1301 Newton Street, Key West, Florida

1301 Newton Street is located at the corner of Newton and Florida Streets in the Meadows Area of Key West or two blocks east of Old Town proper. The Monroe County Property Appraiser identifies this home as having been built in 1943. I know that is not right because we were still involved in World War II at that time and houses in the Old Town environs were not being built then. So I searched the Sanborn Fire Maps for Key West and found what I believe to be 1301 Newton Street on the 1892 Sanborn Fire Map. The city had not yet assigned street numbers to each property. To complicate matters the street name for the exact location was then called "Rawson" not Newton. However, the next block to the west was clearly identified as Newton Street.  No matter, I am confident that the house identified today as 1301 Newton Street existed as of 1892.  See the black and white photo below which shows how the house looked in 1965. Compare that with the color photo below.

Today you will see that the house has been renovated to include a second floor addition. The Property Appraiser's records do not show when the second floor addition was added.  I can tell you that I think it would be highly unlikely that a full second floor addition like that would be permitted today. That's not inferring anything negative about this property, but stating the HARC (Historic Architectural Review Commission) guideline against such a drastic redo. The second floor addition added 513 sq ft of living space. The main level now has 828 sq ft of interior living space. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet and listing photos.

 The listing Realtor, not me, describes 1301 Newton Street this way:

"The Meadows is one of the most desirable residential neighborhoods in Key West. This renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bath home has an open floor plan downstairs with fine wood floors and a cook's mod kitchen. French doors lead to an outside living/dining deck area with room for a hot tub. Downstairs has 2 bedrooms and full bath. The master suite is upstairs and there are French doors leading to a large and lovely tree-shaded balcony. On-street parking is easy! The lot is 1624 sf making this an extremely low-maintenance home. Neither off-street parking nor a swimming pool are possible. The simplicity and style of this home in this wonderful neighborhood presents an outstanding value. ONE BLOCK STROLL TO OLD TOWN."

The house sits behind a white picket fence. The front gate leads to a small courtyard entrance and pleasant front porch. I had shown this home many years ago. Even though I had reviewed the mls listing before showing this home, I was not prepared for the new more contemporary look this home has. I was really impressed by the openness and clean lines the owners used to make this home more adaptable to the way we live our lives today. The newly added pine floors shine and provide unifying look throughout the first and second floors.

The bright contemporary kitchen is located at the rear.  An innovative breakfast bar does double duty by providing eating space and storage space below.  The large kitchen window provides wonderful daytime light. Abundant nighttime light is also present. I mention nighttime light because too many redos under think the amount of light you need to cook a meal at night. 

There are two bedrooms located on the main floor. The larger of the two is located just off the kitchen. The other bedroom is located at the very front of the home. The main floor bath is quite large.  The laundry is also  laundry room is also located in the bathroom.

The entire second floor is the master suite. A door at the top of the stairs locks this area off from the kids or guests below. The space up here is quite large compared to most homes you'd expect to see in Old Town or Meadows Area homes. The master suite includes a sitting area or office area, large walk-in closet, large bathroom, and second floor deck. 

A set of French doors at the front of the bedroom lead to the second floor front deck that overlooks Newton Street below. The tree shown in the black and white photo at the top of today's blog has grown quite large. It provides natural shading for the house and particularly the deck. This would make the perfect perch for people watching.  

Windows and doors throughout this house have been recently replaced.  The exterior siding has been recently painted.  I did not see any deferred maintenance. Downstairs there is a deck located at the east rear side of the house. A gate from the front provides easy access for using this space for bike or sport storage.  The space is large enough to add a hot tub or outdoor dining.  The rear already provides lots of storage. Everything about this home is very well organized.

This house is in move-in condition.  It does not a pool or parking. There will never be a possibility of adding either. The house offers a lot of qualityy living space in the quiet Meadows Area of Key West. This area is a brief stroll to Old Town.  Most of the gyms and yoga studios are within easy walking distance.  Bayview Park is four blocks to the south. Most of the surrounding properties are single family residences. 

1301 Newton Street is offered for sale at $671,000.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this super clean Meadows Area home and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise. 

1100 Angela Street - Key West - Bank Owned Legal Duplex

Attention bargain hunters! I know you are out there. I get emails and phone calls from people that still want to buy a bank owned property in Key West. It's getting more rare to see a bank owned property in Key West, especially in Old Town.  1100 Angela Street in Key West is a Bank Owned legal duplex described by the listing Realtor as:

"Two units, two stories, and two separate driveways make this Old Town corner property too good to miss! Hardwood floors, French doors, skylights, and patio decks with a Jacuzzi complement the street appeal of the main 2/2 Angela side house; the legal 1/1.5 Frances unit can serve as guest quarters or an attractive rental. You will find the Key West Cemetery is a quiet X zone neighbor; this locale is in the heart of historic Old Town Key West and ensures an easy stroll to all downtown amenities, restaurants, and nightlife."

1100 Angela Street first appeared in the 1899 Historic Sanborn Fire Maps. That block was omitted form the 1892 edition. So the house could have existed even before 1892.  Two houses, attached at the hip, are shown on the map.  I dug down into the old shoebox and found  a black and white photo of the property taken in 1965 that shows how the property looked then. The color photo underneath taken in 2014 shows the property from the same angle.  I am of the opinion the original rear cottage was razed, not renovated. There are new piers under the two story house whereas the main house has historic coral piers.  The interior of the two story house is very contemporary in design.  All interior and exterior construction materials suggest that this part of the structure is only about twenty years old. 

