5 Hunts Lane, Key West - Hidden Treasure in Old Town

The 2008 real estate market turn down in Key West was preceded by several years of spirited real estate consumption - especially in the Old Town Area. That is because this area most returning visitors know and believe this is where they should make a purchase. Houses occupied by locals known as "Conchs" sat untouched for decades.  Houses located on desirable streets with larger yards with off street parking and room for a pool were gobbled up. As number of larger properties diminished, buyers looked to nearby areas while others looked at smaller lots - some of which were located on dead end lanes or even walking lanes. Such was the case of 5 Hunts Lane which was listed in 2008 for $409,000 and eventually sold for only $335,000. That house had been owned by the same family since it was built.  That house was boarded up when I showed it in 2008. I really remember showing it. I told my potential buyers the same thing I tell nearly every person who looks at a "fixer" and that is to consider it as a "box". I loved that lane and saw great promise in the well built but austere house.

5 Hunts Lane  -  2020

 I saw 5 Hunts Lane yesterday (twelve years later) during Realtor Caravan and quickly asked the listing Realtor if I could blog about. He eagerly agreed. I stepped inside and was immediately awed by what I saw. This is real awe folks. I don't make this stuff up.

Compare and contrast the photo from 1965, the grainy 2008 MLS photo, and the current color photos from the present MLS listing. The 1965 photos show us that this was a single family home where the owner expanded the attic space into living area. Note the metal louver windows on the second floor and the steel poles supporting the new second floor. The color photos show the not only porch was replaced but also that new concrete piers were added under the house. Boarded window openings were replaced with new windows and doors throughout the house. Brick pavers replaced the barren side yard that leads to a new wrap-around rear deck.

I walked around the inside of the first floor admiring the creativity in the use of space. The house was thoroughly renovated in 2010 from piers to roof. All new electric, plumbing, HVAC, and so on.  The upper kitchen cabinets incorporate glass from the original home. Dada County Pine walls were sanded to original condition. We are all familiar with kitchen islands. This island has a half ellipse at one end creating a softer entrance into the living area. A soffit was added to hide the air conditioning duct work and member boards were added or exposed to support the weight of the second floor. It is, however, the introduction of multiple glass panel doors and new windows that changed to once dark box into a very inviting living area. This home is a treasure.

HARC probably would not allow a covered wood porch but a removable awning is perfectably acceptable and equally useful way to provide shade from the sun and protection from the rain. The area was wrapped with an extra few inches of fencing to create totally private and still inviting outdoor living area.

I actually remember the pesky stairs that stuck out into the living area when I showed the box in 2008. Remember the second floor was renovated by the original owners to add more living space. The stairway landing had to be moved inside the second floor to provide head space. So the downstairs portion of the staircase had to stand out from the wall which decreased downstairs living area. The room at the top had a steel pole or two supporting the roof. Conch creativity at its "best". Maybe not so much.

Today there is an actual second floor landing which leads to the master bedroom with en-suite and a guest bed and bath at the rear which is pictured immediately above. This is a good place for errant husbands and brothers-in law to sleep. There are abundant guest houses and hotels within easy walking distance for guests who want to stay with you.

I can't help but admire the solid geometry of the space. These owners designed this. Fogarty Builders built it. Kudos to both. Very Well Done!

5 Hunts Lane is located near the end of narrow walking lane. There is one house located to the north and another opposite. Five Brothers Grocery is located up on the corner of Grinnell and Southard Streets. You will always find a cop there having coffee. Meantime there is a major traffic jam four blocks west starting at Simonton to beyond Whitehead. The Manger of Some City Agency decided to rip up sidewalks on Simonton during peak tourist time and blow out sewers on Duval Street to drive tourists to the beaches instead of the restaurants and stores. It all makes living life on one of the slow lanes of Key West all that more appealing.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet for 5 Hunts Lane Key West offered for sale at $969,000. 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.

