Don't Buy in the Florida Keys Until You Know What Locals Know
The free 10-page guide that explains what listings won't — insurance, permits, rental rules, and the waterfront questions that separate a great buy from an expensive lesson. Written by a Keys native who's spent 15+ years helping out-of-town buyers get it right.
★★★★★ “We would recommend him to anyone in the keys.” — Ana Walter, Google review
Top 1% Upper Keys Agent · Keys Native · Broker, Palm House Real Estate
The Keys Aren't Like Anywhere Else You've Bought
A 120-mile island chain where the state caps how many homes can ever be built. Where one insurance company covers nearly every roof. Where the rental rules change every time you cross a city line — and where two “waterfront” homes a mile apart can be worlds apart the moment your boat hits low tide.
None of it should scare you off. But all of it should be understood before you write an offer — because down here, the expensive mistakes happen early.
Inside the Guide
- The insurance number to get BEFORE you offer — and the $150 inspection that routinely cuts wind premiums 20–45%
- Why owning land in the Keys doesn't mean you can build on it — and the one question that tells you if a lot is buildable at all
- The island-by-island rental rules — 7 days here, 28 there, 90 down the road — and the 5% tax Airbnb doesn't collect for you
- The tax break most out-of-state buyers don't expect (Monroe County's rate is one of Florida's lowest) — plus the 2026 deadline worth asking your CPA about
- The 5 waterfront questions that determine real value — starting with the low-tide detail that's the most-regretted oversight in Keys real estate
- The remote buyer's playbook — how to buy confidently from 1,200 miles away, plus the printable pre-offer checklist
Written by Someone Who Was Raised Here
AJ Vetter is the broker of Palm House Real Estate in Islamorada and a top 1% agent in the Upper Keys. He was raised on these islands, and he's spent his career helping families from Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and beyond buy here with their eyes open — depth soundings checked, insurance quoted, rental rules verified.
This guide is the conversation he has with every out-of-town client, written down so you can have it first.
“The Keys reward buyers who do their homework. This is the homework.”
Quick answers
Is this actually free?
Yes. Enter your email and the PDF arrives instantly. That's it.
Will I get spammed?
No. You'll get the guide, plus an occasional market update worth reading. Unsubscribe anytime with one click.
I’m 12+ months from buying. Is this still for me?
That's the best time to read it. Most of what trips up Keys buyers — insurance timing, rental eligibility, residency deadlines — is easiest to handle early.
Does downloading this commit me to working with AJ?
Not at all. It's genuinely useful whether you ever call him or not. (Though when you're ready to look at a specific property, he's easy to reach.)
Know What Locals Know — Before You Write the Offer
10 pages. 5 things. Every question your listing agent hopes you don't ask.