Key West and The Hundred Dollar House...

As we all know Key West is located at the very end of U.S. 1. There is a sign at the corner of Whitehead and Fleming Streets where tourists take pictures of themselves as proof that they have reached the end of America. Having a town located so far away has always meant that things cost more here because everything costs more if you have to haul it or fly it or sail it to Key West. At least that is the logic retailers, restaurateurs, and gas station owners use to justify their sky high prices. Housing costs weren't always high in Key West. But ever since the gays started spiffing the place up in the 1970's, prices have gone up and up. Rare is the opportunity to buy an old house in Key West for a cheap price.

I found a couple of instances of old houses that were moved from one location to another for prices that astound me. The first is an old house previously located on Simonton Street across the street from the famous Peggy Mills house which later became the ultra chic Gardens Hotel. The second is a house that was moved this month from near the Key West cemetery to the White Street business district.

509 Southard Street many years ago

Handwritten on the back of photo - Freddie Deon sold me this building for 100. It was across from Peggy Mills. I couldn't move it so let it go. He moved it to 509 Southard Street and it is now excellent photograph store next to Porter Allen Insurance Co.

509 Southard Street today is now a cafe that is attached to the Pegasus Hotel at the corner of Duval and Southard Street.

The second example is the house that was that is no more that was replaced by the house that got booted out of Key West's cemetery to make room for more tombs. Read on.

The old house at 1018 White Street had seen a better day.

This old house at 819 Olivia Street was built in the 1890's. Normally messing with an old house in Key West is verboten.

The Key West Cemetery surrounded 819 Olivia Street on three sides. The cemetery has run of space for new graves and tombs. That fact made it easier to get permission to relocate 819 Olivia Street to another location. The house was reportedly sold for only $500 to a local who then had to move it.

Preparations were made at the location of the former falling down house at 1018 White Street which was razed. The lot was prepped for the arrival of the soon to be relocated house from 819 Olivia Street.

Locals recognize piers as being the foundation upon which most homes in Old Town are built. In this instance, new footers were dug to bedrock and new piers were poured so that the relocated old house could be placed upon and secured into the piers. The interior of the house will be updated, utilities connected, the outside spiffed up, and landscaping installed.

Last week the house was uprooted from its old perch and moved down Olivia Street for the four block ride to its new home. Key West's finest blocked intersections along the route and diverted traffic as the house inched its way to the new location.

Here it sits between a cake shop and Sandy's Cafe waiting to be spiffed.

Since most people can't buy (or even rent) any place in Key West for $500, you will need to pay market price for the house of your dreams. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls database. If you see something that interests you, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 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. Several of the houses I have written about in the past few weeks are already under contract. Don't procrastinate.

Life on Poorhouse Lane - It Ain't a Bitch!

735 Poorhouse Lane - Key West - Short Sale

We all have highs and lows, but for the most part my life is very copacetic. When you are young you plan for the future so much that you sometimes fail to live and enjoy the present. At least I did. I recall years of my life where I planned into the future. Where would I be? What would I do? How much money could I make? That is why so many people, like me, say things like "If I only knew then what I know now". That phrase is usually uttered with a twinge of regret-of opportunities lost.

It wasn't until I moved to Key West and let my life decompress that I stopped worrying about tomorrow. My biggest stress point now is driving behind Conch Trains and Trolleys or tourists driving slowly down a busy street. That's actually not a bad place to be in life compared to all of the real stressful situations that exist in our world. Poor me.

When you actually move to Key West and divorce yourself from your old way of life (office politics, meetings of any sort, business organizations and social agendas) your body and soul find a new balance and a new approach to everyday living. Stuff that is important is important. And stuff that is not important is not worth worrying about. Vacationers sense that locals are actually happy in their lives. Vacationers get a taste of Key West, but they must eventually return to the real world so they can go to meetings and such. They go home and dream about someday, someway, being able to spend sometime, maybe the rest of their lives, in Key West. I did.

If that is your dream the new listing at Poorhouse Lane in Key West may warrant your consideration. The listing broker describes 735 Poorhouse Lane like this:

"Beautifully renovated Conch home in Old Town Key West that features hardwood floors and Dade County Pine walls with room for a pool. This is a potential short sale transaction subject to lender approval."

I dug into the old photo album and found a black and white photo of 735 Poorhouse Lane (also known as 735 Petronia Lane) that was taken in 1965. I took an almost identical photo yesterday. See if you can identify the changes to the house. But for the most part this house and the other houses on this quiet little lane look pretty much today like they looked over half a century ago and beyond that.

