1214 Laird Street, Key West - Price Reduction

The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West describes 1214 Laird Street which is located in the Casa Marina Area of Key West this way:

"This spacious and substantial one level home sits on an extra large corner lot (75 x 100 feet) which is completely surrounded by a high wall for total privacy. The two bedroom two bath main residence has many sets of French doors opening to the lovely yard (designed by Ray Jungles) and large sunny swimming pool. The one bedroom one bath guest wing has it's own living area and private courtyard."

Before I actually moved to Key West and was only dreaming of living here, I only considered buying a place in Old Town. I think that is probably the location most prospective buyers think about as well. There are, however, several different neighborhoods in Key West that potential first time buyers should consider as an alternative to Old Town. The Casa Marina Area is just such an alternative.. Most locals recognize the Casa Marina Area to be that geographic area located south of United Street and west of White Street. This area sits on a naturally occurring land arc that curves from White Street as it heads to the Casa Marina Hotel at Reynolds Street. Purists will say that is the Casa Marina Area - Period.. They will argue any property not within the geographic confines of those streets is not Casa Marina. They may be technically correct, but I argue that there are some homes that are near enough to the "border" to be considered in the area. The home at 1214 Laird Street is one of those houses since it is located just about 200 feet east of White Street. And it rivals many of the properties inside the area.

Until recently this house was a part of a much larger estate that recently sold.  The main portion of the house served as the guest house and the smaller section was the caretaker's unit. 1214 Laird Street is now offered for sale at $995,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for more details. There are separate entrances to the guest house and the caretaker's cottage. This is one building which could be made into a single family home. There is off street parking for both living spaces.

The house is hidden behind a six foot privacy fence on the Laird Street and Sirugo Avenue sides. The red clay tile roof can barely be seen from the street, but once inside the gate the roof becomes a bit of a novelty since most roofs in Key West are metal. Then you see the pool - in the front yard. Egads! This, too, is not normal. The pool and gardens are stunning in the simplicity of design.

The renovation of this home was designed by local architect Tom Pope who also designed the larger home next door to the south which appeared in Architectural Digest several years ago. Pope incorporated the same attention to detail to this property. Dual sets of French doors open from the garden and pool area into the living room. The bright kitchen is at the rear. A traditional "back door" exits onto a small alternative garden area. This side of the property has less sun; hence, the pool was located at the front.

The main portion of the house has two bedrooms and two baths. The master en-suite bath (pictured two above) is quite large. The master suite dual sets of French doors that open out to the private garden area on the Sirugo Avenue side of the property. The guest bedroom has doors that open out to the pool. The caretakers space is quite large. The house as a whole is 2211 sq ft and sits on an ample 7500 sq ft lot (75' X 102').  A new owner might combine the spaces into a single living unit or convert the caretakers' space to guest quarters.

 Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, if you would like to see 1214 Laird Street. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

11 Boca Chica Road, Geiger Key, Florida

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about a waterfront property on Saddlebunch Key.  A few days later a fellow Realtor mentioned she read that blog and asked if I had packed a lunch before I ventured the few miles outside of Key West to take the photos. Then last Tuesday an agent in my office asked if I would photograph his new listing on Geiger Key. I said, "Sure".  As we crossed over Cow Key Channel (the span of water between Key West and Stock Island) he made a similar remark about  me venturing so far out of Key West.  Just because I love living in Key West doesn't mean I get weepy when I leave. The truth is I love Key West so much I don't feel the need to go elsewhere. And when I do go away, I am grateful when I return. I have found my own private paradise, and that's the truth.

I am not totally unfamiliar with real estate sales in the Lower Keys. I sold a nearby home on Geiger Key in 1997 which the same gay couple still own. I have written several blogs over the years about other properties in the Lower Keys. A couple of the listings I wrote about were absolute bargains.  Many readers know that most of the islands of the Lower Keys are fairly small which often means that many of the homes may be located directly on the water. Some of the islands have been subdivided into building lots with backsides that abut canals that lead to deep ocean waters. The most coveted homes often have either waterfront views or are located on a canal.

Just Listed at 11 Boca Chica Road is a 1152 sq ft two bedroom, two bath home with a screen enclosed rear porch with a great canal view. As I roamed the 60' X 125' lot while taking photos, I immediately understood why some buyers prefer this type of home versus living in Key West - the water. There's a big boat parked out back on the canal - waiting. Just waiting like a big dog waiting to go for a walk. Waiting to motor the five minutes it takes to reach deep water and then explore the Atlantic Ocean. In the meantime, the boat sits patiently at the sixty foot seawall. As I snapped photos I could hear the water lap up the side of the boat as if it was kissing it - tempting it to go out to the sea. I got why people buy this kind of property. I got it.

The first thing I noticed about this particular house was all the adult toys about the property - toys like motorcycles, travel trailers, kayaks, and so on. People that live in houses like this spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying their time on earth. In my blog I often write about the first thing I see when I walk inside a new home. In most of the homes in Old Town and the Casa Marina areas, the view I most often see is that of  pool and garden located just French doors that open out to the pool or garden. At 11 Boca Chica Road I saw the family boat bobbing in the water.

