Key Largo

Once you leave civilization at Florida City, Key largo is the first town and first island you come to as you travel down US 1 -- across a dozen plus miles of beautiful and still totally pristine Everglades country, then along a narrow strip of mangrove splitting Barnes Sound from Blackwater Sound and Florida Bay, now across the old swing bridge at Jewfish Creek, finally over Lake Surprise.

And there it is: Key Largo, the stuff of myth, located some 55 miles and about an hour south of Miami International Airport and just 24 miles south of Homestead. You are now on a different planet.Since 1948, when it was the setting for the movie, "Key Largo," starring Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and Lauren Bacall, the name Key Largo has become world famous. In fact, Key Largo is one of the oldest place names on early maps of the North American continent, dating back to the sixteenth century when the Spanish explored the area looking for riches to take back to Spain. Today it is Miami’s Cape Cod -- and for the rest of us it is the Gateway to the American Caribbean.

The climate is subtropical and foliage is lush. Temperatures have only a few degrees day-night fluctuation, compared with much of the rest of Florida. There’s a steady sea breeze, and rain tends to be passing showersKey Largo has become synonymous with the laid-back Keys lifestyle. Yet Key Largo is also a particularly vibrant community due to it’s being close to Miami.

On the weekends, it is an easy drive for people to visit the Keys and their unique ambience. For investors it means great occupancy rates, for 2nd homeowners a quick and easy getaway. If you want to make this your home, well, Key largo was ranked No. 11 of the 50 Best Places to Live list by Men's Journal Magazine in 2002.If you’re looking to relocate here, there are homes as of Sept 2005 listed from $269,000. Of course as of 2006, they go up from there: the least expensive single family home now you'll find is about$399,000. (To get an idea on how prices work, look under the investors Section for the Florida Keys.)

Islamorada

Long ago, violet sea snails called Janthina colored the shores deep lavender. When Spanish explorers discovered this strange sight, they named the Islands islas moradas, or purple isles.

Located just 75 miles from Miami Airport and 80 miles from Key West, Islamorada is the perfect spot for your home in the Florida Keys. The average temperature is 80 degrees and 78 degrees for the water. Sitting between the sparkling dear waters of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is bestowed with a Coral Reef three to five miles offshore that is filled with spectacular life! It is this very reef that has contributed to the chronicling of some of the most romantic history from pirates to shipwrecks to sunken Spanish Galleons.

Known as the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World", it has the largest fishing fleet per square mile anywhere in the world. Fish for "big game" offshore, or use your finesse for back country fishing or just bridge fish. Almost any month of the year you can find a fishing tournament.There are other ways to enjoy our pristine waters. Take advantage of parasailing, wind surfing, kayaking, or a back county ecotour.You can just lay back and take advantage of the lush tropical surroundings, or visit our artisan villages, shop boutiques or mix a colorful sunset celebration with a range of dining tastes.

I am sure if you visit me at our office In Islamorada at M.M. 82; we will find you the property you desire, be it a primary residence, a second or vacation home.Islamorada and the Upper Keys Never cold here! Our average temp. is 80 degrees! "The Sport Fishing Capital of the World!"

Key West

Key West is both a place and a state of mind. It lies about as far away as you can go in this USA, almost part of the tropics, some four hours and 150 miles south and west of Miami. You cross a lot of bridges and spectacular blue and green water to get there, and when you get there you’re only 90 miles from Cuba. Cruise ships consider a stop at Key West part of their Caribbean itineraries!

It’s not a big place, and it is a place where real people live. It has a year-round population of just over 26,000 and a median resident age of 39 years. Key West also includes the neighboring communities of Stock Island, where a lot of the remaining commercial fishing is based, and which used to be where Key West’s supplies were “stocked” in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and Key Haven, with wide canals and lots of pleasure boats.

Key West has been described in about a zillion travel guides and Web sites and the name used in countless movies as the place people want to finally get away to. Having lived in Cudjoe Key (23 miles away) and selling real Estate in Key West, I have a good feel for the place.

The best way to describe Key West, is a vacation place. Meaning whenever you’re there, the ambience and atmosphere catches you up in it and you could well be somewhere in the Bahamas or the Caribbean. Key West is also a state of mind. You can watch sunsets from Mallory Square on the harbor, or from the bars and restaurants on the boat basins. You can shop or whatever on famous Duval Street. Since nobody knows how to throw a party like Key West does, you can join in at Fantasy Fest (think Mardi Gras) at the end of October, and see for yourself. This is, after all, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. Whatever you imagine about Key West is probably true.

Or you can enjoy the reality of Key West’s other state of mind too – its wonderful diversity, history, and creativity. Lots of writers, artists, artisans, and musicians have always called this state of mind/special place home, from Hemingway to the present day. There are also plenty of areas in Key West where the locals go besides Duval Street and the sunset bars. In fact when you get off of Duval, you will find restaurants, art galleries, grocery stores and antique shops in the neighborhoods, and tree-lined little streets with lots of tropical foliage where people live.

So although you’re in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, the neighborhoods here are quiet, lined with historical architecture and have a very comfy feel. And the historic district is very compact. You can walk everywhere.