1025 Thompson Lane - Home Buy Christmas #8 - Key West

1025 Thompson Lane - Old Town - Key West

If you are looking for a cute and cozy house on a quiet little lane in Old Town Key West that is offered at $449,000, you just might want to seriously consider the newly re-listed two story house at 1025 Thompson Lane. I have written about this place before when it was priced higher. The price is a bit less, but the charm and potential are still the same. The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties describes this home as follows:

"Charming historic home on Old Town lane. This delightful home has 2 bedrooms / 2 baths with outdoor living area. This home is in the heart of Key West and walking distance to restaurants, attractions and historic life that the island has to offer. Perfect second home or year round residence!"

Black & white photo dated 1965 shows house prior to modern renovation

Color photo shows new windows added but exterior remains unchanged

1025 Thompson Lane is a good example of an Old Town home built circa 1891 that has been updated over the years. (There's a plaque on the front porch letting passers-by of that fact.) When you walk inside and you either love it for its charm or you think it is too small. The rooms are colorful, compact, and cozy. I find the place absolutely charming. There is a fake fireplace in the living room that reminds you why you chose to move to Key West: we do not need fireplaces. But it adds charm and that's the point. None of the rooms are really large, but they work. The main bedroom and bath are located just off the living room at the front half of the house. The kitchen and dining area plus the stairway to the second level are at the rear. The upstairs is presently divided into a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bath.

There might be room for a pool if the upper porch and stairs were eliminated

There is presently a small second floor deck or porch that is accessed from the bedroom or via an exterior spiral staircase. Neither the stairway nor the porch are historic to the house. I think both the porch and spiral stairs should be removed. That would allow the homeowner to utilize the ground area better. I think there may be room for a small pool and still comply with the set back requirements. Any serious buyer will need to verify the ability to add a pool and should not rely what I say.

1025 Thompson Lane has 1341 sq ft of living area and sits on a 1600 sq ft lot. The house has two bedrooms, two baths, a lovely living room and an open kitchen. That is twice the size of a two bedroom unit at Shipyard condos for about the same price. It is offered for sale at $425,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet and to view listing photos.

Thompson Lane looking west toward Grinnell Street

Finnegan's Wake is located nearby at the corner of Grinnell and James Sts.

Old Town Bakery is located on the corner of Eaton and Grinnell Sts.

Inside the Old Town Bakery - They really are Delicious!

Cole'z Peace is a block to the east on Eaton Street

Thompson Lane is a lot like many of the other slow lanes in Key West: quiet. It runs one block long from Frances Street on the east to Grinnell Street on the west. Finnegan's Wake is located on Grinnell Street and just a few feet past the exit from Thompson Lane. The City of Key West's parking structure is located across the street from Finnegan's Wake. The Historic Key West Seaport is a minute walk further to the north. The new Old Town Bakery is up on the corner at Eaton Street. You can get some of the best home made pastries there or you could walk a block further east to Cole'z Peace Artisan Breads and get equally delicious baked goods. What a delicious dilemma that is. The house is located in a very quiet area but it is within easy walking distance to so many vibrant, fun, and sometimes yummy locations.

1025 Thompson Lane is a listing of Preferred Properties Coastal Realty Inc. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or email me at kw1101v@aol.com to set up a showing. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. This could be your home by Christmas next year!

Key West After Dark

Truth be told: I don't go out at night all that often. But when I do venture out I am always amazed at the people, the lights, the smells, and the sounds of the night in Key West.

So I thought I would take this opportunity to share some pics of Key West at night for those not fortunate enough to live here, or those, like me, who do and who love Key West after dark. Click on any pic for a larger version and a statement about the pic. Enjoy.



Dunway McKenzie Realtors, my office located at 1075 Duval Street in Key West.


Photo taken through a chain link fence at night across the street from my office. Even the statues in Key West are later nighters.


Historic Key West Seaport


Mallory Square from a ship.


Key West as seen from a ship.


Historic Key West Seaport


click the pic for the gossip


Marquesa Hotel is just across the street from "gossip" photo.


Blue Heaven eatery--if you don't mind the chickens in the trees.


St. Pauls


St. Pauls again


The Strand before it became a Walgreens.


Working Girls--drag queens in front of the 801 Bar.


The Longest Street in the world--almost. It stretches from Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. One mile.


Rick's on Duval.


A 5 unit apartment just off Duval at Christmas.


The Artist House guesthouse on Eaton just off Duval. It is for sale and it is our listing. Wanna become an inkeeper? Call me.


Key West's painted ladies.

The Road to Paradise

The photos to the right remind me of my very first trip to Key West. We drove down from Miami and arrived just before noon. I saw the big green sign with two arrows both going "South" but requiring right or left turns. I turned left and headed for the "beaches". Mistake. Wrong. I started to panic and thought I had made a terrible mistake coming to Key West. Wrong again.

We ended up on Duval Street by accident. It's a small island. Everybody ends up on Duval Street. We eventually found Fleming Street and then the guesthouse. Back then there was some free public parking and meters were not all that expensive. So I parked the car and used it once or twice during the two weeks we were here. Mistake #3 was renting a car. You do not need a car in Key West. You cannot park a car in Key West.