The house sits above a large semi-enclosed parking and storage area. The house is bright and nicely updated. The two bedrooms are located at the opposite end of the living area which opens out to the screened porch that overlooks the boat and the canal. CLICK HERE to view all the photos I took of this lovely canal front home.

The ground level has kick-out walls in the event storm waters were to rise to that level.There is 1152 sq ft of storage space under the house which includes a legal bathroom located on the other side of the door shown above. This area would be great for an owner who is a fisherman, water sports enthusiast, or maybe a carpenter who likes to tinker on his time away from construction jobs.

Ultimately, it is the view from the porch where I imagine an owner would spend most time drinking early morning coffee, planning how and where to spend the day, making plans for new adventures or simply planning to catch dinner for the evening meal. Later in the evening, the owner would likely be in the same seat again, maybe drinking a beer wile musing about the fish that were caught and the ones that got away. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 11 Boca Chica Road which is listed at $549,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this nice elevated family located located a few miles outside of Key West but only located five minutes from deep water access to the Great Atlantic Ocean. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1600 Sirugo Avenue - Key West

If you have been looking for a perfect place to build a major new residence in Key West free of restrictions from restrictions imposed in our Old Town area, may I offer for your consideration 1600 Sirugo Avenue - just one block north of the Higg's Beach and the Atlantic Ocean.  

The grounds were designed by Raymond Jungles Design. The garden as currently configured includes an allee of specimen palms on either side of the interior lawn. The ten foot waterfall and pool anchor this portion of the lot. Just out of sight is an equally large terrace with bandstand and service entrance. The lot measures 110' X 117.5' or 11,750 sq ft. It is zoned SF-1 - single family. This property is currently part of 1617 White Street. The Seller will divide for closing.

This unique parcel is offered for sale at $1,595,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a personal visit to view the grounds. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

1601 White Street - Key West - Price Reduction

Preferred Properties Key West (that's where I work but this is not my listing) just announced a price reduction on 1601 White Street, Key West, Florida from $835,000 to $795,000). What's more, the owner had the interiors repainted so that the home would show off its true potential.

The 1568 sq ft two story house sits on an 8750 sq ft lot (70' wide x 125' deep) at the corner of Johnson Street at White Street - just one block from the Atlantic Ocean. A large fenced City Park is located directly across the street. The house sits quite high on the property and is located toward the north side of the lot. There is bricked off street parking for at least two cars. The lot is extensively landscaped and provides privacy from both White Street and Johnson Street. Yet you can sit on the large front porch and watch people as they walk the dog, jog, or ride a bike. At night you can walk down to the White Street pier to watch sunset. Maybe you might stroll down to the pier to do some night time fishing - I have.  There is an almost endless parade from early morning until sunset  and later when all quiet breaks out.

The listing Realtor describes 1601 White Street this way:

"Come take a second look at this terrific 3 bedroom 2.5 bath house is situated on an exceptional corner lot, just a few blocks to the Atlantic Ocean. The house has great bones... just needs some updating... Owners just recently painted the entire interior, installed new flooring, and will continue to make improvements until the house sells. The lot has beautiful native landscaping that is easy to maintain. The swimming pool with expansive decking and outdoor shower are all elevated. The house has many great qualities... central air, lots of windows, plenty of storage, and a unique floor plan. Other features include off-street parking, privacy/security fencing and a lot with room to grow."

The main floor is divided into conventional rooms with the living area on one side, a formal dining area up front on the other side and the kitchen at the rear with a breakfast bar in the middle.  A set of stairs leads to the second level where the master bedroom and en-suite bath occupy the south side and two guest rooms with a shared bath are located on the opposite side.

I personally think the master bedroom is dated. But the good thing is that there is so much room that a new owner could revamp the space and update the bath without breaking the budget.  The same goes for the two guest bedrooms. The spaces work find but could be tweaked just a bit to make the spaces just a bit more appealing.

The freshly painted interiors will give the new owners time to live in the property and figure out what they really like and what they would like to change to make the spaces function to fit the new owners' lifestyle.  I tell buyers to do this before they start a major renovation. Most do what they want anyway. I understand the urge to splurge but it is not always necessary.

I think the rear of the existing house is under utilized and could be expanded without spending too much money. I think the kitchen could be expanded to include what is now a covered rear porch. I would add more space to the master bedroom for bedroom area (or add a second floor deck overlooking the pool).  I would definitely expand the second floor bedroom at the rear which could then permit enlarging both bedrooms a bit. That might create enough space for each bedroom to have a private bath.

The back yard and side yard are huge and provide ample ground for expanding the main house or adding a guest cottage at the rear. A couple of colleagues have suggested tearing down the house and pool and rebuilding all new - not because what exists is bad but because the space is so large and so well located that the land value itself makes such a project thinkable.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this property.

Whether a new owner does some remodeling or keeps this property the way it is, I think 1601 White Street could make a great vacation rental.  The house is located one block from the Atlantic Ocean and the White Street beaches. 

The new price on 1601 White Street is $795,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos. After you have done that, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a 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.