Key West Real Estate Throwback No. 36

How Gay Was My Villa

from: July 16, 2015

 

Update: I was meeting with some former customers a few days ago. The gent found me from my blog and said his favorite blog was How Gay Was My Villa. This is for you, Bill. 

Key West is a great place to live. You can be and do just about anything and everything. Except for some do-gooders who sit on some public commissions, we all try to stay out of each others "business".  The rich and not so rich often live side-by-side. One's station in life does not matter. Gay and straight live together. Generational Conchs and newbies from around the world live and work together. People of different faiths, different races, and political persuasions all get along. We are an accepting community. The openness and welcoming nature of Key West as a community was one of the main reasons I decided to move here. I could be me.

I am a Realtor. I am gay. Most of my customers are straight and accepting. I sell houses to people who hope to move here to become a part of the Key West community. One of the really great things about my job as a Realtors is that I get to see inside so many Key West homes. Some places amaze me either for their architectural design, decor, or outdoor living area. Or all three. I have found that a great many of my favorite properties were gay owned. To be perfectly honest, some of the oddest places I have shown were also gay owned or occupied. I would like to share some remembrances of the latter.

Decorating with David and Other Dudes!

I have learned that a great number of gays have statutes of David in their homes or gardens. I consider the David statute as being code for a "gay man lives here". Some owners have additional pieces of  homo erotic art peppered around their homes. I have been in homes owned by women where the female figure is prominently or sometimes selectively displayed.

 

Not all of the homoerotic art I have seen relates back to the Greeks and Romans. I have seen lots of modern "art" photos, pop culture photos, posters, paintings, and more recently photos of porn stars.

I have several memorable properties that I would like to share with my Readers. The first house was a two story place located in the Meadows area. I showed that house several times a few years back. It had the obligatory Statue of David near the pool. There were  little statuettes, oil paintings, charcoal prints, and etchings of nude and semi-nude males throughout the house and garden. You could not move your eye from one area of a room to another without seeing a nude male image. The listing Realtor for that property worked in my office. He told me that after months of not being able to sell the house, he finally persuaded the owner to store some of the art off site. The emphasis was "some" because there was still plenty of male nudes in the house after boxes of other pieces were taken away. The house eventually sold and that owner put it up for sale. That's when I noticed what horrible condition the place was in.The naughty nudes had distracted my attention from the condition of the property itself. I never noticed the condition because I was so distracted by all the naked bodies.

I showed another house located in the Arts District (east of White Street) on several occasions. The owners had moved away and leased the space to a really nice gay man who had several roommates. The place had gay art, Fantasy Fest paraphernalia, boas, wigs, and hoopla everywhere. The master bathroom had photos of nude male porn stars everywhere. I remember that the light switch in the master bath room was a miniature penis. The tenant used to work for an international celebrity. The listing Realtor allowed the tenant to show the house - well, it wasn't so much that he allowed it to happen, the tenant always greeted potential buyers at the front door and started the tour. We got to hear his story, his famous former employer's story, and we got to peer into this den of men! It took forever to sell this place.

Back in 2006 when Key West was at the height of the real estate boom one gay man asked me to look at his Shipyard condo to discuss listing it. When I entered the place the first thing I saw was a nude oil painting of him laying in the sand. The painting was placed near the French doors that opened to the rear deck. I might have got the listing had I not told him to take down the portrait.

A local gay man visited with me in my office a few years back and said he wanted to sell his house. Local architect Tom Pope had designed the recently built house which was located at the dead end of a Key West lane. The house was new construction and not a renovation. Given those few facts I was sure that I could sell this place quickly. I decided to go the property to see the place so that I could suggest the listing price. The owner showed me around from room to room. While we were standing opposite each other in the master bath I looked down into one of the dual sinks when I spotted it. The DILDO! It was laying in the sink. All of a sudden I was not able to utter a word. I could not get words out of my mouth let alone put words together to make a sentence. I pivoted and made my way to the living room where I said good bye to the owner. I knew I could never look that man in the eye again.

And then there was the gay owned home with an incredible master suite that included a stunning sitting room and bedroom chamber outfitted with three single beds.

Mannequins pop up every now and then. I'm not sure why people buy them let alone why they play a part of home decoration. They don't surprise me anymore. Slings are another matter. A few years ago I showed a house where a gay couple was splitting up. They owned a very nice home in a very good Old Town location. Everything about the house two story home looked picture perfect, that is until I walked into the guest bedroom which was painted black. There was a sling. That was not a typo. Many homes in Key West have cute little swings. This room had a sling!

If you are thinking of buying or selling a place in Key West and are looking for a Realtor, call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or contact my by e-mail at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Living life in Key West is just great. I could care less how you decorate your villa as long as you are happy. However, it might be a little easier to sell your home if you take down photos of your favorite gay porn stars and stow away the dildos.

1007 Watson Street, Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed and just in time for the Holidays, a brand spanking new renovation of an Old Town home located near the places second home owners want to be. 

