Juliet Dyal Gray - Insiders Guide® to Florida Keys & Key West

Juliet Dyal Gray is a native Floridian who has written about the Florida Keys for many national and regional publications, including Delta Sky, Key West Magazine, and Time Out. Her writing career has taken her on many journeys, including snorkeling around the islands of the Galapagos and on safari in South Africa. In addition to writing, Juliet is a theatrical producer as well as a co-founder of The Performing Arts Project (performingartsproject.com) and the director of the Key West High School Drama Club (williamshall.org/drama-club). Juliet has spent more than 12 years writing from her home in Key West, Florida.

I am extremely grateful to the amazing people in the Florida Keys, which I am proud to call home. My eternal thanks goes to my Key West friends for their support, especially Liz Love, Michael Marrero, Elizabeth Miller, Todd Manuel, Laura Richardson, Maria and Rob Sharpe, and Elizabeth Young. I am also grateful for the support of my parents, Jake and Kay Dyal, my husband, Christian Gray, and my siblings, Caroline and Jake Dyal. As I continue to live and work in the Florida Keys, I am also truly thankful to be a permanent Insider in paradise. JDG

In this section we feature specific information for residents or those planning to relocate here. Topics include real estate, health care, education, child care, and much more.

Most snowbirds and full-time residents of the Florida Keys (except for the native-born Conchs) first rented homes, condominiums, or mobile homes while on vacation in Paradise. Rentals primarily are classified as short-and long-term. Short-term rental agreements range from a weekend to six months; anything exceeding six months is considered a long-term rental. However, to preserve the integrity of our residential communities, the Monroe County Planning Commission has prohibited short-term rentals of 30 days or less throughout residential areas of unincorporated Monroe County. Incorporated areas such as Islamorada, Layton, Key Colony Beach, Marathon, and Key West can opt for differing regulations. Few short-term rental options are currently available in the Florida Keys, and the competition is fierce for those that are. The best advice we can offer is to work through a rental agent who knows whats legally available, and always book your a commodation early.

Owning a parcel of Paradise in the Florida Keys can be summed up in two words: very expensive. Real estate prices in the Florida Keys depend largely upon access to the water. Direct oceanfront or bayfront property garners the highest prices, followed by property on a canal with an ocean or bay view, and by property on a canal with access to the ocean or bay. Other areas, such as Ocean Reef, Duck Key, and Sunset Key, have special features that make homes desirablesuch as gated security, golf courses, swimming pools, strict building covenants, and other community amenitiesand owning a home there is pricey indeed.

Some relief is available for certain owners in the form of a homestead exemption. When someone owns property in Florida and makes it his or her permanent residence or the permanent residence of his or her dependent, the property owner may be eligible to receive a homestead exemption. Real estate taxes in Monroe County are based on a millage rate that changes annually with the county budget and are some of the highest in the state. In addition, besides homeowners insurance, homeowners must factor in the cost of wind storm and flood insurance to guard against our ever-threatening hurricanes.

Those of us who have chosen to live in the Florida Keys think the price of paradise is worth it. To assist you in your search for a piece of the rock, we provide you with a general overview of the communities of the Florida Keys, as well as the types of homes youll encounter in our neighborhoods. At the end of the chapter, we include listings of real estate professionals who can assist you in finding a rental property or a home of your own. Look to our Key West section of this chapter for vacation rental and real estate information in our southernmost city.

Real estate agents handle most short-term rental properties. The exceptions are condominiums that act as hotels and employ on-site managers (see the A Commodations chapter) and homeowners who market rentals on their own. Because of changes in laws as indicated above, the latter choice is becoming more and more scarce.

Depending upon its size and specialty, an agency that handles rentals may list anywhere between 10 and 200-plus short-term rental options. Most large agencies employ sales associates who specialize in short-term rentals. Except for Key West, where agents handle much of the entire island, Florida Keys agents typically specialize within the region of their offce (see the Real Estate Companies sections in this chapter).

Finding a rental property through an agency has its advantages. Rental agencies almost always offer descriptions and photographs of available properties and advice on the best option for your needs and desires. Most of them, in fact, maintain websites, which allow you to peruse the options at your leisure and, in most cases, actually see the property you are booking. Agents ensure that a home is clean and that its grounds are maintained.

In order to manage short-term rentals for stays of fewer than 30 days, real estate agencies and/or property owners and managers of condominium complexes must be licensed by the state of Florida. Units rented for fewer than 30 days are considered resort dwellings, and agents and/or owners and managers must therefore abide by a Florida statute that applies to hotels and restaurants. Depending upon the category of accommodation (condominium or single-family home, for instance), safety and health standards set by this statute may require fire extinguishers, electric smoke detectors in sleeping areas, mattress covers on all beds, and deadbolt locks on doors.

In the wintertime, travelers flock to the Florida Keys seeking respite from the cold and snow. Referred to locally as snowbirds, these visitors drive rental rates up between the months of Dec and Apr, the high season. Summertime is when diving is typically best (see the Diving & Snorkeling chapter), and its also the time of year when residents throughout Florida head to the Keys for the relief of the ocean breezes. However, the rest of the mass market moves back home, so rents may be a bit lower than high season during the months of May through Aug. Sept through Nov is relatively quiet tourism-wise, because autumn is the prime season for hurricanes in the Florida Keys. During this period youll find reduced rates, and, as long as you keep a watchful eye on the forecasts, youll be able to enjoy uncrowded shops, attractions, and streets.

Most short-term tenants rent a home or condominium in the Florida Keys for a week to 3 or 4 months. The bulk of the short-term rental market consists of 2-week vacationers, but our islands are also popular with northern residents and retirees who retreat here for the winter. Virtually no private homes are available for rent on a daily basis.

During holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, and special events, including sport lobster season and Fantasy Fest, minimum stays range from 4 days to 2 weeks. Individual property owners establish these policies. Inquire of your rental agent or property owner/manager.

Owners designate their rental properties as smoking or nonsmoking.

Children are generally we come, but some condominium complexes restrict the number of children allowed in a single unit.