1106 Grinnell Street, Key West

Just Listed, but not by me, 1106 Grinnell Street, Key West. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"This property has Dade County Pine behind the drywall in Main House and very large attic. Backyard has workshop/shed and tiki hut/guest room - permit built in mid 1970's. With a gated backyard, carport, stainless steel appliances and enclosed front porch - this property is very structurally sound. Live in it as is or restore and renovate, remove shed and add pool for the perfect Old Town Oasis."

I dug down into my old shoe box and found photos of 1006 and 1108 Grinnell Street which were taken in 1965. The top photo shows 1108 Grinnell Street with a partially completed concrete block fence block fence. The lower photo shows 1106 Grinnell Street with what appears to be a semi-enclosed front porch together with a wood carport adjacent. I then searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned that what is now 1106 Grinnell Street was shown on the 1889 Map when it was then identified as 127 Grinnell Street. The street numerator was changed to 906 Grinnell on the 1892 map and changed to 1106 Grinnell on the 1899 map. Most of the houses in this neighborhood were cigar maker cottages (shotguns) with a long narrow hall on one side with all rooms located to the opposite side.

The Monroe County Property Appraiser records show this as a 916 square foot home sitting on a 2345 square foot lot (26.2" X 93.5') sitting in the South of Truman Section of Old Town Key West. A buyer who is looking for a simple house located in a nice Old Town location may want to take a look at this property just as much as a buyer who is looking for a renovation project.

A new owner who wants to restore this house would gain many Brownie Points by taking down the existing carport and enclosed front porch. I know the porch area adds some usable square footage to the house, but a new porch that relates back to the style typical of cigar maker cottages would certainly dress up this house and give it a more appropriate facade. The ceiling could be vaulted to create a dramatic great room. 


Inside a new owner would probably replaces the existing metal louvers with six over six windows. This would then allow the owner to install a new air conditioner. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and view more listing photos. Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing on 1106 Grinnell Street which is offered at $550,000.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise. 

Know Nothing Realtors

I will bet just about every middle aged and older reader of my blog recognizes the face of Sergeant Schultz of Hogan's Heroes.  He's the guy who when confronted with direct evidence of wrong doing simply looked  the other way and stated "I hear nothing, I see nothing, I know nothing!" By his action (or inaction) he avoided responsibility for dealing with whatever substantive issue may have given cause for concern.

A couple of weeks ago a fellow Realtor pulled me aside during a showing and told me I talk too much. I do.  Unlike Schultz, I probably would have ratted out Hogan and the show would have been cancelled because the POWs would have been exposed for their acts of sabotage. Hogan and his band of men would no longer have been merry.

Several years ago while showing a property to a buyer, I pointed out some issues that the buyer needed to be aware of. The listing Broker called me aside and told me I should not point out issues like that - that it is the buyer and the buyer's home inspector who should look for issues that may be of concern. I told her that is not how I view my responsibility. My buyer bought the property in spite of the issues.

A couple of years ago I recall showing a local couple a house located a couple of blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. The entire area around this particular house flooded during Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Everybody in town knew this part of town flooded because furniture and debris from theses houses littered the streets for a couple of weeks until removed by the city trash trucks. My buyers  knew the area had flooded when I asked the listing Broker the simple question "Did this house flood in Wilma? to which she replied "I don't know. I wasn't here." Maybe she was in Miami - or Germany - when the hurricane happened.

I remember a different showing with a different buyer who was both a Realtor and an insurance agent in Connecticut as I recall. We were looking at a house which had just been totally renovated. It looked very good. I asked the listing agent a simple question about the remodel to preferredhe replied "I don't know."  A couple of minutes later I asked a different question about something else. The agent again said "I don't know."  As we were walking toward my car my buyer said something like "I would never buy anything from that guy. I don't trust anything he says." 

My purpose is not to discuss the Realtor Code of Ethics or Standards of Practice, but rather to address my propensity to talk too much. I am not a Sergeant Schultz. I will point out things that are wrong about a property as well as features that are beneficial or attractive or both. Being a "know nothing" is of "no use" to a buyer.

104 Southard Street #2, Key West - Waterfront View

Buyers who are looking for a Key West getaway which they can rent to help defray some of the cost of purchase should take a look at the newly listed Shipyard Condominium unit located at 104 Southard Street #2. I got to see this unit during Realtor caravan earlier this week along with about 50 other agents. It was bedlam, but I sized up the potential value of this particular property as soon as I walked out on the deck and took in the view. This is money.

The above photo shows construction in progress of the new City of Key West Truman Waterfront Park. The Outer Mole docks are located in the background.  NAVY vessels are docked there on occasion. Other times the view will be of the water and cruise ships beyond. The area adjacent to the buildings in the foreground will be open park spaces. I think the view the from this unit is about as you can get for the price.

The listing Realtor describes this unit this way:

Enjoy an unobstructed Ocean view from the deck of this second story condo which has been totally renovated. New Kitchen, appliances, carpeting, etc. Large outdoor deck which is partially under roof for outside dining and shade or enjoy the sun with room for lounging. This condo has a dedicated off street parking spot in front of condo.

