Key West Real Estate Throwback Thursday No 34 with a Twist

from October 15, 2010

901 Packer St - Old Town - Key West  

The Twist Part follows the original post.

The Key West Cemetery as viewed from 901 Packer Street

 

901 Packer Street in Old Town Key West is located directly across the street from the Key West Cemetery and is in desperate need of The Re-Animator. The listing Realtor describes this property thus:

"Great Old Town Key West location within walking distance to Duval Street and all of the Key West attractions. Perfect renovation project on a corner lot with off street parking. Located in an X500 flood zone, this is one of the highest elevations on the island."

This house was built in 1948 or 1953 (there are two different dates in county records). The relative newness means the house is not a contributing structure and that means a new owner could tear down this property and build all new. A caveat to tearing down and building new is that the current building codes and set backs will control what can be built and the lot coverage area. "Re-animating" or renovating this house would permit the new owner to keep the existing lot coverage and setbacks in place. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls data sheet and listing photos. Let me share my thoughts about the house. Unlike The Aadams' Family mansion, this house is no museum. The house itself is ooky and the layout is kinda kooky. I don't know that I'd say its mysterious and spooky, but it surely ain't imperious.

"it surely ain't imperious"

This place will need lots of work. These are things I think it needs: new doors and windows, a new roof, new electric and plumbing, new interior layout which means all new interior framing and drywall, a new kitchen and one or two new bathrooms. The existing covered parking is nice but it looks like the roof may collapse. There is an old homemade addition to the Olivia Street side of the house that looks awful from the outside and it looks terrible from the inside. There is spauling across the north side of the kitchen. (Spauling is prevalent in many Key West houses of that vintage. It's repairable but the cost depends on the condition of the house and how much area has been compromised.) While the house is capable of re-animation (lol), it is a better candidate for demolition in my opinion. A good architect or contractor could help a potential new buyer determine what could be done on the 27' x 58' lot. 

I personally think a new owner could build a nice two story Conch style home on this lot. The 1566 sq ft lot may sound small compared to the big sized lots you readers who live up north in America have, but down here a lot this size in Old Town is quite common. What is less common is the view across the street. I recently took photos of the property. It was a gloomy day in Paradise, that day. CLICK HERE to view. A lot of potential buyers absolutely refuse to consider a property that overlooks the cemetery. Some would see that location as gloomy forever. I think not so. That refusal to consider the location is their loss in my opinion. Of course the area is quiet at night. No pun intended. It really is. And that is a great feature in any neighborhood. Having quiet neighbors that do not party all the time is a blessing compared to those that do. 

Olivia Street is a small one-way street that runs parallel to the south boundary of the cemetery. That street is primarily used by locals and is not normally used by commercial vehicles or Conch Trains. That keeps street noise to a minimum. More than the quietness of the location is all the sunshine one normally gets. If you love Old Town houses as much as I, you know that most houses are built so close to each other that there often is little space between properties. Since most houses are densely landscaped and typically have trees on all sides, natural light is often minimalized. The result is that many homes only have direct sunshine for a few hours a day. And most Old Town homes do not have clear open views of the beautiful Key West skies. The house at 901 Packer Street has a vast sweeping view looking north across the Key West Cemetery. Locals appreciate such views because so few in Old Town have them. 

The house at 901 Packer Street was originally priced at $249,000 and recently reduced to $219,000. I have my own opinion of what it will sell for, and that price is nowhere near the asking price. If you would like to see 901 Packer Street 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. I believe in Re-Animation, Renovation, and Innovation. But I am not a witch!

The above post is 11 years old. The house is NOT FOR SALE. Don't go bothering anybody about this. 

A couple of years ago I noticed some fixing-up going on and started to photograph the progress. Progress in Key West takes months if not years to complete whether it is a home handyman or a licensed contractor. Perfection takes time and a lot of money. This is how it looked midway through the project.

I drove by this house for months. Something was always going on but nothing substantial until just recently. Now it looks great! Congrats to the homeowner for a classy re-animation.

