112 Hutchinson Lane - Key West - Price Reduction

The asking price on 112 Hutchinson Lane in the Bahama Village area of Key West was just reduced to $399,000. If you are a potential buyer looking for a reasonably priced fixer, this historic cottage may be the property you have been hoping to find

I checked the old Sanborn Fire Maps of Key West to see if I could determine the approximate date this house was built.  Frequent readers know that our county property records were destroyed in the great fire many years ago. During the Depression workers from the Works Project Administration reconstructed property records and unfortunately attributed erroneous "construction" dates.  I went to the historic 1892 Sanborn Fire Map.  Houses in this immediate area are clearly shown on that map but the lane ws not given a name. No matter, we can tell by looking at the black and white photo below which was taken in 1965 that the house was ancient then. Compare the way it looked then to the way it looks today. I wish people aged as gracefully.  Really, I do.

According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser records the house is 720 sq ft and sits on a 43.5' x 66' (2872 sq ft) lot midway down one of the slowest lanes in Key West. Mind you this lane is only one block long and dead-ends at the end where a small compound of four homes share a pool.  More than half of the homes on this little lane have been updated.

This house has one of the wider lots which would probably allow for the reduction of the current two car off street parking spots into just one. That might provide space for the addition of a swimming pool running toward the rear of the lot.The house itself would benefit from an expansion that would include a new kitchen, new bath, new windows with shutters, etc. Even if a a new owner spent $400,000 you might end up with more square footage, a larger lot, a pool and off street parking for less than you would pay for the same size property on the opposite side of Duval Street.

The house itself is a typical cigar maker cottage with the door on the left. A hallway runs from front to rear along the south wall.  The first two rooms are bedrooms. The kitchen and bath are at the rear.  The kitchen is small. The bath was updated in 2012 and 2013. The exterior siding is board and batten and looks to be in good condition.

Hutchinson Lane is located three blocks west of Duval Street. Truman Avenue is a one way street heading west toward the new Truman Waterfront park which is very slowly going to be built.  Olivia Street is a one way street heading east from the waterfront park past Duval and through Old Town where it ends at Eisenhower Drive. This neighborhood is mostly residential with the exception of several restaurants located near the corner of Petronia and Thomas Street. Blue Heaven is probably the most famous restaurant there.  The Ft Zach Taylor State Park and Beach are within walking distance. When the new Truman waterfront park is completed, residents of Hutchinson Lane can walk there in less than five minutes. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property. I took more exterior photos of the house and the block which you can see if  you CLICK HERE. Better than looking at photos, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this little cigar maker cottage. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

620 Mickens Lane - Short Sale - Back on the Market - Key West

 620 Mickens Lane - Key West, Florida

 Back on the market, this Short Sale at 620 Mickens Lane in Key West, Florida.  This 1237 sq ft house was completed renovated in 2004 and looks in really good condition today. I recently got a chance to show this house and was personally surprised to see how much space is available at such a really attractive asking price: $339,500 or $274 per sq ft.  The listing broker describes this property thus:

"Great CBS home on a quiet lane in Old Town. Just needs some TLC, but was completely renovated in 2004. This three bedroom two bath home has a very bright and open floor plan with French doors that lead out to the private back deck and yard. This is a potential short sale transaction subject to lender approval."

The renovation included all new kitchen, baths, flooring, paint (inside and out), central a/c, roof, windows, doors, plumbing and electrical. The home has a light, airy and open floor plan. Upon entering the house my eyes were immediately draw to the rear where French doors open and continue the flow of the home to a nice size deck and yard that was once landscaped for easy maintenance. The front and rear landscaping is overgrown and out of whack right now but that's an easy fix.  The interior is in move-in condition.

Rear area today

The same area a few years ago. It can look this nice again!

Mickens Lane is a small lane that dead-ends off Angela Street between Thomas Street and Whitehead Street. Duval Street is less than a five minute walk. Ft Zach Taylor State Park and Beach is an easy bike ride or a fifteen minute walk. Mickens is just a half block east of the Shipyard Condominiums for additional point of reference.

Ft. Zach Beach - minutes from home

 CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of this home.This is a really nice house that does not need any work (other than some new plants) that will sell within a matter of days. If you are looking for a property that won't put you in the poorhouse, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange 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.

819 Terry Lane - Short Sale - Key West

819 Terry Lane - Key West

Just listed, but not by me, 819 Terry Lane in the Bahama Village section of Key West. The listing agent describes this charming cottage home this way:

"Classic conch style house on a lane in Old Town Key West, new roof, new tankless water heater and a Viking stove. It is a 2 bed/1 bath with room for a pool. Short walk to dinning, shopping and Fort Zachary Taylor beach."

View from front porch

The 700 sq ft cottage was updated in 2005 including the installation of a new metal roof. The house sits on a decent sized lot for this area (21' x 96' or 1907 sq ft). The rear portion of the lot has a lot of unused space which means a new owner could install a pool. There is a small cottage already in existence. That cottage might make a nice poolside bar.

Garden needs tended but that is part of the fun of buying a new place.

The property does have HARC approved plans for adding a second floor at the rear . As currently configured, the house has a living room at front followed by two bedrooms, a bath, and the kitchen at the rear. The house needs a deep cleaning, a fresh coat of paint, some new window treatments, and an owner with a green thumb to restore the garden. This property is offered as a Short Sale at the asking price of $280,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.

