Requirements for using a home as a rental

• As to extra costs and what is necessary to have a Home as a Rental.
• When you rent your home out you need to license it through the County. The costs are typically minimal and your agent’s company should be able to handle the paperwork for you.
• The County and the Tax people want the homes licensed so they know where there may be tax dollars coming in. When your home is used as a rental, in effect you are operating the same as a hotel or motel and so they come under their safety guidelines.
• This applies to the Keys but may be the cases statewide:
• Every bedroom and the main living area must have a hardwired smoke detector and there must also be an escape light. This light comes on in case of a power outage-this also must be hardwired. (About $450.00 installed smoke detectors and escape light for a 2/2)
• There also needs to be a professional quality refillable fire extinguisher that is approved by the fire department (about $55.00). This would be the same as you'd find in a restaurant or hotel room. There needs to be a dead bolt on the door that works from the inside and is a different key than the main door. All of these issues help protect your liability in cases of fire/break in.

Florida Keys and Monroe County Arts

Florida Keys and Monroe County Arts
The Keys are made up of small towns and communities. However, due to the strong economy from our tourist base, the Arts are a primary part of our culture. Most weekends bring festivals and street parties throughout the Keys and especially in Key West. Photography of wildlife here is great www.dhphotoart.com

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts does a great job in supporting Art in the Keys http://www.keysarts.com/
Also see the Key West Arts and historical society http://www.kwahs.com/

Music
• The Keys Community Concert Band. Susan Bazin 451-4530.
• Keys Chamber Orchestra. Call Inga-Lisa Wright, 305-744-0508
• The Key West Pops, Inc. - 305 293-7658, P.O. Box 6206
• Note to musicians-There are about a zillion Tiki bars etc, that have live music. The times range from the afternoon through the evening. The pay is generally better than you'll find working in a regular club in the rest of the country. In addition to that most outdoor venues shut their nusic down about 11-so the hours are shorter.

Museums and Culture
• Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum - 305 294-1136, 907 Whitehead St., Key West FL
• Flagler's Station Historeum®-901 Caroline St., 1-305-295-3562.
• Key West East Martello Museum - 305 296-3913, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd.
• Key West Lighthouse Museum - 305 294-0012, 938 Whitehead Street
• Key West Museum of Art & History - 305 295-6616
• Key West Shipwreck Historeum - 305 292-8990, 1 Whitehead Street
• Little White House Museum - 305 294-9911
• Lofton B. Sands African Bahamian Museum - 305 293-9692,
• Wrecker's Museum - 322 Duval St., 294-9502.

Theater/dance
• Middle Florida Keys
• Marathon Community Theatre, 5101 O/S Hwy.....305 743-0994
• Key West Theatre
• Island Opera Theatre.....305 296-1520
• Red Barn Theatre, 319 Duval St (Rear).....305 296-9911
• Waterfront Playhouse, Mallory Square.....305 294-5015

Art Galleries/ Visual Arts
• Over 90 galleries throughout the Keys
• Note to Artists; regardless of the medium, ther is a place for you in the Keys. The Keys strongly support resident artists.

Writers groups in all genres (from screenwriting to novels) are spread throughout the Keys. There is definitely a reason so many world class writers and Play-rights have made and do make the Keys their home-especially Key West.(“Ernest Hemingway” ) The musician and actor community here is strong.

In conclusion, the arts community in the keys is very strong and will even grow stronger. So if you like the arts and a small community with lots of outdoor opportunities, The Florida Keys could be just the place.

Wouldn’t it be nice to vacation here and not have to leave?