GLEE Club - Key West

Do you watch GLEE? If you do you know it is okay to be whoever you want to be. You can be the boss of you. You can sing and dance and wear strange clothes. You can be a boy and like other boys. You can be fat and pretty and gifted all at the same time.


There is a lot of GLEE in Key West. It was here before the TV show first aired. It will be here after the show goes off the air. If you have dreamed of owning a small nightspot in Key West where you can let your inner-glee out, you may want to take a look at the new listing at 1114 Duval Street. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"The Keys, a Piano Bar, now available. Currently operated as a piano bar with light food service. 5COP liquor license with lease hold to convey. All equipment included, business sold turn key. Continue operations as is or develop into full service restaurant. Lease to convey expires July, 2013 with 5 year option to renew. Extensive improvements made to property within past year. Please do not disturb business. Leasehold and liquor license only, no real estate to convey."

Some readers may remember the space when it was Alice's on Duval. If you have been there under any of its incarnations you will recall that the corner building has large windows that open onto Duval Street to let the music out and the fresh air in. Patrons can watch thousands parade by each evening. The world famous La Te Da is right across the street.

CLICK HERE to see the mls listing info and agent provided interior photos. I took some street shots. You can see those pics if you follow me on TWITTER.

Seriously, if you have been thinking about fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening a small place in Key West that is either food or food and beverage oriented, you may want to consider taking a look at this business opportunity that includes ownership of a very valuable 5 COP Liquor License. This is a listing of Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. (That's where I work.)

If you would like more info on this property please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Let your inner GLEE out!

1130 Royal Street - Bank Owned - Old Town -Key West

This seems like deja vu all over again. Actually, I reported on 1130 Royal Street over a year ago. There was a flurry of activity and it went under contract right away. I had a buyer that submitted a higher than asking price offer and he did not get the property. Neither did anybody else. Apparently there was a problem in the previous foreclosure and that prevented the bank owner from selling the property to anyone.

1130 Royal Street has just been put back on the market, still bank owned, and now offered for sale at $325,000 or $433 per sq ft for this two bedroom (one bath) house located on a corner lot one block south of St Mary's Catholic Church at the T-intersection of Windsor Lane, Amelia Street, and Royal Street. MAP.

This is how the listing Realtor describes this property:
"This cute 2 bedroom and 1 bath cottage has a large deck and a great Old Town location. Home is walking distance to dining, art galleries and shopping."

I showed this house about 5 times during the few days it was for sale a year ago. Each time there were other people stopping and looking. CLICK HERE to checkout the mls listing data and to view photos of this property.

If you are looking for an affordable single family house in Old Town Key West, this just may what you have been looking for. The house directly across the street to the north CLICK HERE is one of the prettiest newer houses in Key West. And the neighbor across the street CLICK HERE is just as pretty but not quiet as large. There is a mix of big expensive houses like the two mentioned and an equal number of small homes like 1130 Royal Street. 1130 Royal Street has the white picket fence and room for both a pool and off street parking. It is within easy walking distance to Duval Street as well as the shops and restaurants on nearby Truman Avenue.

I don't know if the listing agent will be working this Memorial Day Weekend (or if the bank asset manager will be as well). But I'm available and ready to help you make your offer on this bank owned single family house in Old Town Key West. Beat the crowd that took off from work to get the extra long weekend and make your offer on this nice little house with a lot of potential.

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or email me at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

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712 Southard Street - Old Town - Key West

712 Southard Street is the kind of property so many would-be buyers want. Now it is priced to sell. The asking price has been reduced to $699,000.

I have been selling houses in Key West since late 1996. Almost every buyer I have met with or corresponded with says the same thing "I want a place that I can eventually retire to. In the meantime, I would like to be able to rent the house and have it help pay for itself." Most potential buyers are realistic enough to realize that most properties will not totally cash flow and make them money. They just don't want the drain to be excessive. The house at 712 Southard Street has been recently updated. The house has 1026 sq ft of living space which includes two bedrooms, two baths, a new kitchen in the sawtooth addition at the rear. The icing on the cake is the absolutely beautiful pool. CLICK HERE for more detailed information and to view photos of this charming home.

