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Top 5 Reasons To Plan A Key West Vacation Now!

Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation? – Zig Ziglar

Reason #1: You want to be healthy

Like many of us in January, we make resolutions, which focus on improving our health and wellness. The researchers at Central Washington University are saying that a whopping 77% of people need more Vitamin D because they do not get enough exposure to sunlight. Doctors are saying that Vitamin D deficiency is currently a pandemic in the U.S., which routinely causes preventable chronic diseases like the flu. Without optimal Vitamin D levels, you can feel fatigued and stressed.

What is the best way to get Vitamin D?

Natural Sunshine of course!

The sunny Key West skies are a great source for the sunshine your body needs. Optimal levels of sunshine will give your January Resolutions a boost and jump-start your immune system.

Reason #2: Vacations Boost Productivity & Happiness

Planning a Key West Vacation will help you trot through your daily grind more easily because you have something to look forward to.

Part of why vacations are so important is because you can give your brain a much needed break. Turns out, your brain likes time to daydream! In this age of information overwhelm, vacations are even more important. According to a 2011 study, on a typical day, we take in the equivalent of about 174 newspapers’ worth of information, five times as much as we did in 1986. That’s quite astounding!

The average U.S. employee takes only half of their allotted vacation time. Unsurprisingly, they suffer from being overworked, overwhelmed and overwrought. There is a concept about time and money. It goes like this – you can always make more money but you cannot make more time.

Reason #3: You Can Bring Your Pet

Many of the homes in Last Key Realty‘s inventory are pet friendly! You don’t have to leave your furry family member at home anymore. Plus, there are many restaurants that are pet friendly and there is even a dog beach where you can play fetch in the ocean with your pup. Afterwards you and your beach dog can have lunch at Louie’s Backyard on the deck and enjoy some amazing ocean views.

Reason #4: You Don’t Need a Passport

If you are a U.S. citizen and have a drivers license that is enough ID to get you here! We are far enough south that it feeeeels like you are in a tropical, remote, magical foreign land unlike the continental U.S. but, we still have the perks of being able to get here without flashing your passport.

Reason #5: Experience all Key West has to offer with Last Key Realty

When you book a Key West Vacation Rental with Last Key Realty – know that you are in great hands. We specialize in making your vacation a luxurious and easy experience so that you feel like the celebrity you are in your own life! On the island we do things a little slower and with a more relaxed attitude. With Last Key Realty handling the details, you can focus on what is most important: soaking up the sunshine, relaxing with a refreshing mojito (or beverage of your choice) at happy hour and letting your mind wander stress free.

It’s time to plan your Key West Vacation! What are you waiting for?

December 2016 Review/Photo of the Month

Each month we select a memorable guest review or photo to win a $100 cash card. Our December 2016 winner is Michael Dye, who shared a photo of his group and himself enjoying their Vacation Rental, :: PILAR’S SECRET :: and submitted a lovely five-star review of his stay with us. Thank you for sharing!

There’s nothing more rewarding for us than receiving a five-star review from a guest and to see our guests enjoying their vacations. Seeing these captured moments reminds us how lucky we are to do what we do and to live in such a magical place.

For future guests, send us a photo/video of your Key West Vacation and submit your memorable review for your stay to be entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You could be January’s winner!

Weekly Recap: Friday Favorites

As we head into the weekend let’s take a moment to think about all of the awesome things that happened this week. There are so many wonderful things happening out in the world; below are my top four favorite things that happened this week!

1. The Key West Lighted Bike Parade

In Key West, when it comes to Christmas, we don’t just decorate a tree. We decorate everyyyythang. Tons of Key Westers brought unwrapped toys or a cash donation to benefit The Wesley House and provide holiday gifts to families in need. They rode their decked out bikes on down to “Sparkle Street” a.k.a Applerouth Lane where the merriment continued into the wee morning.

