970 Sand Castle Rd · Sanibel, FL 33957

$869,000

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,512 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 69 Days on market

Built 1985 0.27 ac lot Est $1164k · 25% under $23/mo HOA

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Why this score? — see what drove the B grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +28.7/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +7.2/10.0
• Schools +4.1/10.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Enjoy this beautiful elevated home in the special community of The Dunes on Sanibel. With the spectacular natural light and cathedral ceilings, this property has excellent interior volume. The list of updates over the last 5 months is substantial. A few of the updates include: new exterior fencing, exterior and interior paint, expanded and new driveway, brand new deck steps, redesigned kitchen with an island, brand new appliances and kitchen cabinets/exotic granite countertop, full security system, and much more. 3 bedroom, 2 bath split floor plan and tons of extra storage below. This home is ready for you immediately! 970 Sand Castle is your perfect home to start enjoying the Sanibel lifestyle you have been dreaming about.

Key facts

• New paver driveway
• Hardie board siding
• 0.27 acre lot

Tags

• NEW PAVER DRIVEWAY
• LUSH TROPICAL LANDSCAPING
• HARDIE BOARD SIDING
• STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF
• IMPACT RESISTANT WINDOWS
• TANKLESS WATER HEATER

Property features AI

Finance

• Financial info: Pets allowed
• HOA & community: Has homeowners association; Annual association fee: $275; Association covers management, golf, irrigation water, legal/accounting, recreation facilities; Association amenities: Beach rights/access, clubhouse, golf course, pickleball, restaurant, tennis courts, management; Community features: Golf, non-gated, tennis courts

Exterior

• Parking: Attached carport (2 spaces); Driveway; Underground access; Two unpaved spaces; 2 covered spaces
• Security: Smoke detector(s); Security/high impact doors
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Cable available; High-speed internet available
• Home design: Single-story; Wood frame construction; Metal roof; Raised foundation (pillar/post/pier); Resale property; Faces west
• Construction: Built with wood frame; Metal roof; Raised pier/pillar foundation
• Exterior features: Deck; Open porch; Fence; Security/high impact doors; Sprinkler/irrigation (automatic); Storage; Has view; East exposure

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Range; Microwave; Refrigerator; Freezer; Kitchen island; Pantry; Breakfast bar; Disposal
• Flooring: Vinyl flooring
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms; Separate shower(s)
• Heating & cooling: Central heat (electric); Central air conditioning (electric); Ceiling fan(s)
• Interior features: Breakfast bar; Cathedral ceilings; Entrance foyer; High ceilings; Kitchen island; Open living/dining area; Custom mirrors; Pantry; Separate shower (shower only); Cable TV; Window treatments; Split bedrooms; Unfurnished
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer; Laundry tub; Tankless water heater

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $869k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($30k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($11k rent vs $869k).
• Recommended offer: $817k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 10.3% vs local median 3.8% in Sanibel — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#541 in FL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: schools A+, crime A+, employment A+; Watch: housing D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Lee (suburban): math 47% / reading 50% proficiency, ranked #42 of 73 in FL (top 58%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 526 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 15,411 units permitted in Lee County in 2024 (4,686 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $6k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $26k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Lee County population projected at +44% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $243k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 69 days — a 6% lower offer ($817k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 6 sale attempts since 12y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $565k; list at $869k implies a 54% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance); severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→26/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $816,860 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 69 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
3. What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
4. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
7. What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
8. What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.
9. How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.22% ✓
• Cap rate: 10.30%
• Cash-on-cash: 14.32%
• DSCR: 1.64
• GRM: 6.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $1,164,240
• Comps found: 2

Show comp detail 2 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1154 Harbor Cottage Ct	0.32mi	3/2.0	1,493 (-1%)	16mo	$1,150,000	$770	70
1258 Sand Castle Rd	0.67mi	3/2.0	1,704 (+13%)	14mo	$570,000	$335	36

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 1.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.07×
• Total profit: $17,050
• Equity at exit: $129,571

10-year hold

• IRR: 11.4%
• Equity multiple: 1.90×
• Total profit: $218,405
• Equity at exit: $75,135

Cash invested: $243,320 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Florida: 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; preempts local rent control; landlord-friendly statutes. Court speed varies by county.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 33957

