3029 North Roosevelt Dr, Key West - Bank Owned Property

Just listed but not by me 3029 North Roosevelt Blvd #35, Key West. This 1400 square foot town home is Bank Owned and in move-in condition. This home end unit has lovely unobstructed water views to the east and partial views of the Gulf of Mexico where the small cove separates this development from land located two blocks to the east. The community pool is located across the winding interior road which can be seen from the front first and second floor balconies.

 This home has two covered under building parking spaces accessed by remote control plus abundant storage for bikes and small water craft which may come in useful as this home is located at waters edge.

The listing Realtor describes the Key Cove town home this way:
"This end townhome located in Key Cove has peaceful waterfront views from both rear balconies. 1,400 square feet of living space with an open floor plan and updated kitchen. Each bedroom upstairs are quality en suits with their own balcony. This 2 bedroom and 2.5 bath home will not last."
I am in agreement with the listing agent on this one. I checked the current MLS to find a stand alone home or equally large condo to town home that offered this much space, utility, and amenities as this Key Cove town home and I could not find anything remotely comparable. That is not realtor hyperbole. The trade for space to live and thrive is the willingness not be located in near proximity to Old Town. This unit is located a good five to ten minute drive depending on the time of day  But this place has something nobody in Old Town has - a water view. There is something so relaxing about sitting on the back deck watching the sunrise or the moon in ascension over water. There are a couple of very expensive town homes located on the Garrison Bight which have water views. They are priced at $3,000,000. That is the difference in location and fancier amenities. 

This is an end unit which means it has one neighbor on one side. The southwest view is pretty much unobstructed. The nearest neighbor is located across the winding interior road. The community pool is located in front of that property - far enough away to muffle the sounds of kids playing and enjoying their young lives. That bothers some people. Others love hearing kids enjoying life. No matter here because the noise is there. Not here to hear.

The second bedroom is located at the front of this home. The bedroom also has a vaulted ceiling a full en-suite bath and large closet. The covered balcony looks toward the southwest where the community pool is located, but sunsets can also be seen nightly looking toward the west. The home laundry is located on this floor as well, but there are no appliances there now. 

CLICK HERE to view Key West MLS datasheet for 3029 North Roosevelt Blvd #35 which is offered for sale at $519,900. This bank owned unit won't last long at this price. 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. 

11 Birchwood Drive, Key West - Price Reduction

The asking price on 11 Birchwood Drive, Key West was just reduced from $789,000 to $759,000 and that makes this brand new and never-been-lived-in home an even better buy. This home is located in Key West's official bedroom community - Key Haven at Mile Marker 6.  This community evolved  over the decades as an alternative to Old Town which increasingly became very expensive for young locals to afford. Most of the lots here are located on canals which have relatively quick access to open waters. Locals have grown up playing on and in the water. Having quick access at night or on the weekends is a much sought after feature for many local buyers. This is a single family area where you won't find condos or multiple family situations. Other than the gas station up on US 1, there is no commercial activity here. CLICK HERE to to see a Google aerial view of the lot and the area as a whole. Use the toggle switch in the lower right side of the map for a higher or lower aerial perspective of the area. You'll see the cut from the lagoon which allows boats to pass through to the larger canal that leads to open water. Within a matter of minutes, a boat can be in open waters heading to a day of fun on the ocean. That is why so many locals favor Key Haven as a place to live.

The listing Realtor describes 11 Birchwood Drive this way:

"This brand new three bedroom, two and a half bath home is sure to please the most discerning buyer. Located on a lovely quiet street, this home is move in ready. The long list of custom upgrades include 9ft. ceilings on each floor, an over sized master suite with spa tub and separate shower, double sinks and a walk in closet. Two more bedrooms upstairs share a bath. The dream kitchen has solid wood cabinets, granite counter tops and a breakfast bar. The kitchen opens to the dining room and living room and has views of the outdoors. Adjacent to the kitchen is a bonus area which can be used as a breakfast room or an office. A half bath on the first floor adds to the convenience. The living room and dining rooms are spacious and will please those who love to entertain. This home has abundant closet and storage space. The yard is sodded and landscaped with mature trees and foliage. Most importantly, this home is built to the highest building codes and is resistant to 180 mph. wind and features hurricane rated doors and windows. Additionally, the home is built 2ft. above the required grade. The building features result in lower cost of insurance and lower cost of living. This home is a great value and will save the new homeowner on cost of living expenses. Aside from that, it's a wonderful, sunny and bright home in a great location. Easy to see."

