Simply Stunning! 730 Southard Street - Key West

730 Southard Street - Key West - January 13, 2013

Key West got an early Christmas present in 2012: the beautifully restored Albury House located at 730 Southard Street.  I can't say enough nice things about this home other than it is simply stunning.  It is more beautiful than I imagined it would be. If you follow my blog you will note that I wrote about this house several times when it was listed for sale. Many potential buyers looked at the place. A few even made offers to purchase it.  One lucky couple ended up buying the home and then started the process to find an architect and builder. I took progress photos over the months of construction, a few of which are shown below.

The second floor porch proved to be more of an expensive "fix" than I would have assumed. The original porch worked well for decades but proved to be a real problem during construction. Even though plans were approved in advance, itsy-bitsy items kept dogging the construction to make sure everything was done perfectly.

 

Over the past few years I took other photos, primarily of the William Street side where the kitchen addition connected to the main house. There is a small little garage attached to the kitchen. It's amazing to see how this space changed as well.

The new owners moved into the home Christmas week.  I snapped a couple of photos on Christmas morning and on an evening a couple of days after Christmas. The place is just beautiful. The lines of the architecture are so plain which is maybe why the place is so perfect.

To the owners: Thank You for your gift to Key West.

730 Southard Street - Back on the Market - New Lower Price - Old Town - Key West

730 Southard Street Old Town Key West

Imagine opening your front door to that view every day!

This may be your last chance to grab an iconic Key West property at a reasonable price. The one of a kind property located at 730 Southard Street (which had been under contract) is back on the market and is now offered at $1,100,000 or $388 per sq ft. This is how the listing Realtor describes the property:

" Right in the heart of Old Town Key West sits this jewel of an original Conch home built in the 1800's awaiting your special touch. The history behind this home spans several generations of just one family. The rooms are large, the ceilings are high and everything is original in this two story home including Dade County pine throughout. There's over 2800 square feet of living space including the large master and guest bedrooms upstairs plus the living room, den, study, dining room and kitchen downstairs. The standup attic runs the length of the building with access to the widows walk allowing for a bird's eye view of Old Town. All this plus room for a pool in the back."

The most recent resident was born in and lived in that house for nearly ninety years. She passed away a couple of years ago. Many of her possessions are still located in place throughout the house. The house almost shows like a museum of a life in another distant time. The outside of the house looks ragged and forlorn. But the inside of the house is quite different. Read on.

The house has wonderful wraparound porches on the first and second floors, and there are rear porches on both levels as well. Those porches provide potentially dramatic openings from the historic French doors that open onto the porches. That includes the rear second floor porch just off the master bedroom. The porches all need replaced. Some of the shutters need replaced. But the French doors appeared to be in fine condition and properly located.

Master bedroom in on second floor right

Any renovation of the house would entail all new electric, plumbing, and air conditioning. The house is very large. A local architect told me that he believes three buildings were brought together to make one large structure. (That would explain the two separate formal living rooms on the first floor.) The third floor attic is gigantic. The architect commented that the attic would provide excellent space for location of HVAC.

The Attic is larger and more spacious than many Key West Cottages

The existing bathrooms are very old and very dated. I think there is more than enough room for a creative architect to carve out some very useful bathrooms that meet our modern needs and still preserve the dignity the present structure.

The kitchen is located in a separate building just off the grand dining room. It has three sets of French doors that open onto the William Street side of the property. The room is very large and the ceiling could be vaulted to create a really dramatic area. The kitchen even has an existing fireplace that might become a feature in a renovation

.Kitchen is smaller one story building with 3 sets of French doors shown above

The dining room is likewise located just off the kitchen and next to the front parlor. The living room, on the other and, is a giant room located just to the west of the front door. The living room has French doors that overlook the rear grounds. The dining room, parlor, and living room each have French doors that open onto the wraparound porches on front and the rear as well. The layout is a bit formal for today but the space is entirely useful. Imagine the house re-fitted to meet the needs of 21st Century living complete with existing French doors that open from every room that would over looking the pool and gardens.

