1403 Pine Street, Key West - Re-visited

I wrote about 1403 Pine Street, Key West, a few months ago just after it was listed for sale. To my surprise, this really interesting property has not sold. For first time readers and return loyal followers, let me share with you my thoughts about this place.

The property consists of the main house (visible front above) is a classic bungalow of 1283 sq ft which has two bedrooms and two baths. The house was updated with a new kitchen and baths several years ago. It works and functions fine. Buyers looking for a small project house that could be fun to renovate should definitely take a look at this place.

You can tell when you step up to the front porch that the people who live here love this home and this island. Tromp loi palm fronds adorn the arched porch that is set up like an outdoor living room. This is Key West casual living. I would point out that since this street is near the end of the Old Town and Meadows area, there is not a whole lot of commotion going on in this location.

There is a nice bricked rear and side yard for private outdoor living. There is a small shed being used as a potting shed and laundry combination. The yard wraps around the house and extends back to the large gated entry at the front of this 44.35' X 76..3' (3257 sq ft) lot. 

But that's not all. There is a two story guest cottage with about 460 sq ft of living space located at the right rear of the lot.  The ground consists of a living area and kitchen. The second floor is the bedroom and bathroom plus a large covered porch which overlooks the side yard.

 This place is as cute as all get-out.  I know some buyers want to re-do places and imprint their lifestyle into their home. While I am not a builder and have no particular knowledge as to structural condition or construction costs, I did not see any deterioration that requires repair. Rather the age of the amenities just dates the house a bit. CLICK HERE to view more photos of this home.

1403 Pine Street is offered for sale at $890,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS for more information. Then please call Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a showing of this home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

414 William Street, Key West - Old But also New

 New to the Key West MLS is 414 William Street located in the Heart of Old Town. This is an historic Conch House which has been updated and given a bit of refinement that previously did not exit.  I dug into my old shoe box and found a black and white photo taken in 1965 which shows the house as it then existed. See below. The angle is somewhat similar in both photos and that may help you see some of the changes including replacement of jalousie windows (probably a recent update from the 1950s or early 1960s), addition of gingerbread on the columns, and moving the entry door from the center bay to the right bay.

I checked the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine when this home was built. Since it is located on one of the more oldest and most prominent streets in Old Town, I had no problem finding it on the 1889 map. However, it was identified then as 127 William Street. It was not until the 1892 map was created that the street numeral was changed to 414 William Street. 

 I got a chance to see the inside of this home for the first time last week during Realtor caravan. (This is a time when agents from town go from house to house to see new listings. Agents are asked to provide comments on pricing and condition of each house to provide feedback to the owner.) This particular house is fairly large (three stories).  The interiors are about as fine as any I have seen in Key West. But they are also unconventional. Many of the houses in Old Town feature Dade County Pine walls and ceilings  A different type of clear coated pine was applied to the walls trimmed with brilliant white baseboards, crown molding, and door and window trim. The windows are outfitted with Plantation shutters that really dress each room. Marble tiles lead from the foyer rot the kitchen at the rear. The main floor master bedroom and bath is located between the front sitting room and the kitchen at the rear.

The kitchen is awesome. I stood at the stove and watched other agents buzzing around looking at different parts of the ground floor and at the pool at the rear. I looked closely at the burners. They had never been used. The listing agent told me the owner has several properties nearby and has never actually lived in this house.

The rear yard isn't huge which means there won't be all that much for a gardener to take care of. There is a small pool and a shaded rear deck. I looked over the fence to the north. The neighbor to the north owns one of the most famous houses in Old Town. There is no pool there - just a nice old fashioned Key West garden

The second floor spaces include a sitting room located between front and rear bedrooms plus a rear balcony which looks down to the pool. The listing agent announced the paladin windows on ground level were from St Mary's convent in Key West which burned to the ground half a century ago. I suspect the first floor arches and the bathroom window in the bedroom were created by craftsmen to replicated the delicate style of the old windows. 

This block of William Street is rich in architectural design and diversity. A former Methodist church is located on the corner at Southard Street. For now, it sits vacant and awaiting an inspiration on what it might become. There are a couple of Bahama houses floated over from the islands that sit on this block. There are a couple of large grand Conch houses located on the opposite side of the street, one of which was converted into a guest house. The Historic Key West Seaport is located two blocks to the north. Duval Street and all that goes on is just three blocks to the west. There are gyms, yoga  studios, art galleries, little shops, restaurants, all over the place, all within a few minutes walk of 414 William Street.