The modern open living area concept is clearly evident as soon as you enter this home - especially when you notice the nine foot ceiling. I suspect the view from dinging area at the front of the house will create some anxious moments as it has a great view of the the lagoon across the street where a new owner might want to moor the family boat.  Imagine sitting at the family dining table looking out at the boat bobbing and weaving in the water with a bell clanging begging to go out to the sea. In the meantime, mealtime will have to do. The  opposite end of the kitchen opens directly into the living area where the rear decks looks down onto the rear yard where there is room for a private pool.

Abundant storage and counter space in this brand new kitchen

Dining area with deck overlooking the rear yard

Readers of my blog should appreciate the long term cost saving features that are built into this home. They include Hardiboard siding which is a man-made material that looks like old fashioned wood siding but that is more resistant to the sun and moisture and which does not require painting as often and wind impact resistant windows and doors that are built to withstand high winds and which coupled with the new roof and compliance with Florida's tough building code will result in lower fire and liability insurance and reduce wind insurance by 30% over homes that do not meet the new code. These savings area measurable year after year.  A cost conscious buyer who compares insurance costs will quickly appreciate the maintenance and insurance savings once he or she compares the costs of ownership of this home to a stick built house in Old Town or mid-century home in New Town.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet of 11 Birchwood Drive, Key West which is now offered at $759,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

2312 North Roosevelt Blvd. Key West - Water View Commercial Property

I wrote about 2312 North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West soon after it was listed in April 2015. It's time for a new look as this commercial property with terrific US 1 frontage. The nearly 20,000 sq ft lot (102' X 194')  is located opposite the Key West Yacht Club. There is a recent traffic study available to prospective buyers which discusses the traffic flow that passes this location each day.  North Roosevelt Boulevard is the primary road tourists and locals use on into the Old Town just a few blocks to the west. The Old Town location is the heart of the tourist district as well as where the county government offices, courthouse, and city hall are located.

I dug into my old shoebox and found an aerial photo from the not too distant pass taken by Ty Symroski and Wendy Tucker.  I have added arrows to point out the location of 2312 N. Roosevelt Blvd. just opposite the Yacht Club. The small Hilton Haven residential enclave is located on the backside of the Yacht Club. I also found a photo from 1965 that shows the old Dairy Freeze located at 1704 N Roosevelt Blvd. That once lonesome ice cream stand was razed. Today the location houses a mixed use commercial building. The above photo shows nearby 2330 North Roosevelt which housed the Western Auto store in 1979. Today the same building still exists but houses different tenants. I have lived in Key West since 1993 and watched North Roosevelt's dramatic change.

2312 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Photo in 1999

 A few blocks closer to town the old Royal Castle hamburger stand shown as it existed in 1974 was taken down years ago. It became a Checkers hamburger stand. That building was razed to make way for the new Starbucks that opened this year. I have been amazed to see the traffic this coffee stand generates each day from locals and tourists.The little shopping plaza still remains but with different occupants in the buildings. 

The two year long widening and enhancement of  US 1 from its entrance onto the Island of Key West to White Street was completed in 2014. The transformation of North Roosevelt is now near complete. Four major hotels were nearly totally dismantled and rebuilt in place. One by one the buildings of old Key West are being taken down or being re-purposed. North Roosevelt Boulevard is the principal entryway for most first time drivers into Key West. The old Key West we remember with nostalgia is being replaced by new buildings to meet the needs of the evolving Key West economy.  

