Keys Sales Stats for December 2008

Ok...so interesting numbers for December. The main thing that I see is the degree that Sellers are reducing their prices. You will see a running constant of sever price cutting for both Waterfront and Non-Waterfront properties. We are still in the thick of a deep Buyers Market...but....the tide may be turning. It will be a very slow tide, but I believe that the last quarter of 2008 will be seen as the "bottoming out" point for real estate prices.

I have been counseling my Buyers that Now is the time to act and capitalize on the opportunities that are out there.

To view the charts larger, right click on the chart as choose Save Picture As, and download it into your browser where you can view it larger.

There were no Non-Waterfront Single Family Home Sales in the month of December.

Please see my statistics posts from mid-December to see yearlong numbers.

Call me at 305.439.7730 for more information on insightful Buying opportunities in the Keys.

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com
For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

The Conchquistador Deal of The Day 1.14.09

Today's Deal brings us a bit Southward down to picturesque Sugarloaf Key for a really stunning home.

This over 1/2 acre property has commanding waterfront views and everything one could want in a Keys retreat!

One of the things that I like about this area of Sugarloaf provides exceptional protected dockage while still offering spectacular wide-open waterfront views.

17115 Hibiscus Lane, Sugarloaf Key

List Price: $1,895,00,000 -

Sold price: $1,300,000
2 Bedrooms / 2 bathrooms -

Lot Size: 27,200 sf

Days on the Market: Just over 2 Years Mile Marker: 17

Original List Price: $2,197,000

Click Here For Mapped Location

Description: One of Sugarloaf's finest. Large open water point lot with sunset view overlooking Lower Sugarloaf Sound. Privacy wall, gated entry,brick pavers, tropical landscaping, protected canal dockage with davits, waterfront pool, beach area,and private guest cabana. Spacious living dining and kitchen areas opening onto big screen porch with sweeping water views.

Click Here for a Detailed Brochure.

So, here once again some prudent Buyers are making another very Opportunistic acquisition! This property was on and off the Market for the better part of 2 years and the sellers negotiated almost $900,000 (41%)off of their original price!

Let me help you find your outstanding opportunity. The Keys are loaded with them! Now is THE time to buy!

Put the expert to work for you!

Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com
For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

The Conchquistadore Deal of the Day 1.11.09

Well, I wanted to start of 2009's Deals of The Day with a great one and wow here it is...

There are some really fantastic buys on waterfront property in the Keys right now.

Case in point....this property has been on the Market almost solidly for just under 2 years. It was originally listed at $2,395,000. When it sold it was listed at $1,699,000 and now has just sold for ... get this...$1,402,250!! That is almost a $Million discount!!! And we are talking about a magnificent property.

159 Atlantic Circle Drive, Tavernier

List Price: $1,699,000 - Sold Price: $1,402,250

3 Bedrooms - 2 bathrooms - Lot size: 8,120 sf - Days on Market: Almost 2 Years

Original List Price:$2,395,000

Click Here for Mapped Location

Description: OCEAN VIEWS, OCEAN BREEZE & DEEP WATER DOCKAGE! Beautiful custom Tri-Level home directly on Atlantic in historic Tavernier w/pier to boat lift & davits, concrete fully furnished 3B/2B, kitchen w/center island & dining alcove, living room w/sliders to oceanfront balcony, sprawling 3rd level master suite, foyer w/storage room & carport on ground level, fenced yard plus room for an oceanfront pool.

Click Here for A Detailed Brochure

Let me help you find YOUR dream home in the Keys!

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com

For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

Islamorada Bemoans First Chain Store

Well, I guess it had to happen sometime.....

Islamorada finally repealed its longstanding edict that did not allow national chain stores larger than 2,000 square feet within the Island City's limits. That zoning change occurred in late December and now we are blessed/cursed with the first chain to rush in.

This can be looked at both as a positive and a negative.

Negative of course is that it mars the....local, small town feel that Islamorada has so well preserved.

The Positive and more realistically beneficial view is that this will create more creature comforts and make the Keys even that more "accessible" to tourists and transplants.

This will, of course, stimulate the real estate economy as retailers will be opting for available parcels and existing storefronts, which should as well trickle down activity to the residential market.

