Printed On 100% Recycled - Florida Keys Keynoter

JUNE 21, 2009
CONTENTS © 2009 KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. VOL. 4, NO. 32
Real estate
Glimmers
of recovery
dot market.
Page 3
Coach’s corner
In tough times,
it’s crucial
to be nimble.
Page 6
www.KeysNet.com
Printed on 100% recycled newsprint
Key images
Readers share their visions
of the island chain.
Page 16
History
New tour pedals
through the past
in Upper Keys.
Page 5
PUBLISHED BY:

2 Sunday, June 21, 2009
Experienced at Finding the Right House for You!
Buying or Selling
Call
Carol A. Steinbock , Realtor®
305-393-1205
www.KeysRealEstateAgent.com • Carol@KeysRealEstateAgent.com
Serving the Keys since 1996!
FREE One Year Home Warranty Offered To All Buyers And Sellers!
Call for details!
Regan Insurance Agency has been family owned and serving
the Keys community since 1958. Over the years many storms
have passed over the Keys and we are confident when it comes
to insuring you, our family, friends and neighbors that we have
the knowledge and the experience.
Don't wait until there is a storm to call us. If you have any
questions about your personal or business coverage please
contact any one of our agents.
Mon. - Fri. 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
305.852.3234 or 305.743.3414
Auto • Life • Health • Homeowners • Business
Boat • Long Term Care • Wind • Flood
90144 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, FL 33037
www.reganinsuranceinc.com
Keys Sunday
Visit KeysNet.com to catch up on stories
you might have missed:
◆ A million-dollar pile of live rock is missing
from the ocean floor. News
◆ Eatery at Marathon Banana Bay
wants to lure locals back to resort.
Business & Real Estate
◆ Water limits loosen after record rain
recharges aquifer. Environment
coaching
Has your small business picked
up a bad trait from big business?
Page 6
green solutions
Upper Keys plot of land preserved
to protect rare cactus.
Page 7
about us
Keys Sunday is published weekly by
Keynoter Publishing Co., P.O. Box 500158,
Marathon, FL 33050-0158
Publisher
Wayne Markham
Phone . . . .743-5551, Ext. 16
E-mail . . . . . . .wmarkham@
keynoter.com
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . .743-6397
Editor
Karen Quist
Phone . . . .743-5551, Ext. 20
E-mail . . . . . . . . . . .kquist@
keynoter.com
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . .743-9586
Marketing
Director
Melanie Elder
Phone . . . .743-5551, Ext. 17
E-mail . . . . . . . . . .melder@
keynoter.com
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . .743-9586
inside
To advertise
Upper Keys
91655 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, FL 33070
Advertising . . . . . .852-3216
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . .852-0199
Middle Keys
3015 Overseas Highway
P.O. Box 500158
Marathon, FL 33050-0158
Advertising . . . . .743-5551
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . .743-9586
Key West &
the Lower Keys
2720-A N. Roosevelt Blvd.
Overseas Market
Key West, FL 33040
Advertising . . . . .296-6989
Fax . . . . . . . . . . . .296-1287
on the cover
send us your news
www.KeysNet.com
real estate
See what’s selling in the Keys.
Pages 10 & 11
classified
Pages 12-15
Kami Miller shot this from near the new
Bahia Honda bridge. See more reader
photos on Page 16. Send your own to
kquist@keynoter.com.
Comcast
Keys News
Keys Information Station
Channel 5 News
Monday-Friday
6 p.m.
8 p.m.
9 p.m.
Keys news daily
from the staff of
The Keynoter,
The Reporter
and Keys Sunday,
on Comcast Cable,
Channel 5.
New companies, new employees, new products — all of that is news, and
we’d like to run it in Keys Sunday. Just drop editor Karen Quist a note at kquist@
keynoter.com with the details of what you’re doing and your contact information.

www.KeysNet.com
Home inventory finally on decline
Keys sales outpacing 2008
in first five months of the year
By KAREN QUIST
kquist@keynoter.com
The number of homes on the
market in the Keys dropped
below 4,000 for the first time
since the months after Hurricane
Wilma in October 2005, and
sales through May 31 were 3
percent ahead of the same period
in 2008.
The 505 agent-brokered sales
recorded Keyswide between
Jan. 1 and May 31 are far from
the numbers recorded during the
heydays of Keys real estate, but
they’re being embraced as a
positive sign.
“It’s nice to see more sales
and fewer listings,” says Brian
Schmitt, president and broker of
Coldwell Banker Schmitt, the
Keys’ largest real estate company.
“Everything’s going in the
right direction.”
Schmitt says it’s too early to
tell how June is going, because
closings tend to be clustered at
the middle and the end of the
month.
“The number of new listings
is down 20 percent overall,”
Schmitt says, “which is a big
number.”
Excessive inventory has been
an issue since late 2005, when a
flood of properties was put on
the market, and the mortgage
meltdown and accompanying
recession have only exacerbated
the problem.
Having so many homes for
sale, particularly when some of
them are foreclosures and short
sales, has increased the downward
pressure on prices.
That pressure is obvious in
the January through May numbers
provided by Schmitt’s
office, which show a nearly 30
percent gap Keyswide between
the original list price and eventual
sales price of homes.
That gap is something that
Schmitt’s office is tracking so
sellers know what to expect
when they list their homes.
The 15 percent difference
between the final list price and
the sales price has been pretty
consistent — with the exception
of the real estate boom years,
when it was only about 5 percent
— for years, Schmitt says.