I walked the entire lot while taking photos for this blog. The width and depth of the space is much larger in person than it appears in these photos.  The 102' ft depth is equal to two large modular homes. The frontage is equal to nearly four modular homes. If you are a developer you'll appreciate the size of the lot. The existing building could be razed and a new structure built. With hotel rooms in the Key West core hitting $400 per night, this space might work well for a new small boutique hotel of maybe 20 rooms with yacht club views but priced at more moderate prices. Or maybe a new owner would build quality retail or office space down and create several long term residential units on the second floor.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this proerty. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, for more information. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

2412 Linda Avenue, Key West - New Lower Price at Water's Edge

The asking rice on 2412 Linda Avenue in Key West just got a whole lot better. Now this waterfront property is offered at only $705,000. I first wrote about this property a few months ago when it was first listed. I am a bit familiar with the location as I wrote an offer for on a nearby bank owned property a couple of years ago. I had no idea how radically different the two properties were even though they are located only a few houses apart on the same side of the street. The two differences are even more dramatic as this home has been lovingly updated and has that incredible water view whereas the other needed a radical update and had only a partial water view. Today's blog is a short narrative with photos I took and listing photos. I must tell you from the outset that I was so amazed by what I found. It truly is a La Belle Vue Cottage!

2412 Linda Avenue is located on the edge of the Key West Salt Ponds. The Salt Ponds run parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Bertha Street eastward past the Key West International Airport. I estimate the ponds take up about 25% of the land on the Island of Key West. A good portion of the land mass is composed of mangroves and the balance by shallow salt water ponds that are navigable by canoe or kayak.  CLICK GOOGLE AERIAL MAP for an aerial view. Use the toggle switch to zoom in for a closer look or pull back or move the map around to gain a better perspective of the location as it plays into this house and the features here.

2412 Linda Avenue was built in 1950. Although the home has been updated, it retains a good bit of the original character of the construction while important features like windows, air conditioning, and electrical service has been replaced or upgraded. The front entry welcomes you into the home where your eyes are immediately drawn through the house to the water view at the rear. First, however, you must pass through the historic living room which is located at the front.

Just past the living room is the dining area and kitchen. A was the case for many homes built in the 1950s there is no "formal" dining room because lifestyles were evolving from one purpose rooms to multiple purpose spaces. The kitchen is as clean as a whistle and still has the original wood cabinets from back in the day. What I like to call a 'drama wall' was added to the dining area. A similar wood
'drama wall' was added to the guest bedroom. The inclusion of wood into the home brings more texture and life to these spaces.

The large master bedroom has an extra large and renovated en-suite bath and closet area. I was surprised by how large this space was as it is atypical of what you would expect in a vintage 1950s home.

The family room and adjacent office is located opposite the dining area. This is where the less serious living occurs in this house. The office is tucked away in the right corner. A sofa occupies space where a new owner might put in a bookcase or maybe even a Murphy bed. I could see an artist using this space as a studio, a stockbroker or business executive using the space to do deals, or a writer as his/her writer's workshop. I myself would find the views too distracting for any serious purpose other than to write my blog!

The family room is a big, open space with lots of windows plus two French doors that open out to the rear deck. These wind impact windows and doors were just added a few years ago. The rear deck is on the same plain, but the world out there isn't what you'll find in most houses in Key West or anywhere else for that matter. While there is no pool here, there is a semi-covered spa with serene water views.  There is plenty of room to add a pool, however. This space is magical and works well for this owner.

As I was taking pictures I noticed a pelican perched on a nearby canoe moored at waters edge next door. He stayed there a long time.  I inched closer to take photos of him. I live a couple of miles west in the Casa Marina Area and sometimes see egrets and herons walking around the area. I have never seen a pelican in my backyard. What a joy that must be different kinds of birds sitting, fishing, and doing whatever it is that birds do in their natural habitat. Except their habitat would also by your habitat if you lived here.

I love Old Town Key West even though much of it is now congested. I live in the Casa Marina area which has a much more open feel. But I gotta tell you the feeling at this home is something very unique. If you are a nature enthusiast I'm sure you would love watching the mix of of colors as the sky and clouds play against the waters. It is a kaleidoscope of never ending colors and shapes. CLICK HERE to view the photos I took. Click any photo to enlarge. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. This home is now offered at $705,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up  private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let's plan on a few minutes extra here so you can contemplate nature in this special Key West property.