If you need assistance, please call 305-395-0814

Real Estate Florida Keys Blog

Saturday, July 18, 2026   /   by Lela Ashkarian

Not all luxury real estate markets are created equal.

Hey there, I have a thought to share with you today, and I hope you and your family are doing beautifully.
Having lived in the Florida Keys since 1984 and serving this extraordinary community in real estate for nearly three decades, one thing has always been at the heart of my business: delivering exceptional service with a true super-servant attitude.
Not all luxury real estate markets are created equal.
In many places, buyers compare homes by price per square foot. But in the Florida Keys, that only tells a small part of the story. Here, buyers are not simply purchasing square footage. They are investing in a lifestyle, a feeling, and a rare island experience that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.
You can build another luxury home, but you cannot create more coastline. You cannot manufacture more turquoise water. You cannot reproduce the magic of island living in the Florida Keys.
That is the power of scarcity.
With only one Overseas Highway connecting this breathtaking cha ...

  dreamhomegoalsfloridakeys, sellersindemand, chooseashkarianforresults, floridakeyshomesforsale, sellsmartinfloridakeys, unlockyourhomepotential, unleashyourhome'spotential, expertadviceforsellers, lelaashkarian, floridakeysluxurylistings, discoveryourhomevalue, smartsellersdecide, toplistingagent, coldwellbanker

Thursday, July 9, 2026   /   by Lela Ashkarian

The Best Real Estate Agent Isn’t Always the Nicest One ! Comfort is cheap. Honesty saves you $25k.

The best agent for you isn’t the nicest one.
It’s the one willing to tell you your house is overpriced before the market does it for free in week 12.
Comfort is cheap. Honesty saves you $ thousands.
The Best Real Estate Agent Isn’t Always the Nicest One
In real estate, there is a significant difference between an agent who tells you what you want to hear and an agent who tells you what you need to hear.
Most sellers understandably want to believe their home is worth as much as possible. After all, a home is more than a property—it is years of memories, hard work, improvements, and emotional investment. The challenge is that buyers do not purchase emotions; they purchase value.
Has anyone shown you what your home's true value looks like in today’s market?
The market is the final judge.  
A pleasant agent may promise an ambitious price to secure a listing. For a few weeks, everyone feels good. The seller is happy. The sign goes up. The photogr ...

  dreamhomegoalsfloridakeys, sellersindemand, chooseashkarianforresults, floridakeyshomesforsale, sellsmartinfloridakeys, unlockyourhomepotential, unleashyourhome'spotential, expertadviceforsellers, lelaashkarian, floridakeysluxurylistings, discoveryourhomevalue, smartsellersdecide

Monday, June 29, 2026   /   by Lela Ashkarian

Old Keys Charm Meets Today’s Real Estate Strength

Like many old Keys landmarks, it has a history full of colorful stories. Local lore says that in the late 1930s, an upstairs storage room was turned into a brothel to help bring in more business. The plan didn’t last long, supposedly because the fishermen were “better looking than the ladies.”
By the 1950s, the general store had closed, and the spot became known as No Name Pub, a relaxed bar and restaurant with cold beer, pool games, hearty food, and plenty of Keys character. In 1960, two Italian cooks introduced the pub’s now-famous pizza recipe, which is still enjoyed today.
One of its most iconic traditions began during the lively 1970s and 1980s, when patrons started pinning dollar bills to the walls. What began as a fun little gesture grew into one of the pub’s most recognizable features. Today, surrounded by thousands of signed dollar bills and decades of stories, No Name Pub remains a true piece of old Florida Keys charm, perfectly living up to ...

  dreamhomegoalsfloridakeys, sellersindemand, chooseashkarianforresults, floridakeyshomesforsale, sellsmartinfloridakeys, unlockyourhomepotential, unleashyourhome'spotential, expertadviceforsellers, lelaashkarian, floridakeysluxurylistings, discoveryourhomevalue, smartsellersdecide

Monday, June 22, 2026   /   by Lela Ashkarian

Next Time You’re in the Keys, Visit Big Pine Key — You’ll Fall in Love.

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 ...

  dreamhomegoalsfloridakeys, chooseashkarianforresults, floridakeyshomesforsale, sellsmartinfloridakeys, unlockyourhomepotential, unleashyourhome'spotential, expertadviceforsellers, lelaashkarian, floridakeysluxurylistings, discoveryourhomevalue, smartsellersdecide, toplistingagent, coldwellbanker, partnerwiththebest

Thursday, June 18, 2026   /   by Lela Ashkarian

Don’t Hire the Cheapest Realtor. Hire the One Most Invested in Your Success.

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. ; ...

  sellersindemand, dreamhomegoalsfloridakeys, chooseashkarianforresults, floridakeyshomesforsale, sellsmartinfloridakeys, unlockyourhomepotential, unleashyourhome'spotential, expertadviceforsellers, lelaashkarian, floridakeysluxurylistings, discoveryourhomevalue