The Incredible Shrunk ! Key West

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

Local artist Ronny Bailey came by our office yesterday and showed off his latest gem. Everybody had to stop work and go take a peek at portrayal of 113 Petronia Street that got shrunk to table top size.

You have to see Ronny's work in person. You cannot resist getting up close and personal with his art. You will be awed!

I wrote about Ronny before. CLICK HERE. He grew up in Key West and was a carpenter for 30 years. Recreation of Old Town Key West homes in miniature sizes is now his passion. He beams with pride as he talks about his work. This is a man in love with his life and his work. And his work is a testament to his love of the place that he has called home. He loves the Key West of yore and recreates houses the way they looked before the gentrification and HARCifornication.

Ronny told me he had discussed creating a piece about 113 Petronia Street with its owner. The owner had some of the original wood used in building the house and gave it to Ronny. Ronny cut, sawed, and carved the wood and created the incredible shrunk.

113 Petronia Street as it appeared in 1965

Ronny will be one of many artists showing their creations at The 25Th Annual Key West Craft Show January 30 to January 31 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Juried artisans and crafters display their talents at a popular show on lower Whitehead and Caroline Streets in historic Old Town.

Visit Ronny's website if you are not in town. CLICK HERE. But if you are here, stop by and see the Incredible Shrunk.

If you are looking for a life size house, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. I sell real houses. They sometimes cost a lot of money. But you can really live in them. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls. If you see a place you like, please call me. Thanks.

905 Elizabeth Street - Old Town - Key West

2004 Historic Preservation Award Recipient

Preferred Properties just listed the really charming four bedroom three and 0ne-half bath totally renovated home located 905 Elizabeth Street in Old Town Key West. This is the way the listing agent describes this home:

"This fully-renovated 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath house on a quiet street in Old Town surprises. Renovation won coveted 2004 Historic Preservation Award. House naturally flows from living and dining areas through French doors to private outdoor tropical setting with semi-enclosed rear porch, lush landscaping, pool and spa. Outdoor cooking and entertainment zone was featured in a 2009 national publication. Upstairs is the master suite with ensuite bath, vaulted ceilings and French doors leading to a wonderful balcony, plus additional bedrooms and bath. Downstairs bedroom with ensuite bath plus a powder room make this property ideal for guests and a large family. Classic historic house with modern additions, provides indoor outdoor living at its best!"

"French doors to private outdoor tropical setting with semi-enclosed rear porch"

Potential buyers that want a "big" house ought to checkout this property. The listing agent shows the property as having 2091 sq ft of living space. If you live up north or the Midwest that may not seem very large. But it is a big deal here. The lot is also fairly large for Old Town: 25' X 131' or 3275 sq ft. I always tell people you have no idea what sits behind so many of the houses in Old Town. The remark of the listing agent about this house as being a "surprise" is only an invitation to take a look to see what is beyond the facade. And a pretty facade it is.

If you have done your "looking" at Key West homes before, you already know that homes that have been remodeled with outdoor living spaces in mind. In fact in mind is an understatement. We come to Key West to live in the outdoors as much as possible. And many homes are recreated to bring as much of the "outside" in and vice versa. Look at the night time photo below of the rear living area overlooking the pool. Take a glance to the second floor as well. You will soon see that the outside is a big deal.


CLICK HERE for more detailed information and to view several photos of this really charming home. 905 Elizabeth Street is offered at $1,695,000.

If you would like to see this home or any other property listed for sale in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive Lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

1119 Catherine Street - Legal Duplex - Bank Owned - Key West

1119 Catherine Street Duplex - Bank Owned - Key West

The new listing at 1119 Catherine Street ought to sell like Hot Cakes. This property was offered as a short sale for several months and the lender was outrageously difficult to deal with. Or so I was told. Now the property is BANK OWNED. It is priced at $449,900 or $277 per sq ft.

The photo above is a bit deceptive. The photo shows a glass enclosed front porch. In real life the porch area is now part of the master suite with drywall that cleverly conceals the windows on the exterior. That deception enabled the renovator to use the interior space much more efficiently. The downstairs unit would make a really great place for an owner to live. The kitchen has higher end cabinets and tile already installed. The appliances still need to be purchased. The baths are nearly complete but are missing a couple of sinks and toilets. And the living area still needs hardwood floors installed.

Upstairs the views are just wonderful. This place is really bright and cheery. It needs a few finishing touches as well. But overall the upstairs and downstairs unit can be completed fairly quickly and cheaply-maybe $20,000 or so.

