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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Things That Go Bump in Key West

Photo take in 600 block of Elizabeth Street in 2007.
Happy Halloween to
All of My Dear Readers!



Monday, October 30, 2017

1126 Stump Lane, Key West - New Lower Price


The Asking Price on 1126 Stump Lane was just reduced to $534,900. That's the least expensive price for a single family home located in Old Town Key West that is move-in ready, come fully furnished, and that does not need to be renovated.


CLICK HERE to take a 3D Tour of 1126 Stump Lane. Use the toggle switch and your mouse to explore this wonderful cottage on one of the slow lanes of Key West.

Please call me Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an in person private showing of this ideal Key West home. I am the listing agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 




Thursday, October 26, 2017

2619 Guflview Drive, Key West - Waterfront Property


Just Listed, but not by me, 2619 Gulfview Drive located in the Gulf View Point waterfront community in Key West. I got a chance to take some photos of this new listing today. This is a Bank Owned property. That ought to appeal to a lot of potential buyers.  
This planned community was development in 1999 by Pritam Shingh who also developed Truman Annex, the Key West Golf Club Community, Parrot Key Resort, and numerous other communities and resorts in the Florida Keys. Each single family home and town home in this development have direct water views.  Gulfview Point is the crown jewel of the Singh communities.


Each of the residential communities Singh created have the look and feel of small town America. After you pass the gated entry the private drive winds through the friendly neighborhood. 2619 Gulfview Drive is nestled in little alcove at the northwest corner where two homes have incomparable sunset views. 
This particular house is similar in size and layout to the larger homes in The Sanctuary at the Key West Golf Club Community. The home has two story porches at the front and rear of the home which is a modified temple design. The home was built new in 1999 as were the rest of the homes in this community. This home has had only one owner. The first floor opens into a semi-formal entry hall which leads to the great room. The kitchen is on the immediate right.  The guest bath is on the left. The dining area and living area follow. Sets for French doors open out to the covered rear deck. 
Pocket doors disappear into walls to reveal the den or office which could also be used as a fourth bedroom. Remember there is a first floor guest bath. This home looks pretty Plain-Jane compared to many having the same configuration.  I think replacing the tile floors with nice modern wood floors and repainting the interiors would jazz up the interiors big time. The kitchen is nearly 18 years old. It, too, would benefit with a new and updated look.
I sold a town home at the far east end of this development a few years ago. Those owners absolutely loved being able to open the rear gate and walk their dogs along the common area behind the homes.  This water is fairly shallow near shore but opens into navigable water not too far out.  A few owners have added temporary floating docks behind their homes to which they attach the small water craft. 
Just about six weeks ago Key West was impacted by Hurricane Irma. While most of our island homes had no damage, the trees were not so lucky including the trees at Gulfview Point. The trees behind this home and adjoining homes got a haircut during the storm. Those trees will fill back in within a matter of a few months. The privacy trees provide will return as well. I am always taken by the beauty of the Gulf of Mexico waters. If you were the owner of a small watercraft, you could spend sunset on your little boat sipping cocktails just about every night of the year.
This single family home has 1720 sq ft of living space divided between two floors plus lots of covered porches at the front and rear of the first and second floors. There are three bedrooms, two and one-half baths, the den, and laundry closet both located off the first floor great room. The home needs some TLC but most of the work will be related to clean-up and painting.  The irregular rectangular lot measures 4337 sq ft ( 37.76' X 120.24') located almost at water's edge. The park like setting will surely entice some buyer located up in the soon-to-be frozen north to take notice of this buying opportunity.
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There is a home owner association which requires payment of monthly fees of $371.75 which includes cable television, security, and grounds maintenance. The park-like grounds are meticulously maintained. Pets are permitted with restrictions. CLICK HERE to see more photos which I took.


CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 2619 Gulfview Drive offered at the asking price of $821,600 or $477 per sq ft. Compare that price to nearly a $1,000 per sq ft on many homes in the Old Town area. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

