1115 Southard Street, Key West - PRICE REDUCED

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness."

                                                                                                                                       John Keats

I first wrote about 1115 Southard Street in Key West back in March.  I was genuinely taken by this beautiful house. Take look at the same house in the black and white photo below which was taken in 1965.  This home is an example of a Key West eyebrow style home. The roof eaves extend out over the porch protecting the second floor windows from rain or wind. In the days before air conditioning, residents had to rely on natural ventilation and trees to provide cooling. When you think about it, eyebrows really don't keep wind or rain out of your eyes - it's the eyelids, but that's not as romantic sounding.

I searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned it appeared in the 1889 Map when it was then numbered 514 Southard Street. The house number changed to 1115 Southard Street on the 1899 Map. The Sanborn Map also identified the lane behind this house as Barracks Lane which was renamed Stump Lane on the 1899 Map.

I dug down into my old shoebox and found the above aerial photo taken of the area where I identified 1115 Southard Street. Study the photo and you may recognize the tall building at the corner. That is the Armory. The Army Barracks was located across the street to the right. The houses in the foreground are in The Meadows Area of modern day Key West.

I paused at the front door and felt a sense of anticipation before entering this home. The house exterior is strikingly handsome. The grounds are very well maintained. In fact the yard maintenance guys where clipping and blowing when I saw the property.

I have written before that every eyebrow house I have been inside is different from the rest. This is as good an example of a variation as any I have seen. Though varied in size, eyebrow houses were typically built with a center staircase rising to the second floor where there would have been two bedrooms on either side. Downstairs there would have been Dade County Pine walls on either side of the staircase with bedrooms or sitting rooms followed by a kitchen in the rear. In many instances the kitchen might have been an addition to the house.

As soon as I entered this house I recognized the renovations would have been made in the 1980s. The interior first floor Dade Pine walls were removed. Additions were made to the east and west sides of the house where a bit of space was added but more importantly that space introduced ambient daytime light. This type of addition would never be allowed by our Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). They put the kibosh on just about anything innovative. Saltillo tile floors were a big deal in decorating four decades ago - not so much now. The original ceiling was replaced by a new wood ceiling. The wood theme is carried throughout the house.

The renovation architecture is interesting.  But it's dated. That does not mean it is bad. It means a buyer who wants either a more historic looking home or a home with current contemporary features will have to renovate.

The staircase to the second floor was relocated to the backside of the living room wall where the sofa is located. The staircase lands directly into the master suite which includes the bedroom, a niched study, closets, bathroom, and exit to the glorious private roof top deck. The architect who designed this house did a damned good job. A dormer lifted and extended the back end of the second floor. (Modern day HARC would never allow this. And that's a shame. Note the original roof line was captured and noted in the built-in closets which have an ascending line that bisects the new from the old. The past is preserved.)

I stood on the second floor deck and took in the view which I found so charming. The old house next door looks delightfully deplorable. It will be offered for sale some day. It sits on  a huge L-shaped lot with access on Southard Street as well as Stump Lane (as does 1115 Southard). It will sell for way over a million dollars. In the meantime (which could be ten years or longer), the house will just sit there exuding its potential.

The house has 1400 square feet of interior living space under air plus covered porches, decks, and patios. The two guest bedrooms have baths, one of which is in the cute cottage at the rear. A gate at the rear opens out to Stump Lane. The 4,939 square foot lot measures 50.3' X 97.5'. The pool is both sunny and enormous by Old Town standards. 

The asking price on 1115 Southard Street, Key West, was just reduced to $1,000,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. 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.

912 Truman Avenue, Key West - Price Reduced

Buyers with big dreams and smaller budgets should take note of the recent price reduction of 912 Truman Avenue in Key West. That's not the house above, that's just a colorful logo to catch your attention.

My experiences teach me that potential buyers have visions of the type of house they want to buy even before they start the process. Some want a smaller house like a cigar maker cottage part because of the size and also because of the perception it will cost less to buy and cost less long term to maintain. Other buyers want a larger home like the Grand Dames which line Eaton, Fleming, Grinnell, and Southard Streets. For these buyers size matters. For some cost is no option, for other it's a major downer. Perk up, Dear Readers. The asking price on 912 Truman Avenue has just been reduced to $1,175,000 or $336.29 per sq ft for this 3494 sq ft house with four bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths. . 

The porches symmetrically frame either side of the home. Each of the windows have pediments flanked by shutters. Sconces light the first floor entry. Brick pavers lead from the gated white picket fence up to the front porch. The yard has several mature large palms and other tropical foliage which give the space a "finished look" as opposed to some houses in Key West where landscaping is more native. The result is an impressive and refined front entry which delivers guests to the front door of an elegant Key West property.

 As you enter the front entry you are greeted by an historic staircase and central hallway that divides the house in half so to speak. On the right side you will find the living room with its formal parlor in front and rear space currently configured as an office. A door at the rear opens out to the new pool. On the left side you will see the formal dining room at the front and the country kitchen at the rear, There is Dade County Pine walls just about everywhere in this house including the ceilings. Take a look at the floorboards. Note the width of the floorboards. This is a house of substance and long lasting durable building materials. The dollhouse photo above shows two staircases. The rear staircase ends at the back hallway where there is a first floor powder room. The Kitchen (not shown in the dollhouse photo) is located opposite the rear staircase.

The dollhouse view shows the master suite located on the west side of the house. The rich Dade County Pine wall and ceiling provide a comfortable place to nestle. The master bath is quite large and contains a large soaking tub plus shower and extra large vanity and closet. There are two large bedrooms on the east side of the second floor. They share the bath at the rear of the second floor. Not shown in the dollhouse view is the second floor front porch which runs the breadth of this impressive home. When you see this house in person you will surely be impressed by the pediments over the windows. The historic glass windows ripple with age. I have ripples, and not in my stomach. Mine are called wrinkles, however.

Each o the homes in this complex has a private pool. Some of the neighboring landscaping was lost during the recent storm. It will grow back within a few months. I include an older photo to prove my point. This house has full access on all four sides to maintain the property. There is a rear gate that leads out to the large side yard and the two designated parking spaces. The condo fee is $600 per year.

The third floor offers so many different uses to a new owner. The photo two above shows about 2/3 of the floor space. Not visible is a bed alcove located in the front dormer to the right. There's a mini kitchen for Grama or the brother-in-law who won't go back home to use or maybe use as a writer's loft, an artist's lair, or playroom for the grandchildren. CLICK HERE to see more photos of this home taken over the past few years. The photos in today's blog reflect the current condition of this fine home.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 912 Truman Avenue and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me show you the historic charm and the present value of this home.

1126 Stump Lane, Key West - New Lower Price

The Asking Price on 1126 Stump Lane was just reduced to $534,900. That's the least expensive price for a single family home located in Old Town Key West that is move-in ready, come fully furnished, and that does not need to be renovated.

CLICK HERE to take a 3D Tour of 1126 Stump Lane. Use the toggle switch and your mouse to explore this wonderful cottage on one of the slow lanes of Key West.

Please call me Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an in person private showing of this ideal Key West home. I am the listing agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.