1800 Atlantic Penthouse Condo - Key West Waterfront

Recently listed, by not by me, 1800 Atlantic Unit C 439, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. The listing Broker describes the unit this way:

"Top floor unit with stunning views down Smather's Beach, vaulted ceilings and a transient rental license. Great location within a great location! Enjoy all of the amenities for which 1800 Atlantic is so well known and generate income to help with the carrying costs."

Loyal Readers know that just about every unit at 1800 Atlantic is 1357 square feet and has a nearly identical layout consisting of two bedrooms, two baths, eat in kitchen, shared dining and living areas, and a killer balcony that extends the length of the unit so that each room (except the baths) as views. The location, Dear Readers, is one of three factors that dramatically effects the pricing among units for sale. The two other factors are whether the unit has been updated and whether the unit has a transient rental license. Few buyers want a bad location or inferior view. Some buyers want perfection from the 'get go' while others are willing to accept any property as long as the price is right. Some buyers require a transient license so they can rent a unit as much as possible when they are not using the unit themselves.

Top floor Smather's Beach view

Penthouse has vaulted ceilings that add volume to the living areas

1800 Atlantic Unit C 439 is a penthouse unit (meaning not only top floor but also that the unit has extra tall vaulted ceilings which add height and volume to the living room and bedrooms. This unit is the first unit off the ocean front. It has commanding waterfront views. Being second best works in this case. This unit has valuable City of Key West transient license which makes daily rental (every day of the year possible as opposed to a special Truman Annex transient rental license that has restrictions as to the number of weeks an owner can rent the unit on a transient basis). Finally, this unit is original which means the kitchen and baths are the same now as they were when the unit was built in 1984. In an age where almost everything must be 'new' to be good, being 27 years old may seem like it is less than perfect. That, Dear Reader, is not the case here. I have photos to prove it. CLICK HERE to see photos of this unit and the views. A potential buyer who wants a new kitchen or new baths or new furniture can get exactly what they want. It will cost a little more, but the new owner can get (and pay for) exactly what he or she or they want.

1800 Atlantic Condominiums have a loyal following of returning visitors. The ocean front location with the giant pool and spa and the surprisingly large gardens, tennis courts, and covered parking work well for visitors that have done the Duval crawl and decided they prefer the oceanfront location.

You or your guests can walk to Smather's Beach for a game of volleyball, a personal sail, or do some ordinary tanning in an extraordinary location.

Smather's Beach is next door to your home

No traffic, no parking, no problems

Or you can swim in your own pool or walk the beach outside the door

Photo during construction showing location of C 439 - Penthouse Floor

Here's the deal: This unit is an "estate sale". The penthouse location and view plus the transient license makes this unit a very desirable unit. Unit C 439 is offered at $498,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls database on this unit.

If you are looking to purchase a property in Key West and have not yet found the right person to deal with, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas. 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

273 Southard Street - Presidents Lane - Truman Annex - Key West

Just listed, but not by me, a lovely transient licensed unit at President's Lane in Truman Annex. The listing Realtor describes this poolside unit like this:

"Turn key. Beautifully furnished 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathroom townhome with private parking located poolside in exclusive Truman Annex. This gated community is footsteps to the Atlantic Ocean, World-famous sunsets and countless restaurants and galleries. Your new home offers 4 decks and your own cobblestone paved backyard with a private entrance off of Thomas Street."

273 Southard Street has a rear gate (east >) that opens onto Thomas Street

273 Southard Street is located in the center rear

This is the view just outside the front gate of 273 Southard Street

This unit is located at the east side of the complex and has first and second floor views looking toward the pool. The unit itself has 960 sq ft of living space on two levels. Downstairs you will find the kitchen and living area with French doors that open onto the rear deck. There is a half bath on the first floor as well. Upstairs each of the two bedrooms has a balcony. The unit has a the special Truman Annex transient rental license which permits owners to rent the unit on a weekly basis subject to rental guidelines. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls database on this property.

Truman Annex is located just two blocks east of Duval Street and has become the favorite destination location for many returning Key West visitors for years.

At $537,000 this unit is the lowest price such unit available at this time. A few weeks ago I wrote about a similar unit that was priced much higher. It went under contract within a matter of days. If you are looking for a place that you can legally rent and help reduce your mortgage expenses, this may be the place for you. Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time buyer's agent and Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

With Apolgies to the Beach Boys, I Give You "Damn Citations"

It happens every Spring. The college kids come to Key West to party hard and have fun. No shirt, no shoes, no problem for the most part. Kids bring lots of cash and have a good time. They aren't bad kids. They are probably your kids or your nieces and nephews. They are just here to have some fun in the sun. The problem is they have fun when the sun don't shine. They have fun so late sometimes that they wake up the roosters by partying too hard in the pool in the house that they rented. And its not only the rooster that gets awakened. Sometimes it is the next door neighbors. But first, the verse:

I'm pickin' up damn citations
(Oom bop bop damn citations)
She's giving me some damn citations
(Oom bop bop citations)
Damn, damn, damn, damn citations
(Oom bop bop)
She's giving me damn citations
(Oom bop bop damn citations)

There is a story on the front page of today's Key West Citizen (READ HERE) that tells the tale of what could happen if you rent to spring breakers or anyone else and do not have a transient rental license or if you do not (allegedly-like they say on TV when the cops nab the culprit in plain view of everybody but don't want to presume him guilty) have a valid monthly vacation rental agreement.

It's not fair to pick on the college kids that come to Key West to have fun. Many 'adults' do the same thing except they are usually not as thin or as cute as the college kids, but some are as nearly nude and certainly as loud after they have had a few (dozen) beers. When they take the party back to their rented house and wake the locals who, for the most part are a tolerant bunch, things change. Patience wears very thin in the wee hours of the morning.

The interior of the Monroe County Jail in the 1970s

You can rent a house or a condo as a vacation rental but you need to follow the rules. If you don't, and if you get caught, you can go to real estate jail. No, they don't put you in a cell. But they can put you through hell. That extra money you could have made will go the City of Key West and not to your child's college fund.

Owning a house or a condo with a transient rental license is one way to avoid going to real estate jail. (A transient rental licenses permits an owner to rent his property on a daily basis every day of the year, the same as an innkeeper rents a room.) The other is to be a responsible owner and not to violate the Golden Rule: don't piss off the neighbors. Make sure your rental agent earns the management fee you pay and does not allow a rental to The Situation turn into a Damn Citation.

If you are looking to buy a house or condo in Key West that has a transient rental license, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or contact me by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time buyer's agent and Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Avoid real estate jail; buy a place that's legal.