This is a one bedroom one bath unit with 523 square feet of living space located on the second floor. there is a large balcony which overlooks the waterfront.  The Shipyard pool is located about a 90 second  walk to the east. The dedicated parking space for this unit is located adjacent to the building so neither you nor your guests will have to walk through a maze to get to it. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and Beach are within easy walking distance as well. At night, the wonders of Duval Street are a safe five minute stroll to the east.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. 104 Southard Street #2 is offered at $519,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing.  I am  buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  I think this unit could be nicely decorated and turned into a money machine as a monthly vacation rental. Let's take look at the view and the potential. And if you choose not to rent, you get to keep this special view all to yourself.

1 Nassau Lane, Key West

I have written and rewritten the story (a true story) about the time I took a couple who walked into my office one morning several years ago and told me they wanted to buy a small house.  I got on the computer and showed them various properties located in Old Town that were in their price range. I then called several Realtors to set up showings for later that afternoon. One property was located on Nassau Lane and it was owned by a fellow agent. I called him and asked if we could see it before noon. He said "Yes" and we drove over soon thereafter. We parked on Fleming Street and started to walk up the lane. The lady started to gush and said something like "Gary, I love this. This is exactly what we were thinking about." As we approach the house she said "That's it!  We are going to buy this house." I suggested she wait until we see the inside. But she had already made up her mind and that of her husband.  We were under contract within a couple of hours. We did not look at any of the houses I had lined up for the afternoon. Such was the charm of Nassau Lane. They still own their house near the southern end of this dead end lane located just south of Fleming Street between Frances and Grinnell Streets. I took a photo earlier this morning just as the sun started to light up Old Town.

1 Nassau Lane abuts a home which fronts onto Fleming Street. This cottage first appeared on the 1912 Sanborn Fire Maps.  The 1889 map identified this same lane as "Cologne Lane" at which time a structure two lots to the south was identified as being a horse shed. Maybe nobody wanted to live next to a horse shed and maybe that explains the lane change after the horse shed went away. I then looked through my old shoebox and found the black and white photo below taken 52 years ago. I took a photo earlier today with the same point of view.

When you look at 1 Nassau Lane today you will see front porch has been raised and that a spiral staircase was added along with a rooftop sundeck and garden.  I climbed up there and decided I would eliminate the deck and stairs if I owned the house.  I would removed the trees and foliage from the front, clean up the brick paves and reclaim the off street parking space. I think new plantings kept in scale with the house would make a world of difference to the facade.

This cottage has 486 square feet of living space and sits on a 748 square foot lot (22.21' X 33.68').  The rooftop deck measures 8' X 23'.  As I said, I would make that go away. In my opinion it would make this cottage look so much more appealing. Renovations to the interior were added in 1997. I think this place is almost a blank canvas upon which a new owner could create the perfect Key West getaway. 

The chief axiom of real estate is "Location, Location, Location" and 1 Nassau Lane has it. The mansions on Fleming Street are located forty feet from the front door of 1 Nassau Lane. You can walk to Duval Street or the historic seaport in a matter of minutes. There are two incredible bakeries located about three minutes away by foot. There are two nearby convenience stores on White Street also located within a five minute walk. There are several gyms and yoga studios about seven minutes to the south. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos on 1 Nassau Lane which is offered at $440,000. 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 Westhttp://www.preferredpropertieskeywest.com/.

629 Elizabeth Sreet, Key West - Just Listed!

I have written or mentioned the 629 Elizabeth Street on many occasions over the ten years in my blog and for good reason.  It sits at the top of Solaris Hill, the highest point in all of Key West.  The original house was built circa 1900. I dug down in my old shoebox and found a couple of old photos that show the original house more than fifty years ago. I also found a photo I took of the house when I listed 630 Elizabeth Street several years ago.

I photographed the renovation of the property which in truth was the construction of a brand new house using a few pieces of the framing of the original cottage. This type of renovation often occurs in Old Town where so many houses like the original sat unattended to for years. The process included demolition of most of the house, placement of new piers and framing and construction of the new structure, completing the interiors, and finally landscaping. CLICK HERE to view progress photos I took.

The listing Realtor, not me, describes this way:

"Impeccable renovation revives this 3Bd, 3Ba, Cigar Cottage originally built in 1900 on the corner of Elizabeth and Windsor at Solares Hill. Enjoy the open floor plan with a great room that greets you upon entering bordered by a door wall of glass that collapses to open the entire room to the lush tropical gardens. Enjoy luxury appliances, custom baths and fixtures along with the modern decor, cathedral ceilings and a large chefs kitchen complete the incredible space filled with natural light. Details like custom window treatments, a soak tub, laundry room, off-street parking and cedar lined closets take this home to the next level of luxury. A home not to be missed in an ideal Old Town location."

The original front door is for affect only. The new front door is accessed through a little garden at the south entry of this corner lot. There is an electrically operated gate for the off street parking on the left side. I was totally surprised when I saw the new home. It is so contemporary in design.  The open living concept really works with this house. The rear glass wall disappears and reveals the lush rear yard which has room for a pool. I took the above photo which is where I think a pool would work the best. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and to view listing photos of the beautiful new (revival) of 629 Elizabeth Street in Old Town Key West offered at $1,699,000. Then 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. This home is designed for easy living as all rooms are located on one level.  You can walk to Duval Street or the historic seaport in about five minutes. And when you come home at night you will enter a place that is perfect in so many ways.