“That’s a pretty real number that
See REAL ESTATE / 11
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Sunday, June 21, 2009 3
Upper Middle Lower Key All
Keys Keys Keys West Areas
Numbers reflect activity Lower Matecumbe 7 Mile Bridge Bay Point Key West
January through May to Key Largo to Long Key to Big PIne to Shark Key
Total sales 139 79 109 178 505
2009 vs. 2008 -9% +8% +12% +8% +3%
$ Value of sales $77.5 million $34.1 million $45.5 million $88 million $245.1 million
2009 vs. 2008 -23% -27% -3% -17% -19%
Average sales price $557,000 $431,000 $416,000 $494,000 $485,000
2009 vs. 2008 -16% -33% -14% -23% -21%
Average days on market 277 257 260 227 255
2009 vs. 2008 +22% -4% -8% +50% +9%
Final list to sales price 85.37% 85.48% 88.05% 74.13 83.26%
2009 vs. 2008 -4% -3% +0.6% -17% -6%
Original to sales price 67.28% 69.23% 77% N/A 71.17%
2009 vs. 2008 -14% -11% +4% +8% -7%
New listings 2009 570 414 301 672 1,957
2009 vs. 2008 -26% +7% -17% -26% -19%
Average list price $919,000 $884,000 $604,000 $994,000 $887,000
2009 vs. 2008 -13% -8% -9% +1% -7%
Number of properties 1,352 825 588 1,178 3,943
2009 vs. 2008 -14% -2% -18% --19% -2%
Months of inventory 39 42 22 26 31
2009 vs. 2008 --5% --10% --27% --25% --17%
SOURCE: Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Co.

4 Sunday, June 21, 2009
Restaurant & Marina For Sale
By Owner
Keys Sunday
Since 1954
Own a Piece
of History!
7-Mile Grill Restaurant and a five-boat-slip-marina with two rented
slips. 2 Bed/1 Bath trailer with business.
$1,250,000 • Call for an appointment, 305-304-9189
Keys Sunday staff
Cristiano’s owner Tanya
Green has closed her company’s
Marathon cafe so she can focus
on the catering and dinner-inminutes
portions of the business.
Green’s moved the company
office home, sold off some
equipment and is cooking out of
another commercial kitchen in
town.
“We just decided to put our
focus on the catering,” said
Green, whose husband, Anthony
Green, runs the culinary program
at Marathon High School.
“Seems like in this economy,
that’s the thing that’s thriving for
us, not the $5 cup of coffee.
“Getting rid of the storefront
just helped the bottom line.”
Green said the move is
already paying off. With fewer
distractions, she’s been able to
more quickly respond to
requests for bids on catering
jobs.
For customers, the move is
beneficial because Cristiano’s
now offers delivery of the
Wednesday dinners, which run
about $12 for one serving and
$20 for two. Meals now can be
dropped off at an office or at
home anywhere in Marathon and
up to Duck Key. Delivery runs
from 4:30 (4:15 a.m. on Duck
Key) to 6 p.m., and there’s no
additional charge.
business
www.KeysNet.com
Cristiano’s focusing
on meals, catering;
starts offering cakes
◆ American Red Cross
youth volunteer Noah
Sutter has gone above
and beyond in reaching
out to the community by
sharing his love and
knowledge of international
law, discussing measles
initiatives, encouraging
others to sign up for CPR
classes and working a
phone bank to answer his
neighbors’ questions during
a hurricane evacuation.
For his efforts — 400
hours of voluntary public
Contributed photo
A Sweet Bette celebrating
Marathon High graduation.
The cakes are a new
offering from Cristiano’s.
newsmakers
Green added the dinners to
her offerings about two years
ago. She calls them “sevenminute
meals,” because customers
just need to put them in
the oven or microwave for a few
minutes when they get home.
There are usually two choices
each week, with appetizers or
breads sometimes available.
The experienced caterer is
also pleased with the company’s
latest addition, Sweet Bette
cakes. Green said she’s not a
pastry chef herself, so she’s
working with a baker who’s able
to make creative custom cakes
with at least 48 hours lead time.
For more information,
call 289-3333, e-mail
cristianoscafe@bellsouth.net or
visit cristianoscafe.com.
service, 200 hours of personal
development, 200
hours of physical fitness
and 200 hours of exploration
— he has earned a
Gold Medal Youth
Congressional Award,
which will be presented
Friday in Washington,
D.C., by U.S. Rep. Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen.
— Send news of hires, promotions
and significant
service anniversaries to
kquist@keynoter.com.

www.KeysNet.com
Keys Sunday
history CABINETS &
New Islamorada tour
pedals through history
By KAREN QUIST
kquist@keynoter.com
The streets of Islamorada are
steeped in Keys history, and a
new tour allows visitors to pedal
their way through some of it.
Each Saturday at 10 a.m., the
Islamorada Historical Bike Tour
starts a 6.5-mile oceanside trip at
the Hurricane Monument, mile
marker 81.6.
The pace is leisurely, as guide
Mark Terrill leads up to 16 bikers
through two hours peppered with
highlights of Islamorada’s past,
including hurricanes, Indians and
a murder.
Terrill, the wrestling coach at
Coral Shores High School, started
the tours Memorial Day weekend
as a way to raise money for his
Islamorada-based youth wrestling
club. Donations — $5 per biker is
suggested — will help pay for
kids’ memberships and shoes.
The tour takes visitors through
the area where the islands’ founding
families — the Russells,
Pinders and Parkers — lived
before and after the 1935 Labor
Day Hurricane that forever
changed the landscape of the
Upper Keys.
Riders go by historic Red
Cross houses — 19 unique,
storm-hardy concrete structures
built by the Red Cross after that
deadly storm to house
Islamorada’s remaining residents
— and on some Saturdays they’re
able to look inside one.
