5030 5th Avenue #20 - Key West, Florida

If you are like me you probably watch too many episodes of HGTV's House Hunters. You likely appreciate that each potential buyer has a unique vision of that dream home and where it is located. Some buyers require a location near a city center or public transportation. Others may seek a private or isolated location. Some may seek a home with quick water access or a myriad of other requirements. The point is that every person has a different ideal of a dream home.

Late yesterday afternoon I got to take a look at the new (unfinished) Islander Village located on Stock Island, Florida. This will be a small community of just 22 newly built homes all of which have water views, good sized yards large enough for the construction of a pool, and which have the right to build a wood pier. All homes are three bedroom and two baths, 1500 sq ft of living space that sit on 5,000 sq ft lots. The homes are currently offered between $439,900 to $525,000.  I saw the model home and took some photos shown below. .

The photo at the top of today's blog was taken off the rear deck of 5030 5th Avenue #20. The view looks out to water.  The new homes will line the rim of an arc that defines this particular piece of land.  I dug down into the old shoebox and found three aerial photos taken years ago when this same piece of property was the old Islander Drive-In.  These photos show the unique arc of this piece of ground where all sides provide open water views. The upper photo shows Cow Key Channel that separates Stock Island from Key West. The broad street on Key West is Flagler Avenue. The group of large buildings was the former Navy Hospital.  Compare the upper and middle photos where you will see  a group of mobile homes were added to the adjacent lower site which appears to have been enlarged. I'll betcha that the people who live here are living their dream.

When I first moved to Key West I made several trips to the old Cuban Dump on Stock Island. Stock Island also was where I took my dog to see the Veterinarian. The Stock Island of 2014 looks so much different now than it did in 1993.  Stock Island had been used as a dumping ground for trash and old cars.  Obviously the old drive-in is gone. The old race track and bowling alley are gone as well. So are the junk cars and midnight dump sites. Many of the old mobile home parks have been replaced by new modular homes.  What has not changed are the large number of home sites with either direct water views or water access.  Part of the allure of the allure of the new Islander Village homes is the water views.

The listing agent provides more information:

"Brand new gated community at the location of the former Islander drive-in movie theater. Featuring 22 homes with open water views of Key West, Cow Key Channel, and the Atlantic Ocean. Two floor plans to choose from, each with 1,500 sq. ft of living space and 10ft wide decks for capturing sunsets and sea breezes. Homes feature travertine tile flooring throughout, solid wood cabinetry, granite countertops, hardiboard siding, walk-in closet, metal roofs, stainless appliances, double garage with hurricane rated doors, impact glass windows and more. Comes with permits for a private fishing pier and room for a pool. Built to the latest codes which withstand 180mph winds and elevated 12ft, homes will offer affordable insurances and utilities."

The listing agent told me six of the twenty-two homes have been sold most of which are the higher priced homes and most of those are on the western end of the development - the location which looks out to Cow Key Channel. Each lot is large enough for an owner to add a private pool and / or wood pier. Each of these would cost about $30,000 to add. All lots will be fenced.  No matter the price paid, these homes have Hardiboard siding an impact wind impact windows rated to 180 miles per hour. The homes are elevated 12 feet. That means these homes will be less costly to maintain and less expensive to insure. The listing agent advises "Buyer must be a Monroe County resident or plan to be a Monroe County resident once they purchase the property. No income restriction and property may be rented long term." Finally, these homes qualify for $10,000 Monroe County bond money which will be a second mortgage on the property for the owner's term of home ownership at which time the principal mortgage balance must be repaid. (This is a non-interest bearing mortgage during the term of ownership.)

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view lots of quality listing photos of this property. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a private showing of 5030 5th Avenue #20 or any of the other homes in this new development. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your dream home - maybe it will be on Stock Island with a waterfront view.