So, as with so many things lately, I shall welcome the change, though I will always hold a very dear place in my heart for the rustic Keys Days of old.

I saw this article in Keysnews.com this morning:

"Islamorada bemoans first chain store

PLANTATION KEY — With the village's anti-chain store law now a thing of the past, the first new national franchise has opened in Islamorada.
Domino's Pizza opened the day after Christmas in a mile marker 88.5 strip mall along the Overseas Highway. The company's characteristic blue, red and white sign was erected late last week, according to owner Dale Ranson.
"Thank God they finally gave us a permit. We're really happy," he said.
The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta struck down Islamorada's 2002 anti-chain store law in September, ruling that it unconstitutionally discriminated against out of state interests. The ordinance blocked new chain stores larger than 2,000 square feet from opening in the village.
Further legal maneuvering delayed repeal of the ban until late November.
But though the appellate panel made it clear that the village's sister law banning all new chain restaurants does not meet constitutional muster either, that law remains on the books pending formal action by the trial court in Miami, or a settlement between the village and litigant Joe Cachia.
However, the village's decision to allow Domino's to open on Plantation Key means that it no longer intends to enforce the law.
"What the court said was to come back with something consistent with the judgment," Planning Director Ed Koconis said. "Since the Formula Restaurant Ordinance is even more restrictive than the retail, we believe we need to issue the permit."
Though Domino's has come to Islamorada, it doesn't necessarily mean that floodgates to the national chain stores that the town has long resisted will spill open.
Owner Ranson, unaware that the anti-chain store law would apply to him, first opened his Domino's a year ago, only to have it shut down by village code enforcement after a couple of days.
In response, Ranson converted the small storefront to a faux Domino's, which he called Murphy's Law Pizza. Murphy's Law served Domino's items, but without the signage, pizza boxes, menu logos and other branding.
Ranson closed the pizzeria in May at the insistence of Domino's, which informed him that he was violating his franchise agreement.
Still, with the storefront already leased, it was a relatively simple matter to reopen the Domino's once the Islamorada chain-store ban was repealed.
For other companies that have previously expressed an interest in the village, such as a Publix and Walgreens, things would likely be far more complicated. Details like land purchases, lease agreements, permitting and site plan approvals all must be worked out. Then there's the sagging economy that is stifling many companies' desire to expand.
Though he declined to be specific, Realtor George Wilson said in recent weeks he has been showing properties to agents for several chains stores and restaurants.
So far he's had no luck, primarily, he says, because potential sellers are vastly overestimating their properties' worth in the 2009 economy.
"There are people holding out for $4 million or $5 million cash," Wilson said. "They're dreaming."

Now, my question is....Do they deliver in 30 minutes to your boat as well??? LOL

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Prices Drop, Foreclosures Rise

First off, let me wish everyone a Happy and most importantly Healthy and Prosperous 2009!!

I was going to write a recap of 2008 and gaze into my real estate crystal ball for 2009, but then I saw this article in the keynoter that pretty much summed it up:

"2008 REWIND: Prices drop, foreclosures rise
Home sales remain sluggish in 2008
By KAREN QUIST
kquist@keynoter.com