They learn about the Rustic
Inn, where residents took shelter
as the deadly storm came ashore
on Lower Matecumbe Key, and
see where the ferry once docked.
There’s a stop at the Midway
Cafe to refresh, and then it’s on to
Tea Table Relief to talk about the
history of native tribes in the
Keys. There’s also a lesser-known
monument that pays tribute to
Cuban rafters.
Terrill has lived in the Upper
Keys since 1994. He’s been working
as a contractor for the
Department of Health doing water
testing when he’s not coaching
wrestling or digging into the past.
He attributes his interest in the
area’s history to his athletic director,
Rich Russell, whose family
was one of the few to settle the
Contributed photo
One of Islamorada’s Red Cross homes under construction in
1936. The sturdy homes were built after the 1935 hurricane.
Bike tours
◆ What: 6.5-mile trip
begins at the Hurricane
Monument, mile marker
81.6.
◆ When: 10 a.m.
Saturdays
◆ Cost: $5 donation suggested.
◆ For information or to
reserve a spot, call Mark
Terrill, 879-0390.
area in the late 1800s. Terrill’s
added to his knowledge base by
studying the work of Upper Keys
resident historians Jerry
Wilkinson and Irving Eyster, as
well as lots of other reading and
some independent research.
Turnout for the tours has been
good so far, he said. Originally he
planned on offering them on
Saturdays and Sundays, but there
were no takers for Sundays.
There’s no Web site yet, but
Terrill said he’s put up fliers in
local hotels. He said The
Moorings — itself an important
site in the area’s history — has
sent him several customers.
For visitors who don’t have
their own two-wheeled transportation,
Terrill’s made arrangements
with Islamorada outfitter
Backcountry Cowboy, which is
able to deliver rental bikes. And if
young riders show up without
helmets, he has a few extra courtesy
of the Florida Keys Overseas
Heritage Trail.
Monica Woll went on Terrill's
inaugural tour and was impressed
with the breadth of his knowledge.
She is a trail specialist with
the state agency that oversees the
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage
Trail, a route for pedestrians and
cyclists that's being built parallel
to the Overseas Highway and
eventually will run the length of
the Keys. Her job is promote use
of the trail, which is mostly complete
in the Upper Keys from mile
markers 106 to 74, and she'd love
to see more tours like Terrill's
making use of it.
The pace is easy, Terrill said,
and it’s a safe ride. The only time
riders will be on the highway
itself is as they cross the bridge to
Tea Table Relief. He doesn’t even
take riders across the highway,
instead staying on the oceanside
the whole way.
COFFEEMILL
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Offering Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop,
Zumba, Yoga and More this
summer for Adults and Children.
Penny Leto, Director
916 Pohalski Street, Key West, Florida
305.296.9982 • www.coffeemilldance.com
Sunday, June 21, 2009 5
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6 Sunday, June 21, 2009
Many of us grew up with
the belief that bigger is better,
and in some cases, that still
holds true. Who wouldn’t want
a bigger paycheck or a bigger
bank balance?
But when it comes to business,
especially these days,
bigger can create problems.
Consider the auto industry.
Humorist Dave Barry said the
problem with the Big Three in
Detroit is that these manufacturers
insist on building cars
that no one wants to buy.
Yes… and no.
When demand was high for
gas-guzzlers like the Hummer
and various tank-like SUVs,
the big automakers switched a
lot of their manufacturing
capacity to fill the need.
Then the cost of fuel hit the
stratosphere, and suddenly bigger
was no longer better.
Unfortunately for these big
companies, they can’t simply
flip a switch and start rolling
off the assembly line the more
fuel-efficient, economical autos
the public seems to be craving.
So there they are, stuck with
huge inventories of big vehicles
that people used to want
but no longer purchase, and
factories that will require massive
retooling to meet a different
demand.
To succeed
these days,
businesses
need to be
nimble, to
quickly adapt
to changing
conditions.
Successful
small business
owners
already know
how to do
that, but many
big businesses
have yet to catch on.
Big businesses have too
many layers between the executives
making the decisions
and the front-line employee
who deals directly with customers.
Too many edicts are handed
down from the top of the ladder,
and too few great ideas are
going up the rungs.
They have too many rules
that hinder creativity, productivity
and the ability to swiftly
resolve customer issues. This
“one size fits all” mentality
keeps a big business sluggish
and resistant to making
changes that are needed to survive.
If any of this sounds like
your business, it may be time
to reconfigure.
Keys Sunday
Here are some “coaching
requests” to help you figure out
where to start:
◆ Come up with three ways
you can get good feedback
from all your employees.
Consider a brainstorming, company-wide
retreat; a “suggestions
box” contest with a prize
for the best idea; or even flattening
your middle management
layer.
◆ Look at your policies and
procedure manual. Does it still
make sense today?
Which rules are really necessary
to keep your business
running in an orderly fashion?
Which rules were created
because one employee messed
it up for everyone else?
Do your policies also
address what your workers are
allowed to do? Do they give
your employees a lot of leeway
to deal immediately with customer
complaints and issues?
◆ Research the trends, starting
with your own business.
What’s working and what
isn’t? Then look outside your
company — where is your
industry going? What’s happening
on the national and
global levels that could affect
your business? What do you
www.KeysNet.com
coach’s corner
Trouble at work? Flexibility may be the fix
GRAND
REOPENING
Receive a FREE
WHOPPER ® Sandwich
with the purchase of a
WHOPPER ® Sandwich.