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622 Louisa Street - Key West, Florida

I tell buyers all the time you can never tell what is behind the facade of some of the houses in Key West. Preferred Properties just listed Casa Louisa at 622 Louisa Street, and boy did my remarks ever hold true on this place. Gee Whiz!  The listing Realtor describes this property as:

"Very sharp total renovation of an historic two bedroom, two and a half bath single level home with a one bedroom, one bath guest cottage. Pool with waterfall, vaulted ceilings, extensive decking and French doors. New kitchen with granite & stainless steel; luxurious new baths. Parking & privacy only steps from Duval Street. The owners have rented this house as a monthly vacation rental for the last eight years. Last year it grossed over $80,000."

622 Louisa Street is located at the upper end of the Duval Street corridor about 1 1/2 blocks east of Duval and 3 blocks from the Atlantic. So it is close to where vacationers want to be without being right in the mix. And that is the point. The place is quiet, serene, and just so relaxing. When you enter the formal entryway you know this place is not a typical renovation of a Conch house. You look to the right and see the great room that is flanked by four sets of French doors that open onto the side and rear decks and pool area. Off to the side is the snazzy kitchen and adjacent dining alcove. Both look out toward the black bottom pool and waterfall and the newer guest house at the rear which has its own en-suite bath. Historic Dade County Pine is located throughout the house intermixed with new grantie surfaces and modern bath fixtures.

 

 Off to the left of the front entry is bedroom is the master bedroom with en-suite bath. This space is large and inviting, but cozy at the same time. So many places in Old Town "make do" and end up having small spaces to actually live. Not the case here. The second bedroom is located opposite the entry hall and it also has an en-suite bath. Everything in every room is "done". Correctly.

When I saw the black bottom pool with the waterfall my jaw dropped. Just awesome. The lot is very large for Old Town. The decks are large and provide ample room for sunning. Imagine that, a place with a large pool with shade and also sunshine. So many places have one or the other. Not this place. Oh, there is also a tented dining pavilion. There is off street parking and a formal bricked entry path that leads guests to the front door. The places is not ostentatious, but boy is it gracious.

 

Casa Louisa is rented as a vacation rental and it generates substantial income during the year. There are eleven months advance reservations in place. Because of that, advance notice is required and viewing may be somewhat limited. Casa Louisa is offered at $1,395,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Let me help you fulfill your dream of owning a place in Paradise.

246 Key Haven Road - Key West, Florida

Some readers may recall that I used to own a guest house in Key West. Once a prospective guest called to ask about room rates, what we served for breakfast, and asked if Key West was surrounded by water.  I kid you not.  That was more than 20 years ago.  The mystique of Key West has spread across the globe.  Today when I ask potential buyers what their preferences are in a house, many say they want a house on the water.  Although Key West is an island, there are very few homes (or condos) that are on the water or that have water views. Those that do exist are usually priced fairly high. The house at 246 Key Haven Road offers an alternative to the little shack on the beach or a palatial home with commanding ocean views. This property is a family home that sits on a canal where the owner has deep water access within a couple of minutes after leaving your own private dock. You can be in Old Town in about ten minutes after leaving your front door. Click GOOGLE MAP for an aerial perspective.

246 Key Haven Road is an elevated home with 2407 sq ft of living space on the second and third floors. The second level is the primary living space which includes the living room, dining area, and kitchen. Four glass panel doors totally retract into a sidewall which then opens the interior living space to the outside. Likewise, the covered and screened second floor porch become part of the inside living space.  We experience the same affect in homes in Old Town and the Casa Marina Area, but here you look out to your boat and the water as an added bonus.   

If you're a cook, you'll love this kitchen. The solid maple cabinets are elegant and provide lots of storage. A single slab of the prettiest granite God ever made tops the island and the base cabinets. The laundry room is located just off the kitchen.

The master bedroom with en-suite bath are located on the far side of the living room. The bedroom space is extra large and provides space for a sitting area or office.  This room along with others in the home have plantation shutters that provide a sense of continuity of style throughout the home and also allow the occupant to control the amount of light that flows into the house.

A large cedar lined walk-in closet is located between the bedroom and bathroom. Bathroom fixtures include a large spa-tub, shower, and dual glass vessel sinks. (The bedroom, closet, and bathroom are probably larger than some of the smaller condos in Old Town.) The second bedroom and second bath are also located on this level.

