Introducing the "Conchtails Radio Show" Live from the Postcard Inn at Holiday Isle Sponsored by Your Humble Conchquistador!!!

I am  soooo Freaking Jazzed!!

It's Conchtails Time at  The Holiday Isle!

As the old saying goes, "The more things Change, the more they remain the same."  Never have truer words been spoken, especially for me.
As a kid, Sunday's at the Holiday Isle, now Postcard Inn, were a tradition.  After a typical day of snorkeling the turquoise and indigo waters around Indian Key, my parents yearned for a late afternoon cocktail and The Holiday Isle was THE place to go.
We had our own routine wherein we would get there right as the Charter Boats would come in with their quarry.  We would Ohh and ahh over their catch and then make our way to the Tiki Bar.

What a sight to behold for a young impressionable Conchquistador!  Beautiful women, gorgeous boats, great music and an incredible vibe. Everything was in excess,  the boats, the boobs, the lounge lizards...the money.  To me THIS was Disney World!!  Remember, this was the late 70s, the heyday of square grouper.  I loved this essence so much, it became the setting for the very first song that I ever wrote, called Modern Day Pirate.

Fast forward way too many years and a lifetime later, and I find myself back at the Tiki Bar once again!!  I am very proud to announce that I will be sponsoring the new "Conchtails Radio Show".  Starting November 7th, hosted by my friends Joey Naples and Captain Matt Bellinger, and airing live from the Tike Bar, Wednesdays from 6-7PM on Sun 103.1 locally and worldwide on iHeart radio at Sun103.1, this is sure to be a fun and entertaining hour and I look forward to joining in as their resident Keys real estate expert.

So make Conchtails a regular part of your Wednesday Routine.  Come on Down or Listen Live.

In the Key of A with a tropical beat, a sample of my very first song written at age 16 in 1981

Drives up in His Maserati to The Holiday Isle
Climbs into his 40 footer and gives all the girls a smile 
Orders a Margarita from a cute Senorita and gives her a 5 buck tip for a 2.50 drink

He's a
Modern Day Pirate
Cruisin' the Sea in his fast as @#$% Cigarette
A Modern Day Pirate 
Haulin' Mary Jane and Cocaine from Cuba to Key West 

Modern Day Pirate 
When it comes to haulin'
He's undoubtedly the Best!

So the circle is complete and I find myself doing the greatest job in the world in the most wonderful place on Earth, the fabulous Florida Keys.  It's Conchtails Time!!!

 Work with an Agent whose properties get worldwide multimedia exposure.  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

Congratulating My Colleague, John Vlad on Being Named our Board's Rookie Of The Year!

John Vlad

It's really great when you have an opportunity to work with real professionals.
People who know the direction that they want to go in, and ...go there.  People who are motivated, and at the same time educated and ethical.

I am super proud to say that my office, American Caribbean Real Estate, is populated with these types of Individuals. And one of these key Individuals is John Vlad.

John recently had the honor of being named the Florida Keys Board of Realtors', "Rookie of The Year".

Sands Of Islamorada Resort recently sold by John Vlad

Though a rookie to real estate, John is no rookie to Business, having owned and operated award winning businesses for over 3 Decades.  John brings business savvy and know how to each of his transactions and is already the consummate pro and is now well versed in Residential and Commercial transactions, as evidenced by his recent sale of the Sands of Islamorada Resort.

Respected by his peers within and outside of our firm, John is certainly a professional who is sure to have a distinguished career filled with further accolades.

Ok Guys, Break Out Your Eyeliner, Dandy Clothes, Bad @#$ Attitude, and Get Your Inner Pirate On, Because It's Pirate Fest in the Keys!

Black Caesar

Ok Guys, break out your eyeliner, dandy clothes, bad ass attitude, and get your inner Pirate on because its Pirate Fest in the Keys!!!

Time to channel your inner Black Beard, Black Caesar, Captain Morgan or even Jack Sparrow. 

