Just Listed by Preferred Properties, that's where I work but this is not my listing, 1013 Packer Street in Old Town. This little house is offered at just $399,000 which is pretty inexpensive for Key West.
I looked in my old shoe box and found a couple of photos which show the house as it appeared in 1965 and an even older photo that shows Mr. Edward Heil who lived here back around the turn of the twentieth century when locals needed identification cards to show who they were and where they worked. These cards were necessary to protect the Key West waterfront. Mr. Heil worked for Armour & Company - I assume that was the same company that sells hot dogs today. He probably delivered what back then were called "provisions".
I then looked in the Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine the approximate time this house was built. Since all four houses are so close together, it is safe to assume they were all built at the same time. They all have similarly sized lots (1.6' wide X 93.5 deep). The houses first appeared in the 1899 Sanborn Map which showed 1013 Packer as having been previously numbered as 909 Packer. Since this block was eliminated in the online Sanborn Maps that I can view, I can only assume that this property was built prior to 1899. All four houses look pretty much the same, so it is a good bet they were all built at the same time.
I borrowed some of the listing photos which appear below. I think it is probable that a new owner will renovate this house - either now or in the future. I add the future aspect as it might make sense to buy this place and rent it out as a long term rental until such time as you could buy an adjacent house which could then be combined with this to make a larger house. If you look at the photo immediately below you'll see that the house to the north has a second floor addition. A new owner might be able to add an addition to 1013 Packer. You have probably seen other instances in my blog of two small houses being combined to create more interior space simply by bridging the space between two houses. I think once this house sells one of the neighbors will decide its time to sell and take the cash. Or a new owner could simply go in, gut the interior, and create exactly what he or she or they want. There is nothing but upside for this property.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for this house that is offered at just
$399,000. Please call me,
Gary Thomas,
305-766-2642 to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at
Preferred Properties Key West.
