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Buying a waterfront vacation home in the Keys Part 3

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Schmitt
Nearby Medical and shopping options
These are very important considerations. If there is an accident, how far away is a hospital?
In the Upper Keys we have Baptist hospital in Tavernier which is an excellent option.
If you need groceries or restaurants, what is nearby?
Oftentimes vacation properties can be secluded and don’t offer easy access to the above. At first being remote can seem as desirable, but in the end it can grow old quickly.
This also affects home values by the way. If you can have the vacation feel and recreation, yet have amenities nearby, the prices go up.
On thing about the upper Keys is that Miami and South Beach are just about an hour away and World famous Key West, 2 hours.
How much room do you need?
If you own a home with nearby recreation and sightseeing, expect people to come out of the woodwork. Everyone will be your friend. Larger homes, with more bedrooms, a 3/2 and up always rent better. So if you can, get a home with extra space.

 Type of Construction or is it built to last.
The age of the home will determine the building code that it was built to. In the Keys newer homes have to be built to strict specs as to wind handling characteristics.
Also, look for low maintenance homes.
Lots of homes in the Keys are made of concrete block and have pea-rock for yards and the outside is stucco over concrete or frame. This means lower maintenance, which is very important for an absentee owner.
Finding renters
Does the home have good rental potential and is there local rental management available?
This is a very important consideration, both for long term and short term vacation rentals.
Remember, even if you don’t want to rent, this can be an important consideration for a future buyer or if your situation changes.