The average home price in the Keys continued to drop in 2008, as the twin pressures of high inventory and a growing number of short sales and foreclosures weighed down the market.
The average sales price Keyswide was $582,000, according to Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate, which tracked sales through the first 11 months of the year. That's down 21 percent from the same period in 2007.Total sales were down 14 percent from 2007, as 1,065 homes sold through November.
At the end of November, there were 4,467 homes in the Multiple Listing Service, according to Coldwell Banker Schmitt. That's actually 2 percent fewer than the same time last year, but a sluggish sales pace throughout most of 2008 meant there was anywhere from two and a half to four years' worth of inventory on the market.
Things were looking up in the fall, as September and October sales followed mainland trends and soared 30 percent above sales from those months in 2007, but November and December didn't follow suit.
Inventory has been a consistent challenge in the Keys market since 2005.
"Wilma started it," said Brian Schmitt, president of Coldwell Banker Schmitt. "The flood of properties is directly related to the flood of Wilma."
Prior to that damaging October 2005 hurricane, there were about 2,500 homes on the market; in the months following, the number nearly doubled.
"We haven't recovered from that," Schmitt said. "It's been sustained by other things, but it started with that event."
Among those other things is the growing number of foreclosures, as well as sales made to avoid foreclosure.
RealtyTrac reports 1,280 foreclosure filings from January to November 2008 in Monroe County, a 146 percent increase over 2007. The online compiler of foreclosure data said that translates to one out of every 42 Keys households in some state of foreclosure in the first 11 months, compared to one of every 19 statewide and one of every 44 nationwide.
Of the 1,280 filings, RealtyTrac reports that 249 properties went to auction and 122 were in the hands of the lender (often referred to as an REO, or real estate-owned property).
Homeowners in danger of defaulting on their mortgages are more frequently turning to short sales as an option to avoid foreclosure. In a short sale, the owner works with a Realtor to sell the home, and the lender agrees to settle for less than what's owed on the property.
Sellers who aren't in distress are affected by the woes of their neighbors, Schmitt said, because "what they're able to get is more and more influenced by those" short sales and bank-owned properties.
Keyswide, there were 294 active and 54 pending listings identified as short sales in the MLS the week before last, according to Ed Anderson, general manager for Coldwell Banker Schmitt. Of those, 190 active and 31 pending listings were from Key West. Key West's average price through November was $602,000, 27 percent less than it was a year earlier. That's the largest drop of the four Keys areas that Schmitt tracks"

So, as you can see, although there are quite a few hardships going on, this has created an almost unprecedented opportunity for Buyers here in the Keys! Inventory is up, prices are down and the competition is fierce.

I would be delighted to help you make 2009 the year that you bought a slice of paradise!

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com
For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas...Keys Style!

My wife Michelle and I saw this this morning on Keysnews.com and just had to put it on here!!! So true to a Holiday in the Keys.
Please click on the beautiful wreathes to visit chartworksart.com, artist Margorie Smith's warm collection of Keys inspired art.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Keys,
Most of the anglers were enjoying a warm ocean breeze.
The rods were all rigged by the transom with care,
In hopes that big fish will soon leave their lairs.
The beers were nestled all snug in the ice,
While visions of hookups soon would be nice.
And mamma in her 'kini, and I in my Crocks,
Had just cast off lines from our Key Largo dock.
When out on the flats there arose such a splash,
I sprang from the helm to see a bright silver flash.
Away toward the clatter I drove in a dash,
The outboard's high revs ate up more of my cash.
The sun on the glass of the calm ocean seas
Gave the luster of the Caribbean to the coconut trees.
When, what to my Costa-clad eyes should appear,
But a monster, bearded permit, and eight tiny Key deer.
With a little old remora, so shiny and black,
I knew in a moment it was Christmas Jack.
More rapid than wahoo his coursers they came,
And he jumped, and breached, as he called them by name.
"Now Snapper! Now Grouper, Now Lobster and Wrass!
On Marlin! On Sailfish! On 'Cuda and Sea Bass!
To the top of the tuna tower! To the top of the mast!
Now swim away! Swim away! Swim away fast!"
As Jim Cantore before the mild hurricane arrives,
Christmas Jack rattles his gills, as tourism dies.
Then Jack to his namesake Alabama's he flew,
With a sleigh full of fritters and a few snowbirds too.
And then, with stars twinkling, I heard on the ocean
The jumping and splashing of a fish fighting commotion.
As I drew in my line, and was turning my reel,
Among the sea grass Jack swam right by my keel.
He was dressed in all scales, from his tail to his mouth,
Christmas Jack is the most popular holiday fish in the South.
A bundle of toys he had flung 'round his gills,
He looked like a sailfish school sharpening their bills.
His eyes, how they twinkled! His belly, how yellow!
There never has been a more merry pelagic fellow.
His droll little mouth had nibbled my hook,
And the remora on his chin gave me a very cross look.
So I removed the hook held tight in his teeth,
And returned my rod to its waterproof sheath.
Jack had a flat rounded face, and silver, metallic side,
That shook when he laughed as he swam away with the tide.
His crescent tail took him quickly toward the Continental Shelf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know that gamefish aren't meant to be dead.
He spoke not a word, but swam right round the boat,
And a small self-conscious lump arouse in my throat.
And laying a flipper aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up into the air he rose.
He shook side to side, to his Key deer he did whistle,
And away they all swam like a happy holiday missile.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he dove out of sight:
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good fight!"