Parlor is located just off main entrance and adjacent to the formal dining room

The second floor has enough space for two great bedrooms and baths to compliment the huge master bedroom suite with front and rear balconies. The space for the master suite is just grand. I envision treating the very simple structure in an understated manner. The classic design elements are already there. It is just coming up with a good and useful design for today. There isn't a need to add, but there is a need to edit.

All of the interior has Dade County Pine walls, ceilings, and wood floors. Those rooms look as solid today at they were a hundred years ago. They have not been messed with.The building appeared seemed very structurally sound with the exception of some of the piers that will need to be repaired. (I am not a qualified inspector but I feel comfortable in commenting on things that are easily noticeable.) All of the plumbing and electric needs replaced. HVAC would be all new as it is non existent.

There is no pool. But there is room for a great pool and garden as well. The fence is dilapidated as is the widows walk on the top roof. But you should see the view from up there. You can see the Gulf of Mexico and all of the small homes for blocks and blocks. You could have a great sunrise view from the kitchen of dining room each morning. And in the early evening you could sit on the second floor front porch and watch the sunset.

Room for a large pool and beautiful gardens

View from the Widow's Walk of the Gulf of Mexico

730 Southard Street is a big house with 2838 sq ft of space under roof. It sits on a large 6853 sq ft lot (at the corner of William and Southard Streets) right in the smack dab middle of Old Town. CLICK HERE to read the listing Realtor's description of the property and to see some very good interior and exterior photos.

It's going to take probably a several months and quite a bit of cash to renovate the place. But in the end someone is going to own one of the great beauties of Key West. If you would like to see 730 Southard Street please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. My email address is kw1101v@aol.com. I can send more photos to serious buyers. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

730 Southard Street - Old Town Landmark - Key West

I have written about the landmark home at 730 Southard Street on several occasions and I have actually received both phone calls and emails from potential buyers that were genuinely interested in the property. But none of the contacts has yet resulted into a written offer from my buyers. It is time for someone that has "that vision thing" (a catch phrase used by President George H.W. Bush when he responded to suggestions he refocus objectives away from short term campaign objectives to look to the longer term). My suggestions: bring vision and lots of money.

730 Southard Street is one of the iconic homes of Key West. It has been in the same family since the day it was built. The most recent resident passed away a couple of years ago. She lived in that house for nearly ninety years. Many of her possessions are still located in place throughout the house. The house almost shows like a museum of a life in another distant time. The outside of the house is looking ragged and forlorn. I met there with a noted local architect to size up the house for some buyers. Rather than say what he said I will give you my impression of what needs to be done.

The house has wonderful wraparound porches on the first and second floors and there are rear porches on both levels as well. Those porches provide potentially dramatic openings from the historic French doors that open onto the porches. That includes the rear second floor porch just off the master bedroom. The porches all need replaced. Some of the shutters need replaced.

Any renovation of the house would entail all new electric, plumbing, and air conditioning. The house is large and looks like it is actually three buildings brought together to make one large structure. The third floor attic is gigantic and would provide excellent space for location of HVAC.

The Attic
The existing bathrooms are very old and very dated. I think there is more than enough room for a creative architect to carve out some very useful bathrooms that meet our modern needs and still preserve the dignity the present structure.

The present kitchen is located just off the grand dining room. The dining room is likewise located next to the front parlor. The living room, on the other and, is a giant room located just to the west of the front door. That room has French doors that overlook the rear grounds. The dining room, parlor, and living room each have French doors that open onto the wraparound porches on front and the rear as well. The layout is a bit formal for today but the space is entirely useful. The kitchen is very large and needs yanked into the 21st Century. The kitchen even has a fireplace. Can you imagine what kind of a wonderful kitchen you could create.
The Parlor

The second floor has enough space for two great bedrooms and baths to compliment the huge master bedroom with en suite bath. The space for the master suite is just grand. That doesn't mean the space needs to be treated like something in a Trump hotel. Rather I envision very treating the very simple structure in an understated manner. The classic design elements are already there. It is just coming up with a good and useful design for today.