There is room for a pool in the backyard. There are some nuisance trees that will need to be removed and the pool would need to be hand dug. That happens quite often. I think the existing main level deck could be extended into the rear yard so that the depth of the pool need not be so deep. A pool and deck like that might add an additional $50,000 to your investment.

I don't do property management, but the upstairs unit would be an easy rental with or without a pool. The downstairs unit would be great for an owner live-in situation. Maybe you use the upstairs for the occasional guests instead of as a long term rental. CLICK HERE for more detailed info and to see photos.

This property is located about 50 feet west of White Street near the Island Gym and Faustos Food Palace. There is a $20 hand wash car cleaning place on the corner CLICK HERE. The area has several neighborhood restaurants, galleries, shops, three gyms within three or four blocks, grade school and the Montessori School within walking distance, and so on. Sandy's Cafe, Island City Tile, and the $35 per hour Sandbox are two blocks to the north. The Atlantic Ocean is about six blocks to the south and Duval Street is a seven to ten minute walk to the west. MAP.

If you are looking for a property like this, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

625 Eaton Street -- Old Town - Key West

625 Eaton Street - Old Town - Key West

I have been watching the renovation taking place at 625 Eaton Street for several months. The old Grand Dame just kept getting prettier and prettier every day. And then today it was listed for sale at the asking price of $929,000 or $536 per sq ft. My research shows this house was built in 1889 which would make it one of the older buildings in Key West.

625 Eaton Street in 1965 - What a Dame. She hasn't aged a bit.

But read on, Dear Reader. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"The finishing touches are being done to this Historic Beauty in the heart of Old Town Key West. This 1938 home was once owned and lived in by the famous artist Stephen Avila and just recently was renovated by the new owners that purchased this property from the Avila family. The Historic preservation award has been given to this Key West charmer. Huge porches and Dade county pine accent this 3 bedroom 3 bath gem. Footsteps to Duval and all of it's wonderful restaurants and galleries."

I have not been inside since the work has been done. But I showed the house several times when it was listed for sale two years ago. I wrote this about the house then "I was captivated by this property the very first time I stepped inside. The rooms just take you back to another time. The rooms are gracious in their simplicity." The people I showed it to loved the house but thought the lot was too small or they fretted over not having off street parking. Others didn't like the Eaton Street location. You can't have everything. Well, you can. You just have to pay for it. So the owner did the renovation and now the work is nearly complete. There still is no parking and the house is still located on Eaton Street. There is a cocktail pool on the rear west side. And the house looks really nice on the outside.

The cocktail pool at 625 Eaton Street Key West

I used to own the really big house one block to the west at 511 Eaton Street. I know that Eaton Street can sometimes be busy and noisy during the daytime. But the traffic slows down on the weekends and is almost non-existent at night. The location is great for people that want to be able to walk all over Old Town. Duval Street is just two blocks to the west. From there you can turn left or right and see just about everything you need to see and maybe more. You can walk two blocks to the north and end up at the Historic Key West Seaport. The Monroe County Library is a block to the south. If you head east and go about 120 miles you will end up in Miami with all those crazy drivers and crooked politicians.

CLICK HERE to read the info provided by the listing Realtor and view some photos of the house as it looks today. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a showing of this property. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

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510 Frances Street - Old Town - Key West

510 Frances Street Key West as it appeared in 1965

510 Frances Street Key West as it appears in 2010

I was born and raised in one of the western suburbs of Denver. Everybody I knew lived in new homes (then, now they are called "mid-century modern). When I decided to purchase my first house I decided to look for an old house because I thought old homes had more character and probably had more intrinsic value. I have owned three historic homes over the years. During my first trip to Key West I fell in love with this little island that was just filled with old houses. Back then there were a lot of houses that needed restoration. Today many of the older places have been updated. Such is the case with 510 Frances Street in Old Town Key West.

This is how the listing Realtor (and owner) describes 510 Frances Street in Old Town, Key West:

"Stunning and Elegant restoration of a classic large historic home on prestigious Frances Street. An architectural gem featured on the Old Island Restoration Tour of Homes. Quality renovation including new electric, plumbing, roof, central air, pool, spa, designer kitchen and baths. Granite countertops, Sub Zero and stainless appliances. Bright, open floor plan with high ceilings, crown molding, hardwood floors and Dade County Pine walls. Master bedrooms on first and second floors, 3/3 plus office with built-in cabinets. Multiple porches, brick patios, gated off-street parking and lush tropical lot. Located on one of the most desirable streets in Old Town Key West."

