[Ga Jerk]

My wife is from Indian Rocks Beach Florida, and although I would like to relocate to that area, she wants to move to the Keys.

I love the Keys as well and we both like Big Pine Key and it's proximity to Key West.

I want to buy a canal front building lot with permit in place and build a new home. I have found several lots for sale with permits in place on Big Pine, but all the neighborhoods look somewhat "junky".

We would prefer a neighborhood that is on par with the canal subdivisions in the Clearwater/St Pete area (like Isle of Palms/Isle of Capri on Treasure Island). Those neighborhoods have nice old homes from the high 300's all the way up to million $ plus infills.

Is there a neighborhood in the Keys that is on par with the Clearwater/St Pete canal front subdivisions? I know there are a lot of high dollar Keys waterfront neighborhoods, but it seems that it is either feast or famine(very nice of not nice at all).

[tallrick]

Many of the longtime residents of the Keys are/were working class so their homes may not meet the standards of gentrification. If you want to live in the Keys remember that the character of the Keys comes from the "junky" people. There is not water to waste on lawns, so the yards can become desert like in the dry season.

[tvr69]

check out sugarloaf. the homes on the canals are nice and well maintained but your looking at 400k and up...as for lots good luck you might have to wait to build....make sure before you buy a lot that you don't have to wait several yrs. key haven is also super nice !

[bigh110]

If you want to save yourself a big hassle, buy a lot with an existing house on the lot. this will allow you to tear down the existing house and begin building without having to wait for a permit to be issued or approved as long as you have a Monroe county preapproved set of building/blueprint plans. this advice is due to the fact you are replacing an existing structure already counted in the growth plan you are not building a new structure! Try to find one with an existing seawall as all new seawall construction has to be approved (or so I am told)by the army corps of engineers. most importantly if you buy a lot with a building permit in place find out when it expires how long do you have to build or start construction? do not trust what the seller or his agent tells you go to the county and find out for yourself and get it in writing! remember the keys are an area of critical concern which places a lot more restrictions on building. try to find a house lot that is not on the FEMA list otherwise you cannot build a house bigger than 1500 sq ft of living space.

[Marlin331]

Originally Posted by Ga Jerk

My wife is from Indian Rocks Beach Florida, and although I would like to relocate to that area, she wants to move to the Keys.

I love the Keys as well and we both like Big Pine Key and it's proximity to Key West.

I want to buy a canal front building lot with permit in place and build a new home. I have found several lots for sale with permits in place on Big Pine, but all the neighborhoods look somewhat "junky".

We would prefer a neighborhood that is on par with the canal subdivisions in the Clearwater/St Pete area (like Isle of Palms/Isle of Capri on Treasure Island). Those neighborhoods have nice old homes from the high 300's all the way up to million $ plus infills.

Is there a neighborhood in the Keys that is on par with the Clearwater/St Pete canal front subdivisions? I know there are a lot of high dollar Keys waterfront neighborhoods, but it seems that it is either feast or famine(very nice of not nice at all).

Pine Channel Estates is probably exactly what you want. The homes there are very well-kept and for that reason, it's probably the most desirable and expensive neighborhood on the island. Another plus is that you can quickly enter and exit US1; Key West is 5 minutes closer than it would be if you lived in Eden Pines or The Avenues and 10 minutes closer than it would be if you lived in Port Pine Heights.