1211 Grinnell Street, No. F - Key West, Florida

Just Listed  by Preferred Properties Key West, 1211 Grinnell Street, No. F. Key West, Florida. I have written about this home a couple of years ago when it was offered as a short sale and later as a bank owned property. The property was sold and has been updated and transformed into a three bedroom two and one-half bath home. CLICK HERE to view more photos.

This home is located in Grinnell Gardens, a unique compound consisting of seven distinctive units which share a large and sunny pool. Each home has one designated off street parking space. These homes were built new in 1994 and replicate the Greek Revival architectural style found in many houses in our Old Town area. This particular home has 1360 square feet of interior living space plus covered first and second floor front porches for private outdoor entertaining. The homeowner association fee is just $200 per month.

As soon as I opened the front door I could see how radically different this house had improved. The former darkly painted Venetian Plaster Walls and Ceiling are now a creamy white. There is new air conditioning, new lighting, and bathrooms. The darkness that hung over that house is now gone. It is light and airy.

The main level great room opens out to the private rear garden which is perfect for outdoor dining almost every day of the year.  It is totally secluded.  The kitchen has been updated with all new stainless steel appliances. Not shown is the first floor guest bath and large closet area which provides real storage space.

The master suite is located at the front of the second floor. The vaulted ceiling soars high and gives the interior a very spacious feeling. The original owner had special features built into this house including extra insulation between the connecting unit to the west and additional insulation between the first and second floors. Noise is contained and coolness is maintained. The current owner removed glass block half-walls in the nook that extends over the front balcony. The result is a much cleaner look.The bathroom cabinet and fixtures were replaced as well.  The front and rear exteriors were painted as well. Since this is  town home, the owner is responsible for exterior maintenance. That will not be a issue for a decade or so down the line. In the meantime, the new owner can sit on the balcony ponder the joys of owning a place in Key West. The view is so special. Remember there are only seven homes that share the pool and the view. By the way, two of the homes here have private pools.

The original home had a second master bedroom at the rear of the second floor. That space was reconfigured into two separate bedrooms both of which share the adjacent full bath. The laundry closet is located at the of the stairs.  The third bedroom is large enough to accommodate a bunk bed set for the grand kids or which could be used as an office.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 1211 Grinnell Street No F which is offered at $945,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an appointment to see your new Key West home for the very first time. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West, the listing brokerage. If you act quick enough, this could be your home by Christmas.

Key West After Irma - Kudos and Complaints

In an earlier blog I wrote about why I stayed in Key West to weather the storm that Hurricane Irma would unleash on my island home. Later I wrote about the damage to Key West and specifically to the Old Town area which most of my readers are concerned about. I am glad that I stayed but I endured a lot of personal distress. Don't get me wrong, I am not feeling sorry for myself. People who fled Irma to Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Ft Myers, Tampa, and other larger Florida locations had to cope with some of the same losses we had in Key West, principally no electricity, no cell phone service, no internet service, no potable water and really hot temperatures with no way to cool down. People with generators did have electricity for a while, that is until the propane tanks were emptied. This blog does not address the huge losses to the people who live in the other Keys.

Earlier I wrote about going to Searstown to get some ice. I was driving east on Flagler Avenue around 11:45 AM to get to Searstown where ice, food, and water were going to be distributed starting at 12:00. I had 104.1 FM on my radio. I think it was former State Senator Ron Saunders who was conducting a telephone interview of a FEMA spokesman from Washington. Saunders was on the air every time I was in my car driving somewhere. He always spoke rationally. He offered reliable information as to assistance that was available at the moment throughout the Keys. And on that day and time he interviewed the FEMA guy who was the worst example of federal government incompetence. Saunders asked several simple one sentence questions as to what FEMA assistance were readily available now to persons effected by the storm. He pointedly asked about persons who had evacuated and how they could get assistance for temporary housing if they return to a home or apartment that was damaged or destroyed.

The FEMA spokesman told Saunders and the listening audience to go online and register at the FEMA website. When Saunders gently pressed for more information, the FEMA guy said he would get back to Saunders with more competent answers. At another point he offered to discuss certain matters "off air". I was so enraged I shut the radio off three different times in the five to seven minute ride to Searstown. What an incompetent jerk this was. He was the face of FEMA at that moment. His voice of incompetence was being broadcasted the 100 miles of the Keys. He offered nothing - not a scintilla of hope to people whose lives were forever changed by this storm.

Later I hear US Senator Marco Rubio being interviewed on 104.1 FM. He remarked about the lack of electric power, the lack on internet and cellular service in this the most powerful and wealthy county in the world, and the immediate inability of FEMA to be of aid. He remarked that the NAVY (which had positioned help ships in Key West) had power, internet and telephonic communication and said something like we can and must do better.  You think?


Readers of my blog may recall me writing on occasion about the Conch telegraph.  That is a euphemism about how life stories in Key West are communicated - you tell one person something and within minutes it can be all over the island with the true story often getting mangled in the process. That happens anywhere but news and gossip move with light speed in Key West especially when we have cell service.

I think it was the first but perhaps the second day after the storm that someone climbed a telephone pole in Old Town and dropped a phone wire down to ground level where an old fashioned push button phone was affixed to the pole. I found out about the phone and called some of my customers to report the condition of their property. People waited in line for their turn to talk to the outside world who thought Key West might have been obliterated. It wasn't.

The photo at the top of today's blog shows my next door neighbor's once majestic tree that dominated the Casa Marina Area. I used to lay on a raft in my pool and look up at the top of the tree where a hawk sat keeping an eye on everything below. I have not been in the pool since the tree fell. The hawk not sits up on the power line on the opposite side of the street.  The city and the tree clean-up contractors have done a remarkable job in cleaning up the tons of tree debris. Kudos to those hard working men. I am happy to report that the majority of damage to Key West was to our trees and not to our homes and not to our people. We will get past this.  Key West is officially open for business.

