Won't You Be My Neighbor?--Part 3

I have previously written about the unique character of the many Key West neighborhoods. I live in the Casa Marina area and wrote about some of the notable commercial spots that are near me. I say "near" because the area itself does not have the little corner stores or art galleries so typical of Old Town Key West.

Casa Marina area is named for its proximity to the Casa Marina Hotel built by Henry Flagler many years ago. The hotel is on the best beach Key West has to offer. The hotel serves as a magnate for many local events annually such as the Fourth of July Picnic and Fireworks, the Key West Fantasy Fest Pet Parade, and many civic organizations. It is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. I tell my customers that the area is bounded by United Street to the north, White Street to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the South, and Simonton Street to the west. Other Realtors may try to expand the geographic area, but they are wrong. Location is very important, and if you buy the wrong address (or area) you pay for it in dollars when you try to sell.

The area is different from Old Town in that most of the homes were built after World War II. And most of those homes have been renovated since then. The lots are typically much larger than the homes in Old Town. And most of the homes do not have sidewalks. On the other hand, most of the homes in Casa Marina have good sized yards, pools, off street parking, and are larger in size than most Old Town homes. The area is close of several Key West beaches and is much quieter than Old Town and the busy commercial areas of New Town.

I guess the home ownership in Casa Marina area is about evenly divided between people who have second homes and people who live here full time. One nice thing about having "second home neighbors" is the fact that they aren't around that much and don't make as much noise.

The photos above are of two of my neighbors' homes. The middle photo of the modern home with the large tree is that of author Judy Bloom. She has owned several homes in the area over the past few years. The top photo is of a home across the street from me on the corner. The home has a magnificent side yard that looks like a park. The tall coconut palms and green grass amaze me each time I see that house.

The bottom photo is of a home at 915 Washington and was just one block to the west of the home mentioned just above. It was just listed for sale yesterday and is offered at the price of $949,000 or $783 per sq.ft. It is a 3 bed, 4 bath home on a good sized yard with a pool and covered off street parking. Homes in the immediate area are priced between $900,000 to over $3,000,000. CLICK HERE for more information and photos of the home.

CLICK HERE to use the search feature on our mls and find your new home in Key West's Casa Marina area. Then give me a call at 1-305-766-2642 or send me an e-mail at garyethomas@aol.com so that I can help you relocate to Paradise. You know you want to do it.