Coral Gables, Florida · Miami-Dade County
Gables by the Sea in Coral Gables, FL: Community Profile
Canal-front homes with their own docks, minutes from the bay.
Also known as Gables By The Sea; Coral Bay Sections A–D; Mar Street Subdivision; Southeast Gables
At a Glance
What is Gables by the Sea like?
Gables by the Sea is a guard-gated waterfront neighborhood on the southeastern edge of Coral Gables, with Old Cutler Road along its western side and Biscayne Bay closing the east. Most homes sit on canals behind a seawall with their own dock, and most of those canals reach the bay without a fixed bridge. The lots are what families stay for: recent records run 10,473 to 32,161 sq ft, many of the Coral Bay streets platted at 12,000 sq ft, with homes from 1,661 to 9,287 sq ft.
| Community type | Guard-gated waterfront neighborhood of single-family homes |
|---|---|
| Gated status | Guard-gated at two entrances, with the gates and guardhouses sitting on public streets |
| Security | Unarmed guards from a private firm are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, working from guardhouses on Lugo Avenue on the Coral Gables side and SW 134th Street on the Pinecrest side. |
| Location within Coral Gables | Southeastern Coral Gables, between Old Cutler Road and Biscayne Bay; a smaller portion of the enclave falls on the Pinecrest side of the city line |
| Nearest major roads | Old Cutler Road along the west, and Red Road (SW 57th Avenue) |
| Architectural style | Single-family homes from the 1950s through the 2010s — ranch and Mediterranean originals with later contemporary rebuilds |
| Typical lot size | ≈10,500–32,000 sq ft in recent records; many Coral Bay lots are platted at 12,000 sq ft |
| Typical home size | ≈1,660–9,290 sq ft across recent sales; the three active listings run 3,349–4,980 sq ft |
| Price range | Active listings $6.25M–$21.9M; sales closed in 2026 from $2.2M to $6.85M |
| HOA fee range | $150–$350 a year where the MLS reports dues, and nothing on some records; the guard service is funded separately through the security district |
| Amenities | Private docks and seawalls on the canals · Ocean access from most canals without a fixed bridge · Guardhouse and 24-hour unarmed patrol · Paved public streets · Picnic area · Matheson Hammock and Fairchild within about two miles |
| Year established | Platted in the 1950s as Coral Bay Sections A–D |
| Number of homes | About 360 homes |
The Setting
Overview and Location
The neighborhood takes the southeastern corner of Coral Gables, running from Old Cutler Road east to the bay across Coral Bay Sections A to D and the Mar Street Subdivision, with a smaller portion of it on the Pinecrest side of the city line. It is a boating neighborhood first: the canals carry ocean access, most of them without a fixed bridge, and homes sit behind a seawall with their own dock. The streets are public and paved, so what makes the enclave feel private is the guardhouse — funded by a county security taxing district that county records show was abolished and replaced in 2022 by two districts, Gables by the Sea–Coral Gables and Gables by the Sea–Pinecrest, operated as one by the City of Coral Gables under an interlocal agreement. Matheson Hammock Park and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden are each about two miles away, and Coconut Grove or the University of Miami is a fifteen-minute drive off-peak.
Driving Distances from Gables by the Sea
| Destination | Distance / Drive Time |
|---|---|
| Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden | ≈1.9 mi (straight line) |
| Matheson Hammock Park | ≈2.0 mi (straight line) |
| Coconut Grove | ≈4.5 mi (straight line) |
| University of Miami | ≈4.6 mi (straight line) |
| Village of Merrick Park | ≈5.7 mi (straight line) |
| Miracle Mile, downtown Coral Gables | ≈6.9 mi (straight line) |
| Downtown Miami | ≈10.0 mi (straight line) |
| Miami International Airport | ≈10.0 mi (straight line) |
The Living Experience
Lifestyle and Who Lives Here
Buyers come here for the water. A dock off the back garden, a canal that opens to the bay without a bridge, and a house that can be rebuilt on a 12,000 sq ft lot is the pattern on the Coral Bay streets; the larger Bella Vista, Nevada and Mar Street parcels run half an acre and more. It is quiet and residential — the guard at the entrance, the bay at the end of the street — and it suits families who want a boating life without leaving Coral Gables. Matheson Hammock, Fairchild and the Red Road corridor are minutes away, with downtown Coral Gables about twenty minutes off-peak.
The Association
HOA and Association Details
Fees, rules, and approval requirements at Gables by the Sea are set by the association and can change. Nothing on this page replaces the current governing documents, budget, and estoppel, which Dan can help you request before you make an offer.