Across the lane

Nearby Terry Lane cottages

Food, beverages, and nightlife are located a block away

Ft. Zach Beach is about a ten minute walk

If you would like to see this house or any other property for sale in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. This cute cottage will sell quickly. Don't wait - this Key West Short Sale will be under contract within a couple of days.

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1026 Howe Street - Key West

1026 Howe Street - Key West

The listing agent at Preferred Properties describes 1026 Howe Street this way:

"Beautiful 2/2 home in a quiet area. Recent renovations and upgrades. Back yard would allow for a dip pool. Large kitchen working area, plenty of cabinets. Off street parking. Convenient to all downtown restaurants, galleries and shopping. No comparison in the Old Town area under $600,000. Owners are very motivated and will seriously consider all reasonable offers."

Stairway leads to second floor bedroom and bath

The property is currently rented on a long term basis (with a quick kick-out for potential buyers). As you enter the main level you immediately see a spacious living area followed by a galley kitchen to the right rear. There is a good sized bedroom and bath on this floor to the left of the kitchen with separate entries to the bedroom and bathroom which share an internal passage as well. To the left you see a modern stairway leading to the second floor bedroom and bath. The door at the rear of the kitchen leads to the large rear yard that, for now, is just 'potential'. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos for this home.

Galley kitchen with lots of cabinets and workspace

Master bedroom and bath on main floor

Second floor bed and bath

Room for a pool

Looking east across Howe Street

Two really attractive single family homes are located across the street to the east. Next door to the north is a condominium of affordably priced condos with transient licenses. And there is public housing about 150 feet to the south.

This general area is two blocks from the soon to be developed Truman Annex marina and redevelopment parcel. I am a believer that some of the very best values exist right now in this immediate area because of the long term appreciation potential. Think forward to just a few years when the Truman Annex redevelopment is complete and being able to walk to your boat, or the amphitheater, or any of the other projected amenities. CLICK HERE to read about the Truman Waterfront development plans at the City of Key West website.

1000 Block of Howe Street

If you are a buyer looking for a house that needs just a bit of TLC that you can do yourself, this may be the place you have been looking for. CLICK HERE to view a short slide show of other photos of this property. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

307 Olivia Street - Old Town - Key West

Just listed, but not by me, 307 Olivia Street in the Bahama Village section of Old Town Key West. This is a sweet little house that is located on a quiet little one way street just two blocks from Duval Street. The listing Realtor describes this gem like this:

"Within a block of Hemingway's house, and close to all his Key West Duval Street haunts lies this special conch house. Charming, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, with a sleeping loft. Well kept and peaceful, with a great deck and beautiful trees, in addition to off-street parking. Bike or walk to all the wonderful restaurants, the beach or many attractions Key West has to offer."

The house has 1064 sq ft of living space on divided between two floors. The kitchen and living space are at the rear of this home. Two sets of French doors and several windows make this area quite bright and inviting. The master bedroom and bath are located at the right front and a smaller bedroom or office is at the left front. A second bath is also located on the main level. A stairway leads to the second floor loft that is used as a bedroom space.

The rear deck is nestled under a big canopy of trees. I think there is adequate room for a pool but the tree roots could be problematic in getting permission to build an in-ground pool. There is a bricked off-street parking spot.

Rear deck and a large backyard

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view more photos of this property that is offered at just $489,000.

If you would like to see this home or any other property in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

820 Terry Lane - Key West - Bank Owned

Just listed, but not by me, 820 Terry Lane in the Bahama Village area of Old Town Key West. The price on this lovely little two bedroom home with 598 sq ft of living space plus a very large shared pool and an off street parking space is just $210,000. The listing broker describes this Bank Owned property like this:

"Cute Conch Cottage In A Unique Old Town Compound. Gorgeous Shared Pool, Welcome To Shangrila. Condo Restricted To Full TimeResidency 5 Unit Complex. One Off Street Parking Space. All Offers, Buyers Must Have Pre-qualification Or Proof Of Funds Before An OfferCan Be Submitted."

Terry Lane is located two blocks west of Duval Street. It is situated between Truman at the south and Petronia to the north. CLICK HERE for a Google Map aerial view of the location. If you have walked to Blue Heaven for pancakes or an evening meal, you probably walked right past Terry Lane. If you managed to walk to the top of the Key West Lighthouse you probably saw the house because it is located just a little over one block to the north.


CLICK HERE to view slide photo presentation of this property. You will observe a large winding pool sitting behind five houses. These five houses comprise the Terry Lane Court Condominiums that owns the common area including the pool. Each homeowner is responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the individual homes. 820 Terry Lane is one of only three homes to have a designated off street parking spot.

The house needs real good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. The floor boards on the front porch need replaced. There is some minor wood rot in a couple of places. Otherwise, the house looked in pretty good condition. The house is currently configured with the two front rooms used as bedrooms followed by the kitchen living room at the rear. The bathroom is located off the living room. It might be a bit awkward of you had lots of guests. But a young couple or old empty nesters could make-do just fine with the arrangement. The rear of the house has a big vaulted ceiling and lots of windows that look out to the back porch and the pool beyond.


The listing broker got it right when she referred to the area as "Shangrila". This is the type of cute little compound many buyers dream of. And it is affordable.

If you would like to see 820 Terry Lane or any other property in Key West please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.