The house at 712 Southard Street would make a great monthly vacation rental. You can't beat the location. It is near everything but it is not next door to all the noise and commotion. People that return to Key West year after year know exactly what they want and how much they want to spend. There are many cute little houses in Old Town that get rented year after year by the same people. This property is a listing of Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. (That's where I work.) I have held open houses at this property on several different occasions. Everybody raves about the pool. I think that pool is the chief reason this house would be a smash hit as a vacation rental. The pool exudes what people dream about in a Key West home.

If you are among the people that saw 712 Southard Street before or if you are just starting your search to find the perfect Key West dream house, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to help you find your new home in Paradise. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Our office is the Lower Florida Keys exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Affordable, Adorable, Doable! Southpark Condo - Key West

Southpark Condominiums pool is shared by just 16 owners

The super sweet one bedroom condo at 808 South Street in the Casa Marina area of Key West is affordable, adorable, and doable. It is not a distress sale, not a foreclosure, nor is it bank owned. It is however priced to sell: the condo is priced to sell quickly at $349,000. The listing broker describes Unit 201 this way:

" This beautiful Southpark condo has been totally renovated with all new kitchen, gorgeous cabinets and countertops, all new wood/tile floors, a lovely bathroom, cedar closet and 3 ductless AC/heat units. Off Street parking. Rarely available."

Beautiful new floors throughout the unit

CLICK HERE to locate the Southpark Condos on the Map. You will soon see that the condo is located just a short walk or bike ride to both Duval Street and the beaches near the Casa Marina Resort.

The newly listed Southpark condo has 640 sq ft of very livable space. The owner recently updated the kitchen and baths and installed new hardwood floors (real wood not the fake stuff) and new tile in the kitchen and bath. A floor to ceiling mirror in the dining room enhance the spacious feeling of the combined living and dining area. This unit is almost equal in size to the two bedroom units at Shipyard. I think this place has a lot to offer someone who respects mid century architecture and construction. This development has a feeling of solid construction that has weathered the test of time. CLICK HERE for more info on this unit and to view more photos of the unit and the complex.



There are only 16 units at Southpark condos and each has a designated off-street parking space. The four building complex has four units in each building with two units on the ground floor (such as Unit 201) and two on the second floor. The front garden is always superbly maintained. And the rear gardens and inviting pool are just too beautiful. I showed this unit on Saturday afternoon and that pool looked so tempting that I sped home right away and jumped into my own pool. This unit has its own private rear deck that is just so compfy. CLICK HERE.

For comparison purposes I created a shopping list of similarly priced units for sale in the Old Town, Casa Marina, Meadows, and near Mid Town areas. CLICK HERE to do some comparison shopping. There are some nice units in the above list. None are short sales and two have transient licenses.

The equally nice thing about this unit is that it is not bank owned so we won't have to go through hell trying to buy it. It is not a short sale so it can be purchased right away. There is nothing broken, so you won't have to fix something. All you need to do is make the offer, seal the deal, and move on in. That's why I say this property is "doable".

If you are looking to purchase a property in Key West, please consider using me as your agent. Call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, or send me an e-mailat kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Our office is the Lower Florida Keys exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

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6 Lowes Lane - Old Town - Key West

Lowes Lane another slow lane in Key West

Just listed, but not by yours truly, is 6 Lowes Lane in Old Town Key West. For the uniformed Lowes Lane is an "almost" one block long slow lane that runs from Grinnell Street toward the east. It runs parallel to Southard Stree to the south and Fleming Street to the north. The most familiar notable landmark is 5 Brothers Grocery which is located southwest corner of Grinnell and Southard Streets. Stop by 5 Brothers any weekday morning for a cup of coffee con leche and listen as all the big wheels, cops, politicians, contractors, and many tourists as they exchange notes on what is going on in Key West.

The listing Realtor describes 6 Lowes Lane this way:

"Situated between Southard & Fleming Street, you will fall in love with this 2 bedroom, 2 bath home on a quiet & friendly lane in the heart of Old Town. It even has a rare find, a detached one car garage! The master suite is on the first floor with an additional sitting area and the 2nd bedroom is up stairs with a bonus room or home office. Nice eat-in kitchen , Dade County pine floors, well & cisterns. Plenty of room to relax on your wonderful lot with a bricked patio surrounded by mature tropical foliage. Fully fenced for privacy and lovingly cared for by the same family for several generations. Room for pool. $799,000."

