826 Johnson Lane, Key West - Newly Listed

Just Listed but not by me 826 Johnson Lane, Key West. I got to see this freshly renovated Old Town home yesterday afternoon. I remember showing the property several years ago when it was marketed as a fixer-upper. Well now it's fixed! 

I dug into my old shoebox and found the black and white photo above. It was taken in 1965. Sadly the property is not located anywhere near the water and no the boat did not float to the property in a storm. I also checked the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine when this house was built. The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows it was constructed in 1938 during the Depression. We know that is incorrect. I learn (and often forget) so much about Key West houses when I search the maps. The 1889 map did not show this area but we know houses were here because St. Mary's Cathedral is located just a block to the south and some of the Grand Dame houses on Division Street (now Truman Avenue) are located on the much larger and grander lots immediately to the south. 

Johnson Lane only runs one block between Windsor Lane to the west and Packer Street to the east. The 1899 map shows a bunch of many smaller cottages on an unidentified lane running perpendicular to Johnson Lane (then called Jane Street). That entire group of cottages were gone by the 1899 map when 826 Johnson Lane appeared. All but one of those cottages has been renovated. Some vacant lots were built upon and one larger than should-be house was built a few years ago. I don't know how that happened. Two little cottages two doors away were also recently renovated and are now part of a monthly vacation rental program. They are shown below.

 

826 Johnson Lane sits on a 2,9000 Sq Ft lot that measures 116' X 25'. The house sits about 20 feet from the set back giving this home two off street parking spaces. The current owner relocated the entry to the right rear and reconfigured the entire interior of the house. All of the piers were replaced as were all the mechanical features. There is a new metal roof, impact windows and doors, and a fire suppression system. The original wood siding has been replaced with new Novelty siding which is historically correct for the area. Let's look inside starting from the living area.

All of the interior photos are virtually staged. But the shots themselves are the actual rooms. The French doors open out to the main (side) entry where there is room for a pool. There is one large tree and an existing fish pond that need to go. The listing Realtor told me the owner decided to let the new owner decide if he,she,they,them want a pool or not.

There are two bedrooms on the first floor. The master bedroom with en-suite is located midway in the house just past the kitchen.  

The original "front" room in the house is now the guest bedroom. This is a smart reconfiguration of space many renovators use. Unlike the two adorable houses shown above, this house does not presently have a front porch. That is part of th e reason this house has parking for two cars. I don't know if HARC would permit a new owner to add a porch as that would change the historic view of the property. But it would add to the charm and give the front guest bedroom a pretty view of the house across the lane. I wrote about it years ago. It is one one of the most unique homes in Old Town. 

 A full bath plus laundry area is located just past this bedroom. Note the cherry floors, high baseboards, and crispy white trim in each of the rooms. The windows are impact glass. The roof is new metal and the house is tied to the ground. A new owner will get a 30% discount on wind insurance. The house is located in the X Flood Zone where floor insurance is not required for a mortgage.

There's more! There is a second level loft bedroom not included in the square footage shown in the MLS as access is by a ladder located off the second bathroom. This is not a space for your mother-in-law but would be perfect for your brother-in-law (as long as he is not always drunk otherwise forget that). Kids would love this space. It stretches from front to rear. It is legal space. It does benefit from the fire suppression system.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and video of 826 Johnson Lane, Key West Florida offered for sale at $1,375,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

 

826 Johnson Lane - Key West

One of the least expensive houses in Old Town is a potential candidate for renovation or possibly demolition and rebuilding. The listing Realtor, not me, describes 826 Johnson Lane, Key West this 1128 sq ft cottage style house this way:

"Renovation project in prime Old Town Key West location! This Old Town frame residence was built circa 1938 and is ready for a complete rehab. Nestled on a quiet lane near Truman Avenue and just blocks to famous Duval Street, this property is sited on a 116 foot deep lot and offers endless possibilities to create your dream home in paradise. The large deep lot leaves plenty of room for a pool and gardens and has off street parking. Home is vacant and is not habitable as-is. Potential buyers should verify with City of Key West if home can be completely torn down or partially torn down. Per tax roll the home is 1128 square feet. Do not enter property without permission of Listing Realtor as decking in rear is not secure."

I found an old photo of 826 Johnson Lane at the bottom of my old shoebox. This Plane-Jane salt box style is found in many of the small cottages that dot the streets and lanes of Key West. Modest people of modest means lived in these houses decades ago. This particular house was update several years ago but has fallen into disrepair. I will share a couple of interior photos that are self explanatory.

These pics may look scary, but they are probably typical of what many of the now picture perfect Key West cottages looked like before they were redone. And that is the truth. Just below are a couple of photos of the backyard and side deck. The deck is falling apart and needs removed and or rebuilt. The backyard offers room for a pool once the decades of over grown vegetation are removed. One potential buyer that I showed this house to came up with a very good idea which would be to move the house forward just a bit. That would shorten the driveway and allow for a larger rear yard. I have seen this happen before on a couple of houses. Our Historical Architectural Review Commission would have to grant this extraordinary permission. I think it makes sense myself. -

 I am certain that this particular house is not on the list of contributing historic structures in Old Town. That being the case a new owner might even get permission to raze this house and build a new structure. A qualified architect would be able to advise a potential buyer as to whether HARC would allow a house like this to be razed.  Even if the building could not be razed, it would certainly be a candidate for major renovation. I will bet that most of the building seen in these photos would be taken down and rebuilt with a new foundation and new materials throughout.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 826 Johnson Lane. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private 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.