This property has 2294 sq ft of living space and sits on a 50' X 74' (3724 sq ft) lot on one of the best streets in Old Town. The houses was renovated in the past five years and has a new roof, plumbing, pool, spa, bricked courtyard, yada, yada, yada. It is priced at $1,695,000 or $739 per sq ft. The character of the house has not changed. The facade is nearly the same today as it was nearly half a century ago.

CLICK HERE for more detailed information on 510 Frances Street and to view photos.

The pool and spa are recent additions to 510 Frances Street

If you would like to see 510 Frances Street or any other house in Old Town Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Our office is the Lower Florida Keys exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Just Listed - 304 Julia Street - Key West

304 Julia Street Key West, Florida

The Red X marks the approximate location of 304 Julia Street Key West

Just listed by Preferred Properties is 304 Julia Street located in the Bahama Village area of Old Town Key West. This is how the listing Realtor describes this home:

"Renovated two story Conch House. Upgraded kitchen and bathrooms with wood floors throughout, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Large master suite on second floor with additional bedroom and bathroom. Private master suite rear balcony. First floor guestroom with attached bathroom and french doors onto pool deck. Large front porch and upstairs balcony. Covered deck overlooking the heated pool. Fenced for privacy."

This home has three really good sized bedrooms and four real bathrooms. There is even a second floor rear balcony just off the master bedroom perfect for checking out the views of the Atlantic Ocean. The views aren't great, but there is an ocean view. The living room is large and spacious. The kitchen opens into the dining room so the cook can always be part of what is going on elsewhere in the home. This home provides a lot of real usable living space unlike a lot of houses in the Old Town area.

The house comes complete with a heated pool and a nice private deck area. CLICK HERE to read more detailed listing info and to see several photos of this really attractive family-sized home that is priced at $524,900 or $287 per sq ft.

304 Julia Street is located two blocks off of Upper Duval. You can walk to the beach at Ft Zachary Taylor in about 10 minutes or ride your bike in about five minutes. I put up a couple of pics of the beach because it is so damned nice. So what if we don't have crashing waves. We have whispering pines and lots ocean without thousands upon thousands of locals and tourists crowding our beaches (unlike Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Daytona, etc.). Blue Heaven and other neighborhood restaurants are nearby as well.



CLICK HERE to checkout the Key West Association of Realtors mls database. If you see something you like, please consider calling me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties in Key West, Florida.

903 Southard St -Old Town - Key West

903 Southard Street Key West, Florida

The pool!

Just listed, but not by me, 903 Southard Street in Old Town Key West. This house is priced to meet the market at $550,000 or $924 per sq ft. Read on to see why it will sell right away.

The listing Realtor describes 903 Southard Street this way:

"This cute & adorable renovated Old Town cottage is located on a corner lot and within walking distance of great restaurants, the Key West Bight and Duval Street and clubs. The French doors leading from the living area open onto the tropically landscaped inground pool with lots of privacy. Please note interior of property is approximately 594 sf. Possible encroachment onto property by adjoining rear property."

903 Southard Street has been actively rented as a vacation rental for a couple of years and has a good rental history. The cottage has two bedrooms and one bath. The kitchen opens into the living area. And then there is the pool and courtyard. CLICK HERE for more detailed mls listing info and photos.

The cottage is located at the corner of Southard and Margaret Streets. Mangia Mangia restaurant is located directly across the street. Michael's Restaurant (the tony T-bone joint) is located on the opposite side of Margaret. Five Brothers is located one block to the east; the Historic Key West Seaport is a five minute walk to the north and Duval Street is a five minute walk to the west. You could not ask for a better location. I showed this cottage several times and it is always rented. I've repeatedly ask renters how they like the location and the house. Everybody raves about it. All of the above photos were taken about one year ago.

If you read my blog from yesterday you know there is very little for sale in Key West in the $500,000 range, let alone a good location with a pool. I urge serious buyers to contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty Inc. in Key West, Florida.

730 Southard Street - Back on the Market - New Lower Price - Old Town - Key West

730 Southard Street Old Town Key West

Imagine opening your front door to that view every day!

This may be your last chance to grab an iconic Key West property at a reasonable price. The one of a kind property located at 730 Southard Street (which had been under contract) is back on the market and is now offered at $1,100,000 or $388 per sq ft. This is how the listing Realtor describes the property:

" Right in the heart of Old Town Key West sits this jewel of an original Conch home built in the 1800's awaiting your special touch. The history behind this home spans several generations of just one family. The rooms are large, the ceilings are high and everything is original in this two story home including Dade County pine throughout. There's over 2800 square feet of living space including the large master and guest bedrooms upstairs plus the living room, den, study, dining room and kitchen downstairs. The standup attic runs the length of the building with access to the widows walk allowing for a bird's eye view of Old Town. All this plus room for a pool in the back."

