3529 Sunrise Drive - Key West

Sherman, Peabody, and the WayBack Machine

The lovely home at 3529 Sunrise Drive in Key West was built in 1963 and incorporates many of the styles and trends of that era. I pulled out the WayBack machine and recalled these events that occurred in 1963: the Beatles recorded their first album Please Please Me in a single session; Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique which re-launched the women's movement; General Hospital and The Outer Limits debuted on ABC and My Favorite Martian premiered on CBS; Leave It To Beaver ended-he grew up; Martin Luther King was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for parading without a license and later issued his Letter From Birmingham Jail; Gary Thomas saw President John F. Kennedy in Berlin; the US, UK, and USSR signed the nuclear test ban treaty; Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech from the Lincoln Memorial; instant replay was used for the first time during the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia; John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas and three days later Lee Harvey Oswald was killed on live TV.

Events, styles, trends, fads, they all last for a while but many impact our lives for years or decades into the future. When you are young, you tend to live in the moment. As you get older, you learn that not everything in the world revolves around you. As you get much older, you may learn that what you do or say or think is of no consequence to anybody. That's sort of what happens to styles, trends and fads-they get ignored or displaced or even replaced. Styles that were hip become passe. Maybe that's why for many people buying a house in the Old Town area of Key West is so safe: old is always popular there. Even cherished.

If you are old enough to remember the 1960s you will recall the space race and the New Frontier. You will remember the forward thinking we embraced. Our TV, our culture, our furniture and home goods, and our architecture reflected the hopes and dreams as aspirations of that time. Some homes today still have fallout shelters that were built in the 1960s, a different and sad face of the culture of that time.

The home at 3529 Sunrise Drive incorporates many of the features of large suburban homes built during the early 1960s including multiple living levels, large rooms, vaulted ceilings, and large outdoor living areas. I showed this house recently and decided it was time to blog about the house again.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

" Everything you want in Key West living. Plenty of room both inside and out for entertaining or just relaxing with the family. Vaulted ceilings and large rooms make the interior exceedingly livable. A walled lot, lush landscaping, large pool and several covered outside seating areas along with off street, covered parking make this an ideal property. This is a home that you can live in tomorrow or add personal touches to create your own island oasis."

3529 Sunrise Drive is a big house located a on a large lot on the east side of Key West- just about four blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. It is far removed from the hub bub of Old Town. This is a family area and this is a very nice family home that has been well maintained during its lifetime. The original owner who custom built this home still owns it. The house has 3378 sq ft of living space under air.  It sits on a 8937 sq ft lot. The lot is surrounded by a large privacy fence. There is a large electrically operated gate for entry to the covered parking plus boat storage area. CLICK HERE to view a slide show with lots of photos of this home. This property is listed by Preferred Properties, but it is not my listing. It is offered at $899,000. And CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls data sheet.

If you would like to see this blast from the past, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a visit. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

11 Whistling Duck Lane - Key West

I recently showed an absolutely beautiful three bedroom town home at the Key West Golf Club that might appeal to a buyer seeking a move-in ready home that has been smartly upgraded and lovingly maintained.  I am speaking about 11 Whistling Duck Lane that is offered at $349,000. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"A must see Golf club unit - completely remodeled kitchen and freshly painted through out - 3br/2ba upstairs (a bedroom/converted to Artist Loft!)Screened porch with hidden 2 person jacuzzi."

I have been inside a lot of golf club homes and this is truly a one-of-a-kind. Take the kitchen for starters. It is hidden behind a folding screen to reveal a neatly crafted work space for meal preparation. A beautiful credenza topped with granite acts performs double duty as a kitchen "island" and piece of furniture when the kitchen is not in use. The dining and living room seem to flow out to the screened rear porch which is artfully decorated and provides substantial additional living space. Upstairs the master bedroom has a vaulted ceiling, en-suite bath, and closets with lots of built-ins. There are two other bedrooms on this floor.

 The rear garden is reminiscent of an English garden. It is that cute. And it is located in sub-tropical Key West and not in rainy England. The space is quite and protected by a small mangrove between the houses on Whistling Duck Lane and the smaller of two golf club community pools. You can walk to this pool in just a couple of minutes.  The larger pool and community fitness center are also within walking distance.

I checked the exterior of this home to compare its condition to others I have seen. I can report this place looks as good as new. The Hardiboard siding looks freshly painted. The wood trim all appeared to be in perfect condition.  The homeowner has places gravel around the side of the property and every thing looks spotless. That's a plus as I don't see anything a new owner might have to do after closing on this house.  Sometimes, some places require a lot of work. Not so here. 

Homeowner Association fees at the Key West Golf Club community are $333 per month and include (manned and gated) security, common area maintenance, and cable television.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet on this property.  If you would like to see 11 Whistling Duck Lane or any other property in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

Bank Owned - Designer Home - 1103 Ashby Street - Key West

City is doing landscaping

 Just listed, but not by me, a Bank Owned property that was originally designed by the noted design team of Debra Yates and Raymond Jungles. (They were not the owners of this property when it was foreclosed.) The house is located at 1103 Ashby Street in the mid town area of Key West.

