Lost a loved one?
Probate Law Group
Verified Florida partner for probate and estate matters.
(813) 600-9717
- 83K Residents
- $5B County GDP
- $64,096 GDP per Capita
Monroe County
Monroe County
Monroe County covers the Florida Keys plus a small mainland area in Everglades National Park. Key West is the county seat. The economy is dominated by tourism, the Naval Air Station Key West, marine and fishing industries, and high-end second homes. The Clerk (Kevin Madok) runs Benchmark records and a clerk-operated tax deed system on RealAuction.
Property in Monroe
What every owner, heir, and investor should know.
Owning a home in Monroe.
Monroe is one of America's most extreme coastal markets with very high prices and major hurricane exposure (Irma 2017).
- Florida Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes apply.
- Tax bills Nov 1; discounts through February; delinquent April 1.
- Wind, flood, roof age, and elevation dominate insurance pricing throughout the Keys.
- Tax deed redemption to day of sale (Ch. 197, F.S.).
- Foreclosure surplus rights under § 45.032, F.S. (60 days).
- ROGO (Rate of Growth Ordinance) building-permit rationing severely limits new construction.
Investing in Monroe.
Monroe offers premium short-term and seasonal rental investment plus a small but high-value foreclosure/tax-deed pipeline.
- Foreclosure auctions on monroe.realforeclose.com.
- Tax deed sales on monroe.realtaxdeed.com.
- Property Appraiser at mcpafl.org.
- Court case search at courts.monroe-clerk.com.
- Watch for ROGO permit restrictions, mandatory wind-mitigation, FEMA 50% substantial-improvement rules, and STR ordinances by city.
After a Monroe foreclosure or tax deed sale.
Monroe uses Florida's judicial foreclosure process and runs Ch. 197 tax deed sales online via RealAuction.
- Foreclosures filed in the 16th Judicial Circuit.
- Surplus claim window: 60 days under § 45.032, F.S.
- Tax certificates sold yearly; tax deed application after 2 years.
- Notices published in the Key West Citizen.
Courts and records in Monroe.
- Monroe County Courthouse — 500 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040 — 16th Judicial Circuit
- Marathon Branch — 3117 Overseas Hwy, Marathon
- Plantation Key Branch — 88820 Overseas Hwy, Tavernier
- 16th Judicial Circuit (Monroe only)
- Third District Court of Appeal — Miami
- Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Kevin Madok, CPA — (305) 292-3550 — monroe-clerk.com
- Property Appraiser — Scott P. Russell — 500 Whitehead St — mcpafl.org
- Tax Collector — Sam C. Steele — 1200 Truman Ave — monroetaxcollector.com
- Sheriff — Rick Ramsay — 5525 College Rd, Key West