3322 Flagler Avenue, Key West - Freshly Updated New Town Home

Just Listed, but not by me, 3322 Flagler Avenue in Key West, Florida. The listing real estate agent describes this home this way:

"Centrally located and beautifully well maintained home. Full 3 bedroom 2 bath with dinning alcove. Large fenced yard that is wonderfully landscape, with covered back patio, out door shower, storage shed and plenty of room for a pool. Off street parking for 2 cars, one spot covered. This is a must see, easy to show, currently owner occupied."

I've got news for you.

This home was built in 1958 and is pretty typical of many homes of that era. It's just been updated with a new metal roof, new windows with approved storm shutters for wind insurance mitigation credit, new kitchen cabinets, new light fixtures and ceiling fans, plus sundries like curtain rods and drapes. The house is freshly painted and is in basic move in condition. The terrazzo floor is in really good condition as well.That means someone moving to Key West from far away won't need to arrive in Key West and start to clean and redo a property before they can move in.  If you think a quick "update" or a "freshening" is quick I've got news for you: it isn't. Let me show you what's been done.

This home is a bachelor pad right now. The bumper pool table is confirmation of that. But the living area is large enough for a real family. The living room is quite spacious. Note the dining alcove. Muted sunlight provides a cheery place for daytime meals. It is large enough possibly to become a fourth bedroom. And the new kitchen gleams. A door at the rear exits out to the west side yard which leads to the front covered parking or to the rear garden where there is abundant room for a pool.

The front bedroom has three windows which adds a bit of drama to what often-times is a boring space in many mid century homes. This house is an upgrade from could be mundane. The color choices used between the various bedrooms works as well. The colors play off the whites, blacks, and grays of the terrazzo floors.

The windows of the left rear bedroom look out to the rear garden. This room is quite spacious. While it is used as an office by the current owner, it has ample space for a king, queen, or bunk beds plus bedroom furniture. Both the front and rear bedrooms share the use of the hallway bath that has also been updated.

The master bedroom has an en-suite full bath. A sliding door opens out the very large rear yard where there is ample room for a large pool. The lot measures 60' X 114' or 6840 sq ft total. That is much larger than a typical lot in Mid Town or New Town and even larger than many lots in the Casa Marina Area.

I took a lot of photos of this home which you can see if you CLICK HERE. They provide many angles of each space plus photos of the building exterior and garden area. I don't want potential buyers to miss the genuine money saving opportunities this house provides as it sits for immediate move-in plus potential to add a pool later on. This is a clean house where the drudge work has been done. Nothing new needs done to the inside or to the house. The yard is nicely landscaped. There is room for a large pool if that is something that a new owner wants. But the place is perfectly fine as it sits. The yard is a safe place for the kids to play.

3322 Flagler Avenue is not shown in the Key West mls. But you can see if if you call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let's go take a look. I think you will be genuinely impressed by this home which is offered for sale at $569,000 or $405 per sq ft.

1518 Rose Street, Key West

Just Listed by Preferred Properties - 1518 Rose Street which is located in the Mid Town area of Key West. This 1562 sq ft home was originally built in 1958 and was updated with a Florida room several years ago. The house sits on a 5547 sq ft fenced lot which includes gated off street parking and what once was a nicely landscaped yard with pool and rear patio.

The listing Realtor describes this home this way:

"Located near the beaches, this home has three bedrooms and two full baths including a master en suite. A spacious bright Florida room opens to the back yard and covered porch. The large kidney shaped pool gets lots of sun. This home needs some work but it already has a newer roof, impact windows on three sides, terrazzo and tile floors and a good floor plan."

This house is laid out just like so many other houses of this era. I believe the original home was a two bedroom one bath with dining area and kitchen located at the rear.  The photos show the kitchen probably has not been updated other than new floor tile, appliances, and lighting.

The master bedroom and bath are located on the right side of the living area. The bedroom space currently accommodates a king size bed with room to spare. The en-suite bath is quite large.