Only at BURGER KING ®
11150 Overseas Hwy.
Marathon Florida, 33050
Present this coupon to the cashier before
ordering. You will Receive a FREE WHOPPER ®
sandwich with any purchase of a WHOPPER ®
sandwich. Only valid at the above BURGER
KING RESTAURANT ® . Void where prohibited by
law. Cash value $2.00. Limit one coupon per
customer, and not valid with any other offers.
Exp. 07/31/09
JACKIE
HARDER
Coaching
BURGER KING CORPORATION THE
EXCLUSIVE LICENSEE OF THE BURGER
KING BUN HALVES AND CRESCENT
LOGO AND THE TRADEMARK “IT JUST
TASTES BETTER” ARE REGISTERED
BURGER KING TRADEMARKS. © 1999
BURGER KING CORPORATION. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.
◆ Sharon Hauk, R.N.,
has been named employee
of the quarter at
Mariners Hospital. Hauk’s
fellow employees nominated
her based on her
outstanding teamwork. A
Key Largo resident, Hauk is
a nurse in the hospital’s
Medical/Surgical unit, a
position she has held for
more than three years.
Hauk started at Mariners in
2003 as a patient care
technician. As employee
GRAND
REOPENING
Receive a FREE
BREAKFAST SANDWICH ®
with the purchase of a
BREAKFAST SANDWICH ® .
Only at BURGER KING ®
11150 Overseas Hwy.
Marathon Florida, 33050
Present this coupon to the cashier before
ordering. You will Receive a FREE BREAKFAST
SANDWICH ® with any purchase of a BREAKFAST
SANDWICH ® . Only valid at the above BURGER
KING RESTAURANT ® . Void where prohibited by
law. Cash value $2.00. Limit one coupon per
customer, and not valid with any other offers.
Exp. 07/31/09
newsmakers
of the quarter,
she
received a
$250 bonus
check, as
well as a
designated
parking
space.
◆ Centennial Bank promoted
Jean Roberts to
branch supervisor at the
Duck Key Branch. Roberts
and her family moved to
HAUK ROBERTS
need to do to get ahead of that?
If your revenue is falling,
something’s not working. And
the sooner you address that, the
sooner you can turn it around.
Do you have a thorny workplace
or personal issue you’d
like to resolve? Send our questions
to jackie@keydynamics.com.
Jackie Harder
owns Key Dynamics, a coaching,
training and consulting
company in Key Largo, and is
president of the Key Largo
Chamber of Commerce. Call
451-9525 or e-mail with questions
about coaching.
Everyone is in the same boat
when it comes to the cost.
The same rates apply to all wind and flood policies
Morgan Hampson Insurance
Insurance As Easy as “One, Two, Three”
One property, same value, three different policies.
• Fire, Theft, Extended Coverage • Wind • Flood
Three policies, same value, one property,
one agent, it is as simple as that!
Key Largo 451-4788 ~Key West 294-4788 ~Big Pine 872-4788
102481 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, FL 33037
Marathon in
2005, and
she joined
the bank in
2007.
— Send
news of
hires, promotions
and significant service
anniversaries to
kquist@keynoter.com.

www.KeysNet.com
Popping
corks for
the planet
Consider the number of corks
you popped the last time you threw
a party. According to ReCork
America, there are “13 billion (yes,
billion!) natural cork wine stoppers
sold into the world market each
year.” And like yours, most of them
end up in the landfill.
ReCork America, a nonprofit
sponsored by Amorim of Portugal,
the world’s largest producer (3 billion)
of natural cork wine stoppers,
wants to change that. The organization
has partnered with businesses,
individuals and ecological organizations
around the country to promote
recycling of wine corks.
Once the corks arrive in their
Napa, Calif., warehouse, the
organization finds ways to recycle
and reuse them as new products
such as flooring tiles, fishing rod
handles, place mats, packaging
materials, building insulation,
automotive gaskets, craft materials,
soil conditioner, shoe soles,
bulletin boards and sports equipment.
For a list of participating
locations or to donate corks, visit
www.recorkamerica.com
or call (877) 321-CORK.
New Jersey-based TerraCycle is
another company recruiting people
to save millions of corks. Visit
www.terracycle.net.
Yemm & Hart Green Materials
is a company experimenting with
ways to bring building materials
with recycled content into the mainstream.
It’s collecting wine cork
stoppers with the goal of converting
them into a useful self-sustaining
product and raising awareness of
the cork oak and its ecosystem.
Visit www.yemmhart.com.
Green Living & Energy
Education is sharing a weekly tip to
help boost the 4 Rs — Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle and Rot (compost)
— in the Keys. This tip courtesy of
GLEE’s Diane Marshall. Send
questions to info@KeysGLEE.com.
Keys Sunday
green solutions
Keys parcel set aside
to protect rare cactus
An Upper Keys stretch
of tropical hardwood
hammock and mangroves
known as the Key
Tree-Cactus Preserve gained
permanent protection last
week.
The village of
Islamorada finalized the
purchase of the 9-acre preserve,
named for the endangered
Key tree-cactus that
grows the property.
Funding for the $3.89
million acquisition came
from Florida Forever funding
provided by the Florida
Communities Trust, a
Photo courtesy Islamorada
statewide competitive grant A tree-cactus in
program for land acquisition. Islamorada’s newest
In May 2008, the village
submitted a grant application
with the help of The
Conservation Fund and
Fairchild Tropical Botanic
Garden. Only 18 of 91 projects
received funding from
the trust in 2008.
“It’s exciting that a really
important hammock was
able to be preserved,” said
Cheryl Cioffari, a planner
for the village who worked
preserve.
on the acquisition. “It’s a
pristine piece of property.”