Key West - What Has Been Seen Cannot Be Unseen

Do not take life too seriously – you will never get out of it alive. - Elbert Hubbard

The quote is funny and yes it is true.  The tragedy of the quote is that many people live in a pretend world where they do accept they will die.  Or maybe it is just that they prefer not to think about it or talk about it.  I guess it is sort of funny that some Key West vacationers take walking and trolley tours of so called haunted houses and often end up at the Key West Cemetery. They take photos of the graves and sometimes even post ghoulish photos of themselves or the tombstones on the Internet.  I, for one, have never been inside the Key West Cemetery. I'm not afraid. I just have had no reason to go there.  And as I understand it, there is no room for me there when I may need it.

I found the two photos below which show a funeral procession in 1934. Look carefully between the two monument pillars on either side of the gate and you can barely see 630 Elizabeth Street about which I have written many times. Funeral parades through the streets of Key West continue to this day.  The last parade I saw was several years ago. I was standing in front of our old city hall on a Saturday afternoon. A former colleague led the procession swinging a scepter as the mourners followed behind him. The paraded up Angela Street to the top of Solares Hill where Angela becomes Windsor Lane. The mourners slowly made their way down Windsor Lane to the iron gates at the cemetery. A small choral group of African American women dressed in bright white passed by singing. They were followed by a brass band that had had me clapping and crying at the same moment. It was an awesome experience to witness the funeral procession of someone whose name I did not know but who had so many loyal friends to take him to meet the Lord.

It seems like I am forever writing about houses that are located on or near the cemetery or one of our busier street like White, or Eaton, or Whitehead, or United, and even Southard.  Potential buyers normally shy away from all of those streets except Southard.  Those streets do experience a good amount of daytime traffic.  But traffic dissipates to a trickle after sunset when Conch Trains and Trolleys head to the barns, the delivery and service trucks stop for the night, and the office and sales people return home for the evening. When you really think about it, a huge number of our Old Town houses are located on one of these named streets or on streets that face, abut, or have view of the Key West Cemetery. And for some buyers, the location of a house with any cemetery view is an absolute no-no. For them, what has been seen cannot be unseen. 

Look at all the homes that border or are located within eyesight of the cemetery

I am reminded of the time I was showing homes to a middle aged couple looking for a quaint Key West cottage with a pool and parking. I told them about a particular house on Olivia Street which I had blogged about. I drove them to the house. The wife refused to look. I implored her just to look - to give the place a chance. Nay! She said. I told her about another customer of mine to whom I sold a big house a few years earlier. He ended up buying a house located one block past the cemetery even though he initially feared his daughters would be afraid to walk by the cemetery. He later told me cemetery did not phase them.  He said they love their house, their pool, and their ability to come to Key West to chill.  End of story.

Sometimes so of the very best deals in Key West are houses that are located on the busier daytime streets or that have views of the cemetery.  To buyers that want a deal, do not be afraid to look where some fear to look. If you are among the people who failed to buy when prices were really low and are now faced with prices that are sky high, consider looking where others fear the dead. 

Having the cemetery as a neighbor will mean quiet nights with no parties. Parking is never a problem. The area as a whole enjoys more sunshine and breezes as compared to more densely populated parts of Old Town. And you just may get a bargain in the process.  Oh, if you are looking to buy a place in Key West and if you are not working with a Realtor, call me, Gary Thomas. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

I See Dead People or Why It's Hard to Sell Houses Near the Key West Cemetery

There's a line in Alfred Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry that's spot on correct: "Turn away from death, and it's as if it isn't there." I guess that is why so many potential buyers of houses in Key West refuse to consider buying houses that face our little cemetery.  I have written about this irrational fear before because it creates a real problem for people that own properties that face the cemetery and for some owners that are even located near the place.

Today is Halloween 2013. We just finished our annual ten day homage to mayhem which is called Fantasy Fest.  A whole of of folks dressed up and pretended to be ghosts and ghouls, while many  others paraded around town with nothing on but body paint.  I wonder how many of the pretend dead or undead would refuse to buy a home that overlooks the Key West Cemetery.