Always one of the coolest events in the Keys, and the ramp up to Fantasy Fest that debauched bacchanal in Key West, Pirates Fest is a lot more PG and a whole lot of fun!  4 Days of fun and mayhem.

This year we celebrate my favorite Pirate and local homeboy Black Caesar, who actually roamed our waters in the 18^th century and was buddies with Black Beard.

So Avast Ye and steer your Cutter to our thieves market and visit KeyLargoPiratesFest.com for more info and this weekend's schedule of events.

Presented by The Upper Keys Business Group.

Work with a Swashbuckling Agent!! Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

High End Listings Get a Boost

The number of $1 million-plus properties in New York City with asking prices that were boosted over the previous 12 months rose to 436 in August from 266 during the same period in 2010, A Real Estate source reports.

Water's Edge offered by American Caribbean Real Estate $3,299,000

The number of these properties climbed to 5 percent from 2.3 percent of high-end listings in Miami-Fort Lauderdale over the same time span.

Experts say high-end sellers are feeling more confident these days due to record sales prices paid by affluent overseas buyers, but brokers say pricing at this end of the market is often subjective due to the lack of comparable sales. Moreover, the listings generally take longer to sell, and rarely does hiking the asking price boost the final sales price.

But in the Keys...
“Unless it’s a unique property, it signals to the market the seller is not serious,” says New York-based broker Donna Olshan, who adds that homes whose prices have been increased either languish on the market or see significant price reductions.

Still, some real estate pros believe the strategy can attract international buyers searching for trophy properties; and it could prompt a perception among some buyers of increased demand for the property.

Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

It's October 15th ... Lets Get Stoned!!!! Stone Crab Season Starts Today!!

October 15th...one of my favorite days of the year.  Why? you ask?....Well it's time to get stoned....   No, no, no, put down your smokeless hitters and step away from the bong and turn down the Jack Johnson songs ....we're not talking 420, but Stone Crabs!!

October is my favorite time of year here in the Keys.  The obsessive heat has dulled its edge and the Northern breezes start to glide in, making it, to me, one of the greatest places to be, especially when you are out on the water.

Turn up the Buffett, crack open a Key West Sunset Ale, light up a Partagas, and steer your craft through the turquoise and indigo hued waters to the bounty that lies within your traps.  Sometimes, I just like to take it slow and troll while I go from trap to trap, usually snagging a Mackerel or two...and ponder..yes dinner is gonna be good tonight.

The breeze picks up and the smell of the salt fills you with each breath, you look around and see land to your port and open water to your starboard and realize that God must have been stoned when he created the Keys....Nothing could be this beautiful and serene that was created straight.

All I can say is that if you have never experienced Fall in the Keys, you do not know what you are missing.   Keep your falling leaves, keep your chilly temperatures, and for all means keep your Snow!!!

So break out the melted butter, break out the remoulade, break out the mallets and break out a Lifestyle.  It's October 15th in the Keys and the BEST part of the Season has just begun!

Let me help you lead the Lifestyle that you have dreamed about.

Work with an Agent that will show you how to live the Lifestyle!  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

Just Closed on Adam's Cut - $850,000!! The Conchquistador Deal of the Day - 10.15.12

One of my favorite places to be in Key Largo is Adam’s Cut. Just pull the throttle back to cruise at about 5 knots, crack open a beer, turn on some Jimmy Buffett and just sit back and chill for what seems to be about a half mile or so of  easy coasting. The “Cut”, as it is known by, was built back in the 50s as a swath of a passageway cut through incredibly hard-coral that has now left a basic canyon that is a thoroughfare from the Bayside the Oceanside.

Prior to the Cut’s construction, seafarers had to go either all the way up to Angelfish Creek just north of Ocean Reef Club, or all the way down to Tavernier Creek which made getting from side to side a rather difficult and lonnnnng passage. This now makes it a really easy passageway from Blackwater Sound on the Bayside to Largo Sound on the Oceanside.

As you cross Adams Cut you get to glimpse some really marvelous homes that reside right on the Cut and one of those homes just sold, and I have to congratulate my friends and colleagues Bill Belian and Joel Young represented the Buyer in this transaction.

