8,500 residences and establishments. But do not worry about not having your own estate in this island. There are over 90 land plots ready for your money. These vacant lots are suitable for creating the home of your dreams.  However, this depends on the location due to the Eco-Zones designation, not all plots can be built on.  Something for further investigation if you find one.   

The plots mainly front onto the beaches of Sanibel Island. Most vacant lands are near or directly accessible to Bowman’s Beach, Causeway Beaches, Tarpon Bay Beach and Lighthouse Beach and Fishing Pier. All these beaches are open to activities, from swimming, windsurfing to picnics and even RV parking. The land properties prices range from as low as $250,000 to $3 million, depending on the location you want.

Most Sanibel homes are scattered among subdivisions like Rocks West, Snyders, Sanibel Highlands, Betts, Foley, Dunes Sanibel, among a hundred more. Usually, beach front homes are naturally more expensive. But it is guaranteed that most homes could boast of multiple accesses to different public beaches and resorts.

Eco-Zones: building codes

With each pleasure comes responsibility. Owning your Sanibel property means you must comply with the Island’s building regulations, whether you decide building your dream home from ground up to the roof, or buy a high-quality ready-made home. These rules are strictly enforced. This is in response to the development capacity of the Island and endurance of the soil. This building regulation is specified in the Eco-Zones plan.

The Eco-Zones’ main objective is to “protect habitat for people and wildlife”. This separates the Sanibel properties and the whole Island from other highly urbanized tourist spots and beach-front residences in other states.

Here are the development Eco-Zones:

• Gulf Beach
• Bay Beach
• Mangrove
• Lowland/Wetlands
• Upland/Wetlands
• Blind Pass
• Altered Land
• Gulf Beach Ridge

The first two Eco-Zones don’t allow building constructions; these are for passive recreation, supposedly non-aggressive/destructive activities, and natural resources conservation only. The other zones vary coverage limit from 1% to 35% and developed area limit is from 2% to 30%. Available lots are from 10,000 to 20,000 square feet.

And before any construction could begin, the natural resources surrounding the property must be either carefully moved to a safer sanctuary or retained and be taken care of. Some of these are particular species of cabbage palms, Maleluca, Brazilian pepper and Australian pine trees.

You should also consider the height restrictions for your specific property, they must be a maximum 35 to 45 feet high. There are also setbacks for different distances from 10 to 75 feet away from the side lot line, water line, bay line, the Gulf, and the streets from main and feeder roads, arterials, among others. And whenever you want to improve your home, you should not exceed 50% of the house’s square footage.

You are now geared with at least some of the information you need for buying your very own Sanibel property.