This 1566 sq ft home sits a fairly large lot (50.25' x 70' or 3417 sq ft) according to the Monroe County Property Appraiser. The home has been in the same family ownership for many years. Nobody ever built a pool, but there is room for one. Plus this home has a garage. In fact, many of the charming houses on this lovely lane have garages and pools. This lane, in fact, is one of the pricier locations in Old Town. I won't give out any names or addresses, but some notables live on this little lane. CLICK HERE to read more detailed info on this home and to view more photos of it.

When I show a house or Grinnell or on the oft chance I always park on Grinell Street and walk my customer down the lane. They just fall in love with this place. It is so picturesque that it is like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. The houses have all been updated over the years-some more recently than others, but all look just so damned quaint and cute. I found a pic from 1965 that shows 6 Lowes Lane as it appeared then. Compare that view to the pic from this morning. The roof lines are a little different now.

6 Lowes Lane in 1965

6 Lowes Lane in 2010

6 Lowes Lane is located in the heart of the Old Town area. Other than 5 Brother's Grocery mentioned above, there are no commercial enterprises nearby, no guest houses, no apartments or condos. This little block is populated with single family residential homes most of which are of similar size on this lane. The homes on Southard Street to the immediate south are very large by contrast. And very expensive. Those expensive homes will help this location maintain its long term appeal and value. (The big house at the end of Lowes Lane has a street address of on Southard Street. The entrance to the carriage house is located there. Preferred Properties (that's where I work) sold that house in 2006 for $5.5 million in 2005.) All of the neighboring grand Key West Conch houses and small Key West cottages have the same quick access to the Historic Key West Seaport located at the foot of Grinnell Street just three blocks to the north and to the restaurants, nightlife, and attractions on or near Duval Street four blocks to the west.

If you are looking for a storybook cottage like the one at 6 Lowes Lane, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 or contact me by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive lower Fl0rida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls database. If you see something you like, let me know. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

409 William Street - Old Town - Key West

Formerly the William Lowe House - 409 Wiliam Street Old Town - Key West

The historic glass shimmers and reflects the early morning sun

I first wrote about 409 William Street in October 2007 when it was then just listed at $2,999,000. This is how I described the property then:

The Gideon Lowe House at 409 William Street is located within Key West’s National Register of Historic Places in the heart of Old Town. This 2 ½ story historic landmark was originally built by the youngest son of one of the island’s earliest Bahamian settlers (c.1845) and expanded to its current grandeur (c.1866). Today’s completed renovation was overseen by a New York architectural firm, and now is offered as a home of superior design, detail, construction, and history. The lushly landscaped yard haven is perfect for entertaining with an expansive deck finished in exotic Brazilian wood that overlooks the tiled pool. The front second story balcony provides that all important sunset view. The house has two master suites with walk-in closets plus two additional bedrooms. This restored gem sits on a sleepy and palm shaded street within walking distance to the Historic Key West Seaport and it's only three blocks from Duval. And it has 2 off street parking spaces.

The house has been a guest house for the past 20 years or so. I watched the restoration from the street and street and think this house has just about all of the bells and whistles an upper end buyer could desire.

The house did not sell and it has not been lived in. Everything has been consistently and carefully maintained. It was just listed at the new asking price of $1,795,000. CLICK HERE to view the current mls data sheet and photos. This, dear Readers, is a buying opportunity for someone to buy a truly historic home at a great price.

I walked over to the house this morning to take some pics. I just love this street with all of the old houses on either side. I have added some old time photos to contrast how some houses on this block looked half a century ago with how they look today. That's not that long ago. (I had just graduated from high school. The houses look pretty much the same. I have added several pounds and my hair turned gray. These houses will still be here in a hundred years. I won't.)

The local fresh fish market is located on the corner at Elizabeth and Eaton Streets. The Historic Key West Seaport is two blocks further to the north. Sometimes when I walk the streets of Old Town like I did this morning, I fall in love with this place all over again. Really!

Bahamian House across from 409 William Street in 2010

The same house in 1965

The same house in 1965 but viewed from the corner of Eaton Street looking southwest

405 William Street in 2010

405 William Street in 1965

Another Bahamian house on William Street in 2010

The same Bahamian house as seen in 1965

If you are looking for a perfect place in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

Affordable Key West "Getaway" Condo

804 South Street - Key West

Your view while doing the dishes! Sure beats looking at snow or trailers!