The third floor can be used as a third bedroom or perhaps as a den/office/solarium.  A spiral wood staircase on the second level winds its way up the third floor to a space that is perhaps 10' X 20' that has clerestory windows on all four sides of the room.  The windows when opened will allow natural ventilation to move cool ocean air through the space.  I took photos looking down the Evergreen Canal and also looking west toward the Florida Keys Community College. On a good day you can see some of the large cruise ships at Mallory Square from this room.  This space would be great for a writer or an artist, a yoga devotee, or just somebody who wants a private place to be away from the world.

The ground level includes an entry hall and a huge storeroom. You cannot legally use ground level areas for living spaces because of FEMA regulations. The store room complies with government requirements. There is abundant under house parking as well as covered space off the back deck area. There is room at the rear of the property to build a pool.  Finally, this home comes with a davit and hoist for storing a boat out of water.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos of 246 Key Haven Road that is offered for sale at $799,000 or just $331 per sq ft.  I took more photos which you can see if you CLICK HERE.  But better than looking at photos on the internet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this home. I am a buyers agent and full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  If you want an home on an island surrounded by water and a place where you can have a boat to get quick access to either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, this may be the place.

The Projects of Key West

 Up north, in America, you probably cringe when you read or hear the word "project" especially when looking to purchase real estate. But in Key West people stop and take pictures and even write blogs about our little projects.  Our projects are often signs of restoration and regeneration of our treasured homes. Some projects are particularly noteworthy. Today's blog is a continuing update on the Projects of Key West.

Below are photos of properties that recently were completed, properties in the midst of renovation, and other projects that have just begun.

In 2010 a bank owned house at 1021 Fleming Street was listed for $321,750.  There were ten cash offers higher than asking price. The house sold for $400,000 after only a few days on the market. Restoration took about two years.  The house is now complete.  Congratulations on an incredible job.  This place is a show stopper!

Several months ago I wrote about the house for sale at 1117 Stump Lane. I said "Budget buyers who are looking for a place they can move right into and do a little bit of fix-up over time or a buyer who wants to do a major renovation ought to take a look at this home." I then added  the property would probably go under contract as soon as you can say "Jumping Jack Flash" because it was priced to sell in a market filled with a lot of buyers desperate for a deal. It sold the first week it was listed. This was renovated from the bottom to the top and from the front to the new pool in the rear.

1010 Washington Street is a circa 1958 vintage house with an elevated garage apartment located in the Casa Marina Area.  The new owner elevated and renovated the apartment, did a total transformation of the main house, and added a pool and new landscaping.

608 William Street was purchased by the owners who also restored the adjacent 730 Southard Street. The William Street cottage was recently completed after a lengthy renovation and expansion. I found a couple of old photos that show the cottage from past decades and have added recent photos that show the construction and final product. Local folk artist Ronny Bailey created a miniature version of the 608 William cottage which is shown immediately below.

I wrote several blogs on 1020 Southard Street when it was listed for sale. The house has one of the very best locations in Old Town.  The house had a modest guest cottage and a good sized pool. And the lot included off street parking for two cars.  The new owners demolished most of the original house except the front facade.  New piers, super structure, framing, and roof have been installed. The re-imagined house is beginning to take shape.

If you look carefully you will see that the entire back end of the house has been removed.

901 Pearl Street is located in the Meadows Area just one block from Bayview Park. This property, a former bank owned CBS house with red clay tile roof, was not deemed a contributing structure under our historic guidelines and could be razed. As I understand it, the owners planned to salvage the house. As construction ensued it became apparent the cost to correct the spalling issue was more expensive than expected. The house was razed and the lot has been cleared.  Let's see what happens next.

525 Grinnell Street keeps plodding along, and along, and along...

Most of this house was thoroughly rebuilt from foundation to roof, from the outside to the inside. After the project was nearly complete a decision was made to remove the cement front porch and to replicate a historically correct wood porch.