After a couple of hours by the pool we did the tourist thing and started the daily Duval crawl where tourists walk up and down the longest little street in the USA. You can walk from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico in about 30 minutes or so. And we did. Daily.

Two blocks east of Duval is the Key West Historic Seaport. It looked really decrepit back then. We went there one day to catch a catamaran for a day of snorkeling. Bad idea if you get seasick. But it is also really fun. The photo of the Lazy Lane reminds me a lot of what a lot of Key West looked like back in 1984--before things got so gentrified. And the pic of the boat at the seaport is just icing on the cake.

I had a major downer about Key West after Hurricane Wilma. I never thought things would be the same. The damage to homes and businesses was not all that bad, but our beautiful little island got a big black eye. So many of the trees and the greenery was mangled and tortured by the winds and rains. The salt water killed off a lot more greenery weeks later.

But the rains eventually returned a few months later and the island started to nurse itself back into shape. Today the island is a green as ever. There are areas of green vegetation that were not green before. "Volunteer" plants and trees sprang up everywhere. Everywhere! And even though Florida is under a drought, when we do get rain all of the plants and trees go crazy. And the little birds bathe themselves in the streets. So many of our trees have flowers--many that are really fragrant. It is just a joy to walk or ride a bike to enjoy our little home town.

If you are thinking about buying a second home in Key West please CLICK HERE. You can preview every home, condo, or commercial property for sale in Key West and the Florida Keys. And if you see some property that you like, please call me at 1-305-766-2642. I would be glad to help you find your little place in Paradise.

Where do you park your Yacht?

One of the interesting things about Key West real estate is the continued development of boat slips in the Key West area. The Historic Seaport :"Conch Harbor" was re-vitalized a few years back and it looks great. It has great new facilities including pool, showers, restaurants, and businesses that meet the needs of boaters. Not too far away is the Galleon Marina that is located next to the famous A&B Restaurant. The yacht pictured to the right is located at the Westin Resort Marina. A mile or so east you will find the Garrison Bight Marina and not too far from that is City Marina and then the Key West Yacht Club.

When you cross over Cow Key Bridge and go on Stock Island there are a bunch of new marinas in existence or in the process of being built. On the Gulf of Mexico side you will find the Sunset Marina. Classy and it has deep water access. The Sunset Key Condominiums are right next door (some even come with their own deeded boat slips). And those condos are just across the street from the Key West Golf Club. You can park your yacht at your back door and drive your golf cart across the street to play 18 holes of golf.



The Atlantic Ocean side is where all of the new action is. Major development is going on there with expansion of existing marinas to the creation of new ones. One particular boat slip that may attract your attention is the 50' slip at Ocean Side Marina CLICK HERE. It is priced at $450,000.


CLICK HERE for an aerial map that shows the location of each marina mentioned above. Use your mouse and drag to get "up close" aerial images of each marina. This may help you if you are in the market for a boat slip in the Key West area.

There is a boat slip available in just about every length, and prices vary depending on location and amenities. CLICK HERE to checkout all current Boat slips in the Key West area.

CLICK HERE to checkout all current mls listings in the lower Florida Keys. Then give me a call for more information. Gary Thomas 1-305-766-2642.

Open House Sunday -- 617 Fleming Street

Please visit me on Sunday, April 15th between 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM at Campbell Courtyard, 617 Fleming Street to see
what I call a Slice O' Paradise. CLICK HERE for more pics and information on this charming two story cottage right in the very heart of Old Town Key West. It is two blocks to Duval and three blocks to the Historic Seaport. But tucked away in a quiet little island on the Isle of Key West.

This charming 2 bed / 2 bath home was recently appraised and is priced at the appraised value, $785,000. The home is an eyebrow house, and it sits at the rear of the Campbell Courtyard compound. The home is offered fully furnished as well. The home has an excellent rental history and would make an excellent investment for folks who want to buy a little place in Key West that can help pay for itself.

If the charm, convenience,location, furnishings, ability to rent the home but still use it and don't win you over, maybe this will. It also has privately owned off street parking space. Bring your checkbook. Let's write an offer this Slice O'Paradise this weekend.

Harpoon Harry's--On the Waterfront

Harpoon Harry's is to be Auctioned on March 31st.

One way to sell real estate is to auction it. In some auctions, the seller places a "reserved price" or a price below which he will not sell. Other auctions are absolute, meaning the seller will sell to the highest bidder without reservation.

There are two things that make this particular auction interesting to me. First, the property has an excellent location and an excellent reputation. All kidding aside about the flood pic above showing the property right after Hurricane Wilma, the property is located right at the foot of the historic Key West Seaport. Turtle Krals and The Half-Shell Raw Bar are located just across the street and really on the waterfront. The entire waterfront area is undergoing a massive renovation. CLICK HERE to see my post regarding the Harbor House Condominiums just one block to the west. So I view this property as a Prime Real Estate Investment. CLICK HERE for full auction details.