2. The Dude Who Punched a Kangaroo:

This video has taken the internet by storm. But seriously, what dog owner wouldn’t square up to a Kanga to save their pooch!

3. The Couple That Murdered the Dance Floor

Every year this cute as can be couple shows up to a local mall and brings down the house; this year to the tune of Uptown Funk! Just look at the smiles on their faces! Can you say #relationshipgoals?!

4. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera

I actually received this gem as a Christmas gift last year from a friend of mine and had it tucked away from moving until we broke it out last night for our company holiday party. Such a fun addition to the night, the pictures are small, instant, and look super cute hanging from clothespins.

What are your favorite things that happened this week?! Comment below and share with us…

If one of your favorite things happens to be Key West real estate…I am a full time buyers agent in Key West, Florida and am happy to help you in your real estate search. Please contact me at 305-394-4073 or krystal@lastkeyrealty.com.

November 2016 Review/Photo of the Month

Each month we select the most memorable guest Review or Photo that we received during that month to win a $100 cash card. Our November 2016 winner is the Schmidt Family, who stayed with us at :: PAPA’S CASITA :: and submitted a lovely 5-star review, as well as shared an awesome photo of themselves enjoying the home’s lavish pool!

schmidt-review schmidtf5153

The highest compliment we can receive from a guest is a 5-star review, and it warms our hearts to see photos of our guests enjoying their Key West vacations. It reminds us how lucky we are to be doing what we do and to live in such a magical place.

For our future guests, be sure to send us a photo or video of your time on vacation and/or submit your memorable review for your stay with us to be entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You could be the December winner!!!

Interview with the Boss of Last Key Realty

I recently had the privilege to sit down and interview the Founder and Owner of Last Key Realty, Chris Santry, who also happens to be my boss. The purpose of this interview was to inform curious minds of the current overall state of the Key West Real Estate and Vacation Rental markets, as well as what the future holds for these markets and for our company.

Q: How has the Key West Vacation Rental Market changed since the start of Last Key Realty?

A: “When we first started in 2008, the “off-season” was truly an OFF-season. It used to be that a person could actually walk down the middle of Duval Street in Old Town without worrying about being hit by a car. Today, there is basically no “off-season”, with many summer weeks being completely sold out. And I’ve also seen the Key West Vacation Rental Market grow into a much more upscale vacation destination in recent years.”

Q: Where do you see the Key West Vacation Rental Market going?

A: “I see this upscale movement that was started by baby boomers continuing. As boomers are aging, younger generations who have discovered Key West are starting to take their place.”

Q: How was the Key West Real Estate Investment Market changed since the start of Last Key Realty?

A: “In just the ten years since Last Key Realty was founded, we have seen the investment real estate market virtually disappear and then return back to full strength. Presently, you have two groups competing: the people who are looking to purchase their dream or retirement home and reside in Key West, and the other group looking to invest in Vacation Rental property. This makes for an extremely vibrant real estate market. Thankfully many of the factors that attributed to the market crash a few years ago, like factoring of mortgages, no longer exist. We have a much more conservative banking system in place and there is also a much higher percentage of cash deals being made.”

Q: What is your future vision for Last Key Realty?

A: “My future vision for Last Key is controlled growth. It is essential to continue doing the same things that got us where we are today. Most importantly solid staffing, it is essential that we have committed and passionate people.”

Financing, Pre-Quals, and Approvals, Oh My!

One of the most important and intimidating steps in your home buying process is getting a pre-qualification from a lender. In this blog post I’m going to break down the pre-qualification process and help set you up for success when approaching this step in your home buying journey in Key West.

Let’s start by defining “pre-qualification”.

Pre-qualification is a letter from a bank that states the loan type (conventional, FHA, VA, etc.) and amount you have been approved to borrow based on the financial picture you provide to the lender. It does NOT include an analysis of your credit report/ score.