The most recent resident was born in and lived in that house for nearly ninety years. She passed away a couple of years ago. Many of her possessions are still located in place throughout the house. The house almost shows like a museum of a life in another distant time. The outside of the house looks ragged and forlorn. But the inside of the house is quite different. Read on.

The house has wonderful wraparound porches on the first and second floors, and there are rear porches on both levels as well. Those porches provide potentially dramatic openings from the historic French doors that open onto the porches. That includes the rear second floor porch just off the master bedroom. The porches all need replaced. Some of the shutters need replaced. But the French doors appeared to be in fine condition and properly located.

Master bedroom in on second floor right

Any renovation of the house would entail all new electric, plumbing, and air conditioning. The house is very large. A local architect told me that he believes three buildings were brought together to make one large structure. (That would explain the two separate formal living rooms on the first floor.) The third floor attic is gigantic. The architect commented that the attic would provide excellent space for location of HVAC.

The Attic is larger and more spacious than many Key West Cottages

The existing bathrooms are very old and very dated. I think there is more than enough room for a creative architect to carve out some very useful bathrooms that meet our modern needs and still preserve the dignity the present structure.

The kitchen is located in a separate building just off the grand dining room. It has three sets of French doors that open onto the William Street side of the property. The room is very large and the ceiling could be vaulted to create a really dramatic area. The kitchen even has an existing fireplace that might become a feature in a renovation

.Kitchen is smaller one story building with 3 sets of French doors shown above

The dining room is likewise located just off the kitchen and next to the front parlor. The living room, on the other and, is a giant room located just to the west of the front door. The living room has French doors that overlook the rear grounds. The dining room, parlor, and living room each have French doors that open onto the wraparound porches on front and the rear as well. The layout is a bit formal for today but the space is entirely useful. Imagine the house re-fitted to meet the needs of 21st Century living complete with existing French doors that open from every room that would over looking the pool and gardens.

Parlor is located just off main entrance and adjacent to the formal dining room

The second floor has enough space for two great bedrooms and baths to compliment the huge master bedroom suite with front and rear balconies. The space for the master suite is just grand. I envision treating the very simple structure in an understated manner. The classic design elements are already there. It is just coming up with a good and useful design for today. There isn't a need to add, but there is a need to edit.

All of the interior has Dade County Pine walls, ceilings, and wood floors. Those rooms look as solid today at they were a hundred years ago. They have not been messed with.The building appeared seemed very structurally sound with the exception of some of the piers that will need to be repaired. (I am not a qualified inspector but I feel comfortable in commenting on things that are easily noticeable.) All of the plumbing and electric needs replaced. HVAC would be all new as it is non existent.

There is no pool. But there is room for a great pool and garden as well. The fence is dilapidated as is the widows walk on the top roof. But you should see the view from up there. You can see the Gulf of Mexico and all of the small homes for blocks and blocks. You could have a great sunrise view from the kitchen of dining room each morning. And in the early evening you could sit on the second floor front porch and watch the sunset.

Room for a large pool and beautiful gardens

View from the Widow's Walk of the Gulf of Mexico

730 Southard Street is a big house with 2838 sq ft of space under roof. It sits on a large 6853 sq ft lot (at the corner of William and Southard Streets) right in the smack dab middle of Old Town. CLICK HERE to read the listing Realtor's description of the property and to see some very good interior and exterior photos.

It's going to take probably a several months and quite a bit of cash to renovate the place. But in the end someone is going to own one of the great beauties of Key West. If you would like to see 730 Southard Street please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. My email address is kw1101v@aol.com. I can send more photos to serious buyers. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the exclusive lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

The Bottom of the Barrel - Key West Real Estate

Bottom of the Barrel - Key West Real Estate

I think Key West real estate has hit the bottom of the barrel. CLICK HERE to see the remaining 17 single family homes priced at or below $500,000 and that are located in the Old Town, Meadows, and Casa Marina areas. The average house has 943 sq ft of living space and is priced at $477 per sq ft. I have written before that most of the buyers that call, email, or meet me say that they would prefer to purchase a house priced under $500,000. Kind of slim pickin's.

