What They Say
About Casey Key
The Allure of Casey Key
(From the Venice Gondolier: 1992)

Thirty years ago, Casey Key was littered with small wooden two- and three-bedroom cottages from its south end to its north end. Lots could be purchased for $8,000 or less.
But if you are to take a drive on the small, narrow key today, you find a totally different look. Opulence and sophistication have taken over.
"The houses then weren’t anything like they are now. There were a lot of wooden homes in the 1930s and 1940s," said Paul Thayer who grew up on Casey Key and is a current landowner. "The fanciest thing was a concrete house, which is now disappearing."
Thayer remembers the most excitement people ever saw were raccoons that overturned their garbage cans during the night. Otherwise, it was very quiet. 
"People always noticed when cars passed by because hardly any cars ever passed. It was like living on a deserted island in the Caribbean. Even though we knew we were only four miles from Venice, we still had the feeling of being quietly and blissfully alone."
That factor is what continues to attract buyers, according to Realtor Kathleen Meador.
Meador, who works for Michael Saunders & Company, one of the leading real estate firms on Casey Key, believes that people buy there because the land is not commercially zoned.
"It’s like a sleepy little colony," she said.
That sleepy little colony has some of the most expensive property in all of Sarasota County. Gulf-to-Bay properties begin selling at about $1 million.
Tom Stone, another Realtor with Michael Saunders & Company, was responsible for selling $5 million in  real estate last year. This year, the company has 15 listings valued at $12 million. 
Three of the key’s most attractive properties are priced from $1.3 million to $3.6 million. And there are people who will pay that price. Prices have held because "some people have decided to ignore the recession, like we have. We believe the lifestyle is the key to living."
Still, Casey Key seems like "a community within a community," said Thayer. "There were those who lived there year after year, and others that left the key during the summer. For a 13-year-old kid, there was a sense of adventure. The sun blared down all day long, and there were seven miles of nearly deserted beachfront. It had atmosphere about it. Even though you were close to Venice and Sarasota, you felt like you were miles from civilization."
Much like today, Casey Key had a reputation of being an exclusive place to live for people with money. As newer, larger houses pop up, it’s even more so. But those old families with old money were different than some of the new residents. "They didn’t flaunt it," he said.
Flaunting it or not, some of the key’s former residents had some claim to fame, said Thayer. Walking along the beach you could run into a New York City publishing magnate and think he was just another beach bum, said Thayer. Noted writers of the age included Gordon Deal, Richard Jesup, John D. McDonald and Jan de Hartog, a Dutch writer.
"It was fun to live on the key," said Thayer. "There were a lot of characters around. There still are." 

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Information provided herein is from sources deemed reliable, but it is not guaranteed. Opinions expressed are those of Thomas E. Stone, Broker-Associate with Michael Saunders & Company, and not necessarily those of the company.