Ellen Ruby Blog's: $5.5M Florida Keys Home Features an Aquarium Big Enough for Snorkeling

Monday 19 July 2021

$5.5M Florida Keys Home Features an Aquarium Big Enough for Snorkeling

For a buyer who has the cash to dive in, it’s possible to snorkel without ever leaving home.

An oceanfront house listed for $5.49 million on West Cahill Court on Florida’s Big Pine Key offers a private place to witness aquatic life up close.

“It’s a truly awe-inspiring property,” the listing agent, Ally Kelley, says of the property.

It has a total of 6,134 square feet of living space, divided between a main house and a garage apartment.

“It’s the epitome of a Florida Keys estate for divers, boaters, and sunset enthusiasts,” she adds. “Of course, it’s the 25,000-gallon aquarium that truly makes this property extremely unique.”

The stilted house was built in 1996, and the snorkel aquarium sits under it, near a circular driveway that features a bronze and concrete sculpture.

“You’ve got different little bridges that connect and you can walk [above] the snorkel aquarium, or you could you could dive right in,” Kelley says. “It’s obviously wonderful to just look at, and there are plenty of fish in there and artificial coral, which was custom-made.”

The tremendous tank was featured a few years ago on National Geographic’s “Fish Tank Kings,” when the home’s previous owner wanted to clean up and repair the enormous aquarium.

“I don’t know of any others in the Keys or in Florida that I’ve seen. It’s definitely very, very unique,” Kelley says.

Aquarium
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Sunset
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Aerial view
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Apart from the aquarium, the main house offers three bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, and 5,300 square feet of space, on nearly an acre. There’s also a one-bedroom apartment above the garage.

“The home faces direct west, so you truly have the most prime views of the sunset,” Kelly explains. “It’s directly on the ocean, and from most of the rooms in the main home, you have sunset views.”

Outdoor space is another key in this part of the country. A rooftop deck boasts 360-degree views, a hot tub, and more than 4,500 square feet of porches.

Also outside, you’ll find a pool area with a beach entry and a tempting Tiki bar. Two boat lifts are part of the 260 feet of canal-front dockage.

In addition to the guesthouse, the garage has an angler’s room for fishing, boating, scuba, and snorkeling gear, as well as a pump room for the aquarium system.

That massive system needs further explanation. The agent told us it does involve something of a learning curve, but that it shouldn’t frighten away any interest.

“It’s a big monstrosity, but it’s actually very user-friendly. My seller actually got the original installer of the aquarium to come teach him how to operate everything, and he operates everything from afar,” Kelley explains.

She adds that the current owner uses this property as a second home.

Inside, the house has an elevator, a chef’s kitchen, and plenty of living space, with angled, sloped architecture inside and out.

“You’ve got all of the light and bright coastal tones, in addition to a lot of the tropical patterns throughout the property.” Kelley says. “It just brings all of that together into a nice, modern, coastal aesthetic.”

Main bedroom
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Main bathroom
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Living space
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Kitchen
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Bedroom
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Pool
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Tiki bar
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Beach
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

Exterior
Andre van Rensburg for Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty

The main bedroom sits on the top floor, to take full advantage of the views, and offers two separate bathrooms and closets. Two guest suites are down one floor.

An owner should be safe from any storm that might approach in this hurricane-prone part of the country.

“The construction is truly built to withstand the test of time and the test of all weather,” Kelley explains.

It was built with protection against Category 5 storms in mind, she says, and in addition to being built above the flood line, it has impact windows and doors.

Beyond safety, this house was built for pure enjoyment.

“I sold it to my clients a few years ago, and we saw it right as the sun was setting, so it was truly a magical experience,” she says.

A sound system that plays music around the entire property adds to the ambiance.

“It’s such a captivating experience, definitely something that is truly one of a kind,” she adds.