A couple of God's personally anointed soul surfers were walking up and down Duval Street with huge placards admonishing the aforesaid sinners that their souls were destined to go to Hell. Maybe you can really get away with living a life of sin and then one day confess your sins and pray for forgiveness. I'm personally skeptical that God of the Old Testament would fall for that. I think it is more likely that the guys with the placards are correct that the sinners are doomed. If I'm correct, why not buy a house that faces the cemetery? 

Oops!  Looks like one got out!  The Sexton must have not been working that day.

There are plenty of houses in Key West that are just as scary as anything that faces the cemetery. Take some of the houses below.

Ghost Tour House - what a laugh!

Real life house of horrors! Serious as a heart attack!

The Scariest Thing about this House is the Price.  But it is a Beauty!

Buyers that have the money to buy a primary home or a second home in Key West are usually successful people. They have to be to afford our high priced homes. Key West real estate is pretty expensive compared to other parts of the country.  And because we live on a little island with limited growth and a limited supply of homes, the number of potential houses that can be purchased tends to make the few houses available for purchase increasingly more expensive.  Houses that are near the cemetery normally sell at a lower price than houses located elsewhere in the same area. If you are looking for a deal, consider a home with view of a tomb.

If you are looking to buy a place in Key West, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise - whether its near the cemetery or not.

Things That Have Been Seen Cannot Be Unseen or How to Get Over the Key West Cemetery and Enjoy Life

Do not take life too seriously – you will never get out of it alive. - Elbert Hubbard

The quote is funny, and yes it is true.  The tragedy of the quote is that many people live in a pretend world where they do not die.  Or maybe it is just that they prefer not to think about it or talk about it.  Vacationers come to Key West and take Ghost Tours or walking tours that often end up at the Key West Cemetery. They take photos of the graves and sometimes even post ghoulish photos of themselves or the tombstones on the Internet.  I, for one, have never been inside the Key West Cemetery. I'm not afraid. I just have had no reason to go there.  And as I understand it, there is no room for me should I need it.

I can report that locals have a long lived "love affair" with the cemetery.  I found the two photos below that portray the events of a funeral in 1934. If you look carefully between the two monument pillars on either side of the gate and look up to the house at the top of Windsor Lane you can barely detect 630 Elizabeth Street about which I have recently written.  (You can click any photo for a larger version.) The ceremony of funeral parade through the streets of Key West continues today.  I have not seen one in a couple of years.  Let me tell you that it is mighty powerful stuff. The last one passed by old city hall on Angela Street. A former colleague led the process swinging a scepter as the mourners paraded up Angela Street which then becomes Windsor Lane and that eventually leads to the final resting place in the Key West Cemetery.  A small choral group passed by singing. They were followed by a brass band that had had me clapping and crying at the same moment. It was an awesome experience to witness the passing of someone whose name I did not know but who had so many loyal friends to take him to meet the Lord.

It seems like I am forever writing about houses that are located on or near the cemetery or one of our busier street like White, or Eaton, or Whitehead, or United, and even Southard.  Potential buyers normally shy away from all of those streets except Southard.  Those streets do experience a good amount of daytime traffic.  But traffic dissipates to a trickle after sunset when the delivery and service trucks stop and the office workers return home for the evening. When you really think about it, a huge number of our Old Town houses are located on one of these named streets or on streets that face, abut, or have view of the Key West Cemetery. And for some buyers, the location of a house with any cemetery view is an absolute no-no. For them, what has been seen cannot be unseen. To those buyers I say get over the Key West Cemetery and enjoy life.

Look at all the homes that border or are located within eyesight of the cemetery

I was recently working with some buyers who want a cute Key West cottage. I told them about a particular house that is located near the cemetery.  The wife refused to look. I implored her just to look - to give the place a chance. Nay! She said. I told her about a customer of mine to whom I sold a big house a few years ago. The house is located on a street near the cemetery. He also did not want to look at it because of the location. He said his twin daughters would be afraid to walk by the cemetery. I eventually got him to look. Then he discovered the value of this place, and then he bought it. The girls are in college now. I recently asked him how his daughters responded to living near the cemetery. He said it did not phase them.  He said they love their house, their pool, and their ability to come to Key West to chill.  End of story.

