The One That Got Away - Key West

628 Olivia Street - former home of Phillip Burton - Sold $1,225,000

Don't you just love the movie titles from the 1950's? The title tells you the entire story in six words or less. Titles likeThe Day the Earth Stood Still , Cat-Women of the Moon, It Came from Outer Space, Swamp Women, Earth vs the Flying Saucers, I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, and so on. Westerns were westerns, and sci-fis were metaphors for the U.S. being afraid of Russia, and the Abbott and Costello movies were just plain funny. Another Fab 50's movie was called The One That Got Away. And that is the subject of today's blog.

Conch Trains take passengers past the quaint little Victorian cottage at 608 Angela Street that was built during the last quarter of the 19th Century. It was the last home of Shakespearean scholar Phillip Burton, the adoptive father of American actor Richard Burton. While so many of the great houses and small cottages of Key West are painted white, the house at 608 Angela Street looks as if it had never been painted. Indeed, it almost looks run down. But you know that cannot be the case given its history.

History it is for sure, as this truly is The One That Got Away. You see this house sold earlier this week for $1,225,000. Notice of the sale was posted in the mls for statistical purposes. The house had recently been listed for $1,790,000 or $1004 per sq ft. The listing agent only offered a 1.5% commission to a selling agent. It's hard enough to sell an expensive house in the current market. I had shown this house several times over the years and I loved it. But I never considered showing it at the $1,795,000 price point. But the actual sales price is a heck of a deal. The agent that did this sale, however, is not the same one listed it at the $1.795 price point.

There are other potential good deals still left, however. CLICK HERE to do your own search of the Key West mls database. If you see a place you like, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida where today it is 84 degrees under a hazy sky. There are thousands of college kids roaming the streets on foot, on bikes, on scooters and in cars. An expensive new Cadillac stopped next to the Gardens Hotel about an hour ago so that a coed could open the door and vomit. Mom, is your daughter in Key West in your Cadillac?

Gorilla My Dream

Remember the Connie Frances movie Where the Boys Are? They are in Key West this month for Spring Break. Town is divided into four distinct categories: typical tourists that take up lots of space on sidewalks, people with money who tend to hang together, the breakers, and the locals --we tend to avoid Duval and all other tourist places like the plague (there so many people here right now!!!).

Our weather is so fair that the breakers have to dress for the beach all the time: meaning they hardly dress at all. If you are a father or mother with a son or daughter in Key West rest assured that your kid will return home with an all over tan. Without exception!

Tyler who works the morning shift at my gym arrived at work this morning at 6:00 AM. He just got off his other real job at one of the Duval Street bars. He said the breakers were fairly nice last night. He didn't have to 86 anybody. But, he said, they didn't leave until closing time which is 4:00 AM.

So you can see why I included the pics above. The breakers memories of Key West may be somewhat flawed. But they will surely recall that they had a great time.