Wishing you the happiest of Holiday Seasons from my family to yours!!

The Conchquistador Deal of the Day 12.22.08

65800 Overseas Hwy, Long Key

Florida Keys Beach House Perfection!

Wow, I was really excited when I saw this property. Just what you imagine about when you dream about a home in the Keys.

Beautifully situated on Long Key, just south of Layton, 100 feet of sandy beach on the ocean side on over 3/4 of an acre!!

The only thing to add is a dock.

List Price: $1,800,000 - Sale Price: $1,525,000 3Bedrooms/ 2 Baths - Lot 35,650 sf

Days on the Market: 150 - Mile Marker: 66

Original Price: $1.800,000

Description: The ultimate beach house! Nestled in professionally designed landscaping, this 3 bedroom and 2 bath estate is the Keys at it's finest. 100' of white, sandy beach lead you into the beautiful, pristine waters of the Atlantic to swim, snorkel, kayak or try your luck in some of the best fly-fishing waters anywhere. Priced to sell!

Click Here for a Detailed Brochure.

This was one very lucky, or more likely, astute Buyer.

Stunning 3/4 of an acre with 100 ft sandy beach on the Ocean, lovely house, super location, under $2,000,000??

People, there are deals to be had in Paradise!!

The Seller negotiated over 20% off the List price.

Please allow me to find you YOUR Dream Home in the Keys.

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com
For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

The Conchquistador Deal of The Day 12.18.08

405 Mahogany Circle, Key Largo
It looks like Buyers are getting the message that there are great deals to be found in the Keys.

Located near Lake Largo, this super clean waterfront property sold in just 3 weeks.

List Price: $799,000 - Sale Price: $775,000 - 3 Bedrooms/2 Baths - Lot: 7,800sf

Days on the Market: 21

Original List Price: $799,000

Click Here for Mapped View

Description: Meticulously Maintained Oceanside Home!! This home offers solid concrete construction, beautiful wood & tile floors, granite counter tops, subzero refrigerator, thermador range, wine chiller. Everything in this home is top of the line quality and in like new condition. Wireless alarm system up and down. 2bed/2bath upstairs, and guest quarters downstairs with legal bath downstairs and storage.
Click Here to view a detailed brochure.

Now, although I say it sold in 3 weeks, I must clarify that that was since they put it back on the Market. It had been off the Market for about 4 months. It was previously listed for about a year at a starting price of $1,089,000!!

Obviously these sellers got wise to the market and Bam! as Emeril likes to say...lol.

Great Home, Good Price, Astute Sellers, Wise Buyers...the perfect mix.

I would be happy to enlighten YOU to other great waterfront opportunities in the Keys.

Put the expert to work for you!

Call me at 305.439.7730 or

visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com

For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

Florida Keys MLS Property Search

With the current real estate market in transition, exceptional Florida Keys real estate opportunities are presenting themselves daily. NOW is an excellent time to Buy in the Keys!!
I would personally be honored to assist you with purchases from Key Largo to Conch Key, just north of Marathon. For properties from Marathon to Key West, my dedicated network of Lower Keys property professionals are at your service.

All of the available Keys listings at your fingertips!

Please click on the banners below to view real estate search results in the following categories or click on the bottom banner to create your own custom search.

Should you have any questions, remember that I'm just a phone call away at 305.439.7730.

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First State's Big Pine Branch to Open on Monday

Contrary to what the media may like to report , it is not ALL doom and gloom in the Financial Sector. First State is about to open a new branch on Big Pine Key this coming Monday. That being said, I am sure that they will be eager to make an abundance of Home loans for properties here in the Keys.