This is how you see what your buying power is and is a crucial step in being successful in your real estate search. Many people over and under estimate their buying power, which is a total time waster for everyone involved. You don’t want to spend time looking at $500K houses when your purchasing power is $350K and vice versa.

Below are four simple steps to help you take the leap into getting pre-qualified. Side note: just do it already!

Make an appointment. Reach out to your bank and ask to meet with a loan officer. You can also ask your real estate agent for recommendations as well, they always have preferred contacts and suggestions if you don’t know where to start.
Know your number(ish). One misconception of the pre-qualification process is that you need to pull your credit report to be pre-qualified which is completely FALSE. That’s right, many people think that you do but you don’t. You should have an idea of what your credit score is though to be sure your pre-qualification is as accurate as possible and I recommend using Credit Karma to find out. Credit Karma is my go to app and website for credit checking and monitoring and it’s FREE!
Get your sh*t together. No for real, get it together… get a copy of your most recent tax return, a recent pay stub, and a couple of months of bank statements together. The more information you can provide the more accurate your pre-qualification will be.
Take your pre-qualification letter and give (or email) it to your real estate agent.

Once you’ve given your agent your pre-qualification letter they will adjust your real estate search accordingly and you will be on your way to finding your dream home!

I am a full time buyers agent in Key West, Florida and am happy to help you in your real estate search. Please contact me at 305-394-4073 or krystal@lastkeyrealty.com and let’s talk real estate!

Adventures In Key West Real Estate

I think I’ll start by introducing myself… My name is Krystal Thomas, I am a REALTOR® and work for Last Key Realty, Inc. as an agent helping to make peoples’ dreams come true one closing at a time (corny but true! Who doesn’t dream of buying a home in Key West?!). In my spare time I’m a writer, avid reader, lover of the sunshine, good vibration seeker, newly inducted Rotarian and an avid fan of my husky and sidekick Skyy.

I became a real estate agent in 2013 and let me tell you, the struggle has been reeeeeeal. The amount of offers I put in for clients vs. the number of homes sold is astounding. The first year I sold one house. The second year I sold one house. This year, year 3, as of today I’ve sold 5 and have 3 under contract.

It’s been a long rough road to get to where I am today both professionally and personally. I’ve learned so much along the way and there is still so much more to go! With each transaction and experience there are lessons upon lessons to be learned and I’m more excited than ever to share these experiences with you.

There are A LOT of really cool things cooking right now! Aside from it being Fantasy Fest week in Key West, just today this happened:

Got an accepted offer for my buyers for a mid town home in Key West, FL.
Spoke with a prospect who will be in town next weekend and wants to look at properties while he is here. BINGO, set up showings for next Friday… check!
Approved the HUD to close on my first investment property on Friday. My first house flip. The FIRST FLIPAROOSKI!

I’ve realized that through all of my journeys, both personally and professionally in Key West, I am neither the first nor last to do or learn any of this. But what I want to share with you is what I am learning along the way as an experienced/constantly learning agent, a first time home buyer, project manager, etc. etc.

I’m looking forward to sharing my adventures in living, buying, selling, managing and investing in Key West with you so stay tuned.

If you like what you read here, and would like my help as you enter your own Key West home purchase journey, please shoot me a message at krystal@lastkeyrealty.com or 305-394-4073 and we can set up time to talk.

September 2016 Review/Photo of the Month

Each month we select a memorable guest review or photo to win a $100 cash card. Our September 2016 winner is the Spalding Family, who stayed with us for a month at :: ISLA MOMENTOS :: They were kind enough to share some lovely photos of themselves enjoying their time in Key West and the rental home, as well as submitting an excellent 5-star review online.

Seeing these amazing moments of our guests’ vacations, and hearing that we’ve successfully done our job of enhancing guest experiences reminds us just how lucky we are to be doing what we do and to live in such a magical place.

For our future guests, send us a photo or video of your time on vacation and be sure to submit your memorable review about your stay to be entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You may be next month’s winner!