Here are the Details:

457 Barracuda Blvd. Key Largo

List price: $989,500 / Sold Price $850,000 

4 Bedrooms / 3 Bathrooms

Mile Marker 104

Description: Own on Millionaire's Row in Key Largo!! Beautiful 4BR/3BA, CBS pool home w/marble flooring and screened in porch. Privacy wall w/Gate surrounds almost 1/2 acre of privacy. Easy access to Ocean or Bay. Catch Fish, Shrimp or Blue Crabs from your 100ft concrete dock w/davits. Ultimate living at it's finest!!

View Detailed Brochure with Photos and Mapped Location

View Available Largo Sound Area Properties

Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

Holy @#$% !! Look What's Happening in Our Market! The Latest Numbers Are Out.

Holy @#$% !!

Water's Edge - One of Our Estates Currently for Sale

Look what's happening in our Market.  The latest numbers are certainly eye opening that is for sure.
In a comparison of transactions in September 2011 and September 2012, we see a dramatic surge in Sales Prices of 34.7%, Days on The Market decrease of 25% , while the quantity of sales remained pretty much constant. Our Average List Price has, as well, leaped a staggering 53%!!!  Open up your wallets ...Momma needs a new pair of Shoes!!

Now some of these numbers are a bit skewed by a run of High Priced $2M Sales, but even with that taken into account, our Market is Smoking!!!

View from our Listing at 4 North Drive in Key Largo

What does this mean?  Well, a couple of things.  First it's a great time for Sellers as properties are selling, and at the highest prices and at a pace that we have not seen since the real estate bubble burst several years ago. So, an ideal time to put your home on the Market.

Paradoxically, this is as well still a great time for Buyers!!  Yes prices have gone up from last year....but money is so damn cheap right now, that if you are borrowing, a good deal of these increases are offset, AND you are still getting homes at a dramatic discount from the Hey Day.

The key, regardless of what side of the transaction that you are on is being armed with the best information regarding today's volatile market.  Work with a LOCAL real estate professional who really knows the market, work with a LOCAL lender if you are financing, INSIST on LOCAL appraisers.  Get to know the Numbers and look at the Comparables.  As Clothier. Sy Syms used to say in his commercials, "An Educated Consumer is Our Best Customer".

Below is my Monthly Market Recap:

Double Click Image to enlarge

Work with an Agent who KNOWS the numbers.  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.
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Nostalgic Hotel Signs and The Shoestrings Weekends Blog.

As a compulsive Blogger, I can appreciate other really good and entertaining Blogs.
One of my favorites is the "Shoestrings Weekends Blog", written by Art Boza who lives in Key West and writes about all kinds of super cool things to do in the Keys on a miniscule budget.
When you get the chance check it out, as you might find a new adventure to undertake!

Below is a recent post of his:

"Nostalgic Motel Signs

A while back on the internet I couldn’t believe how many websites and photo sites like Flickr have 100′s of groups with 1,000′s of photo and 100,000′s followers did I realize that there’s a massive amount of people who love looking at old nostalgic hotel signs! There are literally 100′s of hotels, motels & resorts along the 126.7 mile path down the Key’s to Key West with plenty of older style signage. Here’s what I’d say are the two best that you’ll find heading towards Paradise on US-1 South.

You can find the first one, The Seafarer Resort Hotel (seen below) with Old Man Salt Of The Sea lighting the way with his lantern at Mile Marker 97.9 on the right side of the road in Key Largo… and yes, the lantern really lights up! The second is a little further down called the Rainbow Bend Resort & Fishing Camp known for their FREE motorboat rentals for paying hotel quests. The Rainbow Bend sign can’t be missed on the left side of the road near Mile Marker 58 at the BEND in the road… hmm, wonder how they came up with Rainbow Bend as a name?
These are but two of a number of antique, old & nostalgic hotel signs you’ll see. I assure you that if these two don’t tickle your fancy then there’s plenty more along the way to temp your eyes!"

Work with an Agent who knows the Signs of a great Market.  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.
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