735 Poorhouse Lane as it appeared in 1965

735 Poorhouse Lane as it appears in 2011

Poorhouse Lane is located just west of the Key West Cemetery (viewed in photos above). The lane is wide enough for a car or small delivery truck, but large vehicles can't handle the tight quarters. Bill Butler Park is located at the end of the lane. It's a good place to walk the dog. If you walk through the park or past the cemetery to Windsor Lane (its hard to explain but easy to do), you can walk to Duval Street in about five to seven minutes. There is a small corner grocery up at the corner of Olivia at Windsor and another at William and Windsor, but otherwise this is a commercial free area. St. Mary's Catholic Church is located two blocks to the south at the corner of Windsor Lane at Truman Avenue.

Windsor Lane and the Key West Cemetery to the east

Bill Butler Park is located at the end of Poorhouse Lane

735 Poorhouse Lane was built circa 1918, nearly one hundred years ago. The house is built of Dade County Pine and seems most solid to me. The place has been updated, the ceiling is vaulted, and a steep stairway added to the attic which now serves as a loft with separate half bath. Downstairs you will find a good sized master bedroom located just off the living room. One door leads from the bedroom to the rear deck and another door leads to a rear hallway which in turns leads to the bathroom and later the kitchen. The kitchen is bright white and has large skylight and cabinets that are set a bit higher than standard. This place would work great for someone tall. There are multiple areas at the rear for outdoor living. There is room for a pool. An existing cistern could potentially be converted to a cocktail pool as well. I saw remnants of an irrigation system and outdoor lighting. There is even a bricked off street parking spot. Oh, there is even a cat that looks like Garfield that lives on the front porch.

Dade County Pine walls and original floors with new French doors that open to west side yard

Vaulted ceiling adds space and volume to the living room as stairway leads to loft bedroom

Extra tall kitchen cabinets fit well into this very tall kitchen!

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property. Or CLICK HERE to view a slide show of photos I took late Thursday for a potential buyer.

735 Poorhouse Lane is a short sale offered at $469,000. If you would like to see this property or any other house in Key West, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 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. Living life on Poorhouse Lane does not have to be a bitch!

813 Frances Street - Old Town Charmer - Short Sale - Key West

813 Frances Street - Old Town - Key West

813 Frances Street just became a Short Sale and is now offered at just $699,000. This 1450 sq ft home has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living area that opens onto the pool and tiki hut plus off street parking. The master suite is on the first floor. And the second bedroom is a second floor open loft that looks down to the front entry. There is even one of those Key West step-through showers to the pool.

The listing Realtor describes this home thus:

" Elegant and beautiful historic home featured in several designer magazines is located on one of the most desirable streets in Old Town Key West. Bright and airy rooms with open floor plan from kitchen to spacious family room overlooking tropical yard and pool. Home to a champion Lignum Vitae tree and other tropical flora, the yard is private and lush and boasts a cozy outdoor covered lanai. Hardwood floors, downstairs master bedroom, chef's kitchen including gas cooktop and stainless steel appliances. Off-street parking and wonderful front porch add to this Key West Historic Gem in the Heart of Old Town Key West. Short sale subject to lender approval."

Cozy is the best way to describe this wonderful living area

Imagine living here in January

Kitchen window to right opens onto a poolside bar area

Elegant and understated master suite

This property is located directly across the street from the Key West cemetery. So there will be some fraidy cats who will not even consider this charming house. What a pity! Aside from the fact that the "neighbors" are exceedingly quiet, there is no parking on the opposite side of the street. The City of Key West erected new six foot wrought iron fences around the cemetery just a few years ago. So all that is inside is visible from the outside. Yes, you will have killer views of the graves and tombs. But you also see the green grass, trees, and walkways. You get to see the vast Key West sky and watch it as it changes. Trust me on this. There are no vampires and or ghouls that will creep into your house. You can sit on your front porch like others have done for decades and quietly watch the world walk by.

The house is a five or six minute walk to Duval Street and perhaps four minutes to the Historic Seaport. The Coffee Mill is a block away (as are several other yoga studios), Old Town gym is one block directly south, and the Citgo gas station at the Corner of Truman and White where you can buy the best fried chicken in town at Dion's Quick Mart.Sandy's Cafe is two blocks away and Fausto's Food Palace is across the street.

This cottage has appeared in several books on Key West architecture and houses. It has the "look" on the outside and the cozy feeling on the inside that make people want to own a place in Key West. The pool, the parking, the extra space for the occasional guest make this cottage home a Key West property worthy of very careful consideration.

Maybe the present owner is trying to tell the denizens across the street something...