The listing Realtor describes 1007 Watson Street, Key West thus: 

"This charming Old Town Cottage has undergone a full-scale renovation, is now beautifully appointed, and ready for new Owners. The original historical shotgun design has been maintained but inside you will find all new windows, doors, plumbing, wiring, and cooling system. Watch the world go by on the sweet Front Porch and then step into the delightful open concept floorplan featuring a vaulted ceiling with cove lighting. Gorgeous engineered White Oak flooring, Stainless appliances, Carrera marble countertops, beautiful, undulated Subway tile and Ship-Lap walls all contribute to the cozy Cottage vibe of this perfect home. The Main floor affords a Guest Bedroom with a shared Bath, as well as an inviting Primary Bedroom with Ensuite Bath. Enjoy working from home or entertaining friends in the cheerful spacious Loft space, complete with Closet and Built-Ins. The Rear Porch is just the right spot for morning coffee and starting your day in Paradise. Located in the X Flood Zone and a great Old Town walkable and bikeable Neighborhood."

Let''s take a look. Follow me as I enter the front door.

The outside is crisp and clean. I entered the house and was struck by how white and bright everything appeared. The new oak floor had a white wash look to it so it. I noticed black accents in multiple directions as well as the muted tones of the brushed nickle cabinet pulls. It all flowed together. I liked!

I remember standing near the fancy sink surveying the kitchen and dining area. Then I went down the hall looking for the living room. Thee were two bedrooms and two baths. I went back up front and looked up to what I thought would be a bedroom. I was wrong. It was the loft living area that opens down to the kitchen area. I walked up stairs and found this bid open space with octagon windows on the east and west sides and a skylight in between. The wood floor transitioned into a cushy white wall-to-wall carpet. The arrangement  would not work for everybody, but it will work for the right person. This is style. Furnishings may be purchased separately.

The renovator did a really good job of creating a house different from everybody else. The guest bath is located by the stairs going to the loft living area. But it also opens into the guest bedroom in the first photo above. So the bath seems privet most of the time. The primary bedroom is in the rear. It has a door that opens to the rear deck. Both bedrooms have skylights which bring additional light inside beyond the windows and door. The master bath pictured above also has a window and skylight. I never saw a glass wall panel as interesting as this. Look carefully there is a recess for stealing kisses at the rear left. 

The wood decks appear to be Ipe and crate a sophisticated area for enjoying the outdoors. A gate on the south side opens to an easement which leads back to Watson Street. I stood there and remembered what is/was on the other side of the fence. I wrote about that space in February 2017.

 

"New to the Key West real estate market is 1009 Watson Street. I wrote about  this hidden gem a few years ago. It is so hidden that I cannot find the original blog. I remember the first time I saw this house several years ago. It is located down a narrow walking lane that is sandwiched between to old houses which front onto Watson Street. The house emerged at the rear as it does today but then I took in the true majesty of the location. The yard is huge by Key West standards and especially huge for being located behind two nice but non-assuming houses. I searched in my old shoebox and found a photo of the front houses and the walkway of fifty plus years ago."

See. I told you!

At the beginning of today''s blog I mentioned 1007 Watson Street is located near where second home owners want to be. The house is located about two hundred feet south of Truman Avenue. The photo above shows that location in 1890. That is the OH NO LAUNDRY in the foreground. The empty lot across the street eventually became a Key West landmark in its own right. Today it is called Bare Assets. Duval Street if five blocks to the west. White Street four to the east. The ocean is a ten minute walk to the south. The seaport is ten minutes north.

The house first appeared in the 1892 Sanborn Fire Map as 107 Watson Street. The street number was changed to 1007 Watson on the 1899 map. I found a photo of the house in my old shoebox. It looks nothing like it did even fifty plus years ago. Neither do the houses on either side.

 

 NEW PRICE  CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet for 1007 Watson Street, Key West Fl offered for sale at $1,175,000. Then please text me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a private showing of this charming new old home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

 

 

1621 Sunshine Drive, Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed by yours truly: 1621 Sunshine Drive, Key West. This is a Two Story Three Bedroom / Three Bath 1,672 Square Foot Home built new in 2012. It is located two blocks from the White Street Pier and the Atlantic Beaches. 

But you won't need to go to the beach because you have your own heated pool and tropical garden located right outside your living room or which can be viewed from the deck off your second floor master bedroom.

There is more to this home than its excellent location and heated pool with tropical gardens. Let's take a look starting from the front door.

The house has Hardie Board Siding and Wind Impact Resistant Doors and Windows. The front and rear porches and decks were recently replaced with Lumberrock Premium Decking. The home was recently painted as well. 

A guest bedroom and bath are located just inside the front entry. The entire first floor features Travertine Marble Floors. Apple Homekit switches are installed for 10 wall switches, front door lock, and both thermostats. 

The home features  Hey Siri commands throughout the house and from far away. There are two pantries - one visible in the photo above and the larger walk-in pantry on the opposite wall located next to the laundry room with sink and storage.

The heat and humidity of the summer are gone. You can leave the doors open to the pool and rear garden for the next six months or so. The pool is heated. There is also an outdoor shower.

The master bedroom is located at the rear. It has en-suite bath plus covered rear porch with view of the pool. 

The second floor front bedroom also has a private balcony that faces southwest. You'll have those same wonderful sunsets all year long. The bathroom is en-suite. All bathrooms and the kitchen island have Brazilian Marinachi Granite counter tops. CLICK HERE to view many more photos of this property.

This home will have an Open House Sunday November 14 from Noon till 2:00 PM. No showings earlier. Act soon. I don't think it will last. I you snooze you will lose.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 1621 Sunshine Drive, Key West offered for sale at $1,300,000 or $777 Per Square Foot. Call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This could be your home by Christmas.