A Newly Built Oceanfront Compound in the Florida Keys With Its Own Sandy Beach Lists for $40 Million

A newly completed waterfront compound in the Florida Keys hit the market last week for $40 million.

It’s the second-most-expensive listing in all of the Keys, topped by a property just down the road that’s asking $42 million.

The roughly 7-acre spread on Plantation Key was previously home to the five-house compound of the late naturalist Herbert Zim, the founder and editor in chief of the Golden Guides nature book series.

The main house and guest house are available separately or as a package. Ginger Monteleone

For many decades, it was both Zim’s family estate and where he produced his Golden Guides, according to the current owner, Todd Maino. He bought the property, which encompasses six parcels, from Zim’s estate, he said. Mansion Global couldn’t determine what Maino paid.

Over the course of about four years, Maino, a commercial and residential developer, transformed the property into a new compound that was completed last year. There’s a new 8,200-square-foot main house with five bedrooms and a renovated three-bedroom guest house. Maino said he left some cosmetic details unfinished to allow the next owner to personalize the home.

“They can make it their own instead of buying somebody else’s vision,” he said.

The pool stretches 120 feet long. Ginger Monteleone

Off the main house, there’s a 120-foot pool with a hot tub, and beyond that, a sandy beach extends along the property’s 480 feet of water frontage. There’s a dock within a grandfathered-in boat basin that’s larger and deeper than what would be allowed today.

“The drag is over 6 feet, so you can have a pretty large boat there,” listing agent Angel Nicolas of the Nicolas Group at Serhant said. He and his colleague Courtney Conley listed the property a week ago.

The property is full of Florida wildlife, from osprey and sandpiper nests to peacocks that wander around.

“I actually had a manatee have a baby in the boat basin,” Maino said. “It’s ecologically balanced with nature. It’s not concrete jungle—it’s not Miami.”

Because much of the property is open land and not covered in protected trees, there’s opportunity to further develop the estate, whether that be adding another house or amenities like a tennis court or a helipad.

The main house and guest house, which stand on their own waterfront parcels, are also available for sale separately. The lot with the guest house is priced at $15 million, while the main-house lot is asking $27 million, Nicolas said.

Considered one of Sydney’s coastal gems, Vaucluse is famous for its multimillion-dollar water views. Only a handful of homes, however, have the luxury of an uninterrupted panorama over Diamond Bay Reserve looking directly out to the Pacific Ocean horizon.

The dramatic cliff-top park is a sought-after neighbour and a popular spot among locals, thanks to its breathtaking boardwalk that snakes through the exclusive suburb.

Once home to a dairy depot, the green space was formerly frequented by horse-drawn carts rather than today’s SUVs. It was gazetted to be a public space by the mid-1800s.

Craig Ave is a rare slice of Eastern Suburbs real estate bordering the elevated Diamond Bay parkland, where just half a dozen residences can claim that never-to-be-built-out front row position.

Back in 2015, the original bungalow at number five was replaced with a contemporary pair of residences, allowing for a duo of homeowners to lay claim to the enviable outlook.

On the ground floor, the three-storey property is freestanding to the north and has a spacious, free-flowing living zone that combines a more formal front lounge room with a state-of-the-art gas kitchen featuring induction cooking and a vast eat-at island bench.

A dining area and casual living space spill out via sliding doors to a covered barbecue deck and private lap pool surrounded by established gardens.

Up via an internal lift, the accommodation level houses four bedrooms with built-ins, including two with integrated desks. In the primary suite, there is a palatial ensuite featuring a bidet, bathtub and twin vanities.

This main bedroom also opens onto a full-width balcony, with the ocean outlook primed for picturesque sunrises.

Built with entertaining in mind, the Vaucluse home also has a lower ground-floor breakout space for teenagers or movie nights for the parents. The large rumpus room adjoins a combined bathroom and laundry with loads of additional under-house storage and direct access to the double lockup garage.

Added extras at the Craig Ave home include a fireplace in the family room, tiled living areas, floorboards in the bedrooms, bespoke joinery throughout and ducted air-conditioning.

The Vaucluse duplex is not only sitting opposite a stunning cliff-side reserve, but is within walking distance of Christison Park, Diamond Bay Bowling Club and the Macquarie Lighthouse, with Vaucluse boutiques and eateries just 750 metres away.

For more information email propertyconcierge@kanebridge.com.au

A Newly Built Oceanfront Compound in the Florida Keys With Its Own Sandy Beach Lists for $40 Million

The land was previously owned by the late naturalist Herbert Zim, the founder of the Golden Guides nature book series.

This Vaucluse duplex is one of only six residences enjoying a never-to-be-built-out position above the Pacific.