818 Carsten Lane, Key West - Just Listed

 

You've arrived at 818 Carsten Lane, Key West. Lucky you! This is one of the sweetest little houses in Old Town and it is now for sale. If you have been watching the Key West MLS much in the past few weeks, you'll appreciate the opportunity to buy a house that is already done and done right. Let's take a look starting from the front porch and work our way to the pool in the rear.

The listing Realtor describes 818 Carsten Lane thus:

"This quintessential conch cottage is located on a charming lane in the heart of Old Town. The picture perfect two bedroom, two bathroom home has all the features you look for in a renovated historic property. The current owners' total renovation left no detail overlooked. Historic features include a shady front porch, a wide entry hall and lots of Dade County pine on the walls and high ceilings throughout the home. The sleek kitchen and baths are beautifully appointed with modern fixtures and finishes and custom built-in cabinetry that perfectly complement the original features of the home. The spacious sunlit open living area has a vaulted ceiling and opens through glass doors to the rear porch, decked yard and pool with unique water feature.This wonderful property is fenced for privacy and has off-street parking."

I wrote about this same house several years ago after it had been updated by a different owner. The prior incarnation was retro-Victorian. The current owner brought the old house into the 21st Century. The Victoriana was removed as were the original floors. All of the interior was updated. Each bedroom has a bath. The master bath has an emergency exit to the outdoor shower. I have seen this in other houses, but this one includes a glass door which allows outside light to flood the inside. The fixtures, lights - everything flows together. One wall in the master bedroom was repurposed as a bookcase style closet with multiple storage places. The old Dade County Pine ceilings now include recessed ceiling lights.

The former new old-style kitchen was replaced by a modern newer kitchen as well, New windows were added in a side bump-out that dramatically expanded the both the light entering the room but also the sense of space. 

 

The covered rear porch was totally updated as well.  A dysfunctional banister was removed and that dramatically opened the view to the pool. New decking was added as well as the outdoor shower visible in the last photo. The side yards provide storage for bikes and water sports equipment. The fence at the rear abuts Carey Lane which I think is the cutest little lane in town. I mention this because the owners on that lane and the abutting properties on Carsten Lane are all cute cottage style homes.

Carey Lane

Carsten Lane

The cuteness of this part of Old Town is intoxicating. CLICK HERE to view the the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 818 Carsten Lane Key West offered at $1.279,000. 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. Don't wait. This will sell quickly. There are so few houses in Old Town available.This is in move-in condition.

1108 Fleming Street, Key West

 

Just listed 1108 Fleming Street, Key West.This Old Town home is post card perfect and should appeal to the most discerning buyer. The listing broker describes the home this way:

"On a famed street spanning the heart of Old Town Key West sits this quintessential 3BD/3BA Key West conch house. The charming front porch is framed with bougainvillea and the updated open floor plan opens perfectly to the great indoor/outdoor living room. The kitchen & living room are filled with natural light up to the high vaulted ceilings. Hard wood floors as well as a wall of glass out to the patio & heated pool provide class and comfort. The main house offers a 1st floor bedroom & 2nd floor owner's suite with an office space. The detached 1BD/1BA guest cottage has access off Curry lane, opens onto the sunny patio & pool area that is perfect for entertaining w/ a wet bar & space for dining. Outdoor shower & Bricked off-street parking off Curry Ln. is in the rear of the home."

 

The Monroe County Property Appraiser records show this home was substantially renovated in 1999. I assume that is when the new addition at the rear of the main house was added. That room has three sets of glass panel doors with clerestory windows above. The view from the inside looking out is captivating. The lot measures 25 Ft wide by 105 Ft deep. The guest cottage at the rear abuts Curry Lane, one of the slowest of the slow lanes in Key West. There is one off street parking space located behind the cottage. I mention this because there is no public view of the back yard, the  pool. or the back of the house - thus no need for curtains.

The master bedroom is located on the second floor. There is a little sitting room or office outside the bedroom. A small set of French doors that separate the two areas. The bath fits nicely in the front.

There is a convenience store located a the end of the block. The two best bakeries in town are located on Eaton Street, just one block to the north. Duval Street is a short stroll to the west. There are dozens of cute little cottages and big old mansions to ogle on the way to any destination.What a perfect little Key West home. Style, grace, warmth, whimsy, charm, and location. (And off street parking!) 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and lots of photos of 1108 Fleming Street, Key West offered for sale at $1,250,000. 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. 

A neighboring home located at 1112 Curry Lane as photographed in 2011.

804 Elizabeth Street, Key West - A Perfect Perch on Buzzard's Roost

I went on Realtor Caravan this morning and saw several homes in the Mid-Town and New-Town areas of Key West. Realtors are not supposed to comment negatively about other agents listings so I won't except to say many of the homes built in the mid to later part of the Twentieth Century looked pretty much the same given the year they were built and those that have been recently renovated often look like the owners and contractors got all of their inspiration from Home Depot. Enough said.

Shortly after Caravan I was invited to a Broker's Open at 804 Elizabeth Street hosted by a former colleague, Jeff Dunaway. He was sitting barefoot on a swing on the front porch of the classic Eyebrow House. I asked if I should remove my shoes. No, he said. He invited me inside to eat the catered lunch. I opted instead to look about the house as I had not been inside for several years. I was eager to see the changes. I remembered the pool as being large and very sun-lit as in not having minimal landscaping. I was eager to see the pool which appeared shortly after I entered the house. i saw the pool as I moved from the living room thru the dining room and later a small study at the rear.

The original house dates back to 1874 and has been expanded and renovated by successive owners I dug down into my old shoe box and found a the black and white photo  (below) of the house that was taken in 1965. Two saw tooth additions were added at the rear of the house which are now used as the dining room and study. A separate addition was added to the right rear where the master bedroom and bath are located. There is a small bedroom with bath at the right front of the house. There are three rooms located on the second floor which include a decent sized bedroom, hallway, ante-room, and bathroom.

French doors open from the rear of the master bedroom onto a separate porch overlooking the pool There is an outdoor shower on the far side of the pool. By the way none of the neighbors can see into the yard.

The kitchen opens into the dining room and has a separate glass door that opens out to the covered patio overlooking the pool. I sat pool side and ate two sandwiches and drank a bottle of water. I told Jeff, the Realtor, this house beast any thing we saw earlier in the day. It is among the top of the houses for sale in Old Town at the current time. It is just as cute as can be. That pool is to die for.

This home has a successful history as a monthly vacation rental. You can see why by looking a the photos. Except for the kitchen which is plain, there is nothing about this house that makes you think of Home Depot.  The Dade County Pine walls, the shutters, the pool, the additions and renovations show a totally unique house in a coveted Old Town location. There are two off street parking spaces as well.

While Key West has been inhabited since the early 1820s, most of the population was concentrated around the seaport. This house is located in an area referred to on the 1889 Sanborn Fire Map as Buzzards Roost because it is the highest point on the Island of Key West. Longtime Readers most likely know the area as Solaris Hill - the highest point in all of Key West. I kind of like Buzzard's Roost more. Look closely at the map where you will see notations as to Negro Tenements. I am pretty sure those buildings are now included in what has become the Merlin Guest House. The former convent at St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Church was located about three blocks south at Division Street (now Truman Avenue).

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos for 804 Elizabeth Street, Key West offered furnished at $1,999,000. The 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. You will fall in love with this house!