As early as 1917, the
Key tree-cactus, which
exists only in the Keys and
possibly Cuba, was known
to be rare in the Florida
Keys. However, in the past
decade, surveys by
Fairchild Tropical Botanic
Garden documented an 80
Are you king of paper
conservation in the bathroom?
The bite
Then you must already
recycle your toilet paper
tubes. But if you don’t
(and a lot of us don’t), try
making it a habit. A little
tube goes a long way
toward earning that crown.
The benefits
◆ A greener world for
your heirs. A family of
four uses about 240 rolls
per year — add up all
those tubes, and it’s a lot
of landfill space.
◆ Not such a royal
pain. It’s tempting to just
chuck ’em, but we’ve got
tricks that make recycling
a little more convenient.
Want to try?
◆ Keep a separate basket
just for recyclable
paper next to the trash can
in your bathroom.
◆ If you’ve got a
plunger next to the toilet,
you can put the empty on
the handle and stack them
until they reach the top,
then transfer them to your
recycle bin.
◆ When you reach for a
new roll, put the old tube
into the bag or box the toi-
percent decline in the
largest Keys population,
raising alarm about the
species’ future.
The property will be
managed with a $200,000
gift donated to the village by
the sellers and their broker.
The village owns and
manages the property, and
Fairchild Tropical Botanic
Garden and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service will
provide assistance regarding
the cactus.
The preserve eventually
will be open to the public
for low-impact, nature-based
recreation, but Cioffari
doesn’t yet know when that
will happen.
There are some invasive
exotics that need to be
removed, she said, and
there’s some restoration
work to be done on about
an acre.
The preserve will be part
of the Florida Paddling Trail
— a kayak landing will be
added later — and a destination
along the Keys Overseas
Highway Heritage Trail.
ideal bite
You can recycle those rolls
let paper came in, and keep
it up until all the new rolls
are gone.
◆ DLTK’s Crafts for
Kids — www.dltkkids.com/type/tp_rol
l.htm — more than 100
kiddie crafts that use toilet
paper tubes.
◆ World Environmental
Organization —
www.world.org/reus
e/toilet.paper.tubes
— 15 ways to reuse tubes
(no kids necessary).
Ideal Bite is an online
source of ideas good for
people and the planet. To
get Ideal Bite’s e-mail, sign
up at www.idealbite.com.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 7
home energy
Radiant
barriers
keep out
the heat
Question: I was browsing
the Web for energy-efficient
home products and found many
companies selling something
called a radiant barrier. It supposedly
cuts out most of a
home’s air-conditioning and
heating costs. I never heard of
these things,
but wonder if
this can really
be some type
of “miracle”
product that
works as well
as these people
Ken
Sheinkopf
home energy
claim. What
do you know
about them?
Answer:
I’ve actually
had experience
with radiant barriers since 1983,
and back then a new industry
was growing to make, sell and
install these systems. One of the
problems at the time, though,
was that many companies were
claiming benefits of the products
far beyond what they could
ever really offer.
Builders have been using foil
materials in homes for many,
many years to cut down on the
flow of hot air into a home.
What happened 30 or so years
ago was that researchers discovered
that putting foil material in
the attic and adding an airspace
around it greatly improved its
performance in stopping the
flow of hot air from the roof
into the attic, and then on into
the home’s living space. The
analogy usually given is the idea
of cooking a turkey. You keep
foil wrapped tightly around the
turkey until it is just about done,
then remove the foil so that the
heat cooks the outside of the
meat. It’s this ability of foil to
stop the flow of heat that led to
the finding about its remarkable
ability to keep a home cooler in
hot weather.
Now before I answer your
See HOME ENERGY / 8

8 Sunday, June 21, 2009
Radiant barriers are easy to install, effective in repelling heat
HOME ENERGY / From 7
question and get too negative,
let me say that I think radiant
barrier systems are absolutely
wonderful — and maybe even
essential — in homes in hot climates,
but I need to explain two
of the concepts in this sentence
in a little more detail.
The first is that I call this a
“system.” It is not just using foil
material in the attic, but it must
include the airspace to make it
work most effectively. Most
contractors who install these
systems typically affix the material
to the top side of the trusses
under the roof sheathing or to
the underside of the roof decking,
giving an airspace between
the foil and the attic floor or the
ceiling insulation. I often hear
from installers of the systems —
especially do-it-yourselfers —
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Keys Sunday
green solutions
who say they’d like to just lay
the foil on top of the insulation.
While it would make for really
easy installation of the material,
the potential problem with laying
it on the floor or the insulation
is that dust can accumulate
over time and cut down on the
foil’s ability to block the radiant
heat transfer between the hot
roof and the attic insulation.
The second thing is that I
talked about hot climates, which
is where the greatest benefit of
these systems will be found.
When a roof gets hot, it radiates
solar-generated heat to the insulation
in the attic, which absorbs
the heat and then transfers it to
the ceiling below. As a result,
you’ll need more air conditioning.
You’ll also enjoy more
indoor comfort by keeping this
heat out, a benefit you will especially
notice in the milder spring
and fall so you can stay more
comfortable without needing to
turn on the air conditioner. I
have seen claims by many companies
that a radiant barrier system
works about as well in winter
in stopping heat loss as it
does when reducing heat gain in
summer, but I have yet to see
studies that show that the wintertime
energy savings come
anywhere near the summertime
benefits. My personal opinion is
that if you live in a heatingdominated
climate, you’re better
off increasing your ceiling insu-
lation rather than installing a
radiant barrier system.