711 Olivia Street, Key West - A Perfect Renovation

Just Listed, but not be me, 711 Olivia Street, Key West which the listing Realtor describes this way:

"Don's miss out on this incredible opportunity to own a newly restored masterpiece located in the heart of Old Town Key West. This property is nestled on quiet & quaint Olivia St., with close proximity to Duval St., many shops, restaurants and galleries just steps away. The property has been meticulously renovated with luxury finishes throughout with a key west coastal flair. Enter the main house and you will find a designer kitchen with a seamless flow to living /dining area. Space is designed with cool beach colors to create a relaxing yet luxurious ambiance. Main House features a second floor master suite with luxurious walk in shower, double vanities, stunning cabinetry and ample closet space. Find your way to the pool through double glass doors and relax in outdoor oasis. Private Patio, stunning Pool and Waterfall...what more could you ask for and if that's not enough, the newly built guest house is completely separate from the main house, perfect for guests and extended family. Designed with living and sleeping quarters, this space opens up to the pool and patio area resulting in the perfect Old Town Compound. One Off Street Parking and Located in X-Flood Zone."

 I wrote about this same property in mid October 2017 just as Key West began to recover from Hurricane Irma. This house was not damaged by the storm, but it was one of the first houses to be offered for sale as our little town started to recover. There were a couple of months where we all wondered how the folks up north would react to the misleading media reports that suggested Key West was as badly damaged by the storm as other nearby Keys. Be late December we knew visitors would be returning in bigger numbers than before.  CLICK HERE to read what I wrote then about 711 Olivia Street. Then compare what I suggested with what this new owner created and now offers for sale.

The original house was gutted on the inside. The staircase was removed and reversed going in the opposite direction. The ceiling in the sawtooth addition at the rear was vaulted.  I often tell prospective buyers that all houses are just boxes and that they need to let their imagination go and dream of what they could do with a particular box. What surprised me was the complete perfection this new owner brought to this project. They nailed it!

The original house had several one-purpose rooms, each very small. Original interior walls and floors were removed as were windows, HVAC, etc. I was stunned at how large and open the entire living space now feels. The kitchen is quite large and has a lot of upper and lower cabinet space and counter space. There is a good-sized peninsula with bar seating on the back side.  Two French doors open to the back and right rear yards.

As best as I can remember there were four rooms on the first floor. The living room was on the left and a bedroom on the right. Both were tiny. The bathroom was located right rear and the kitchen was on the left rear in the sawtooth addition. The first thing you saw upon entering the old house was a tiny stairway to the second floor which had a bedroom. Today you enter into a small foyer which immediately turns to the right and leads through the living room toward the dining area and then the kitchen. A doorway in the back of the kitchen now leads to the guest bedroom with an adjacent bath. The builder saved some of the original Dade County Pine walls in both the bedroom and the new living room. The rest of the walls are drywall painted in coastal colors. New interior floors flow from room to room giving uniformity of look and function. So many of our old houses have sagging floors and often at various heights. Just about every other item in this house has been replaced except for exterior siding, the front porch, and the roof.

The open staircase leads to the second floor master suite. I had a vague recollection of a cramped ceiling and wondered how that could have been fixed. Well I was delighted to see that the old interiors were guttered.  The windows at the front dormer were previously shuttered. The newly renovated space includes new open windows framed by closets on either side, a sitting bench with built-in drawers. A full walk-in closet is on the back side of the bedroom. The bathroom is surprisingly large and includes a double sink vanity, large shower, and separate toilet plus more built in storage under the eaves. 

If you look back up at the old black and white photo of 711 Olivia Street you will see an adjacent two story house. That photo was taken in 1965. The old house was razed and concrete block garage with interior plumbing was added. That garage created the opportunity for redevelopment. The new owner took down the garage and built a new structure that is now a surprisingly large guest cottage with living room, wet bar, sleeping area and bathroom. Wind impact resistant sliding doors open out to the pool and water feature which are surrounded by Trex decking. The whole yard is now surrounded by new fencing which also creates defined areas separating the house and cottage from the street and nearby Galveston Lane.  CLICK HERE to view the photos I took of the renovation of the eyebrow house to the rear at 845 Galveston Lane which includes many photos of 711 Olivia before it was previously offered for sale.

The original house had 1248 square feet of living space. The renovated home and guest cottage now have 1504 square feet of living space situated on a 3550 sq ft corner lot. The cottage would be the perfect place for your mother-in-law to stay when she comes to town. It's all on one level - no steps. She can keep her box of wine in the mini-fridge and watch her programs without having to go inside the main house except for meals. A gate at the side even allows her to slip away without having to make her absence known. CLICK HERE to view photos I took during the renovation. I never imagined it could look as awesome as it does. This is a really great house.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos on 711 Olivia Street, Key West now offered for sale at the sum of $1,795,000. 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.