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view many listing photos. Then call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com, to schedule a showing. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

846 Olivia Street - Old Town - Key West

846 Olivia Street - Key West - built circa 1908

Just Listed by Preferred Properties (that's where I work) 846 Olivia Street in Old Town Key West. I found an old photo (above) of this old house (built in 1908) showing the way it appeared in 1965. The photo below shows a similar view in 2011. The listing agent says the building was originally a tobacco barn. The agent describes the current use this way:

"There are so many unique properties in Key West and this is no exception. Originally this was a Tobacco Barn which has been renovated to include a two story main living area with 3 bedrooms, two baths and a lock out suite. Most of the materials used in the renovation have been recycled. On the second story addition there are two spacious bedrooms and a spa like bathroom with its own terrace and entrance. On the first level is a bright designer kitchen with the newest energy saving stainless steel appliances. Located on the corner of Olivia and Packer across from the cemetery. Off street parking."

2011 view of 8476 Olivia Street with off street parking

Note the mother-in-law's sitting porch

Main entrance to house is on Packer Street which also has a porch

The asking price on this 1817 sq ft property (sits on a 36'x58' lot) is $529,000 or $291 per sq ft. The house is divided between the main house and what I'll call a mother-in-law suite complete with kitchen and bath. The main part of the house has a slick and sparse look that totally surprised me. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The galley kitchen is 'arty' and minimalist. The stairs to the second floor seem to float. The two bedrooms and bath are located up there. The mother-in-law part of the house is located on the main level only. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and more photos of this property.

The house is located at the corner of Packer and Olivia Streets. CLICK HERE for a GOOGLE MAP view of the area. Packer is just one block long at this location. Olivia is a one way street that heads east on the south side of the Key West cemetery. Many folks won't consider a house that is located across from the cemetery. But they should. Homes on any side of the cemetery have great open skies views. And the neighbors are ever so quiet at night. There are no guesthouses, apartment buildings or commercial properties nearby so you won't have to fight for a place to park your car. The house has a parking space anyway.

If you would like to see this house or any other property in Key West, please consider calling me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida where today it is 80 degrees.

820 Windsor Lane - Old Town - Key West

Preferred Properties (that's where I work) just reduced the asking price on this utterly charming house at the corner of Windsor Lane & Poorhouse Lane in the Old Town area of Key West. But you won't be poor if you buy this house located at 820 Windsor Lane which is offered at just $479,000. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"A sweet conch home in the heart of old town, this property offers historic significance and a great floor plan from which one can make improvements. The guest bedroom and bath are downstairs while the master bedroom and half bath occupy the entire upstairs. Features include high ceilings, Dade co. Pine walls and floors, spacious rooms and an open kitchen with breakfast bar. A private deck and a bricked patio provide more outdoor living. This home has a lot of charm and is a rare find in old town."

In his book The Streets of Key West: a History through Street Names J. Willis Burke says Poorhouse Lane got its name because "a poorhouse was once tucked away there". I found another of those old photos that show how this property looked like in 1965. Poorhouse Lane is denoted by the unpainted vertical fence on the opposite side of the house. See the photo below. Now look at a similar photo I took in December 2010 looking in the same basic direction. With the overgrown trees and cars it is hard telling it is the same place. But it is.

820 Windsor Lane circa 1965 - Poorhouse Lane is denoted by the vertical unpainted fence

820 Windsor Lane as it appears in 2010 hidden behind the foliage

820 Windsor Lane is a two bedroom two bath home that sits on a good sized 40' x 50' lot just across the street from the Key West cemetery. St. Mary's Catholic Church is located two blocks to the south at the corner of Windsor Lane and Truman Avenue. Bill Butler Park is a short one block walk at the west end Poorhouse Lane. I must confess the City of Key West ought to spend more time and more money to maintain this potential gem.



The Historic Key West Seaport is a five or six minute walk to the north. I mention that not because a lot of potential buyers have boats or plan to go on fishing trips or sunset cruises, but because there are many great restaurants there. I love Harpoon Harry's for breakfast and a lot of friends are wild about the Half Shell Raw Bar.

You can walk to Duval Street in about five minutes. The fact is you can be just about any place in Key West within ten minutes by car. You can be most places in Old Town by foot or bike in about the same time. And it is that convenience that makes a location like 820 Windsor Lane so appealing.

Front room used as an office or second bedroom

Open living, dining and kitchen

Master bedroom and open bath

This home has a very Old Key West feel. All rooms are natural (unpainted) Dade County Pine walls, ceilings, and floors with all windows and doors painted white. The window panes are old and the glass has 'stretch marks' that show their age. There front room downstairs does double duty as an office/den and second bedroom. There is a full bath on main floor. The living room, dining area, and kitchen are one big open space with lots of windows. The master bedroom and an open bath occupy the entire second floor. There front porch has view of the Key West cemetery. The side and back yards are private and spacious.

CLICK HERE to checkout the Key West mls datasheet on 820 Windsor Lane and to view more photos of the house and grounds

Better yet please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this cute Conch Cottage. 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.