#RealEstate: The real deal on buying in Key West

#RealEstate: The real deal on buying in Key West - A person standing in front of a motorcycle - Product

Brian Trible has a few things going for him. First, he has great hair and a cool motorcycle; two things that pair as nicely as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But don’t let Brian’s cool mystique and chiseled good looks fool you. Brian has a heart of gold and a reputation for honesty and hard work. Most of all, he understands how to list and sell homes; particularly in a market dependent on modern marketing techniques. This week, Brian sheds some light, and a little humor, into the world of real estate in Key West:

You are recognized as fun loving, unique figure in Key West. What makes you unique or different than many of your competitors?

I use professional grade equipment to take high definition photos and video of my listings. The final product is a listing on the Internet that is simply better than 95 percent of my competition. Since almost all buyers start their search on the Internet, a better-looking presentation captures more traffic which turns into physical showings which turn into multiple offers. I also have great hair and ride a motorcycle.

When is the right time to buy?

If you have a time machine handy, one that can get us back to 2010, then we are going to do pretty well for ourselves! I mean, if you can afford to live in The Keys, why wouldn’t you? So it’s always “time to buy,” but the days of mega profits from short-term flipping are behind us.

What is your take on the current state of the Key West real estate market?

The Key West market behaved in a unique fashion during the first quarter of 2014. Forty-eight percent of all sales were classified as a condo or townhouse! They usually make up less than a quarter of all sales. The number of sales in Key West was down 7 percent while the average sales price rose 18 percent to $594,000. With foreclosure sales happening less often, the values are rising back to a “normal” level so there will be fewer sales. We are almost balanced again.