What is a key lot? It is an unfamiliar term for many real estate buyers but it is becoming a popular and smart way to buy Pinellas waterfront real estate.

A key lot is a key-shaped waterfront lot that has a larger house on the water and a smaller home in the front, usually facing the street. The lots are large by Florida standards – usually one to one-and-a-half acres. They are an ideal way to maximize land use while making both homes on the lot more affordable. Want to see for yourself? Watch this tour of a key lot in charming Ozona, Florida, by The Pinellas Peach, your specialist for Pinellas Waterfront Property.

Click here to view the embedded video.

To give you an idea of pricing, landlocked lots by the key lots (not waterfront lots) homes are starting at about $250K (although none currently listed for sale now) up to $1M. The waterfront Ozona key lots start at about $350K and are going up to $4M.

What accounts for the difference, and particularly why are some of the waterfront homes for sale listed so cheaply? Some are bank owned, foreclosures or short sales. If you are looking for a great deal, NOW is a great time to scoop up one of these “little darlings” at a great price. They tend to sell fast once they are on the market so having a great Realtor keep their eyes out for you is a must (hint, hint!)

Want to see more beautiful waterfront homes and key lots in Ozona and Palm Harbor? Call the Pinellas waterfront specialists at the Pinellas Peach today.

Crystal Beach Florida home owners don’t have mailboxes, but they have their own zip code – 34681.  Residents pick up their mail at the tiny Crystal Beach post office - and that’s just the way they like it.   Mail delivery is not the only thing old-fashioned in this quaint seaside town. 

Within this community of about 1,200 people, you’ll still find a sprinkling of old-Florida “Cracker Houses“.  Some of the streets remain unpaved and are covered with white seashells.  Moss-covered trees and tall Oaks drape over many of the streets.  There is no downtown here – the heart of this town lies within its residents.

Originally a fishing village, Crystal Beach was officially developed in 1912 as a vacation village.  It’s grown a lot since then, yet Crystal Beach remains part of unincorporated Palm Harbor in Pinellas County.   The famed Pinellas Trail runs through this community, which  lies just south of Tarpon Springs and a dab of Palm Harbor and lies just to the north of Ozona and Dunedin, with Alt. 19 (aka Palm Harbor Blvd.) bordering to the East.  Best of all, this community snugs up against St. Joseph sound and the sparkling Gulf of Mexico.

The schools are magnificent - as is the case for all of Palm Harbor.  In Crystal Beach, your young ones will grow up with the small joys of yesteryear.  These include visits to the popular Crystal Beach Pier, a public fishing spot where, at high tide, you’ll find brave kids jumping off the end of the dock in to the warm waters.   You can launch your kayak from the beach or take part in the annual Fourth of July festivities which draw a crowd from all over Pinellas County. 

At the north end of Town, there’s Sutherland Bayou Boat Ramp, a 5-acre boating facility with direct access to the Gulf.  You can also launch your boat at nearby Pop Stansel Park.  Like Ozona Florida, Crystal Beach is a golf-cart friendly community, and it’s lots of fun to leave the car at home.  If you’re a golfer, the renowned Innisbrook Golf and Tennis Resort is just up Alt. 19 about a mile. 

Although the name ‘Crystal Beach’ suggests that perhaps there are sandy beaches here, that’s not the case, except for perhaps a few lucky homeowners on the sought-after Mayo Street or Point Seaside Drive.  This is true for the majority of the developments in Northern Pinellas, yet the lack of sand is of little concern to residents.   If it’s glorious white sand beaches you’re after, then the causeway to Honeymoon Island and Caladessi Island State Beach (just named the #1 beach in the Country), is just 3 short miles to the south.  For the perfect adventure, you can ride your bike on the Pinellas Trail to get there.

If you’re thinking of making Crystal Beach home, you’ve got a wide variety of architectural styles and features to choose from.  Home prices start in the 100′s and go upwards of $5M, yet the median price range is about $300K to $900K.  Feel free to search the Pinellas MLS to see what’s available, or contact us for a personal tour.  If you’re just visiting, there are fabulous vacation rentals, too. 

Give us a call at (727)366-0324 request your free relocation guide, which highlights all of the splendor of Pinellas County and beyond.

Of course, here at The Pinellas Peach, we are raving mad about The Pinellas Trail, which is the stupendous 34-mile artery that connects residents from Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg.  

Originally the Orange Belt Railway in 1884, The Pinellas Trail is now used by over 90,000 bicyclists, runners, roller bladers, and Sunday strollers per month.  In 1983, the trail was the brainchild of a man who’s son was killed while riding his bike.  By 1990, the first 5-mile section opened connecting Taylor Park in Largo to Seminole Park in Seminole. 

The trail has now grown to over 34 miles long as shown on this map, and just this year plans were put in place for the Pinellas Trail Loop, which will connect The Pinellas Trail from downtown St. Petersburg to the East Lake Tarpon!   

Along the way, you’ll find bike racks, refreshment stops, restaurants, pay phones (in this day and age?!), parks and bike shops along the trail.  It even runs past the causeway to Honeymoon Island where you can take the ferry to Caladesi Island - recently voted the #1 beach in the country. 

As Palm Harbor Real Estate Consultants, we have seen first-hand the added value awarded a home that is close to The Pinellas Trail or even backs up to it.  Why?  People love it – and we do too!