Fees
Recent MLS records report association dues of $150 to $350 a year, with some homes showing none and one active listing at $250 annually — modest figures, because the association is not carrying the security cost. The 24-hour guard service is funded through the security taxing district, assessed on the properties inside it and collected with the tax bill; county records put the individual assessment at an estimated $1,047 per property for the first two years of the current districts. The figure that applies today belongs on the tax bill and in the estoppel.
What the Fees Include
The streets here are public rather than private, so the association is not maintaining roads. The recurring community cost is the guardhouse and the patrol, funded by the district assessment, while the association itself handles community standards and enforcement. Recent listings do not itemise what the dues fund, so the current budget is the document to ask for.
Buyer Approval Process
No recent record notes an association approval requirement to buy. The gate is a district service rather than a membership gate and the roads are public, so this is not an enclave that screens buyers the way some gated communities do — confirm the position with the association and the district in writing before you offer. Where a lot falls under one of the separately incorporated sections, that body's approval process governs.
Rules Worth Knowing
Pets are allowed on the recent records that note them, and one listing adds that leasing is permitted with no minimum period stated, so rental terms need the declaration. Recent records also disagree on whether the association is voluntary or mandatory — one active listing reports a voluntary HOA and another a mandatory one — and the Coral Bay sections include at least one separately incorporated association, so the governing documents depend on the address. Because the guard is funded by a district assessment, the security cost travels with the property rather than with a membership.
The Market
Gables by the Sea Market Snapshot
Figures below describe how Gables by the Sea has been trading recently. They are a starting point for a conversation, not a valuation of any one home.
| Typical asking price range | Active listings $6.25M–$21.9M; sales closed in 2026 from $2.2M to $6.85M |
|---|---|
| Recent sold range | Five sales closed in 2026, from $2.2M to $6.85M: four were canal-front at $4.75M to $6.85M, and the fifth an inland house on Campamento Avenue at $2.2M in March. Before that, 2025 sales ran $3.15M to $6.1M, and the largest recorded sale was a Lugo Avenue estate at $11.6M in November 2022. |
| Average price per square foot | About $1,610 per square foot — the median of the four canal-front sales closed in 2026, which ran $1,424 to $1,908. The one inland sale was $751 per square foot. |
| Days on market | 31 to 301 days across the five 2026 sales, a median of 70 |
Last updated: October 23, 2026. Source: MIAMI REALTORS® MLS via Bridge Interactive, active and closed records as at 23 Oct 2026.
Schools and Commute
Schools and Getting Around
Public school assignments follow attendance boundaries and are confirmed by Miami-Dade County Public Schools for each address. Verify the assignment for a specific home before you rely on it.
Assigned Public Schools
MLS listings for the community report Pinecrest Elementary, Palmetto Middle and Miami Palmetto Senior High. Miami-Dade County Public Schools assigns by address, and part of the neighborhood sits on the Pinecrest side of the line, so confirm the assignment for the property itself.
Nearby Private Schools
Westminster Christian School (Palmetto Bay) — PK–12, Christian · ≈2.2 mi, ~7 min Saint Louis Covenant School (Pinecrest) — PK–8, Catholic · ≈2.3 mi, ~7 min Alexander Montessori School (Old Cutler Road, ages 1½–6; Ludlam Road, grades 1–6) · ≈2.3 mi, ~7 min Gulliver Academy (Coral Gables) — PK–8, independent · ≈2.8 mi, ~9 min St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School (Coral Gables) — PK3–5, Episcopal · ≈2.8 mi, ~9 min Temple Beth Am Day School (Pinecrest) — PK–5, Jewish · ≈2.8 mi, ~9 min Our Lady of Lourdes Academy (Miami) — grades 9–12, Catholic, girls · ≈3.1 mi, ~10 min Gulliver Preparatory School (Pinecrest) — grades 9–12 · ≈3.1 mi, ~10 min Riviera Day School (Coral Gables) — PK3–5, independent · ≈3.8 mi, ~12 min Riviera Preparatory School (Miami) — grades 6–12, independent · ≈4.1 mi, ~13 min Palmer Trinity School (Palmetto Bay) — grades 6–12, Episcopal · ≈4.2 mi, ~14 min Further out, still considered by families here: Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart (Coconut Grove, Montessori-3 to grade 12, girls) ≈17 min; Ransom Everglades School (Coconut Grove, grades 6–12) ≈17 min; St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School (Coconut Grove, PK–5) ≈18 min; Saint Theresa Catholic School (Coral Gables, PK–8) ≈21 min; Immaculata-La Salle High School (Coconut Grove, grades 9–12, Catholic) ≈24 min; Christopher Columbus High School (boys, grades 9–12, Catholic) ≈24 min; Belen Jesuit Preparatory School (boys, grades 6–12, Catholic) ≈36 min. Distances are straight-line from the community and drive times are off-peak estimates; the school run will differ.