All of the interior has Dade County Pine walls, ceilings, and wood floors. The building to me seemed very structurally sound with the exception of some of the foundation which needs repair and all of the plumbing and electric which needs replaced. HVAC would be all new as it is non existent.

There is no pool. But there is room for a great pool and garden as well. The fence is dilapidated as is the widows walk on the top. But you should see the view from up there. You can see the Gulf of Mexico and all of the small homes for blocks and blocks. You could have a great sunrise view from the kitchen of dining room each morning. And in the evening you could sit on the upper front porch and watch the world walk by on the way to view the sunset at Mallory Square.


730 Southard Street is a big house with 2838 sq ft of space under roof. It sits on a 6853 sq ft lot (at the corner of William and Southard Streets) right in the smack dab middle of Old Town. CLICK HERE to read the listing Realtor's description of the property and to see some very good interior and exterior photos. This property is offered at $1,490,000 or $525 per sq ft. It's going to take probably a million to renovate the place. Maybe more and maybe a little less. But in the end someone is going to own one of the great beauties of Key West. Chances are pretty good that the house will be re-named for the new owner. The person with that vision thing.

If you would like to see 730 Southard Street please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Southard Street Selections - Old Town - Key West Properties

Just listed (but not by me) 530 William Street in the heart of Old Town Key West. This house was purchased in 2008 after just 21 days on the market. Perhaps the great location and beautiful architecture had something to do with the property selling so quickly.

This is how the listing Realtor describes 530 William Street:

"Elegant Historic Home located in the most desirable area of Old Town. Large spacious rooms in main house. Downstairs has Formal living dining, eat-in kitchen, 2 bedrooms 1 bath. Upstairs also full kitchen 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. Two meters with seperate heating and cooling units. Easily converted back to a grand single family home. Also, included 725 and 727 Southard Street cottage. Each is Living room, 1 bedroom 1 bath and kitchen. total of 4 units. Grand home in great condition. Well maintained. Must see to appreciate."

530 William and the adjacent two cottages CLICK HERE occupy the northwest corner of William and Southard Streets. The listing Realtor states the properties have 3276 sq ft of living space and sit on a 4455 sq ft lot. There are six bedrooms and four bathrooms. The asking price is $1,645,000 or $502 per sq ft. There is no pool nor room for a pool. And there is no off street parking. CLICK HERE for more information on this property and to view more listing agent provided photos.

The big old Great Dame across the street at 730 Southard Street CLICK HERE is still on the market. It is now priced at $1,490,000 or $525 per sq ft. It is a fixer for sure. The house size and lot size provide ample opportunity for creating a great living space for the rest of this new century. This is one of the great Key West houses and it is truly a buying opportunity.

The cute as a button cottage at 723 Southard Street CLICK HERE is also still on the market. It has been reduced to $749,000 or $681 per sq ft. This two bed twp bath cottage is just too sweet and should meet the needs of a buyer who wants a Key West retreat complete with pool and charm. No "fixing" required here.

And the lovely recently renovated two bed two bath cottage at 712 Southard Street CLICK HERE has been reduced to $829,000 or $808 per sq ft. The large pool and rear living area CLICK HERE is just awe inspiring.

Each of the houses in this block offer something a bit different and may appeal to different buyers. A buyer wanting income to help pay for the cost of ownership may be attracted to the 530 William Street assemblage. A buyer that wants to make a mark on Key West surely would be interested in 730 Southard Street. Someone wanting a cozy Key West cottage with everything done just might fall in major love with 723 Southard Street. And that buyer who wants a large pool and total privacy could just as easily fall madly, crazily in love with 712 Southard Street.

Tomorrow I am going to write about the real estate sale for July and give my opinion, such as it is, about what has happened recently and where I think the market may be headed. If you are truly looking for a deal in Key West, consider the four properties mentioned here today. They share a great common location that is convenient to everything that Old Town Key West offers.

