Private island in lower Keys listed for $6.9 million

Melody Key
Melody Key

Ready to go off the grid in style? The perfect place may be an island home in the Florida Keys that draws power from the sun and desalinated water from the sea.

A Dubai-based real estate developer has listed for sale a private island and a villa in the lower Florida Keys called Melody Key, with a $6.9 million asking price.

Residential property broker Engel and Völkers has the listing for Melody Key, located just off Summerland Key, which is about a 30-minute drive from Key West.

The owner, Dubai-based developer Blaise Carroz, bought Melody Key in 2014 after the previous owner  – Nick Hexum, lead singer of the band 311  – extensively updated the property.

The island’s walkable land spans approximately three acres, and the submerged portion of the property also covers about three acres.

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The island has a three-floor, 3,500-square-foot main residence with three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and an elevator.

Melody Key also has a freshwater swimming pool and a storage structure for the island’s snorkeling gear, kayaks and sailboats. Melody Key is accessible only by water, a 10-minute boat ride from the shore.

Carrroz told Bloomberg that the water around the island in the lower Florida Keys is so shallow it precludes owners of large yachts from mooring there.

He also said the island is “totally off the grid,” producing its own power with a solar panels and getting water from the sea via desalinization equipment. The place also comes equipped with storm-resistance features and a backup generator.

The island’s operating costs could be daunting for many prospective buyers, though  –  about $30,000 a year, excluding property taxes and a full-time caretaker’s salary. [Bloomberg] Mike Seemuth