Two additional bedrooms plus shared bath are located on the east side of this home. The front and side windows were replaced with wind impact resistant windows in 2014.

The Florida room plus laundry and utility room are located at the rear. Notice the original Cuban tile floor and the original jalousie windows which provide abundant light to this large space.  The Florida room opens out to the patio and kidney shaped pool. There are large side yards on both sides of the house.

CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of the house and yard. This pool and yard have not been maintained as well as could have been. The pool needs resurfaced. The gardens will respond quickly to TLC, fertilizer, and a good trimming. You will be amazed  how quickly the  plants and trees respond to proper care and  water. A new owner may want to update the kitchen and one or both bathrooms. The Florida room offers so many additional possibilities for a new buyer looking for a project now or a few years down the line.

1518 Rose Street is offered for sale at $499,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to see this new listing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. If you are familiar with the Key West market there are very few homes listed at or below the asking price of this home.  This place will go fast. Higg's Beach is located just a couple of blocks to the south. Once the new owner has the house back in tip-top condition, he or she can be basking in the Key West sun or lounging pool side.

1527 Von Phister Street, Key West - Bank Owned

Just Listed, buy not by me, 1527 Von Phister Street, Key West. This is a Bank Owned property located in a residential neighborhood four blocks east of the Casa Marina Area and one block north of Flagler Avenue. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Traditional conch house 2 bedroom 2 bath home with a 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment upstairs that is separately metered for electric and water. The rear yard is great for entertaining with a patio and pool. Fully fenced for privacy. Centrally located in the heart of Key West."

This property will appeal to those folks who are looking for a fixer-upper. According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this is a 1767 sq ft residence that sits on a  46' X 98' (4698) sq ft lot. The second floor apartment is accessed via an exterior stairway. The yard is fenced, and there is a privacy fence on the right side just behind the off street parking area. The prior owner added a 12' X 22' pool in 2008. A previous owner did significant renovation in 1997 and again in 2002 and  2007-2008. Many mechanical systems were replaced then. A rear addition was added to the original house in 2002. The interiors are old and boxy - even the recent addition and renovated spaces would benefit from some creativity. But also understand a new owner could simply add a fresh coat of paint, clean up the yard, and make sure the window unit ACs work. You could have a place to live and also have a rental apartment to help pay taxes and insurance for a less than you'd spend buying a small condo on Old Town.

A prior owner enclosed the original front porch to add more living space. I would open that space back up and give this house much more street appeal. The house would ultimately be worth much more money if it looked better. It can and it will if this were done. The 2002 addition extended the first floor toward the rear. I would add a second floor addition over the existing first floor rear addition. The east sideyard is large enough to allow for a first and second floor expansion. This would give the house balance and integrity of design which it does not have.  

The back yard is quite large. The pool is located more to the right than center. There is room to create a really vibrant garden and deck area. The current metal covered deck is absurd. It must go. A new owner might create a wrap around rear deck overlooking the pool.  Adding French doors from the east and poolside would bring light into the home. I would relocate the living area and kitchen to the back of the main floor so that the pool and garden would be a prominent feature of the new home.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS 
I would take down the exterior staircase and build a new interior stairway. Alternatively, a new owner might add a small addition to the side and construct a new stairway there. A guest bath buyer ageget added under the stairway.

 Preferred Properties sold the house next door earlier this year for $1,495,000. (I think it would have sold for more because of the condition of 1527 Von Phister.)  I showed that home several times and wrote about it in my blog. The prior owners had old photos of that house before the house was renovated and expanded and way before that spectacular two story wrap around covered porch was added. That house looked might like 1527.  I kid you not. I think a buyer with vision could do wonders with this property. This house is not located in HARC so a new owner will not have to deal with that civic minded committee. A new owner will need to have building plans approved by the Planning Board, however.

1529 Von Phister sold for $1,495,000 in May 2015

 CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet which is offered at $488,800. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private tour 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.