Please give me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 a phone call, or e-mail me at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. We are an affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

730 Southard Street - Old Town - Key West

The asking price on 730 Southard Street was just reduced to $1,490,000 or $525 per sq ft.
The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Right in the heart of Old Town Key West sits this jewel of an original Conch home built in the 1800's awaiting your special touch. The history behind this home spans several generations of just one family. The rooms are large, the ceilings are high and everything is original in this two story home including Dade County pine throughout. There's over 2800 square feet of living space including the large master and guest bedrooms upstairs plus the living room, den, study, dining room and kitchen downstairs. The standup attic runs the length of the building with access to the widows walk allowing for a bird's eye view of Old Town. All this plus room for a pool in the back."

This house sits at the corner of William and Southard Streets right smack dab in the middle of Old Town. You could not ask for a better location. The lot measures 100' X 68'.53" or 6853 sq ft. That is huge for Old Town. The house is equally large. The listing Realtor says the house is 2838 sq ft and has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a garage, an incredible facade and a widows walk. CLICK HERE to see a photo that shows the rear of the house where there is more than ample room for a good sized pool. CLICK HERE for more detailed information and photos of 730 Southard Street.

When I previously wrote about this house (when it was listed at twice the current asking price), I referred to it as a "virgin" because it has remained in the same family since it was built. There is only one building permit of record in the County Appraiser's records and that was to upgrade the electric service. The house looks pretty much the same today as it did when it was built. Of course, there is another even more expensive virgin on the market located at 616 Eaton Street. I wrote about it on September 3 when it was listed for $5.5 million. The price remains the same on that property. CLICK HERE to see the listing info on 616 Eaton Street so you can do some comparison shopping.

The house at 730 Southard Street is known by everybody in town and by most seasoned tourists as well. And just about everybody says "that would make a really good renovation project" or something to that effect. It would. This property is another Key West treasure. It deserves a new owner with lots of money and a big vision to restore and improve this landmark.

If you are looking for a renovation project in Key West, or just a simple little Conch Cottage, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 or e-mail me at kw1101v@aol.com. Let me help you find your place in Paradise. Prices on most properties are at historic lows so I think now is a great time to buy bargain priced properties. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls database and then call me.

730 Southard Street - Historic Key West Landmark

Just Listed (but not by me) 730 Southard Street an historic Key West Landmark.
the listing Realtor describes the property this way: "Here in the heart of Old Town Key West sits this jewel of an original Conch home built in the 1800's waiting for your special touch. The widows walk was once used by the original owners to watch wrecking vessels come into Key West bight. The history behind this home spans several generations of just one family. The rooms are large, the ceilings are high and everything is original in this 2 story home including Dade County pine throughout. There's a standup attic running the entire length with accesses from the second floor landing and master bedroom and the over sized corner lot sits in a prime location of historic Old Town."

This house sits at the corner of William and Southard Street right smack dab in the middle of Old Town. So you could not ask for a better location. The lot is huge and measures 100' X 68'.53" or 6853 sq ft. That is huge for Old Town. The house is equally large. The listing Realtor says the house is 2838 sq ft. The house has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a garage. an incedible facade and a widos walk. One of the photos to the right shows the view from the widows walk. CLICK HERE for more information and additional photos of the house.


The asking price on this house is $2,990,000 or $1,054 per sq ft. That's pretty high for this market, especially since the house is a virgin. It was in the same family since it was built and there is only one building permit of record in the County Appraiser's records. The house is pretty much just as it was when it was built expect for the updated appliances in the kitchen. (Look at the pics.) Of course, there is another even more expensive virgin on the market at 616 Eaton. I wrote about it on September 3 when it was listed for $5.5 million.

Maybe back in 2004 or 2005 when people were throwing money away someone would have paid the very high asking price on either of these great properties. I think it is going to be a real hard sell in this market. But don't let my pessimism dissuade you from looking--if you have the money to make a deal like this happen. I'd be delighted to show it to you. I did speak to the recently departed owner one day in October two years ago. We stood on the front porch pictured to the right and she told me stories of her growing up in the house and the way Key West used to be.

If you are looking for a place in Key West that is a a little less expensive, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or e-mail me at kw1101v@aol.com. Prices on most properties are at historic lows so I think now is a great time to buy bargain priced properties. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls database and then call me.