45 Bay Drive, Key West - Waterfront Property

The listing broker, not me, describes 45 Bay Drive near Key West this way:

"Open water with breathtaking views. Spectacular sunrises, romantic moon rises & starry, starry nights are what this property is about. Open water is visible from kitchen, living & dining areas. Covered deck facing open water is perfect for relaxation. Enjoy your morning coffee or evening tea looking out at the open water. High ceilings & a great-room design w/2 master suites. Huge fenced, 18,161 sq foot lot (1+1/2 lots). Enjoy the rear yard under the nice big shady tree w/ your family & friends. Fish from your own back yard! BONUS is that you are only 15 miles from downtown Key West, same distance to Big Pine Key. Exceptional restaurants, full service marinas, convenient stores & retail shops close by. County Park with Kiddie Park, tennis, basket, volley, & Bocci Ball courts on the island. World famous Baby's Coffee is within walking distance. Plenty of parking. Boat ramp & seawall. Friendly neighborhood. Shallow draft boating access to Gulf & Atlantic. Doesn't get any better than this!"

She writes with authority because she lives across the small cut at the tip of Boulder Drive on Saddlebunch Key, 15 miles from Key West. She told me she has lived there, in that spot, for 32 years. Her eyes lit up as she spoke about the beauty of this spot.  Click GOOGLE MAP for an aerial perspective of this property. Use the toggle switch on the right side to raise the view even higher so that you can appreciate where this home lays in relation to its neighboring islands (keys or cays) as well as the not so far away island of Key West. You will see that Saddlebunch Key is a peninsula that is almost enveloped by Sugarloaf Key which extends so far that it looks like it will never end. This creates a gentle seafront for 45 Bay Drive. Access to the deep water ocean is via a nearby channel.

45 Bay Drive sits just a mid-way down Bay Drive with houses of varying sizes, types, age of construction, and value. The older homes at ground level are giving way to homes either elevated or constructed on piers. There are many homes on larger lots with commanding ocean views with million dollar views and appraised values that match. This home was constructed in 1986 and in my opinion is about mid-value for this area.

The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows this home as being 1505 sq ft under air, but this only shows the second floor inside living space on the site. There is a ground level garage plus storage area capable of being air conditioned that is not included in the living space calculation. The lot is actually a lot plus a half lot with a total space of 18,161 sq ft. The shoreline is about 108 ft from side to side. The irregular lot runs between 156 to 165 ft from the road to the water. There is room for expansion of the house which has a tiny foot print on this large lot. 

This is an informal home designed for laid back Florida Keys living. As is the case with many of the Lower Keys homes, a covered walk way surrounds the living level  on all four sides. This provides a comfortable perch to watch the kids as they play or to have a cocktail as night approaches. The practical use is to provide access to install storm shutters when needed. 

 Windows abound in the great room and kitchen which flood the space with light. I didn't measure the ceiling height but assume it reaches beyond 9 ft. There are two bedrooms. The master bedroom has an en suite bath. The second bedroom also has access for guests. There is a large laundry room on this floor. (There is a second laundry on the ground level.)

 I'm a city boy and always have been. But I can see why people who love the water, fishing, boating, and nature in general gravitate towards a home like this. The garage here and a good part of the yard is filled with toys for enjoying life on or around the water. I get it!  And if you are a buyer that wants a place near Key West to watch a play, listen to a live band, attend an art show, have a great meal, or watch funny people from Peoria act out during Fantasy Fest, this may just the place for you. CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this property. If you have kids they can get in a small boat and play in the secluded lagoon just north of the house or walk up the street to the park. Baby's Coffee is up at the highway. It's a great place to get Key West's favorite coffee, morning baked goods, and even champagne. There's a nearby deli where you can buy sandwiches when you are too tired to cook.

45 Bay Drive is offered for sale at $899,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing. Remember this home is priced mid-range for this area. I think a new owner could do some simple updates to the kitchen, bath, and grounds to make this place shine. There is room to expand and add onto the exising house or maybe add a guest cottage, a pool, or do something really creative with the lot. i am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.