The quiet community of Tavernier sits on 2.6 square miles in Monroe County, beautifully situated in the heart of the Florida Keys. Immediately south of Key Largo, it is an ideal site for all types of boating, diving, and fishing. As far as desirable real estate goes, the Keys are of course unparalleled. With sparkling Gulf and Atlantic waters, white sands, a subtropical climate, and exquisite sunsets, it's hard to imagine more of a more exquisite paradise.

In the 18th century wreckers used this Key as their base while they searched the reef at night to salvage gold, coins and other booty from ships that had run aground. Today Tavernier is among the best locations for water sports--from snorkeling to parasailing, to kayaking, to windsurfing, and more. The waters and reef are protected today by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary act and other laws.

With a population of just over 2,000 and a median age of 43, Tavernier is well worth studying as a place to call home, whether for part of the year or all of it. The median house value at the last census came to just under $230,000. A more realistic range of figures, given the real estate boom of the last several years, starts somewhat higher than that, however. Consulting a local realtor is a critical step to a successful search for property, however.

A Bird's Eye View of Tavernier Real Estate

At the low end of the scale, for example, you might find a small--meaning 960 square feet, the size of a modest apartment--two-bedroom, one-bath property selling for $350,000. A mid-scale house with four bedrooms, two baths, and 1,500 square feet might go for about $575,000. There's always a high end, of course, and the Keys are no exception. An upscale five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath property recently sold for just over $4.5 million.