710 Chapman Lane - Old Town - Key West

Think quick. Be prepared to act quicker. This property is so cute, so well done, and so affordably priced it likely will be under contract within a couple of days. The new listing (but not mine) at 710 Chapman Lane in the Bahama Village section of Old Town Key West was just listed at the incredible price of only $400,000 or $333 per sq ft.

CLICK HERE to see the listing info provided by the listing Realtor.

You can tell a lot about a property by a picture. I wish I were a better photographer. The pics I took do not do this house justice. But you may help you to appreciate all of the love that went into creating this house.

CLICK HERE to see the bricked courtyard entryway with a gurgling fountain CLICK HERE surrounded by hibiscus and other plants. Look up at the CLICK HERE custom shutters that set off the front porch so smartly.

The listing Realtor allowed me to take photos for a potential buyer who decided he could not make an offer. But I have to tell you that when I saw the outside I was really excited to see the inside. The listing Realtor opened the door and I saw a really bright, cheerful, and super clean entry hallway CLICK HERE. Off to the immediate right is the large master bedroom CLICK HERE and master bath. Unlike so many vintage Conch houses, the bedroom here was large and actually livable. I looked quickly at the master suite, but I was so captivated by the entry that I was like a kid at Christmas: I wanted to see what was at the back of the house.

There is a large dining area located at the end of the entry hallway. It shares space with the open and inviting kitchen with the living room just to the rear. There is an open stairway at the far side of the dining area that provides access to the two bedrooms and bath on the second floor. Every inch of the second floor is used creatively. The result is pure charm.

Just off the rear of the house is a good sized yard that I think is large enough for a decent pool. And I don't mean a cocktail pool. I can't guarantee anything, however.

Almost all of the neighboring houses have been redone. Chapman Lane runs just one block and is accessed off Petronia and Angela Streets. It's an easy two or three minute walk to Duval Street. The new Key West boardwalk will be a two or three minute walk when it is completed.

I hope I've got your attention. This place is really sweet. If your "other" Realtor didn't tell you about this, forget him or her. Please call me , Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an appointment.

Did Gary Have Too Much Eggnog?

I took a nasty fall a couple of weeks ago while I showing a bank owned house. I slipped on some un-kept steps and hit my head and got bruised pretty bad. And then there's the eggnog that is so abundant at Christmastime. So if you think my suggestion that you consider 725 Whitehead Street in Old Town Key West is a little "odd", you can blame on the knot on my noggin or the eggnog. Or both.

725 Whitehead Street is a tiny little house (956 sq ft) sits on a 2075 sq ft lot (21'x98.87') Zoning is HRO which permits single family and office uses. It is located just a few blocks from the Monroe County Courthouse and one block from uber-busy Duval. There is a small guest house located next door to the south. The Bahama Village Shops are across the street at the corner of Petronia. And there is some public housing directly across the street on Whitehead. And there is a big old church on the corner.

CLICK HERE for more photos and information on 725 Whitehead Street. Do not let the asking price of $280,000 dissuade you from considering this little property. It needs work and the owner has asked for all offers with a very quick closing. You may be surprised how inexpensive a redevelopment property can be. Make an offer NOW! It may get accepted.

It's easy to get in to see this house. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a showing.

The Value of Location

Way back in 2003 or 2004 I worked with one of the Key West real estate stars. She had a listing on White Street one half block south of Truman. The house had been totally redone. Three bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, stainless steel appliances, granite, higher end kitchen cabinets, new3/4 inch solid maple wood floors, pool, and off-street parking. It was listed at $595,000. I hosted Open Houses there for weeks and weeks. I got business off the open houses, but no one would buy it. The feed back I got was that the house was great, but prospective buyers did not want to own a house in Bahama Village. I explained that the same house three bocks to the east would cost $300,000 more. And that is where people were buying homes, not in Bahama Village. Finally, the owner furnished the house and reduced the asking price to $500,000 during a rising market. It sold that same week.


My current office had a listing on 908-1 Terry Lane in 2005. That house and the one next door at 908-2 Terry Lane were basically identical. Our listing was priced at $1,850,000. The Historic Key West Lighthouse is located on just the other side of the lane. The lane runs north and south from Truman down to Petronia--two blocks only. Neither house sold and the owners went through a series of real estate agents in attempts to sell the spec houses.

The house at 908-2 Terry Lane just got listed again. Here are the details according to the listing Realtor: Newly constructed home that was built to the most current codes and finished with the finest materials inside and out! The minute that you look around this fantastic Old Town property you will be sure to notice the beautiful oak and slate flooring, top of line kitchen with granite counters, wood cabinets and professional series appliances. Luxury and function prevail throughout this incredible home with many thoughtful details, such as built in Yamo sound system, custom closets, Anderson doors and storm protection with hurricane windows and shutters. Custom built home situated on a quiet Old Town lane in a growing neighborhood that has been undergoing many recent changes and improvements. Walking distance to all that Key West has to offer!

The view from the second floor front balcony of the lighthouse is quite magnificent. The great room and kitchen open onto the pool and the rear garden area. The house has everything a prospectiv homeowner wants in a Key West home. The house is now listed at $995,000 or $711 per sq ft.

This property is now available for almost half of the original asking price back in 2005. If the property is purchased this go around, the buyer will get a very well built home with a terrific view at a good price. The negative aspects of owning a house in Bahama Village are changing. The City of Key West is redeveloping the huge tract of ground west of Truman Annex that was given to the City by the US Navy. That project will take several years to complete, but when it is finished the impact on the immediate area and the entire city ought to be as dramatic as the transformation of the Truman Annex property was 20 years ago.

I think properties in Bahama Village are undervalued. And I think the house at 908-2 Terry Lane is specifically undervalued.

CLICK HERE for more info and photos of the house. Want to see it, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or e-mail me at kw1101v@aol.com.