There are a couple of other
things I really like about radiant
barriers. One is that they’re fairly
easy to install, as long as you
have enough headroom to move
around in the attic. The nice
thing is that unlike insulation,
which really has to cover the
entire attic without any gaps to
be effective, a radiant barrier
that covers as much as you can
reach will still do a good job, so
don’t worry too much if you
can’t reach far enough to get the
material into every corner.
Another good thing is that just
about any type of foil material
will work about as well as any
other type, so the only reason I
know of to spend more money
for heavy-duty material is for
ease of installation. Working
with a sturdier material can cut
down on accidentally tearing it
while stapling it in the attic.
But I can’t end this discussion
of this very effective energy-saving
strategy without one
bit of advice: If you see claims
of incredible energy savings that
seem almost unbelievable, take
my word for it, they really are
not something you should
believe. The reason is simple.
You can’t possibly reduce your
total energy costs by 30 percent,
50 percent, 75 percent or even
more if your roof accounts for
only 20 percent of your home’s
www.KeysNet.com
Sombrero Reef cleanup draws global visitors
A Deep Blue Dive Center in
Key Colony Beach joined people
around the globe June 8 in celebrating
World Oceans Day.
The Ocean Project, an international
network of aquariums, zoos,
museums and organizations,
including A Deep Blue Dive
Center, are working with the
World Ocean Network to coordinate
activities worldwide under
the theme “helping our climate,
helping our ocean” with a special
focus on coral reefs.
A Deep Blue marked the day
by doing a cleanup at Sombrero
Reef.
Twenty-two volunteers participated,
including nine visitors from
Southeast Asia participating in a
program called Coral Triangle.
The program participants were
looking at U.S. policies and strategies
to protect coastal and marine
environments and exploring the
roles of nongovernmental organizations
and citizen action groups
in efforts to protect those
resources.
Some of the trash collected
included fishing gear, such as
monofilament line and wire leaders,
bottle wrappers, a piece of
jewelry, dryer sheets, bottle caps,
plastic bags and what looked like
the bottom of a cane. Overall, the
volunteers were pleasantly surprised
that more was not collected.
The foreign visitors were asked
what issues they were dealing
with in their countries. Jamili Nais
of Malaysia said overfishing and
drag nets were that country’s
greatest challenges.
Eight
visitors from
Southeast
Asia participated
in a
cleanup
sponsored
by A Deep
Blue Dive
Center on
Key Colony
Beach.
Photo by
LARRY
BENVENUTI
total cooling load (the impact of
the roof will vary, of course, but
consider this a good average
load in a hot climate). So if a
radiant barrier system cuts down
on the heat gain in your attic by
40 percent, as some tests have
found they do, then that’s saving
40 percent of the 20 percent of
the bill (not 40 percent of the
entire bill), meaning you cut
your cooling costs by 8 percent.
That’s why a lot of research that
has been done over the years
says that a home in the southeast
United States, for example, can
lower cooling costs by 8 to 12
percent. Sure, that’s a lot lower
number than you may have
heard before, but lowering your
air-conditioning costs by 8 percent
to 12 percent can still be
substantial.
One final note — radiant barriers
are not replacements for
insulation. They work with insulation
as part of the home’s features
that will save you energy
and make your home more comfortable.
Just make sure your
attic has at least the recommended
insulation levels for your climate.
You’ll find good information
on recommended insulation
levels at
www.energystar.gov.
Ken Sheinkopf is a communications
specialist with the
American Solar Energy Society
(www.ases.org). Send questions
to askken@ases.org.

www.KeysNet.com
Today
◆ Noon to 4 p.m. — The
Florida Keys Southernmost
Car Club has its monthly
Show & Shine at the
Sugarloaf Lodge, mile marker
17. This free, family-friendly
event is for the lovers of
autos and motorcycles of all
eras. Prizes, 50/50, food and
cold beverages are available.
Call Dick Moody at
942-1758.
Monday
◆ 10:30 a.m. — How to
turn a septic tank into a rainwater
container will be
explained by John
Hammerstrom when he talks
to the Senior Group. This free
program, which is open to
the public, will take place in
the Key Largo Library’s community
room, mile marker
101.4. Hammerstrom will
explain the fundamentals
and storage of rainwater.
Those attending will learn
about rebates offered for
harvesting rainwater. Call
451-1730 or 394-4006.
Tuesday
◆ 6 to 8 p.m. — Lower Keys
Green Drinks is in the back
garden of Good Food
Conspiracy, mile marker 30.2
oceanside on Big Pine Key. It’s
a “bring your own” affair. Bring
a friend and network with
environmentally minded folks.
Wednesday
◆ 5 to 8 p.m. — Reef
Keys Sunday
mark your calendar
Relief’s 22nd annual membership
meeting is in the
Flagler Ballroom at the Casa
Marina Resort & Beach Club
in Key West. The event begins
with a social at 5, followed
by a program about coral
reefs. Executive Director
DeeVon Quirolo will provide
an update on achievements.
President Paul G. Johnson will
talk about plans for next
year. Retiring board members
and founders Craig and
DeeVon Quirolo will be recognized.
The featured speaker
will be James Porter of the
University of Georgia. Porter
will speak on “Freedom,
Environmental Protection
and Human Rights:
Carcinogenic Compounds
leaking from Unexploded
Bombs on a Vieques, Puerto
Rico, Reef.” Attendees can
renew or join at the door. For
more information, contact
Reef Relief at 294-3100 or visit
www.reefrelief.org.
◆ 6 to 8 p.m. — The Lower
Keys Chamber of
Commerce’s June general
membership meeting is at
Boondock’s on Ramrod Key.
