Private island in Florida Keys listed for $11MILLION includes helipad, moat …

Private island off the southern coast of Florida was listed at $8.5m last month, but is suddenly going for $11m
The eco-friendly island includes a surrounding moat, boat dock, sandy beach, solar panels and a wind turbine
A massive veranda wraps around the entire three-bedroom house, which owner says is a ‘rustic’ getaway
Wildlife such as dolphins, manatees, octopus, star fish, pelicans and heron live in the surrounding area

Jessica Chia For Mailonline

Published:
14:05 GMT, 15 January 2016

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Updated:
18:00 GMT, 15 January 2016

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This private island in the Florida Keys, complete with a 5,000-square-foot home and sweeping 360 degree views, is being sold for $11million.

East Sister Rock Island was first listed in 2011 for $12million. After it failed to sell, the island was heavily discounted and returned to the market for a paltry $8.5million last month.

Just three days ago, the price has taken a hike, as seen on the property website Zillow.

If you recently won the Powerball lottery or have money to spare, this unique property includes a moat and sandy beach for fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, fishing or simply lying about.

East Sister Rock Island, three minutes away from mainland Florida, offers a tranquil getaway surrounded by a moat with crystal clear water

A wrap-around porch measuring 2,700-square-feet is more than enough to soak in jaw-dropping sunsets. Enjoy the outdoor hammock, regulation pool table and patio chairs

Access the veranda through 19 sliding glass doors. Inside, the house includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms

The surrounding reefs are home to dolphins, manatees, angel fish, and octopus, all of which can be seen from the island’s crystal clear waters, while roosting pelicans and great herons fly overhead.

The house, built in 1980, has a whopping 19 sliding glass doors so you can enjoy the 2,700-square-foot veranda from any room in the house.

The three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a guest house can comfortably house nine people.

Wind and solar panels power this eco-friendly island, while an on-site helicopter pad helps accommodate that jet-set lifestyle.

Only a three-minute boat ride from mainland Florida, there are plenty of opportunities for designer shopping and fine dining in the city of Marathon.

Galleries, spas and golf courses are also nearby. Party it up in Miami, a two and a half hour drive away, or enjoy the neighboring Key West.

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In 2011, a realtor handling the sale told MailOnline: ‘Robert and Elena Williford bought the island in 1995 to enjoy with their four children. Now that their family have grown up, they are spending less time there and have decided to sell.’

In Ocean Home Magazine, Robert called it a ‘rustic vacation home’ and said: ‘It’s not fancy like staying at Trump Plaza, but it is a place where you can get away from everything.’

Williford reportedly purchased the island for $715,000 from Klaus Meckler. The gastroenterologist from New Jersey originally built the island by digging a moat and drilling into the coral rock.

This was done in the 1970s before strict environmental laws were instilled. Ironically, Robert and Elena are both listed in public records as directors of the Wind and Solar Institute of South Florida, Inc. They made the island eco-friendly after their 1995 purchase, installing solar panels and a wind turbine.

Williford said he lost part of the island house’s roof in a 2005 hurricane, but added: ‘It’s just a price you have to pay for owning an island.’

The house is also rented out at rates of about $1,000 a night.