• Home prices YoY: -15.7%
• Active inventory: 526
• Price-to-rent: 6.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $10,617 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$4,557
• Tax from tax record: −$541 /mo · $6,496/yr
• Insurance: −$362
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$427 /mo · $5,118/yr
• HOA: −$23
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$2,229
• Net cashflow: $2,477

Break-even live

Break-even rent $7,481

Max offer price $869,000

Occupancy floor 72%

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $217,250
• Closing costs: $26,070
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
424 Lagoon Dr Sanibel, FL	3.0	2.0	1704	$18,200	$10.68	24d	1	0.88mi
1666 Sabal Palm Dr Sanibel, FL	2.0	2.5	1715	$3,500	$2.04	24d	1	1.15mi
1679 Serenity Ln Unit 1323695P Sanibel, FL	3.0	2.0	1646	$7,115	$4.32	16d	1	1.48mi

HOA detail

• Monthly dues: $23 · $276/yr
• Likely covers: security

Listing history 29 events

1. 2026-06-17
   days on market $869,000 Active 69 DOM
2. 2026-06-16
   days on market $869,000 Active 68 DOM
3. 2026-06-15
   days on market $869,000 Active 67 DOM
4. 2026-06-13
   days on market $869,000 Active 65 DOM
5. 2026-06-10
   days on market $869,000 Active 62 DOM
6. 2026-06-09
   days on market $869,000 Active 61 DOM
7. 2026-06-07
   days on market $869,000 Active 59 DOM
8. 2026-06-03
   days on market $869,000 Active 55 DOM
9. 2026-06-02
   days on market $869,000 Active 54 DOM
10. 2026-06-01
    days on market $869,000 Active 53 DOM
11. 2026-06-01
    days on market $869,000 Active 52 DOM
12. 2026-04-09
    listed $869,000 Active
13. 2025-07-16
    historical
14. 2025-05-25
    price $959,000
15. 2025-03-26
    listed $969,000 Active
16. 2018-05-07
    soldstatus $565,000
17. 2018-05-04
    soldstatus $565,000 Sold 733-char remark

    Show marketing remark (733 chars)

    Enjoy this beautiful elevated home in the special community of The Dunes on Sanibel. With the spectacular natural light and cathedral ceilings, this property has excellent interior volume. The list of updates over the last 5 months is substantial. A few of the updates include: new exterior fencing, exterior and interior paint, expanded and new driveway, brand new deck steps, redesigned kitchen with an island, brand new appliances and kitchen cabinets/exotic granite countertop, full security system, and much more. 3 bedroom, 2 bath split floor plan and tons of extra storage below. This home is ready for you immediately! 970 Sand Castle is your perfect home to start enjoying the Sanibel lifestyle you have been dreaming about.

18. 2018-04-04
    status Pending 733-char remark

    Show marketing remark (733 chars)

    Enjoy this beautiful elevated home in the special community of The Dunes on Sanibel. With the spectacular natural light and cathedral ceilings, this property has excellent interior volume. The list of updates over the last 5 months is substantial. A few of the updates include: new exterior fencing, exterior and interior paint, expanded and new driveway, brand new deck steps, redesigned kitchen with an island, brand new appliances and kitchen cabinets/exotic granite countertop, full security system, and much more. 3 bedroom, 2 bath split floor plan and tons of extra storage below. This home is ready for you immediately! 970 Sand Castle is your perfect home to start enjoying the Sanibel lifestyle you have been dreaming about.

19. 2018-02-26
    status Pending With Contingencies 733-char remark

    Show marketing remark (733 chars)

    Enjoy this beautiful elevated home in the special community of The Dunes on Sanibel. With the spectacular natural light and cathedral ceilings, this property has excellent interior volume. The list of updates over the last 5 months is substantial. A few of the updates include: new exterior fencing, exterior and interior paint, expanded and new driveway, brand new deck steps, redesigned kitchen with an island, brand new appliances and kitchen cabinets/exotic granite countertop, full security system, and much more. 3 bedroom, 2 bath split floor plan and tons of extra storage below. This home is ready for you immediately! 970 Sand Castle is your perfect home to start enjoying the Sanibel lifestyle you have been dreaming about.