I have written about other houses the Yates-Jungles team designed. The homes I have written about previously (and this one) were previously owned houses which Debra Yates updated by using space, height, color, and contemporary structural and architectural elements to re-purpose the house. This particular house is like of many in this area. It is an 1116 sq ft three bedroom home that was built in 1955. It is located on a corner lot adjacent to our local middle school.  You can drive up and down the nearby streets and see dozens of similarly constructed and built homes that have been updated in the more than 50 years this subdivision was built. But you won't see any house like this. This is a one of kind.

Door leads to outdoor shower

Laundry and closet area

Deck off the master bedroom

 I have also written about Raymond Jungles who was the premier landscape architect in Key West until he left our area. He did the gardens and pools at the Marquesa Hotel and in some of the most expensive homes in Key West.  A home owner who gets a Raymond Jungles garden is getting a design worthy of note.

Privacy fence encircles the entire property

Pool and fountain

 
 You can view more photos I took of this house and grounds if you CLICK HERE.

1103 Ashby Street is offered at $356,400 or $319 per sq ft. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos.  If you are interested in seeing this property, I suggest you act quickly. I was there twice on Friday and the place was jammed with Realtors and buyers looking for a steal. Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.  Don't wait too long. You will be sorry.

One Seller's Remorse

I got an email from a buyer I have been working with for nearly two years. She noticed one property she has been eying had recently raised the asking price by $200,000 (not a typo) .  I looked the property up and recalled having discussed the property with my buyer several months ago. Sometimes sellers will agree to a price reduction to stimulate new interest in their property.  But there are some sellers, I guess, who believe that if they raise the price on their house and are willing to wait for the right buyer to come along, that they will eventually get their price.

I guess if a seller is wiling to wait as long as it takes to get his or her price the wait is worth it.  I guess.

3611 Flagler Avenue - Key West

3611 Flagler Avenue is a recently listed single family home plus guest cottage located in the new town area of Key West. This property was built in 1963 and has been continuously maintained. The place almost looks like new. The home and guest cottage sit on a 10,000 sq ft lot (100' x 100') behind a privacy wall and lush vegetation that shields the property from the street. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Lovely home on 10,000 sq. ft. of land surrounded by mature foliage, fully fenced &; discretely tucked behind a concrete block wall. This property has been lovingly cared for &; scrupulously maintained by the Owners for decades. The main home is a concrete block split level 2 bedroom/2 bath with tile floors, large living room, lots of windows, separate dining area, central air &; a wine cellar/storage/ workshop area under the house. There is a covered outdoor dining area overlooking the pool. The guest house is a 2/1 with a large screened porch also overlooking the pool. Privacy at every turn; an unexpected hidden oasis with plenty of room for family &; friends. Close to the beaches &; Gulfside shopping but still just a bike ride to Old Town."

All I can say is that the agent got it right. I went to view the house not expecting a lot. Boy was I wrong.  I have been in a lot of houses and I usually notice little things (or sometimes big things) where owners let problems fester. I didn't see issues here.  I saw a house that has been properly cared for. A new owner may want to swap out kitchen cabinets or update the bathrooms. But neither remodel job would make this house any more livable or make it function any better. That's because what you see is not broken and does not need to be fixed.When "bargain" shoppers search for houses to buy, they often assume they will need to spend more money to redo a place, replace a roof, replace windows or doors, add a pool, etc. Those little projects can add up to substantial amounts of money. Building records show upgraded electric service, pool, new shutters and new roof in the past ten years or less.  That will mean a substantial savings to a buyer who might have to add or replace those items in a different property.

The original front entry is no longer used. Instead, entry is now located at the rear which is an elevated porch area that overlooks the pool and rear garden. This arrangement provides more usable living space to accommodate the grand piano in the living room. But there is plenty of space inside this area for lots of furniture and memorabilia.  The dining area is located off to the side of the kitchen which opens into the dining area.  The natural give-and-take set up creates and inviting atmosphere where food and drink can be shared.

A small riser of three stairs topped by Cuban tiles and set off by delicate wrought iron rails leads to the upper level where there are two bedrooms and two baths.

Front Bedroom

Rear Bedroom with Pool View

 The guest cottage sits to the left rear of the parcel. Like the main house, the guest cottage has a covered outside porch that overlooks the sunny pool. This area is protected from the house view just a bit by more tropical foliage. Adjacent is a screened porch. The living area in the cottage is quite spacious and super clean as well. The kitchen is located on the far wall and has all the essentials. There are two bedrooms and one bath in this cottage plus it has a laundry room. This is a fine place for a real mother-in-law or about to be emancipated minor who needs his or her own space. (If I let a relative use this space, I'd charge about $1500 per month which is about the going rate for something like this.)

You just have to see this beautiful sunny pool. Wow! Could you get a great Key West tan basking here. The pool is a real pool, not some imitation of a pool like you often find in a small cramped yard in Old Town. CLICK HERE to view a slide show of photos I took of this home.

3611Flagler Avenue is offered at $587,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. Better than that, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a private showing of this really comfortable Key West property.  This is really nice home that will appeal to a wide audience of buyers. I am a buyer agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.