Typical Drive Times
Straight-line distances to these anchors are in the table above. Old Cutler Road runs along the western edge and Red Road carries you north: off-peak, Fairchild and Matheson Hammock are about six minutes away, Coconut Grove and the University of Miami fourteen to fifteen, Merrick Park about nineteen, Miracle Mile twenty-two, and downtown Miami or Miami International Airport thirty-two to thirty-three. Peak hours add ten to fifteen minutes to the longer trips.
My Local Insight
What I tell buyers about Gables by the Sea
What sells here is the dock; what holds the value is the lot. Two houses on the same street can be twenty years apart in condition and a million dollars apart in price, so the first thing I check is what the canal does at that address — width, bridge clearance, and whether the seawall is sound. The three homes on the market now range from one that listed this week to one that has sat for more than a year, which tells you the entry price moves and the very top does not. If you are selling a Coral Bay lot, the rebuild story is worth more than the finishes.
Dan Rascon · Coral Gables & Miami Beach
Questions Buyers Ask
Gables by the Sea: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gables by the Sea gated?
Yes. The neighborhood is guard-gated, with guardhouses on Lugo Avenue on the Coral Gables side and SW 134th Street on the Pinecrest side, and unarmed guards on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through a private security firm. The streets themselves are public, so the gate is a district service rather than a private road.
What are the HOA fees in Gables by the Sea?
Recent MLS records report $150 to $350 a year, with some homes showing none. The guard service is funded separately through the security taxing district and collected with the tax bill — county records put the initial estimate at $1,047 per property when the current districts were formed. Ask the association for the budget and the district for the current assessment.
Do homes in Gables by the Sea have water access?
Most do. Recent records describe canal frontage, seawalls and ocean access, several with no fixed bridges and canal widths of 121 feet or more. A few canals do carry a fixed bridge, so bridge clearance and dock size need checking for the specific address.
What are the lot sizes in Gables by the Sea?
Recent records run 10,473 to 32,161 sq ft. Many of the Coral Bay streets are platted at 12,000 sq ft, and the larger parcels on Bella Vista, Nevada and Mar Street run above 15,000 sq ft.
What is the price range in Gables by the Sea?
The three active listings run $6.25M to $21.9M. Sales closed in 2026 ran $2.2M to $6.85M, and the four canal-front sales averaged about $1,610 per square foot.
Which schools serve Gables by the Sea?
MLS listings report Pinecrest Elementary, Palmetto Middle and Miami Palmetto Senior High. Because part of the neighborhood is on the Pinecrest side of the line, confirm the assignment for the address through Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Is Gables by the Sea in Coral Gables or Pinecrest?
Both. The enclave straddles the city line, which is why the security district was split into a Coral Gables district and a Pinecrest district and then operated as a single district by Coral Gables under an interlocal agreement. The Coral Bay Sections A to D addresses are generally Coral Gables, with the western portions falling to Pinecrest.
How quickly do homes sell in Gables by the Sea?
Five homes sold in 2026, taking 31 to 301 days with a median of 70. The two most expensive listings have been on the market 258 and 422 days with price reductions, so the entry and mid-market move faster than the top.
Keep Looking
Nearby and Similar Communities
Comparable private communities in Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County, each with its own profile.
Looking for a home rather than a community guide?
Every active listing in Coral Gables — in these communities and elsewhere in the city — is on the Coral Gables page. Community profiles here do not list homes for sale.
Work With Dan
Buying or Selling in Gables by the Sea
Get a free home valuation in Gables by the Sea
Share the property address and Dan will follow up with a valuation built on recent sales in Gables by the Sea and comparable Coral Gables communities.
Ask me about this community
Questions about Gables by the Sea — availability, HOA documents, buyer approval, or how it compares with other Coral Gables communities — are welcome.
Written by Dan Rascon, Coral Gables and Miami Beach real estate agent. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
Sources: Gables by the Sea Homeowners' Association, Inc. (association name and the separately incorporated Coral Bay Section C entity) per Florida Division of Corporations records; Miami-Dade County legislative record 221792 (abolition of the county's Gables by the Sea Security Guard Special Taxing District, creation of the Gables by the Sea–Coral Gables and Gables by the Sea–Pinecrest districts, the 24/7 unarmed guard service, the Lugo Avenue and SW 134th Street guardhouses, and the initial assessment estimate); MIAMI REALTORS® MLS via Bridge Interactive (active and closed sales, price per square foot, days on market, lot and home sizes, waterfront, dock and seawall features, association dues and type, flood zone, listed schools); Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser plat names (Coral Bay Sections A to D, Mar Street Subdivision); Miami-Dade County Public Schools; City of Coral Gables. Private-school names, grade ranges, affiliations and addresses verified against each school's own website and the City of Coral Gables school directory; distances measured from the community centre.