Elisa Levy will talk about
“How to Have a Great
Attitude in Tough Times.” The
cost is $15 per person and
reservations are required.
Call 872-2411 or e-mail
info@lowerkeyschamber.com
no later than 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Choose an entree — Apple
Almond Stuffed Chicken
Breast or Stuffed Cabbage
Rolls — when reserving your
spot.
Thursday
◆ 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. —
Enterprise Florida will train
Middle Keys business leaders
on promoting the airport
and harbor more effectively
to international business and
tourism agencies; helping
local companies gain access
to international buyers; assisting
local businesses to enter
international markets; and
recruiting foreign direct
investments. The seminar is at
Hawks Cay on Duck Key.
Admission is $10 per person
for chamber members and
$15 for nonmembers. It
includes lunch. For more
information or to reserve
a spot, e-mail arlette@
floridakeysmarathon.com
or call 743-5417.
◆ 6 to 8 p.m. — Middle
Keys Green Drinks is at
Burdines, 1200 Oceanview
Ave., off 15th Street oceanside
in Marathon. Bring a
friend and network with environmentally
minded folks.
Friday
Contractor pricing EVERYDAY!
◆ 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. —
Leadership Monroe County is
recruiting for its next class.
The first of three socials will
be held at the Gardens
Hotel, 526 Angela St., Key
West. People interested in a
spot in Class XVIII beginning
in October should attend to
find out more. Alumni will be
on hand. There will be a cash
bar and hors d’oeuvres.
RSVP to 289-9400 or
hwoodskeys@aol.com. For
PLUS we will beat ANY competitor’s price by 10%! (of like kind product). ALSO receive a FREE double
bowl, 16 gauge stainless steel sink and FREE cabinet hardware! (with the purchase of 12 or more cabinets)*
KITCHEN & BATH CO.
Islamorada Showroom
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 10am - 5pm • Sat. 10am - 1:30pm
MM81, In the Galleria Plaza
305-664-4644
Key West Showroom
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 10am - 5pm
3229 Flagler Avenue • Suite 110
305-292-1685
Email: LegacyKB@bellsouth.net
* Sale is for limited time only
more information about
Leadership Monroe, including
an application, visit
www.leadership
monroecounty.org.
Saturday
◆ 8 a.m. — First State Bank
of the Florida Keys will host
the Key West Chamber of
Commerce’s Beautification
Committee Love Your Island
cleanups at the bank’s office
at 444 Whitehead in Old
Town. For more information
on Love Your Island, visit
www.loveyourisland.com.
To volunteer, contact Annie
Hamer at 293-7114 or
AnnieH@KeysBank.com.
◆ 9 a.m. to noon — The
Florida Keys Healthy Start
Coalition will host a free safety
seat check in the Key West
Publix’s parking lot. Child
passenger safety technicians
will be on site to check car or
booster seats and offer recommendations.
For more
information, call 293-8424.
— Send calendar items to
kquist@keynoter.com at least
10 days before publication.
Please put “calendar” in the
subject line.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 9
LAUNDRY
SERVICE
Wash • Dry • Fold
24-Hour Service
FREE Pickup & Delivery
Marathon - Grassy Key
Arthur’s Services
305-394-6011
(Leave message if out)
REDUCE YOUR ELECTRIC BILL UP
TO 20% AND HAVE AN ENDLESS
SUPPLY OF HOT WATER!
Call Bob Glassman
(305) 304-5853
Key Colony Beach
4th of July
ADVERTISING
DEADLINES:
Florida Keys Keynoter & Key West
Keynoter, Sat., July 4 pub:
Deadline is Tues., June 30 by 5 p.m.
Classified Line Ads for July 4 pub:
Deadline is Wed., July 1 by 10 a.m.
Wed., July 8 pub:
Deadline is Thurs., July 2 by 5 p.m.
L’Attitudes, Sat., July 4 pub
& Keys Sunday, Sun., July 5 pub:
Deadline is Friday, June 26 by 5 p.m.
The Reporter, Fri., July 10 pub:
Deadline is Thurs., July 2 by 5 p.m.
The Keynoter & Reporter offices
will be closed on Friday, July 3.
Have a Happy & Safe Holiday!

10 Sunday, June 21, 2009
the stats
◆ Address: 924 Flagler
Ave., Key West
◆ Waterfront: No
◆ Details: The first
home built in the
Casa Marina development,
and it’s been
in the same family
ever since. Floors are
covered with decorative
Cuban tile. The
bathrooms and
kitchen are original. A
sun porch brings wonderful
light and
breezes throughout
the house.
◆ Built: 1935
◆ Bedrooms: 4
◆ Bathrooms: 2.5
◆ List price: $1,500,000
◆ Sales price:
$1,250,000
◆ Listing agent:
Melissa Krabill,
Truman & Co.
◆ Selling agent: Gary
Thomas, Preferred
Properties
Keys Sunday
sold!
www.KeysNet.com
Each week we showcase homes that have recently sold so our readers can compare their own home with the featured properties and better
understand prices. This week’s homes are from the MLS listings that closed between May 31 and June 6.
the stats
◆ Address: 6099
Overseas Highway,
Lot 40E, Marathon
◆ Waterfront: Yes
◆ Details: Park
model in excellent
condition. New
decking and 28 feet
of dockage.
Furnished.
Community includes
boat ramp, oceanfront
park and clubhouse.