20. 2017-10-16
    listed $599,000 Active 733-char remark

    Show marketing remark (733 chars)

    Enjoy this beautiful elevated home in the special community of The Dunes on Sanibel. With the spectacular natural light and cathedral ceilings, this property has excellent interior volume. The list of updates over the last 5 months is substantial. A few of the updates include: new exterior fencing, exterior and interior paint, expanded and new driveway, brand new deck steps, redesigned kitchen with an island, brand new appliances and kitchen cabinets/exotic granite countertop, full security system, and much more. 3 bedroom, 2 bath split floor plan and tons of extra storage below. This home is ready for you immediately! 970 Sand Castle is your perfect home to start enjoying the Sanibel lifestyle you have been dreaming about.

21. 2017-05-01
    soldstatus $500,000
22. 2017-03-02
    historical
23. 2016-08-05
    price $540,000
24. 2016-03-21
    listed $550,000 Active
25. 2014-07-02
    historical
26. 2014-05-01
    listed $525,000
27. 2014-04-30
    historical
28. 2014-02-18
    listed $525,000
29. 1994-02-09
    soldstatus $122,500

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast FL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $6,496 · $541/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $7,213 · $601/mo
• Expected delta: +$717/yr (+$60/mo · 11.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 10/10 Extreme FEMA zone AE · 99% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 10/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥113°F today · 26 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 10/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $127,399
• − Mortgage interest: −$48,678
• − Property taxes: −$6,496
• − Insurance: −$9,464
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$10,192
• − Management: −$10,192
• − HOA: −$276
• − Depreciation: −$25,280
• Taxable income: $16,822
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$4,037
• After-tax cash flow: $25,687/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Lee
• NCES district ID: 1201080
• Math proficiency: 47% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 50% ▼ -4.00%
• Median HH income: $49,518
• Composite: 41.49/100
• National rank: #3458
• State rank: #42 of 73 in FL

Livability — Sanibel

• Score: 67/100
• State rank: #541
• US rank: #10166

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living F Crime A+ Employment A+ Housing D+ Health & safety D- User ratings A+

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Sanibel, FL
• City population: 6,402
• Population (ZIP): 6,402

Population outlook (Lee County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 871,946 people
• By 2030: 955,468 · +9.6%
• By 2040: 1,113,587 · +27.7%
• By 2050: 1,256,891 · +44.1%
• By 2075: 1,560,270 · +78.9%
• By 2100: 1,726,848 · +98.0%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (95%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 95% Two or more races 2% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Italian 4% Romanian 4% Slovak 2%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · German/W. Germanic 1% Spanish 1% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lee

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+28.4) · D 35.5% · R 63.9%
• 2008→2024 swing: -18.0pp toward R · 2008: -10.4pp · 2024: -28.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+28.4 2020: R+19.2 2016: R+20.4 2012: R+16.6 2008: R+10.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -93.08%
• Current HPI: 501.0
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 36

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in FL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Industrial Technology	2	$29B
▸Insurance	2	$17B
▸Retail	1	$60B
▸Technology Distribution	1	$58B
▸Homebuilding	1	$35B
▸Technology Manufacturing	1	$35B

Price history

+609.4% since first listed

18 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-09 Listed $869,000 FORTMLS
• 2025-07-16 Listing Removed — FORTMLS
• 2025-05-25 Price Changed $959,000 FORTMLS
• 2025-03-26 Listed $969,000 FORTMLS
• 2018-05-07 Sold (Public Records) $565,000 Public Records
• 2018-05-04 Sold (MLS) $565,000 FORTMLS
• 2018-04-04 Pending — FORTMLS
• 2018-02-26 Pending — FORTMLS
• 2017-10-16 Listed $599,000 FORTMLS
• 2017-05-01 Sold (Public Records) $500,000 Public Records
• 2017-03-02 Listing Removed — FORTMLS
• 2016-08-05 Price Changed $540,000 FORTMLS
• 2016-03-21 Listed $550,000 FORTMLS
• 2014-07-02 Listing Removed — FORTMLS
• 2014-05-01 Listed $525,000 FORTMLS
• 2014-04-30 Listing Removed — FORTMLS
• 2014-02-18 Listed $525,000 FORTMLS
• 1994-02-09 Sold (Public Records) $122,500 Public Records

Property tax history

+2.2%/yr

Latest (2025): $6,496 · +2.9% YoY. Source: county tax records.