FL Keys Real Estate

Kona Kai opens gardens for tours

Guests at Key Largo’s Kona Kai Resort and Gallery, 97802 Overseas Highway, can enjoy complimentary self-guided tours through the property’s new botanic gardens -- one of the first ethnobotanic gardens in the southeast United States.

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Mmmm -- stone-crab season returns

The seven-month stone-crab season starts on Saturday, and the chief executive of the Keys fishing fleet's trade group says he anticipates a good year.

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By David Goodhue

dgoodhue@keysreporter.com

Posted - Friday, September 30, 2011 11:00 AM EDT

The massive, $330-million construction overhaul of the 18 Mile Stretch — the main road for traffic in and out of the Keys — is finished, 25 years after being proposed by state transportation officials.

The Florida Department of Transportation celebrated the project’s completion at a media event held alongside the C-111 canal at mile marker 116 Wednesday morning.

State, local and federal dignitaries who spoke at the dedication had one common theme: the once-dangerous highway is now much safer for motorists and the area’s wildlife alike.

Animals like the threatened American crocodile and the endangered Florida panther can now safely avoid the roadway, using underground culverts to move from the eastern, saltwater marsh side, to the western, freshwater side adjacent to Everglades National Park.

Animals are also kept away from the pavement by chain link fencing on both sides of the highway from mile marker 106 in Key Largo to Florida City.

But the main purpose behind the project was to significantly reduce the number of people killed every year from head-on collisions.

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.First Person: The Tricks I Used to Sell My Home in 60 Days tweet1EmailPrint..Carrie Smith, On Thursday September 15, 2011, 11:50 am EDT *Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Do you have a real estate story that you'd like to share? Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles. With the stagnant housing market and overabundance of inventory, it can not only be difficult to sell your home, but to get the attention of potential buyers as well. When I went through the process of selling my three bedroom two bath house, I knew I had to make it stand out compared to all the rest. Here's a few techniques I used to sell my home within 60 days of listing it. Clear it out First and foremost, if a house is cluttered and full of furniture it can be hard for buyers to see the layout and overall space. You're selling real estate not your furniture, so clear out the excess and only leave the bare minimal needed to show the place off. This is also a great time to make some extra cash for your move by having a yard sale to get rid of any items. Keep it clean Once you've cleared everything out it's time to clean it up. Nothing is more of a turn off to me (and the majority of buyers) than a dirty house. It's doesn't have to be spotless, but you only get one chance to make a first impression and you want it to be the best one possible. The fresh clean smell of a home is very inviting and buyers will take notice. This also includes the lawn and yard area, just keeping it clean and well maintained makes a buyer want to stick around. Add warm touches Small touches like turning all the lights on, lighting candles, and putting out flowers add warmth and comfort to a home. It shows the buyer that this isn't just a piece of real estate, and they will start to imagine building a family and a life here. That's the key, getting potential homeowners to envision themselves in that home. They will start getting emotionally attached to the property, then it will be an easier sell. Do it yourself fixes A mini makeover and small fixes are often necessary to show a house to it's fullest potential. I was surprised at how changing the paint color changed the whole vibe of the room. Painting can be a little time consuming but it's the cheapest way to spruce up your home. Even if it's just a quick touch up job, it will cover any nicks or marks on the walls, making them look new again. Look at it from the buyer's point of view, and think about what you would see if you toured the place. Anything that you can fix yourself, will add dollars (or less time on the market) to your home's value. Putting in a little sweat equity by keeping the place clean, clutter free and adding small inviting touches will help you go from homeowner to sold within 60 days

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