I came across this article in Keysnet.com this morning:

"First State's Big Pine branch to open on Monday

By Margaret Menge
mmenge@keynoter.com

It is a sign - a welcome one - that all in the banking world is not quite as universally dour as one would think after watching television news.
First State Bank has spent $2 million on a new branch on Big Pine Key, set to open Monday at the traffic light on U.S. 1.
"We were very, very happy to get that location," says First State spokesman Don Lanman. "It's prime location. It's so convenient and it's so efficient."
First State renovated the old Century 21 building, where Wilder Road and Key Deer Boulevard meet U.S. 1, adding two drive-through lanes that will allow customers to make deposits 24 hours a day.
And they've taken a "green" approach to the new branch.
"We could have razed the building and bought a new one," says Lanman. "But we chose to keep it."
Green features include a copper roof; copper having one of the highest recycling rates of any metal. There are also energy efficient light fixtures, landscaping that includes only native plants, and plants that don't require much watering and a sign made from recycled metal. The furniture from the old Century 21 office was given to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Big Pine Key. First State Bank will be celebrating the grand opening of the new branch all next week with free tours, coffee, holiday cookies and a drawing for a chance to win a gift card.
The new building will give the bank better visibility on this most populous island in the Lower Keys. But First State already has two other branches here: one inside the Winn Dixie grocery store, and another the bank calls the 'annex' - a very small space in the building across the parking lot, on the southwest corner of the Winn Dixie shopping plaza.
The bank planned to close the annex for good on Friday and move employees over to the new building to start work on Monday. The branch in the Winn Dixie will remain open for about another 90 days, says Lanman. Branch manager Shana Casey will oversee both locations, and employees will go back and forth between the two.
For customers of First State on Big Pine Key, the new branch means not having to park and get out to do your banking. And it also means having a place to meet with a loan officer in a private office. One loan officer will be moving to the new Big Pine branch from another location to accommodate potential lenders.
Key West architect and designer Michael Ingrahm, a principal in the firm MBI/K2M, did the redesign of the new First State branch, using millwork and other details that his firm designed for First State Bank when they were hired to do design work at the bank's main branch on Simonton Street.
Headquartered in Key West, First State Bank of the Florida Keys is a locally owned and operated community bank with 13 branches and 32 ATMs throughout the Keys. The bank was founded in 1955. "

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Commercial Air Service Returning to Middle Keys This Week

This is really exciting, as this will open the door for more service to the Middle Keys. Vacationing homeowners will have even easier access to the Keys.

I saw this article in KeysNet News:

"Cape Air's first Marathon landing schedule for Friday

Airline will fly Cessnas to Fort Myers
By RYAN McCARTHY
rmccarthy@keynoter.com
Posted - Wednesday, December 17, 2008 07:01 AM EST

Finally, commercial air service is returning to the Middle Keys this week.
Cape Air is scheduled to begin serving Florida Keys Marathon Airport on Friday.
It's the latest in a long line of airlines to give it a go in the Middle Keys. The Massachusetts-based plans to fly three times daily to Fort Myers through mid-April.
Airport Manager Reggie Paros said Cape Air's first flight is scheduled to land around 1 p.m. Friday and that the public is welcome to visit with company officials.
"We've got plans under way for a welcome reception for the inaugural flight. We want everyone to be able to ask questions," Paros said. "We have a good feeling this will be a dependable airline, and it'll be up to us to make it work."
The county pulled out all the stops to welcome Delta Airlines in February 2007 -- including fire hoses, a jam band, hundreds of onlookers, blowing conch shells and a host of officials. But Delta was gone just five months later, citing a runway too short to allow the airline to fill planes to capacity.
Prior to American Eagle discontinuing flights in April 2000, carriers including US Airways Express, Com Air, Gulfstream and Florida Air have served the airport.
But Paros said he believes Marathon may have found the right fit this time around.
"I think this is the right size for a startup operation. I believe their dependability rate out of Key West is ... over 98 percent," he said.
Cape Air has been flying into Key West International Airport for more than 15 years and has a fleet of nearly 60 nine-passenger Cessna 402 airplanes.
Cape Air has a code share agreement with Continental Airlines and will actually be operating as Continental Connection. Tickets for passengers aboard Cape Air flights out of Marathon will read Continental Airlines.
On Sept. 17, the County Commission decided to give Cape Air a $250,000 revenue guarantee, without which the carrier would have walked away.
The final hurdle for Cape Air was lifted in October when the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration gave the OK for passengers to be reverse-screened in Fort Myers. "

As long as the carriers operate smaller planes, I'm all for it. The community just needs to legislate that runway expansion stays in check.

Put the expert to work for you!
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Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com

For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

Lower Keys Sales Stats January thru November

Here are some very interesting Statistics for Single Family Home Sales in the Lower Keys, excluding Key West. from Jan thru Nov.

