Florida Keys Real Estate Blog

You have made the decision to start looking for a home in the Florida Keys!  The next question to answer is which part of the Florida Keys would you like to live?  Each area is a little unique and has its own attributes.  Understanding what your lifestyle is will help you determine which area of the Keys will best suit you.  Do you need to be close to the mainland for doctors visits or because you work there.  Do you need to be close to a large airport?  Do you need to be close to schools?  Do you fish primarily on the ocean side or bay side?  How far will you have to travel to get to your fishing spot? Where do you work in the Keys?  These are some questions to think about.

The Florida Keys are 106 miles long.  Key Largo is the first island you enter and Key West is the last island in the chain.  Key Largo is approximately 30 – 45 minutes from the mainland.  If you work on the mainland, need to be close to airports or need to visit specialists in the medical field – you might want to consider the Key Largo area or maybe even Islamorada.  There is an elementary school in Key Largo and the High School (Coral Shores High School)  for the Upper Keys is located on Plantation Key in Islamorada.

The Village of Islamorada is the next set of island you come across.  4 islands make up Islamorada – Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe and Lower Matecumbe.  Islamroada has the best boating in the Keys – the islands are only about 4 miles long.  So there are many bridges to access either the Atlantic Ocean or the Florida Bay.  And the width of the islands here are only about 1 mile wide.  Islamorada has an elementary school (Plantation Key School) and Coral Shores High School.   Islamorada and Key Largo are in the Upper Keys.

The Middle Keys consists of the Marathon area; Conch Key, Duck Key, Grassy Key, Key Colony Beach and Marathon Key.  Marathon has a lot of conveniences – Home Depot, Office Depot, Winn Dixie and Publix, Walgreens and CVS, McDonalds and Burger King, and many great shops.  There is also an airport for private planes/ jets.  Marathon has an elementary and High School.

The Lower Keys, which consist of all the islands in-between Marathon and Key West.  This part of the island chain is mostly residential.  Big Pine Key does have a large grocery store but most of the other shops are small, family owned stores.  The Lower Keys has a lot of space, especially Big Pine Key.  This is where the Key Deer roam.  You can get a little more bang for you buck down here.  If you need more conveniences you would have to drive to either Marathon or Key West.   The distance from the Lower Keys to the mainland is about 2.5- 3 hours.  The Lower Keys has an elementary school but for High School will either go to Marathon or Key West.  The islands in the Lower Keys can be 4-10 miles wide – so traveling to get to the ocean or bay can be a good distance.

Key West is the last island in the chain and the most expensive Key.  Here you will find the southernmost point of the United States of America!  Key West has a great deal of city conveniences.  There is even an airport with large commercial jets.  The military base is also located just outside of Key West.  Key West has an elementary school and High School.

Once you have decided which part of the Keys will suite your needs, then it will help narrow down the search.  No matter where you decide, you will soon learn the “local” spots whether on land or on the water.  The entire length of the Keys are beautiful and have the same laid back attitude!