1212 Watson Street - Old Town - Key West

The asking prices are on the rise again, Dear Readers, for houses in Old Town Key West.  A perfect Old Town house will cost around a million dollars give or take a hundred grand or two. Off street parking, a pool, and perfect condition costs a lot in Key West.  It's no wonder then that some buyers are willing to spend less and do some renovations to get the house they want - hopefully at less than a million bucks.

I found the black and white photo above that shows how 1212 Watson Street looked back in 1965. This house is a typical vernacular style seen on many blocks in the Old Town area. Look at the photo at the very bottom of today's blog. You will see a similar home that has been updated with love and care. That is what 1212 Watson Street could look like by Christmas in 2014.

The house at 1212 Watson Street in Key West offers buyers a chance to create a perfect Key West cottage.  The asking price is $648,000 on this 1606 sq ft house that sits on a 3006 sq ft lot (39.3' x 76.5').  There is off street parking on the side.  The back yard has enough room for the addition of a pool. The backyard as it now exists is covered with brick pavers.  A side gate could be easily removed to permit a backhoe into the rear yard to dig a new pool.  If you have looked at a lot of houses in Key West, you will appreciate the value of this side gate.

A new kitchen was added and the house spruced up a few years ago.  The house currently has three bedrooms, two baths, a large second floor deck on the south and rear sides of the house.  One of the three bedrooms and one of the baths are located on the main floor. The bedroom is located at the rear of the house and the bathroom on the opposite side near the kitchen.  The two second floor bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bath. 

I have shown this house several times. I think a good designer or architect could improve the interior design (room flow, not decor).   I would eliminate or relocate the downstairs bedroom - perhaps move it to the front where the living room is currently located. The current bedroom space could become part of a new open great room with combined living, dining, and new kitchen with sets of new French doors that open out to the new poo. That would brighten up the interior and make this old house come alive.

There is no telling what an architect may be able to create with the second floor space. The two second floor bedrooms work, but they could work better if the rooms could be expanded onto the existing deck. That will not be an easy task, but it may be worth trying.  I don't think anyone could build a deck this large today because of HARC scrutiny. Notice also the decorative trim at the top of the interior stairway. This trim appears to have been copied and included as a side railing on the second floor deck. 

 CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 1212 Watson Street. If you agree with me that this old house has some possibilities, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a showing. Thanks to Monika Turek, listing agent, for providing me with the photos and allowing me to blog about her listing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.