Ep. 3 The Coconut Wire - What’s Hot Marathon Homes Florida Keys April 24, 2026

Title: Florida Keys Real Estate Market Action – April 2026
Host: Margie Casey of Florida Keys Real Estate Group

Episode Segments

What’s Happening This Weekend and why

• 17th Annual Florida Keys Lion Derby in Key Largo

Middle Keys Market Data

• Number of homes that went under contract this week (1:32) 
• Number of days on market, this week versus last week (1:54)
• Price reductions this week  (2:18)
• Number of expired listings (2:37)
• Total number of homes for sale in the Middle Keys, this week versus last (2:52)
• Number of new listings in the Middle Keys (3:06)

Frequently Asked Questions about Duck Key

• Where exactly is Duck Key, and how do I get there? (3:40)
• Is Duck Key a gated community? What is the vibe like? (4:26)
• What kind of homes are on Duck Key? What are prices like? (4:52)
• What about boat dockage? Can I have a boat at my home? (5:29)
• Are there amenities on Duck Key itself? (6:03)
• What are the HOA fees like on Duck Key? (6:24)
• How do I find best in class off market Duck Key properties? (6:59)
• Closing final thoughts  (7:32)

Contact 

Margie Casey | The Brenner Scheel & Casey Team
305-783-3395
flakeysrealestategroup@gmail.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to the Coconut Wire, your weekly pulse on the marathon real estate market. I'm Margie Casey with the Brenner Shale and Casey team in the Florida Keys. And if you live here, love it here, or are dreaming about making the move, you are in exactly the right place. Even though today I'm filming from a remote location in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I always like to kick off things with something local in the Florida Keys, something going on that you may want to know about. This weekend, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, nicknamed Reef, is hosting the 17th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby. This event takes place tomorrow on Sunday, April 26th at the Reef Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo. We're talking about a lionfish weigh-in, award ceremony, conservation science, and arts festival, and it is open to the public. Why does this matter? Let me tell you about these little invaders. Lionfish have no natural predators in the Atlantic and they reproduce at a jaw-dropping rate. In short, they throw the entire reef food web system out of whack. The lionfish derby is about education, population control, and protecting the coral reefs that we love in the Florida Keys. If you're down in Key Largo this weekend, be sure to stop by. It's worth your time. Further south in the Middle Keys, let's talk about numbers. Here's what happened in the real estate market this week. First up, homes under contract. We're sitting at 39 this week. 39. That is three times more than we saw last week. When I saw that number, I did a double take. That kind of jump tells me buyers who've been sitting on the fence finally made their move and the market responded. This is real activity. Now, days on market, the average right now is 196 days. And before you say, Margie, that sounds like a lot. Well, this is why I love the number. Because those homes that have been sitting and waiting, they're the ones that are selling. That tells me patient sellers are getting rewarded, and buyers looked who looked at something six months ago and passed, they might want to take a look again. The landscape and the keys has shifted. Price reductions this week, we had 18. That is double what we saw last week. So sellers are adjusting. They're getting realistic, and for buyers, this means opportunity. If you've been watching a property and wondering if the prices will come down, well, for a lot of listings, that has happened. Expired listings came in this week at four. Excuse me. Nothing alarming here, but it's a reminder that overpriced homes still sit. Pricing correctly from day one more than ever matters in this market. Total homes on the market in the middle keys is$386. That is down from 404 last week. So inventory is tightening. Fewer choices for buyers, which combine with all the contract activity we talked about, it's a nice combination. New listings this week is at 10. It's the same amount as last week, so we're not seeing a flood of new inventory coming on the market. The pipeline is steady but thin. So what does this all add up to? Well, we have surging contract activity, shrinking inventory, motivated sellers adjusting their prices, and long-listed homes finally moving. That's a market that's waking up. If you're a buyer, this is your window. If you're a seller who's been waiting for the right moment to list, let's talk. Now instead of using our talking about our usual deal of the week, I'm switching gears because I've been flooded with questions about one particular island, Duck Key. Sitting on the north end of Marathon, it's one of the most sought-after addresses in the Florida Keys. And honestly, a lot of people don't know enough about it. So let's fix that right now. Here's some questions. Question number one, where exactly is Duck Key and how do I get there? Duck Key sits roughly at mile marker 61 on Overseas Highway, which puts you in the north end of Marathon. You can access it by driving down US 1 and then turning on Duck Key Drive. It's a private island community connected by a series of bridges. You're about an hour south of Miami, 45 minutes north of Key West, and completely surrounded by the most beautiful turquoise waters of the Atlantic and the Florida Bay. Question two, is Duck Key a gated community and what's the vibe like? Duck Key is a real neighborhood, and no, it's not gated. It's relaxed. Think boaters, retirees, second homeowners, and remote workers who discovered that they can trade city stress for salt air. It's family friendly, quiet, and incredibly well maintained. It doesn't feel like a resort, even though we have a resort on the island. What kind of home prices can you find on Duck Key? Duck Key is almost entirely single-family homes, except when you first come on the island by the resort. Homes range from older Florida Keys cottages all the way up to stunning waterfront estates. Price-wise, realistically, you're going to start around$800,000 for a non-waterfront home, with waterfront and dock properties beginning in the$2 million range and sometimes well above that. There are several homes right now on the island for sale that are over$12 million. The curb appeal is stunning and it keeps value strong. What about boat dockage? Can I have a boat at my home? Well, of course, that's the number one question we get from buyers. And most homes on Duck Key do have private dockage, which is a huge draw. For those who don't, Duck Key Marina is located right on the island and offers dry rack storage, fuel, water sports, and so much more. The waters have access here on both the Atlantic and Gulf Side with ease, making it a prime territory for offshore fishing, diving, cruising. If you have a boat, it's right at your back door at your home on Duck Key. Question three: Are there any amenities on Duck Key itself? Hawks K Resort is the crown jewel of Duck Key. It's a full-service island resort with multiple restaurants, pools, lagoons, spa, and a top-notch tennis facility. Duck Key residents can enjoy restaurants in the spa while the rest of the amenities are reserved for hotel guests. How much are HOA fees on Duck Key? This is a there is a Duck Key Property Owners Association and fees are low, around$300 a year. That's correct.$300 a year. The POA maintains the common areas, they oversee security and overall island upkeep. And it shows the island's immaculate. Club Duck Key is also on the island. It's a private wellness center. Membership fees are around$2,000 a year. They have a hill heated and chilled swimming pool, clay tennis courts, bocce ball courts, pickleball courts, and a Grand Lanai where parties and activities happen. How do I find best off-market class Duck Key properties? Call me. Seriously, Duck Key is a specialized market, and not everything that comes up for sale is on the MLS. Our portfolio of off-market properties comes from relationships we built in the community from sellers who prefer to market their homes privately. The Brenner Shale and Casey team has developed deep roots in Duck Key and the middle keys, and I would love to walk you through what's available on the market and off. Just reach out and say hello. I hope that answers some of your questions burning about Duck Key. And if I didn't get to yours, that's what I'm here for. Reach out and ask. Well, that's a wrap on the Coconut Wire. As always, if you have real estate questions, if you want to talk about Duck Key, if you're thinking of buying or selling anywhere in the Middle Keys, I'm your person. I'm Margie Casey with the Brenner Shale and Casey team. You can find me online, give me a call, or just stop by our office right in the Middle Keys. We're here, we're local, and we know these waters. Until then, keep living the Keys life, and we'll see you on the Coconut Wire next week.