A Different Kind of Colorful Key West This Fall

Greetings from Key West,

Summer has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean the sun has stopped shining in Key West. As a year-round vacation destination, there is truly never a bad time to visit Key West. Over the next few months we have lots of exciting events happening that will make a last minute getaway worthwhile!

Have you heard of WINEDINE KEYWEST? It kicks off this month and is an exciting opportunity to experience Key West’s iconic food scene at local discount prices. Participating restaurants will offer three-course prix-fixe menus from September 16^th – October 16^th. For more information on WINEDINE KEY WEST, take a look at their website: www.winedinekeywest.com. We are offering a last minute reservation discount when you book a Last Key Vacation Rental between now and October 22^nd.Of course, the last week of October is Fantasy Fest. This year’s dates are October 21^st – 30^th. Take part in the crazy weeklong shenanigans featuring the Bahama Village Goombay Festival, the Zombie Bike Ride, the Pet Masquerade, the 34^th Annual Headdress Ball, the Fantasy Fest Street Fair, The Famous Fantasy Fest Parade, and much, much more! Put on your most extraordinary costume and join us for a week of Halloween fun! For complete details, check out the official Fantasy Fest website: www.fantasyfest.com We still have nightly & weekly rental homes available for the week of Fantasy Fest, including: Avalynn House, Casa Victoria, Coastal Loving, Gulfside Vistas, Suzy’s Parrot Perch, and The Commander’s Sanctuary.Are you a boating fan? Then get your front row seat at the 36^th annual Super Boat International Races, taking place November 6^th – 13^th. The world’s biggest and fastest offshore racing series held at the Truman Waterfront is an exhilarating must-see event. Be sure to visit the Super Boat International website for further details and the complete race schedule: http://superboat.com/race-schedule/key-west-schedule/ Remaining available nightly & weekly homes for Super Boat Race Week include: Blue Heron’s Cove, Casa Louisa, Cielo Azul, Octopus’s Garden, Plantation Tropicale, and The Smiling Ibis.Making Thanksgiving plans? Did you know that turkey tastes better in paradise? All of our homes include a fully equipped kitchen, perfect for preparing your Thanksgiving Day feast. If you prefer a catered Thanksgiving, our concierge would be delighted to arrange that for you. Select your Thanksgiving Vacation Home in Key West before they are all booked up, remaining available homes include: Conch in the Treetops, Eden @ the Annex, Nature’s Edge, Puerta Coralina, Sea Captain’s Haven, and The Contented Crane.

Enjoy more privacy, unrivaled guest services, and all of the amenities our luxury Vacation Homes have to offer this Fall! Hope to see you soon!

Your friends in Key West,

Key West: Investment Real Estate Redefined

There’s no question that, like the rest of the country, Key West has gone through a sharp decline in real estate. In fact, the real estate recession probably had its impact on Key West sooner than in many other areas. However, it now also seems like Key West is seeing an earlier recovery as well. Some of the earlier signs were with a marked uptick in vacation rentals, at all times of the year, especially in summer. And now, we see an estimated 7% increase in average home purchase prices from a year ago. Inventory is down substantially from this time last year, and we are actually seeing homes being purchased at “above asking” prices.
Meanwhile, vacation rental homes have become a tremendous opportunity for investors. A well-located and nicely furnished home of any size with a transient license has the potential to generate 10-12% of its purchase price in gross rental income every year. An exceptional home with three or more bedrooms can generate even more, as much as 13-15% in gross income. Returns like this have changed the nature of real estate investment, which has always depended primarily on real estate appreciation. With rates and occupancy of vacation rentals presently growing every year, and the attractive tax benefits that come with owning an “active” rental, such a home could in effect pay for itself in less than twelve years. For more information, feel free to call 305.304.1933 or e-mail Chris Santry.

Key West is BACK IN ACTION and ready to welcome all Conch lovers from around the world!