CLICK HERE to view photos of Key West pre and post Hurricane Irma.

3312 Northside Drive #401, Key West, Florida

Readers up north may not appreciate how expensive it has become to live down here in Key West. Key West used to be a bargain. But popularity of our island paradise has caused housing costs to rise far greater than wages for most full time residents.  Finding a place where you would actually like to live and can also afford is often difficult  As a result many people must rent or share their living space - often with people they barely know. Or maybe they decide to rent a place with a person they know, but learn to despise because of their roommate's habits. A few years ago I took the photo below of an actual rental in Old Town. The tenants had to use the bathtub as the place they cleaned their dishes. I kid you not.

The new Preferred Properties Key West listing at the Santa Clara Condominiums is an affordably priced alternative to roommate living. And after Hurricane Irma the place may become more desirable than before simply because of the existence of such an affordable unit.

The listing broker describes 3312 Northside Drive Unit 401, Key West this way:

"Affordable Key West living. This large studio apartment at Santa Clara has a full kitchen, living room and full bath plus an alcove. The balcony looks out over the tennis courts and pool side of the property. Santa Clara is a secure building which had recent upgrades and is well maintained. There is ample parking, a gated entrance and beautiful amenities including the large pool and two tennis courts. Very convenient location in Key West. Pets are not allowed at Santa Clara. This is a great value."

The asking price on this 408 square foot unit is just $195,000. The monthly condo fees are $358 which cover building maintenance and insurance, pool and common area maintenance, and sewer. This is a large condominium development which is professionally managed. A qualified new buyer may get 90% financing and could potentially own this place for a price cheaper than paying rent.  I found several loan products of $800 +/- per month.  Real property taxes will be about 1% of purchase price or $1950.00 per year. That would equate to a total monthly payment of $1320.  I urge readers to checkout monthly rentals in the Key West Citizen or Craigslist. Compare the price and consider the possibility of owning a place without sharing space with a roommate.  I have not been inside this unit myself (yet) but I am familiar with the building.

 

If you work in the hospitality business or at the hospital, you can ride a bus or ride your scooter to work.  You can be almost anywhere in about 15 minutes any either means of transportation.  The building has a large pool and tennis courts. You can actually layout by your own pool, get some rays,  relax and enjoy your life in Key West and not have a second job (or third job).

Alternatively, if you are simply looking for a Key West getaway place that won't break your bank account, this property may be the one you have been hoping to find. Too many buyers think that being near Duval Street is the answer to all their needs. Houses and condos across the island get to share the same sunshine and great weather. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on  3312 Northside Drive #401, Key West, Florida. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 306-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

2601 S. Rossevelt Blvd #404 A Key West - Stunning Waterfront Condo at an Affordable Price

If you have been dreaming of buying a waterfront home in Key West as either a full time residence or maybe as a vacation home, the recently listed one bedroom waterfront condominium at Key West by the Sea may be the place you have been waiting for. I went over to Smathers' Beach this morning at sunrise to take a couple of photos for today's blog. This is my favorite time of day. There were singles and a few couples either walking on the beach or sitting under palm trees waiting for the sun to pop up. I saw one lady doing yoga excises. This is why so many people move to Key West - to be able to live this healthy lifestyle and experience the joys of this earth during the few years we have here. While we do get our rainy days, we have many more days like today where the sky is a kaleidoscope of colors. Two young guys waited till the sun popped out so they could take muscle selfies with the sun showing their physiques. Other people were jogging or riding bikes along the esplanade that is South Roosevelt Boulevard as it winds its way from the Casa Marina Resort to the entrance to the island that is Key West.

The listing Broker describes 2601 South Roosevelt Blvd. #404A this way:

"Stunning direct Atlantic Ocean and beach views from this light filled one bedroom and one bath unit. The open floor plan is designed for entertaining. Beautiful finishes with bright kitchen and spacious master bath. The in-unit washer and dryer is a coveted convenience Key West By The Sea, is a secure gated community with 8 acres of lushly landscaped property featuring two swimming pools, two tennis courts, and sandy Smather's beach directly across the street."

This is a one bedroom one bath unit with 754 sq ft of living space plus the balcony that overlooks the ocean. Not all condos at Key West by the Sea have washers and dryers in the unit. This one does and that is a positive feature.  The building also has an elevator which is another very valuable feature as well. The FAA noise abatement program is about to be implemented there with new a/c, impact doors and windows at no cost to the owners. The A building will be the last one to receive about 4 years from now.

The buildings are part of a very healthy condominium association  which is professionally managed. Monthly condo fees for this unit are $446.10 and include cable TV, exterminating, building maintenance, building insurances, common area and pool maintenance, security, and management. The association is strong. Some of the owners here have lived at this development for decades. The rules and the way the place is managed reflect the values that have kept KWBS stable throughout the years. While owners may rent their units, they may not rent them until after one year of ownership and then the rental must be over 90 days. This has prevented the community from be destabilized by turning the condos into a resort like hotel. Don't get me wrong, living here is already like living in a resort. But the rules prevent it from becoming one. There are two large pools one which is heated the other is solar heated. And there are two tennis courts. The spacious common areas include garden spots populated by living orchids and babbling water features.

The one story building at the end of the south pool is the community center and on-site property management for the property. While I don't go out here a lot, I can attest that the grounds are always in perfect order. The buildings were painted this past year.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos for 2601 South Roosevelt Blvd. #404A which is offered for sale at $510,000.  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 West. Let's go take a look. I think you will really like this community and this unit. You can't beat the view for the price!