Speaking of plodding along, I posted photos of 410 Simonton Street in my May 13, 2013 blog which discussed new projects in Key West.  The house had been carved up into nine apartments. The second floor garret offered so many possibilities with its multiple dormers and the ever-so romantic Juliet Balcony. An addition at the rear housed two or three hovels. One apartment was so dreadful I would not go inside when showing it to potential buyers.The new owner has begun a significant restoration of the property. I snapped a couple of photos in April 2013. A year later the exterior staircase on the south side has been removed and workers are preparing to replace or repair piers and the superstructure before they undertake the interiors.  This is one of the most beautiful old homes in Key West. I am so eager to see the finished home.

 I found the below night time photo that someone posted online. Notice the stacked pieces of lumber in front of the old house.

Below photos taken May 1, 2014.

Before Key West got so fancy, many houses were pretty plain.  The simple house at 610 Olivia Street was updated over the years and was most recently used as a "duplex" of sorts. Two doors on the front porch separated what were two living spaces. A new owner has undertaken a significant renovation of the property which is being incorporated into the substantially larger estate next door to the east.

625 Margaret Street is quite a remarkable project indeed. The original house is shown in the black and white photo below. The house sat on a huge lot located very near the Key West cemetery.  HARC allowed the inexplicable to happen - the house was razed so that a new house could be built in place. The frame of a front window and the fireplace were the only parts of the original house that remained. Progress photos show the rebuilt frame, sheathing, and roof. A guest house and pool were added at the rear. Landscaping was being added last week as I snapped a couple of photos of the completed home.  

 

He must be doing something work related on his phone.

617 Grinnell Street There's not much left of 617 Grinnell Street. The last remains of the steps to nowhere were removed earlier this week. The black and white photo shows Grinnell Street as it looked in 1965. Some additions were made but the place really had no character. That is why the city allowed the owner to take down the original house and to built a new one in the same location. Stay tuned to see what rises from the pile of rubble.

620 Ashe Street is getting a new lease on life starting with a new foundation. The house has been elevated so that new piers and superstructure can be built. The house will be lowered onto the piers and then the house will get all  new interiors, windows, and probably the whole nine works.

1015 Simonton Street has been a trailer park ever since I came to Key West on my first visit in 1984. Even Bert,  a returning visitor to Key West, was perplexed when he arrived in Key West this year. The former Key West Trailer Court had been razed to make way for 21 new town homes that are to be added to the site later in 2014. The trailers, the trees, the fences, the screaming woman on the street that lived in one of the trailers - they are all gone. Many a day I would drive by this site and see several patrol cars with blue lights flashing as they prepared to take one trailer park residents off to the pokey.

1015 Simonton Street

Eliza Street near mid town home in the beginning stages of renovation.

904 Flagler Avenue is a new renovation of a 1950s concrete block house located in the Casa Marina Area just two blocks away from the beach.

Below is what once was 1119 Johnson Street, Casa Marina Area of Key West. The public record shows the new owner paid $1,300,000 for the house which was razed to make way for a new even more expensive contemporary residence.

The 1950s era CBS home at 1123 Von Phister Street (Casa Marina Area) has been razed as well. A new home will be built on this site.

1424 Grinnell Street in the Casa Marina Area is a different story. The owner has taken the 1963 CBS home to a totally different century in the stunning renovation that is nearing completion. Once the privacy fence is finished, the pool and rear garden will be completed. More on this classy addition to the Casa Marina scene in an upcoming blog.

7-20-2013

9-28-2013

3810 Flagler Avenue is located near the very far end of Key West. The house that sat on the site was a massive 3207 sq ft single story home with an incredible presence and view of the Riviera Canal to the rear. This property is getting a deserved face lift. The overbearing greenery has been removed to reveal what may be a new Key West landmark on the far end of our island home.

I will soon be writing a supplemental blog about many of the public works projects going on in Key West. This little island is getting a mighty big makeover. I'm not sure I like all that is happening, but there isn't much I can do to stop it.

If you are looking to purchase an existing home or maybe buy an old house and turn it into something really great CLICK HERE to SEARCH the KEY WEST MLS. Then please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.