To view the charts larger, place your cursor over the chart, right-click and choose save picture as. After saving to your computer, open the file and size to your preference.

The telling aspect here is the quantity of waterfront sales. Although not as robust as in previous years, still some very healthy activity. With navigable waterfront sales as low $235,000, there are some very astute buyers out there that are recognizing and capitalizing on the opportunities that this Buyer's Market presents.

And now with the drop in interest rates...the timing could not be better for those who have waited for and wanted the perfect market/financing mix.

Call me at 305.439.7730 to discuss the available options to help you realize your waterfront dreams.
Put the expert to work for you!
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Welcome to The Florida Keys Real Estate Conchquistador!

What can I say? I just LOVE the Keys! From the incredible waterways to the funkiness of Key West and Fantasy Fest, the Keys are one of this Country’s true treasures. Some of my fondest and earliest precious memories involve dining at the Coral Grill, fishing off the catwalk on the Cardsound Bridge, running in the inaugural 7 mile bridge run, my high school graduation party at the Cheeca Lodge and lobstering off Indian Key (and yes we only kept the legal ones...lol).

Now as an Adult, I am privileged to be able to market and sell stunning waterfront properties in the area that I love most!

Within this Blog, I aim to share with you pertinent real estate info as well as off the wall and irreverent items of interest for both residents and wishful residents of this incredible island chain.

Please visit my website Floridakeyswaterfrontexpert.com for a comprehensive listing of available properties throughout the Keys. There, you can view available properties, view photos, see maps and even schedule an appointment to view your next dreamhome.

Thank you for visiting and

Welcome to the Conch Republic!!!

The Conchquistador Deal of the Day 12.17.08

161 Indian Mound Trail,

Plantation Key

Cream of The Crop!!!

A true slice of Paradise, this home is magnificent.

Directly on the Bay in Indian Harbour, just south of Tavernier Creek on over 1/3 of an acre.

List Price:$3,750,000 - Sale Price: $3,000,000 - 5 Bedrooms/5 Baths - Lot: 17,325 sf

Days on the Market 216 - Original List Price: $3,900,000.

Click Here for Mapped Location

Description: Big, lovely direct bayfront home with deepwater dockage, swimming pool & spa. Professionally landscaped & beautifully, comfortably furnished! Home is fully concrete including roof and has been completely updated.

Click Here for a detailed brochure

This was a very good opportunity for the Buyer, as the key here was not only the gorgeous home , but the significant lot square footage as well.

Let me help you find YOUR slice of paradise

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com

For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

The Conchquistadore Deal of The Day 12.16.08

25 Bonefish Avenue, Key Largo

This home is the perfect lowcost getaway home in the Keys!!

I have always liked this little neighborhood. Nice homes, a really pretty homeowners park that has a very well maintained boat ramp. Also being just past Adam's Cut, it makes getting to the Bay side by boat a breeze.

Value wise you should usually look for non-waterfront homes that have access to boat ramps in a homeowner's park. Public boat ramps are scarce in the Keys and marinas can charge pricey fees for launches.

List Price:$ 225,000 - Sale Price $225,000 -2 Bedrooms/1 bath - Lot Size:5,100 sf

Days on the Market: 37

Original Price: $225,000 - Mile Marker: 103

Click Here for mapped Location

Description: Original owner has lovingly maintained this beautiful concrete home in X Zone. Mint condition, just waiting for you to enjoy. 2 bedrooms plus bonus room (office or sewing room) and very large screened porches. One of the nicest homeowners parks in Key Largo. Boat ramp, beach, swimming area, recreation areas, Barbecue, and easy ocean or bay access.

As you can see this one sold pretty quickly in just over a month and at full asking price.

Great deals abound in the Keys!

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com

For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

Middle Keys Sales Stats January thru November

Here are some very interesting Statistics for Single Family Home Sales in the Middle Keys from Jan thru Nov.

Again we find some very telling numbers:
Waterfront single family homes that sold for a low as $330,000 with a Median Price of $830,000 and
Non-Waterfront single family homes for as low as $250,000 with a Median of $380,000.
I was just chatting with a colleague the other day and we were both still in awe of what is available to Buyers in this current Market.
And don't let the "Mortgage Meltdown" scare you. There are still great lenders out there with very competitive products are are ready, willing, and able to lend.
Please call me at 305.439.7730 for more information on insightful Buying opportunities in the Keys.