I found the just perfect spot for the buyer that wants an inexpensive but nice Key West "Getaway". It is located near Duval Street and the beaches. It has an incredibly beautiful pool and off street parking. It is in really nice condition, has a new kitchen, private washer and dryer, front porch to watch the cavalcade of Key West loonies and a private second floor balcony where you could dine or suntan al fresco.

The al fresco rear second floor deck. Total privacy.

This is how the listing Realtor describes 804 South Street Unit #3:

"Rare second floor unit at desirable Southpark Condominiums with hard wood floors and whole house audio system. 1BR/1BA with a large deck off the bedroom with a retractable awning. There's a new kitchen with dishwasher, stainless refrigerator, Bosch washer and dryer, and a travertine tile floor. Southpark offers a large heated pool, storage, laundry facilities and assigned off street parking."

CLICK HERE to read the listing info details and view more photos. This 640 sq ft one bedroom unit is offered at $325,000 or $508 per sq ft. I have shown this place a couple of times and I think it is a really attractive place in a very good location. The Casa Marina Resort and Higg's Beach are a three minute walk. Duval Street and South Beach are maybe a five minute walk at most. (This unit is NOT a short sale nor is it bank owned. The seller has purchased a larger property and wants to sell this unit.)

The pool area is share by three buildings that each have four units. All the units are the same except for being first or second story units. This unit is on the second floor. The rear gardens are just plain beautiful. The walkways lead to the inviting pool near the east end of the property. There is a great sunning area to boot. A cottage at the very far end has individual storage lockers for each unit as well.

This unit would make a great full time residence for a single person or couple. And because the price is so affordable, it would make a great getaway. If you are looking for a good deal on a small place in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or contact me by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive Lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

530 Grinnell Street - Key West Cottage with the Character Thing

530 Grinnell Street is located just to the right of the decorated white picket fence.

The Perfect Couple for the Quintessential Key West Cottage reading the Key West Citizen

Just listed, but not by me, is 530 Grinnell Street - another Quintessential Key West Cottage. But this place is priced within the budget goal of many would-be second home buyers. The asking price: $475,000 or $600 per sq ft. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"A delightful cottage on one of Key West's prettiest streets in the very heart of Old Town. This cottage is a triple saw-tooth roofed, board-&-batten frame, with vaulted ceilings in all the rooms, from the living room through the dining room to the kitchen. The spacious bathroom has a laundry closet. Accent wall in the living room of Dade County pine and a stained glass window in the dining room. There's a mango tree in the back yard and the front porch invites one to have a relaxing sit to watch the world go by."

The cottage meets most of the needs of prospective purchasers that are looking for a nice house in a good Old Town location at an affordable price. It has that character thing going on for sure! CLICK HERE to see 530 Grinnell Street as it appeared in the 1960s. It looks the same today. It has two bedrooms and one bathroom. The cottage is 792 sq ft of living space and sits on a 1500 sq ft lot. There is a wood deck in the rear but there is not room for a pool. CLICK HERE to see more of the mls listing information and to view photos of the inside and exterior.


530 Grinnell Street is located between Fleming Street at the north and Southard Street at the south. Five Brothers CLICK HERE is located at the corner of Southard and Grinnell. Azur Restaurant CLICK HERE is located at the corner of Fleming and Grinnell. The Historic Key West Seaport is a five minute walk from the house. Cafe Sole, Michael's Restaurant, and Mangia Mangia are a block away. Duval Street is a five minute walk to the west.

I have not been inside 530 Grinnell Street but I was inside the house next door a few years ago during an Old Island house tour many years ago. I was just awed by that house. It is pretty much the same construction, size, and vintage as 530 Grinnell Street. The owner is designer Michael Pelkey. Every square foot inside and outside was a delight to see. CLICK HERE to see the front porch of his cottage which is also the cover photo on the book Key West A Tropical Lifestyle by Leslie Linsley with photographs by Terry Pommet. I think a lot of buyers have difficulty in visualizing how to create and live in small spaces. Perhaps buying the book or better yet engaging a talent like the incredible Mr. Pelkey would serve one well. (CLICK HERE to read more about Michael Pelkey.)

I think 530 Grinnell Street is priced to sell. It is in that magic price range that so many buyers feel is within their budget. I have an idea to overcome the lack of space to build a pool: make friends with a neighbor. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-76-2642 to schedule a showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.