1011 Windsor Lane, Key West - Buying Opprotunity

1011 Windsor Lane in Key West, Florida has all the makings of superior renovation project. I recently showed this to a customer seeking that impressive Conch House facade. This place fits that ticket big time. According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this home was built in 1899. It sits on a large rectangular 5529 sq ft lot (115' X 50') which includes bricked off street parking.  The house is located across the street from St. Mary's Basilica, an Old Town Landmark. Longtime readers know that I like to rummage through my old shoebox to find old time photos of houses. I found a photo of this house, but also of the place next door to the north - see both below.
The above photo shows 1011 Windsor Lane in 1965 or fifty-two years ago. Note the exterior staircase. The original interior stairs were removed to divide the create two separate living units. The property has been a legal two family home since before 1965 but it could be restored to a single family. The exterior staircase still exists. There is no interior staircase at the current time.
This photo shows 1009 Windsor Lane at the same time. Note that it also had an exterior staircase. I don't know when the properties were converted but believe they may have been converted during the World War II era. Many of the larger old homes were either divided or porches enclosed to create additional living spaces for US Military stationed in Key West during the war.  It was not until Key West was re-discovered in the 1970s that some of these war bride housing were taken back to single family status.
The above photo shows 1009 Windsor Lane as it appears in 2017. This home is picture perfect and offers real life proof of how the sister house next door to the south could look after it is completely renovated and restored to single family status.
I feel compelled also to share the above 1920 aerial photo which shows 1011 Windsor Lane and its relationship to St. Mary's across the street and its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean three blocks or so to the south.  Duval Street is a five minute walk to the west. Most of the houses shown in this photo still exist. St. Mary's convent shown in the fire succumbed to fire. The barren spaces at the top are now hotels and houses.  And Key West is still a little island at the end of America.
The upper color photo shows the original entry hall where the staircase would have been located. Many homes like this were modernized by the addition of a thick cardboard like panels held in place by battens. The floors on the main level look to be newer and not original. The first floor is divided into four basic rooms two of which are the entry and dining area plus the kitchen in the rear. The second floor is the same size as the main floor less the kitchen ground floor kitchen. The Property Appraiser shows the living area to be 1731 sq ft.
After looking at the inside we went out back. I immediately walked to the rear of the lot to take in the space. Most lots in Old Town are half the size of this. People still have found ways to get in a pool and some garden area. When I saw this space my reaction was "Wow!"  That nasty old dead for years tree trunk could be removed. There is youngish banyan lurking on the side. I think it can be removed. The existing one story building in the corner could be upgraded to a guest cottage with a kitchen. Remember this property has two legal living units. Converting this building would add real value to the property as a whole.

I have seen similar homes where the old cook shack (small attachment above rear) would be removed and a two story covered porch added. The main level rear of the house would have French doors opening onto the veranda overlooking the pool, garden, and guest cottage. The master bedroom would be located on the second floor rear. It would also have French doors which would open out to the upper deck. Imagine sitting on that deck late in the evening. I think could be quite satisfying.
I snapped a photo from the second floor front porch of St. Mary's. Having the church across the street could be quite a blessing.  That view will never go away.  The people who go there are nice people who primarily go there on Sundays and who do not create a ruckus at night. I find the location rather heavenly myself.

1011 Windsor Lane is offered for sale at $1,299,000.  Almost all things in life are negotiable. I think this property is a real buying opportunity. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This could be a really fun project. This is a solid home which primarily needs updated.

Friday, October 20, 2017

1119 White Street, Key West - Impressive Commercial Building For Sale


Buyers looking for an impressive commercial building in a highly visible location need to look no further. The former Island Gym building located at 1119 White Street is available at the asking price of $1,100,000.  The building is architecturally impressive and may be adaptable to a variety of commercial and/or professional office type situations.. The building is located two blocks from the new Key West City Hall, two blocks from prominent Monroe County Administrative offices,  and near other  retail, food service, and tourist related businesses on the White Street corridor.
 The Listing Realtor describes the property this way:
"This ideally located parcel in the White St. Corridor consists of a double lot in the heart of Key West's Old Town totals 8,150 SF on the Corner of White and Catherine St. The building is a beautifully maintained 1,895 SF concrete 1938 art deco structure, with rights to expand to the curb and/or add a second level."

I dug into my old shoebox and found a photo of 1119 White Street taken in 1965 that shows the gas station property that previously existed.  I recall a larger gas station at the site when I moved to the area in 1995.  I vaguely recall that building as having been renovated as opposed to a new building been built from ground up.  The Property Appraiser website shows building permits for numerous improvements before it became the Island Gym. It was then update again to add the locker rooms and attendant facilities. 

My shoebox also contained the 9160 black and white photo (below) looking across White Street at a mixed-use property.. That photo looks so ancient now. It reflects a much sleepier time in Key West. I took a the lower color which shows the same building as it now appears. A real estate office is located on the opposite corner. The National Weather Service is located two blocks south. Almost every building on this section of White Street has been renovated or replaced to keep up with the new Key West economy.
The original Key West High School is also located two blocks south of 1119 White Street. The old high school was disassembled and rebuilt over the past two years and is not the Key West town hall. The National Weather Service is located opposite city hall. The great Atlantic Ocean is five blocks to the south. Duval Street is a five or so walk to the west. Key West is an island and 1191 White Street is centrally located to all that Key West offers. 
White Street is one of four streets that run from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. It is two blocks south of Truman Avenue which runs that length of the island as US1. The ease of access to this location is obvious. I was saddened to see the Island Gym close. But its closing opens the opportunity for some new business to set up shop so to speak in a dynamic location.
 which is city and county government as well as tourist and retail businesses. I think 1119 White Street could easily be converted into medical offices. There is abundant on site parking plus on street parking.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an appointment to see the beautiful building and explore how it may meet your business needs. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

Disclaimer

The information on this site is for discussion purposes only. Under no circumstances does this information constitute a recommendation to buy or sell securities, assets, real estate, or otherwise. Information has not been verified, is not guaranteed, and is subject to change.
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