◆ Built: 1986
◆ Bedrooms: 1
◆ Bathrooms: 1
◆ List price: $178,000
◆ Sales price:
$160,000
◆ Listing agents:
Fredy & Carmen
Carricaburu,
Coldwell Banker
Schmitt
◆ Selling agent:
Leanne Ruesch,
Coldwell Banker
Schmitt

www.KeysNet.com
10
20
0
30
40
50
60
90 percent
70
80
100
90
Keys Sunday
the marketplace
Sunday, June 21, 2009 11
Helping you track today’s real estate market
Percentage of sales compared to the same week last year.
Based on information from the Florida Keys Board of REALTORS Inc. (alternatively, from the Florida Keys MLS Inc.), for the period June 7 through June 13.
ADDRESS LISTING AGENT/AGENCY LIST PRICE SALES PRICE SELLING AGENT/AGENCY
Key Largo
109 Coco Plum Joy Martin & Stephanie Clark / Marr Properties $600,000 $575,000 Terry Canto / Marr Properties
97652 Overseas Hwy. Diana Fiddes / Prudential Keyside $325,000 $280,000 Jim Signor / Key Largo Realty
500 Burton Drive Holly Hight / Island Equity $259,000 $180,000 Holly Hight / Island Equity
Plantation Key
179 Gardenia St. Loretta Lawrence / Schwartz GMAC $449,900 $405,000 Charlotte Porter & Jan Keller / Coldwell Banker Schmitt
218 Coconut Palm Blvd. Dominic Guarino / Crocker Wagner & Associates $435,900 $421,000 Wiebke Westedt / Century 21 Keysearch
315 North Drive Misty Pace / Realty Options $850,000 $825,000 Sal Livoti & Misty Pace / Realty Options
Lower Matecumbe
101 Plaza Del Sol Holly Hight / Island Equity $580,000 $555,000 Jim Larson / Keller Williams
Key Colony Beach
11 7th St. Roy Haase / Key Colony Beach Realty $349,000 $290,000 William Gustafson / Key Colony Beach Realty
22 Ocean Front Condo Team Wilkinson / RE/MAX Keys To The Key $299,000 $290,000 Team Wilkinson / RE/MAX Keys To The Key
180 1st St. Lela Ashkarian / Coldwell Banker Schmitt $999,999 $765,000 Lela Ashkarian / Coldwell Banker Schmitt
Marathon
60 Indigo Reef Morgan Hill & Paula Nardone / Exit Realty Florida Keys $895,000 $550,000 Morgan Hill & Paula Nardone / Exit Realty Florida Keys
850 85th Ocean St. Morgan Hill & Paula Nardone / Exit Realty Florida Keys $384,900 $360,000 Robin Kluck / Coldwell Banker Schmitt
Summerland Key
24743 Park Drive Judy Petkewicz / Realty Executives $529,000 $480,000 Joe Vigo / Prudential Keyside
Key West
104 Golf Club Drive Lisa Ferringo / Coldwell Banker Schmitt $255,000 $255,000 Tommy & Kathleen Gomez / Coldwell Banker Schmitt
3315 Harriet Ave. Melva Wagner / Crocker Wagner & Associates $169,900 $170,000 Michelle Kirby / Coldwell Banker Schmitt
2601 Roosevelt Blvd. James Hogan / RE/MAX Southernmost $485,000 $400,000 Daniel Urban / Keysearch Realty
1222 Florida St. Gloria Sellers / Prudential Knight & Gardner $219,900 $230,000 Gloria Sellers / Prudential Knight & Gardner
1011 Simonton St. Douglas Mayberry / Doug Mayberry Real Estate $979,000 $875,000 Kenneth Schultz / RE/MAX Southernmost
1075 Duval St. Mike Sullivan / Real Estate of Key West $479,000 $450,000 Karen Lane / Prudential Knight & Gardner
Stats show average sales price down 21 percent from 2008
REAL ESTATE / From 3
any seller could live with.”
The average sales price
through May 31 was $485,000,
21 percent below the same period
in 2008.
“Does that mean the average
property is worth 21 percent
less than it was last year? Not
necessarily,” Schmitt says. “The
number does reflect that property
values are going down, but it
also reflects that properties at
the lower end are selling at
much faster rate.”
For instance, Schmitt points
out that several low-priced RV
park parcels have sold in the
Middle and Upper Keys in
recent months.
“When there are so few
sales, you don’t need too many
small sales to drive the average
price down significantly,” he
says.
Schmitt says it’s likely
prices will likely continue to
decline in the coming months
for two reasons — there’s still
too much inventory, and a lot of
it is short sales and foreclosures.
“Even if you’re a seller who
isn’t in a short sale, a buyer isn’t
going to give you any credit for
that,” Schmitt says. That means
continued price pressure.
Bargain-hunting buyers will
keep pushing on price as long as
they have plenty to choose
from, although Schmitt is starting
to see that the quality of
those bargains is not what it
once was — another sign of a
reduction in inventory.
“We don’t have a sales problem,
he says. “we still have an
inventory problem.”

16 Sunday, June 21, 2009
Jane Hecksher shot this from a back porch in Key Colony Beach.
The bird and reptile seem to be OK with each other.
A water lily by Upper Keys photographer
Pete Bacheler.
Keys Sunday
key images
www.KeysNet.com
Lyle Sendlein saw this giant swallowtail in his garden in Key Largo.
A visitor to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center in
Tavernier captured by John Tunell of Chantilly, Va.
Submit
your
images
Do you have a
photo that captures
the beauty
of the Keys? Send
it to kquist@
keynoter.com.
Make sure to
include your name
and a bit of information
about
where, when and
how you took the
photo. See more
at www.keysnet.
com/photos.
Upper Keys resident Michael Mayer says this sunset, shot May 7, was one of the best he's ever seen.