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com
For a quick Search of available Properties in the Florida Keys, click here: Keys MLS Search.

Florida Keys Webcams...Check it out!

This is a SUPER COOL service proved by FloridaKeys.com and Keysnews.com, which btw is a great resource for all types of news down here in the Keys.

They offer the ability to view ... in real time over 2 dozen webcams throughout the Keys!

Brought to you by FloridaKeys.com

So, when you absolutely need your Keys fix, just click on the banner above.

Put the expert to work for you!
Please visit FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com for all of your Keys real estate needs!
Click here: FloridaKeysWaterfrontExpert.com

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Key Largo Conch House & Coffee Bar

We recently discovered this really enjoyable restaurant. Great for breakfast with exceptional gourmet coffees, charming tropical atmosphere, and a bit quirky, just how we like it. My wife Michelle and I love discovering out of the way, unique restaurants and bars in the Keys, the proverbial "Hole in the Walls".
Located in Key Largo at Mile marker 102 Oceanside.
Check out the video below (remember to first pause the Conquistador Soundrack to the left!)







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Traffic Stop Yields Illegal Sea Catch

I really can't stand to see when people abuse the catch laws. Deputies have been really cracking down this year on lobster violations. I have breakfast quite often with a marine patrol friend of mine and he says some of the violations they have seen this season have been some of the worst.That being said, I do miss the days when conch were plentiful and you could easily grab a meal and a beautiful souvenir with a quick jump in the water.

I saw this article in Keysnews.com this morning.

"Traffic stop yields illegal sea catch

By CITIZEN STAFF

Sheriff's deputies confiscated illegal sea catch and arrested a man in a traffic stop Friday afternoon, according to the Sheriff's Office. A 45-year-old man from Marathon was charged with four counts of violating saltwater fishing regulations, all misdemeanors. Deputies reportedly found in a cooler 410 lobster tails, 382 of which were too small, a goliath grouper and an undersized stone crab claw. It is illegal to catch goliath grouper.A deputy had stopped the man about 2:20 p.m. at Mile Marker 88 for allegedly passing in the center turn lane and weaving in and out of traffic. As the officer approached the 2005 Toyota Tacoma, he saw the driver trying to hide something behind his seat, reports say.The man allegedly admitted that he had lobster in the cooler and said he was going to sell it in Miami.Another deputy arrived as backup, and the two reportedly found the illegal catch in the cooler.The man was arrested and booked into jail."

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Boat Parades Light Up Keys Waters

My family loves boat parades around the Holidays. One of the special treats that living down here enables us to enjoy! We are going to raft up this year near the Caribbean Club and watch the festivities.

I found this article in the Citizen online and it gives a nice rundown of the various parades.

"Boat parades light up Keys waters
By Citizen Staff

Florida Keys waters will be lit up with holiday cheer this weekend, as several municipalities celebrate their annual holiday boat parades.
• Key West's event is at 8 tonight in the Key West Bight.
The Schooner Wharf Bar/Captain Morgan Lighted Boat Parade will proceed around the Historic Seaport and harbor areas, with the judges' stand at the Schooner Wharf Bar, 202 William St.
Before the parade, at 6:30 p.m., the Gerald Adams Elementary School Steel Your Heart Band will welcome spectators with songs of the season. During the parade, Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 band will blend rock with island rhythms and a little country until midnight. Prizes will be awarded to the most creatively bedecked boats.
• Key Colony Beach will have its boat parade beginning at dusk Sunday.
The parade route begins at the Seventh Street canal and winds in and out of neighboring canals. The best public-viewing locations include the Sadowski Causeway at Mile Marker 53.5, oceanside, and the area behind City Hall, where the boats will pass three times.
• Key Largo celebrates "Groovin' in the '60s" starting at 8 tonight.
Boats will proceed from the bayfront area of Blackwater Sound, at about Mile Marker 103. Boats will line up at the headpin to Dusenbury Creek and continue north along the shoreline to the tip of Stillwright Point. Viewing and libations are to be found at Sundowners, Senor Frijoles, the Marriott Key Largo Bay Resort and the Caribbean Club."

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