Sometimes so of the very best deals in Key West are houses that are located on the busier daytime streets or that have views of the cemetery.  To buyers that want a deal, do not be afraid to look where some fear to look. If you are among the people who wanted to buy a house in Key West when the prices were really low when it looked like the market was still going to tumble further but didn't, consider looking at a home located on one of our busy daytime streets or one that is near the cemetery.

Having the cemetery as a neighbor will mean quiet nights with no parties. You will enjoy more sunshine and breezes. And you just may get a bargain in the process.  Oh, if you are looking to buy a place in Key West and if you are not working with a Realtor, call me, Gary Thomas. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1015 Angela Street - Old Town - Key West

1015 Angela Street - Old Town- Key West

This is another one of those just listed but not by me blog posts. The listing Realtor describes his new listing at 1015 Angela Street this way:

"Quaint one bedroom cottage located in the heart of Old Town Key West within walking distance to shops and restaurants. The cottage includes offstreet parking, pool and rocking chair front porch. The home is perfectly comfortable now or would make a great renovation project."

1015 Angela Street, Key West, Florida as it appeared in 1965

1015 Angela Street in September 2011

The Monroe County Property Appraiser's website shows this house was built in 1923. It has 673 sq ft of living space on one level. The house sits on a corner lot where Catholic Lane meets Angela Street. The lot is 47' wide by 50' or 2350 sq ft. You can view a slide show of exterior and neighborhood photos if you CLICK HERE.

I found the old black and white photo (above) that shows how the house looked nearly half a century ago. My how time flies. I like this photo because it shows the simplicity of design this house offers. Look at the two photos just below. They show the house as viewed from the Catholic Lane side. The shed addition is still in place. A carport extension was added to the very rear years ago and it appears to be rusting away.


A potential buyer that wants to increase the size of this house might be able to add onto the space where the shed addition is located and thereby create a second story second bedroom and bath. A good local architect can explain the rules and feasibility of such an undertaking. I think it is possible, but I defer to land planners and architects to advise buyers as to what is likely to be permitted.

You may be more familiar with this location than you think. Click GOOGLE MAP for an aerial perspective of the location and then use the toggle switch for a street view. The Key West cemetery is located directly across the street. Catholic Lane, as the sign warns, is a dead end. That means that the area is pretty darned quiet most of the time, but especially at night after the tourists have headed to sunset celebration or their favorite watering hole.

The house next door on Catholic Lane

If this house were to be renovated and expanded in size to include a second bedroom, I think it could become an excellent vacation rental. It already has an excellent location with off street parking. And there is a pool. I have not seen the inside. The place is tenant occupied and I expect the place needs renovation to achieve the kind of look most second home buyers want. That being said, expect that the place needs some work to achieve the aesthetic look you may want. The asking price on this property is only $425,000. That is a bargain price for a house in this location. The house has a newer roof and the place looks well maintained. Any money you might spend will like go to improving the house versus fixing a problem. Otherwise, a fresh coat of paint and some new landscaping would improve the street appeal immensely. And neither of those is expensive.

If you buy this house your eternal view across Angela Street will be the big blue skies of Key West hovering over the Key West cemetery. Angela Street is a one lane and one way street that runs west from Frances Street to Windsor Lane at this location.

The View from 1015 Angela Street - Key West

One of Key West's "pocket parks" is located up the next block at the corner of Angela and Grinnell Street.


5 Brother's Grocery and Sandwich shop is located at the corner of Grinnell and Southard. The rest of Old Town Key West is just minutes away by foot.

If you would like to see 1015 Angela Street or any other house in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Let me help you find your new home or business in Paradise. Living in Paradise is not a slogan, it's a way of life.