1 Nassau Lane, Key West

I have written and rewritten the story (a true story) about the time I took a couple who walked into my office one morning several years ago and told me they wanted to buy a small house.  I got on the computer and showed them various properties located in Old Town that were in their price range. I then called several Realtors to set up showings for later that afternoon. One property was located on Nassau Lane and it was owned by a fellow agent. I called him and asked if we could see it before noon. He said "Yes" and we drove over soon thereafter. We parked on Fleming Street and started to walk up the lane. The lady started to gush and said something like "Gary, I love this. This is exactly what we were thinking about." As we approach the house she said "That's it!  We are going to buy this house." I suggested she wait until we see the inside. But she had already made up her mind and that of her husband.  We were under contract within a couple of hours. We did not look at any of the houses I had lined up for the afternoon. Such was the charm of Nassau Lane. They still own their house near the southern end of this dead end lane located just south of Fleming Street between Frances and Grinnell Streets. I took a photo earlier this morning just as the sun started to light up Old Town.

1 Nassau Lane abuts a home which fronts onto Fleming Street. This cottage first appeared on the 1912 Sanborn Fire Maps.  The 1889 map identified this same lane as "Cologne Lane" at which time a structure two lots to the south was identified as being a horse shed. Maybe nobody wanted to live next to a horse shed and maybe that explains the lane change after the horse shed went away. I then looked through my old shoebox and found the black and white photo below taken 52 years ago. I took a photo earlier today with the same point of view.

When you look at 1 Nassau Lane today you will see front porch has been raised and that a spiral staircase was added along with a rooftop sundeck and garden.  I climbed up there and decided I would eliminate the deck and stairs if I owned the house.  I would removed the trees and foliage from the front, clean up the brick paves and reclaim the off street parking space. I think new plantings kept in scale with the house would make a world of difference to the facade.

This cottage has 486 square feet of living space and sits on a 748 square foot lot (22.21' X 33.68').  The rooftop deck measures 8' X 23'.  As I said, I would make that go away. In my opinion it would make this cottage look so much more appealing. Renovations to the interior were added in 1997. I think this place is almost a blank canvas upon which a new owner could create the perfect Key West getaway. 

The chief axiom of real estate is "Location, Location, Location" and 1 Nassau Lane has it. The mansions on Fleming Street are located forty feet from the front door of 1 Nassau Lane. You can walk to Duval Street or the historic seaport in a matter of minutes. There are two incredible bakeries located about three minutes away by foot. There are two nearby convenience stores on White Street also located within a five minute walk. There are several gyms and yoga studios about seven minutes to the south. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos on 1 Nassau Lane which is offered at $440,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key Westhttp://www.preferredpropertieskeywest.com/.

1433 Reynolds Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

Just listed by Preferred Properties Key West, that's where I work but this is not my listing, 1433 Reynolds Street. This beautiful home is located a short two block walk from Higg's Beach and the great Atlantic Ocean. The Grand Dame of old Florida hotels, the Casa Marina, is located opposite and up one block.  The famous Reynolds house is located next door to the south. If your house hunt requires a superior location, a bit of history, and a beautiful home that is ready to move in to, 1433 Reynolds St. may be the home you have been hoping to find.

According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this home was built in 1928.  I dug into my old shoebox and found a photo of this home that was taken back in 1965, see the black and white photo above. Today the areas on either side of the original front door have been extended outward creating a cove-like entrance to the home. A white picket fence has been added as well as two Balinese doors that create a dramatic entrance to the yard.

This home has a semi-formal entry that leads to the living room on the right, the open kitchen and family room at the rear, or the main floor bedroom with en-suite bath to the left.

The master suite is on the second floor. It has a private balcony that overlooks the saltwater pool and spa below. An interior stairway leads to a third level office or artist loft that has its own private balcony offering a different view of the pool and poolside cottage below. Two other bedrooms and laundry complete the second floor. The front guest bedroom (used as an office) also has a private balcony.

Doors at the rear of the living area open out to the covered lanai. Adjacent doors open from the family room and dining area. The inside and outside flow seamlessly, especially in the fall and winter months when the Key West weather is magnificent.  CLICK HERE to view all the photos I took of this home.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos of 1433 Reynolds Street, Key West. This home is offered at $1,775,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this beautiful 2500 sq ft home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

923 Eaton Street - Old Town - Key West

New to the market after a recent update is 923 Eaton Street in Key West, Florida. This home and the house next door at 921 Eaton Street are the embodiment quintessential Key West cottage style architecture. In fact, the house at 921 Eaton Street was the the cover photo for Alex Caemmerer's The Houses of Key West. Caemmerer wrote "What particularly impressed me at that time, although many of these houses were small and owned by people of modest means - mostly local workers, they had a simplicity of line and an aura of elegance and dignity which had the same effect on one as does, for instance, a simple Bach tune."

Today the two homes on Eaton Street stand side by side and continue to exude an aura of simple elegance.  923 Eaton Street is a two bedroom, two bath house with 1320 sq ft of living space situated on a large 2813 sq ft lot in Old Town. 

When you first enter this house you immediately appreciate the Dade County Pine walls and ceiling. The rippled glass in the windows distorts the views of the houses across the street just a wee bit. While the house is old, it now does not seem old. It is refreshed! The floors are newer and look wonderful. The rear wall was painted a pale blue to add contras to this deep wood room. When you pass from the living room and move through toward the rear of the main floor you suddenly see a wide opening out to the rear yard which is wide and deep and offers the possibilities of adding a pool, a small cottage, or maybe both. 

Just off the kitchen is a full bath. I know that's a bit odd, but this is an old house and you sometimes make do with what you have. There is an adjacent room which is currently used as the laundry room and storage room. This space could possibly be expanded and perhaps made into a ground level bedroom. The back of the house does not currently have a covered back area. A new owner might add a covered deck with a small extension of the house. 

The second floor has a new bathroom and both bedrooms were updated. The second floor landing is bright and cheery.  The bedrooms have been cleaned and painted. New wall to wall carpeting was added to reduce the amount of wood surfaces.  It worked!  A prior owner replaced the old scuttle visible in the black and white photo taken about fifty years ago. That area now has a skylight that illuminates what might otherwise be a dark bedroom. This house is super clean and ready for a new owner to move right in.923 Eaton Street is offered for sale at $598,900. CLICK HERE to see the Key West mls data sheet and listing photos.

I took more photos of this simple, elegant, and cute Key West cottage home with several possibilities for future improvements. But it is in move-in condition now.  CLICK HERE to see the photos and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.