I looked at online building permit records and found that improvements were made to the property in 1997 and 2000. Those improvements include new decks, two hot tubs, and interior renovations. In recent years both units were rented. The front unit was rented as a vacation rental and the rear was a long term rental. Prior to being recently listed as a bank owned property, 1100 Angela Street was offered for sale as a 'short sale'.  Let's just say there was not a lot of enthusiasm by the prior owner to sell and thereby terminate the income stream. A long foreclosure eventually led to this property becoming a bank owned asset. During the long foreclosure process income was taken out of the property, but no improvements or repairs were made. As a result, the house needs painted and cleaned. When you look at the photos I took of the property, you will see deferred maintenance. Some of the French doors need replaced. There is some wood rot, but not a lot of it.

This property is located at the corner of Angela Street at Frances Street opposite the Key West cemetery. The location is notable because Angela Street becomes a one-way street at Frances and ends about 300 feet to the east at White Street. On the opposite side of Frances Street, Angela is a one-way street heading west as it traverses the cemetery.  The point is there is very little traffic on either one-way segment of Angela Street.  Nighttime traffic on Frances is but a trickle, as is the case for most streets in Old Town. And the neighbors to the west, well, let's just say they never make a peep.

The main portion of the house has a combined living/dining/kitchen area with French doors that open out to the side deck and spa.  The living room has a volume ceiling. That extra space really gives this home a special feel.  Whoever designed the kitchen forgot to put the refrigerator in the kitchen.  It is located in a small ante room along with the washer and dryer.

The second floor bedroom and bath are accessed via the spiral staircase.  There is a small deck off the bedroom area which overlooks the hot tub below. The master bedroom is located on the main level. Two sets of French doors open out to the deck and hot tub.  Those doors need replaced. I think the floor tile, as charming as it is, needs to go away as well. This is a nice space. The tile gives it a cold feeling.

The bathroom is located just off the first floor bedroom. It does double duty as a guest bath as well.

A new owner might elect to forgo one of the two off street parking spaces in order to free up some space for the installation of a pool.  I think there is room off either property to create a pool. I personally feel way too much space is presently devoted to a hot tub which may get used a couple of times a year.  But that is just me thinking out loud.

The apartment is configured with the living room, kitchen, and laundry closet on the first floor. Both the living room kitchen open out to a spacious wrap around deck for the apartment.  This would be a very easy place to rent. I expect an owner might get $1800 to $2000 per month for this space. The apartment needs painted but otherwise looks to be in very good condition.  (Some exterior wood needs replaced. But that is easy.)

The bedroom and bath occupy the entire second floor which also includes a good sized closet and a small office area.

CLICK HERE to view a lot more photos I took of 1100 Angela Street.  View the interior and exterior photos and imagine how you might revamp this legal duplex. Perhaps you might decide to make it into a single family house which I see as having a lot of potential. Look at the nearby homes. This is a great Old Town location which is also in the X zone for flood insurance purposes.

Next, CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datsheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this property.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

1221 #A Grinnell Street - Grinnell Gardens - Key West - Price Reduction

The asking prince on 1221 Grinnell Street # A, in the Grinnell Gardens gated community was just reduced to $710,000.

1221 Grinnell Street # A is a 1369 Sq Ft  single family two story revival (Conch house) offered at $720,000 or $522 per sq ft. The home sits on a fee simple lot of 1769 sq ft. The home, built in 1990, is wood frame construction with traditional wood siding and metal roof. Wood storm shutters flank the front, side, and rear of the house. The main floor has a traditional home look with modern combined living, dining, and kitchen areas. A large built-in bookcase dominates one wall in the living room. A small alcove off the living room leads to the main floor guest bath and a storage closet. French doors at the end of the dining area open out to the private rear courtyard which faces to the south.  A side gate opens to the designated off street parking space. There is an outdoor shower and laundry on the opposite side of the rear courtyard.

All three bedrooms are located on the second floor. The master bedroom with en-suite bath is located at the front of the house. The room is quite large. A door opens onto the second floor covered balcony which overlooks the pool. The are two guest bedrooms which share the hallway bath.  One bedroom is fairly good sized while the third works well with a single bed and a small dresser.  Bunk beds or a crib would work just fine in this space. The second floor space is just a bit larger than a two bedroom Shipyard condominium unit. If size matters to you, bigger may be better.

Three of town homes in the Grinnell Gardens complex have private pools. The remaining four homes share the heated community pool and large outdoor space. The common areas include the lush gardens and off street parking area.The monthly HOA fee is just $170. As a home owner, you would be responsible for all building insurances and maintenance on your individual home. Remember, this property is owned in fee simple - just like a traditional home.

The Casa Marina area and beaches are located about six blocks to the south. Duval Street is a five block walk to the west. The shops, gyms, yoga studios, and neighborhood restaurants in the Arts District (vicinity of White and Truman) are a five minute walk to the north. This property might work as a vacation rental. The location and sunny pool will surely appeal to returning guests.   CLICK HERE to view more photos of this property.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this home. If you would like to schedule a visit to see this terrific home, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.