Bring
your toothbrush, some comfy shorts and tee shirts, and prepare to enjoy
the "rest" of your life at 529 Grinnell Street in
Old Town Key West. You won't need to do a thing as this home is move-in
ready. So you won't need to spend time or money fixing things, painting, or trying to get someone else to show up. Instead,
you can spend your time living the life you have dreamt of living in Key West.
The listing Realtor describes 529 Grinnell Street this way:
"Beautifully renovated historic home on one of the most desirable streets in Old
Town Key West. Located in a neighborhood of multi-million dollar homes, this
historic treasure exemplifies the best of Key West living. High ceilings, open
floor plan great room, modern and elegant kitchen, three spacious bedrooms with
ensuite baths. Hardwood floors, bright and airy rooms. Fully renovated in 2006
to the highest quality standards. Stainless steel appliances, granite
countertops and split bedroom floor plan. Bedroom downstairs with ensuite bath.
Off-street parking and pleasant pool with waterfall. Located near restaurants,
theaters and Key West Seaport. A Historic Jewel For Comfortable Tropical Living."
I
did some searching through the old shoe box and found a photo of 529
Grinnell Street that was taken back in 1965. When I looked at it I
noticed that the second floor front porch extended out past the balcony
of the house. I then saw a stairway that extended down the left side of
the house. That suggested to me that the second floor probably had been
converted into an apartment. Well, folks, the apartment is long gone. I
went to the historic 1889 Sanborn maps and found what I believe to be
this house. The map numbering is different today but the location of the
large house on Southard (immediately south of 529 today) and the
smaller cottage to the right (next door at 525 today) places 529
Southard Street precisely where it sits today. And that strongly
suggests to me that 529 Grinnell was built prior to 1889.
When
you first enter this house you immediately know it is as clean as a
whistle. The house is arranged for modern living. If you have been inside many of the larger homes in Old Town you will immediately see that the typical box rooms associated with many old houses has given way to modern living with an open floor plan. The updated space created a great room that is bright and cheery. The house is Key West "casual". There
is no pretense of formality here. This house was renovated with
comfortable living in mind.
French
doors open from the great room out to the deck where you will find a
dipping pool and outdoor kitchen. The day I took the photos the outdoor
kitchen was getting a bit of a face lift. The owner was not happy with
the way the cabinets looked in the listing photos. They have since been refinished to look like new again.
The
main floor has a powder room tucked under the stairway to the second
floor. And just to the rear of the kitchen you will find a good sized
bedroom with en-suite bath. (The laundry is also tucked into this
space.) The bedroom is large enough to work as a master bedroom should the stairs someday become a challenge. Note that the bathroom has a
door that opens out to the deck so that swimmers can come right into the
house to shower off if need be.
There
are two bedrooms located on the second floor - a guest bedroom with
en-suite bath with access to the covered second floor front balcony and
the master suite with en-suite bath and private rear sun porch.
There
is a small coffee bar located just off the door that leads to the
second floor balcony. I might add a small refrigerator to hold some late
night snacks or chilled wine to make morning and evening people
watching all that more enjoyable.
The
above photo shows Five Brother's Grocery and Sandwich Shop located at
the corner of Southard Street. Both of the two cottages across the
street have been featured in national magazines. 532 Grinnell Street
(the cottage with the crows on the roof) was in Architectural Digest and
530 Grinnell Street was in Coastal Living Magazine.
The
master suite is located at the rear. The bedroom chamber has a dramatic
high pitched ceiling. The room is already large and spacious but the
volume ceiling makes the space seem extra large. The en-suite bath is
totally refined and offers both a pool and a tub. Just off the bedroom
you will find a rear sun porch for some au-natural tanning
opportunities.
The
off street parking is visible in the photo immediately above. Also
visible, but probably not appreciated via the internet photos, is the
recently completed exterior paint job. This house glistens. The interior
floors were also refinished or replaced. They are remarkable! This entire house looks so clean and very
well maintained.
I think 529 Grinnell Street could be a very successful vacation rental. It has the Key West charm, the pool, parking, location that sophisticated returning vacationers demand.
The asking price has just been reduced to
$1,195,000. I took more photos which you can see if you
CLICK HERE.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet which
provides more info on this quality Key West residence. I truly expect
that this house will sell rather quickly. The housing supply for quality
homes in the Old Town area at this price point has shrunk to a few
properties. This one is a standout. Please contact me,
Gary Thomas,
305-766-2642,
to arrange 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.