414 William Street is offered at $2,295,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise. If you are a cash buyer, this could be your home buy Christmas this year.

Tales from Key West Real Estate - No. 1

The normal practice in Key West is for the Listing Agent to show his/her property to the buyers and his/her agent. This is because many of our properties (especially in Old Town) are unique.

One day several years ago my customers and I were looking at fairly expensive home that was being rented on a long term basis. The tenants were single young adult Europeans. I assume they worked in restaurants.  They were too well groomed to do any manual labor.

The agent first opened a shut bedroom door and took us into the room where the drapes or blinds were shut. We were told to "Sssh!" so as to not disturb the pretty blond girl asleep on the bed. This was early afternoon. 

Next we went into the adjacent bedroom. Nobody was in that bed. The window coverings were open. I remember the place being ablaze with light. We stood inside several minutes discussing the unit. Then the bathroom door opened.  A brief blast of  bathroom humidity burst into the room. A tall blond Adonis walked out wearing a black bikini.  He didn't seem a bit phased by finding us in his room.

923 Southard Street, Key West - Price Reduction

The asking price on 923 Southard Street in Old Town Key West just got a lot better. Originally offered at $1,024,900, the new price is 2.7% less at $997,000.

The original cigar maker's style cottage was built circa 1889. I found an old photo that shows pretty much the original structure as it appeared 50 some years ago (see the black and white photo below). If you look carefully you can see traditional clapboard siding at the front but board and batten siding (vertical siding) on the side.  You also will see a "sawtooth" addition at the rear. I suspect that was the kitchen at the time the photo was taken. A later owner expanded that space to include a second floor addition.  The resultant house today has 1476 sq ft of living space under air. The house sits on a large 2700 sq ft lot (approximately 27' x 100') lot located in the heart to Old Town.

Circa 1965

The listing Realtor describes this pretty as can be property as:

"This late 19th Century cottage is the perfect oasis in the heart of Old Town. Landscaped and fenced in the rear for total privacy, with an outdoor shower, arbor, heated plunge pool and a bodega for storage. The living area and hallway are bright with eastern light falling on the natural Dade County pine walls. The bright white kitchen gives onto the outdoors, and attached laundry room. Bedrooms are at opposite ends upstairs, separated by a hallway with skylights, closets and a nook. Step out of the master suite onto the deck overlooking the inviting scene below. The harbor and Duval Street are a short walk away. New roof in 2015, and 4 new split a/c units in 2016. Offered furnished."

Today this storybook cottage rests behind a picturesque white picket. The front porch provides the perfect perch for people watching.  Inside, you are greeted by a traditional long hallway on the right which leads to the kitchen and dining at the rear. The current owner removed a previously existing wall that separated a small front office from the adjacent living room. The newly expanded living room is a delight. The floors were refinished and look like new. Windows from the hallway on the east which filter into the living area.  Windows at the front and west side light the living room during the daytime. The Dade County Pine Walls are punctuated by the baseboards, trim, and crown molding all painted a crisp white.  

There is a full bathroom plus closets closets located at the rear of the living room. This space will come in handy as the second bathroom on the second floor is en-suite to the master bedroom.

The kitchen is a compact place to cook when the owner is dining at home versus going out to one of the nearby restaurants including Mangia Mangia, Michael's, Azul, or Cafe Sole. The owner created a nicely outdoor dining area under the trellis opposite the pool. The laundry room is located adjacent to the kitchen.

The turf is not real, but the sunshine, the trees, the singing birds are very real, and they are very much a part of the appeal of this magical back yard located in the heart of Old Town.

The front bedroom tells us a lot about the history of this house. There is an original scuttle located in the ceiling over the chair in the above photo. In the old days before air conditioning, scuttles were opened to allow warm air to rise through the space to the outdoors. Today the old scuttles  remind us of the miracles of electricity and interior refrigeration. The common hallway separates the two bedrooms.

The roof top balcony is the perfect spot to take an all-over Key West tan. It's also a great place to sit in the morning drinking your coffee or late at night as the warm breezes move across the island. The last couple of nights have been incredible as the full moon migrated across the sky with slow winds moving lots of clouds about. It was quite the show. When the conch trains, delivery vans, scooters, and cars stop the real noises of the island begin: the dog scratching off fleas, the occasional cat screeching, the gecko on the wall chirping, the fountain in the garden gurgling, the palms swishing. These are the sounds of Key West us locals love to hear.

923 Southard Street is now offered at $997,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this treasure. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.