Fall in Love with the Key Deer

The next time you are in the Florida Keys, take a little drive to Big Pine Key and the surrounding Lower Keys. Slow down, look around, and you may be lucky enough to see one of the most precious animals that call these islands home: the beloved Key deer.
These miniature white-tailed deer are found nowhere else in the world. Gentle, beautiful, and unforgettable, they have lived in the Florida Keys for thousands of years and remain one of the most cherished symbols of island life.
Today, fewer than 1,000 Key deer remain in the wild. Most live on Big Pine Key and nearby islands between Sugarloaf Key and Bahia Honda Key. They are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and the National Key Deer Refuge was established in 1953 to help preserve their fragile habitat.
If you see one, it is hard not to fall in love. Their soft eyes and peaceful presence remind us that the Keys are more than turquoise waters, sunsets, and beautiful homes. They are also ...

The Realtor You Choose Can Cost You—or Protect You
After nearly 30 years in real estate, I still hear the same question: “Will someone do it for less?”
Recently, one of my new sellers shared a conversation with a neighbor who works part-time in real estate. When asked who they had relisted their home with and what commission they were paying, the neighbor replied, “I would have done it for 4%.”
My sellers smiled. They had already tried the discount route once before. It cost them valuable time, missed opportunities, and ultimately did not get their home sold.
What many people never see is what happens behind the scenes.
Long before a property goes live, I invest my own money, time, energy, marketing resources, professional photography, property preparation, strategic planning, networking, and market analysis. I do this with no guarantee of compensation unless the property successfully closes.
I don’t simply place a sign in the yard and wait. ; ...

Today’s buyers are more analytical. They are looking closely at insurance costs, elevation, flood zones, dockage, condition, rental potential, updates, carrying costs, and overall value.
A property can still sell very well in this market, but sellers must understand that pricing, presentation, and positioning matter more than ever.
The homes that are performing best are usually the homes that are priced correctly from the beginning, presented well, and positioned around what today’s Florida Keys buyers value most: boating access, waterfront lifestyle, privacy, vacation flexibility, walkability, and island living.
Overpricing can cause a home to sit on the market longer, necessitate price reductions, and lose momentum. Strategic pricing can create stronger interest and better results.
Based on the January–May 2026 Florida Keys market report, Keys-wide sales are up 14%, dollar volume is up 23.8%, average sale price is up 8.6%, inventory is down 7.7%, and months of ...

Based on the January–May 2026 Florida Keys market report, Keys-wide sales are up 14%, dollar volume is up 23.8%, average sale price is up 8.6%, inventory is down 7.7%, and months of inventory improved from 12.3 months in 2025 to 10.0 months in 2026. The market is active, but buyers are more selective, and pricing remains a key consideration.
How Is the Florida Keys Real Estate Market?
One of the most common questions I hear from both buyers and sellers is:
“How is the market?”
The honest answer is: the Florida Keys market is active, but it is not the same market we experienced during the frenzy years. Buyers are still purchasing, sellers are still closing, and waterfront properties are still moving — but today’s market requires better strategy, stronger pricing, and clearer expectations.
From January through May 2026, the Florida Keys market showed positive movement compared to the same period in 2025. Keys-wide sales increased by 14%, dollar volume i; ...

www.SearchFloridaKeysHomes.com
Lela Ashkarian, PA, CRS, ABR, GRI, epro
305-395-0814
Hi from the Florida Keys!
 
Most of you know me as Lela — from life, friendship, community, faith, and years of walking alongside people through important chapters.
 
For nearly three decades, I’ve lived and worked in the Florida Keys real estate market, helping buyers and sellers make confident decisions about island homes, waterfront properties, vacation rentals, and lifestyle moves.
 
Now I’ve made that knowledge easier to access.
 
Go to SearchFloridaKeysHomes.com, copy the link, paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or Gemini, and ask anything about buying or selling in the Florida Keys.
 
Ask about Marathon, Key Colony Beach, Duck Key, Islamorada, waterfront homes, boating access, vacation rental rules, pricing, market timing, or what it truly feels like to live the Keys lifestyle.
 
This is not a sales pitch.
 
It is kno ...