Second, the seller is not only attempting to sell the restaurant, but also 4 beautiful new single family homes located in the Bahama Village area of Key West. The houses are on Terry Lane and have views of the Key West Lighthouse. I think they were priced too high per square foot and that the price has deterred price conscious buyers.

So it will be interesting to see how the auction goes.

HARBOR HOUSE -- KEY WEST

There was a coming out party last night at the San Carlos Theatre. The elite of Key West turned out for the event which featured a private concert by Cuban jazz legend Arturo Sandoval. But the real star of the evening was the unveiling of the plans for the much awaited Harbor House--the newest incarnation of the previously troubled Watermark Project.

Harbor House is a new development of 32 three story private residences located at the historic Key West Seaport. Each unit is over 2000 square feet and has every amenity you would expect. The exteriors are graced by two-story porches both in front and back, with features characteristic of past historic homes of Old Key West. The interiors are classic spaces with period-inspired design elements such as viewing towers and Queen Anne turrets that add authentic flavor. There are 12 floor plans to choose from along with premium options. The units are priced between $1,965,000 to $3,120,000 depending upon size and location. CLICK HERE for a down loadable/printable brochure.

Harbor House is to be located on the site of the old Jabour Trailer Park. It is about a three block walk to the STEAM PLANT CONDOS currently being constructed at the foot of Caroline and Grinnell Streets--also at the easternmost edge of the historic seaport.

Two Tales of a City

Part 1
I attended two Broker's Open Houses on Friday and saw two totally different kinds of properties that are priced just about identical. I thought it would be interesting to compare the two for prospective buyers.

Friday afternoon we were treated to sushi, veggies and fruits at the poolside cabana at the William Fleming House, a historic condominium at 800 Fleming Street. The 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit is on the second floor and occupies 1421 square feet of space plus and additional loft area (not counted in the square footage). This unit is constructed of Dade County Pine walls, floors and ceiling, so it has that "old Key West feel" that some many buyers want. But it has a new and very modern kitchen and equally elegant bathrooms that give this property a distinctive New York loft feel--at least to me.

The ceilings are very high and the doors and windows open to decks overlooking the pool below and the pristine homes on William Street. This unit is priced at $1.075,000 or $757 per square foot. The condo is located on one of the best blocks in Old Town and is a convenient walk to everything. The property is 3 blocks to Duval and 3 blocks to the historic seaport.

So many condominium's feel cramped and confined. But this one is the opposite: it has the feeling of lots of living space and different living areas with very sophisticated edge.

Tomorrow I will discuss the new Santa Maria Condominiums: hence the title "Two Tales of a City".

To see more detail on this listing, please click the title above "Two Tales of a City".

Life in the Slow Lane

Life in the Slow Lane

That's what life is for most of us fortunate enough to live in Key West year around. But for those Key Westers who really live on a lane, life is more slow and much more quiet.

I am speaking of course of the 104 named lanes in Old Town Key West. In 1980 a Conch named C.W. (Billy) Pinder prepared a history of Key West lanes for the City Commission which he subtitled "A Bit of History, A lot of Dimension". He recited the name and location of each lane and suggested in his forwarding Memorandum that "the Police, Fire, Sewer and our department has expressed interest in this booklet" inferring that a lot of people in responsible positions did not know where some of the lanes were located. And to no wonder the reason why: several lanes have more than one name.

Here are but a few of the lanes for your edification: Billygoat Lane is also known as Hibuiscus Lane and the entrance is located next to 512 Grinnell Street. Carey Lane is also known as Thompson Alley (not to be confused with Thompson Lane -- there are two of those) and is located on Margaret Street near the sexton's office to the Key West Cemetery. Du Pont Lane is a dead end off the 500 block of Petronia near Duval and is also known as Titanic Court. Then there is Goat Alley also known as Carson's Lane. Of course is located on the north side of the cemetery and is now referred to as Angela Street. One of my favorites has always been Graveyard AlleyGruntbone Alley (also now known as Peacon Lane). We have a Love Lane, Passover Lane, Poorhouse Lane, Whalton Lane (not to be confused with Whalton Street--but people still get confused!), Wong Song Alley , and the two Thompson Lanes--one in Bahama Village and the other a mile away near the new Strunk Ace Hardware on Eaton Street.

Key West lanes are very special places. Most are dead end streets that are but one lane wide. Some lanes actually go for two blocks and a couple of those connect to through streets on both ends. But most are just dead ends. And that's what makes them special. You see tourists usually can't find them, motor scooter riders go too fast to see them, Conch train and trolley car drivers drive past because they can't drive in. So life goes on in these little islands within the island that is Key West.

When I am working with customers looking to find a dream home in Key West I extol the virtues of lane life.

The house to the right is a new renovation on Carey Lane. There are three houses on this lane with almost identical original facades and construction. The houses on either side were enlarged and pools added earlier. And this last house was completed in 2005. Totally redone, top to bottom and includes a separate guest cottage and sparkling pool. It's a 3 block walk to Duval and a 3 block walk to the seaport. So close, so far away. So quiet at night, and during the day.

Life in the Slow Lane, ain't it a drag.