There are just 11 Active Short Sale single family homes that priced under $600,000. These houses average 1,331 sq ft and are offered at $339 per sq ft average. I feel confident that only the house at 826 Eaton Street would interest some potential second home buyers, and most potential buyers would probably would not consider even that house because of its location. There is nothing wrong with this house. But a lot of buyers will not consider Eaton Street, or White Street, or United Street, or South Street, or any street that looks upon the cemetery.

We must go outside of the Old Town are to find more houses under $500,000. There are 33 more houses CLICK HERE in the mid town and new town areas priced $500,000 or less. (One of those had extensive fire damage and is back on the market. No mention of the fire damage in the listing. I did not see any building permits either. I wonder how that happened.)

Currently, 57 single family homes in the Old Town, Meadows, and Casa Marina areas are shown in the mls database as being contingent or pending. Thirty-eight (or 66%) of those properties are shown as short sales. One short sale has been shown as contingent as far back as March 2009. Five of the 57 are priced over $1,000,000. The average house on the list has 1,490 sq ft of living space and is priced at $484 per sq ft.

There is an interesting conflict going on right now in the Old Town, Meadows, and Casa Marina areas of Key West. As you can see the lower priced homes market looks pretty bleak. There is scant inventory in the lower price range. The places that remain unsold may have locational issues or may need renovation. Renovation takes time and money so the cheaper prices will be off set by more spending later. I often drive potential buyers past most of the lower priced houses before I set up showings just because I know most people would not consider the location no matter how cheap the price.

There are 76 homes priced between $500,000 to $999,000 that are shown as Active (67) or Active Short Sale (9). The average house has 1509 sq ft of living space and is priced at $533 per sq ft. The total number of available single family homes (Active and Active Short Sale) is 217 with an average asking price of $666 per sq ft. The problem is most of these houses do not have active buyers-at the current asking prices. There are lots of buyers. The just are not shopping for houses in the mid-level price range. Everybody wants a "deal". So few sales are occurring in this price range.

The other day I wrote about 604 Elizabeth Street. The owner is a Realtor who had listed and showed the property himself for several months. The house had been priced too high for this market. The house is absolutely beautiful. It is located on a great Old Town block. The owner finally fired himself as listing agent and gave the listing to another agent. The asking price was lowered to a price point that made sense. Bingo! Contract!

Buyers remain focused on the low end of the market. And it looks to me like that market is all but gone. The mid-range market ( $500,000 to $1,000,000) has a good amount of available houses but that section of the market isn't really selling. The high end market isn't selling either. There are individual sales of high priced homes but not as many as one would expect-especially at this point in season. There are 140 single family homes in the Old Town, Meadows and Casa Marina areas priced at $1,00,000 or higher with the average home priced at 818 per sq ft. There are only 17 houses priced under $500,000 with the average house priced at $477 per sq ft. Something has to give.

CLICK HERE to conduct your own search of the Key West Association of Realtors mls database. If you see something you like, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Our office is the exclusive Lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Key West - Bank Owned - Open House - Today

Open House - Sunday - 1:00 to 3:00 PM
1502 Petronia Street The Meadows Key West
Originally $1,795,000 Now $975,000

1502 Petronia Street Key West

1502 Petronia Street is priced at $975,000 or $568 per sq ft for this 1717 sq ft home. It is owned by a local bank in Key West. Come by and compare what you can get for your money. This property is one of eight completed in 2007. Four units are currently available. This unit is the only two bedroom unit available, and it is a doozy! This home is located on the corner and it has a lot of privacy and great view from the second floor front porch where you can sit and watch the incredible Key West sunsets every night. Only One house sits across the street. That house takes up the entire block. It is priced at $4,795,000. Nice neighborhood!

This stunning home is part of The Meadows condo association. Each home is owned in fee simple and sits on an individually owned lot. The association is exists to provide access to rear parking via gated driveway and storm water runoff. The homes were newly built in 2007 with top of the line materials and craftsmanship. This home features soaring 11' ceilings in the living area and kitchen. The kitchen is top of the line with stainless steel appliances, beautiful granite and solid wood cabinets. The kitchen area includes the lower portion of a two story turret. The turret portion of the kitchen is configured as an office or nook area of sorts. Lots of windows in the kitchen so your cooking will not be a chore but a dream. There is also a wet bar in the living room. The floors on the first floor are travertine marble. And the stairway and second bedroom floors are wood. The bedrooms have en-suite baths. The master bath is just incredible. I challenge you to find any more luxurious bath in Key West for less than $2 million. You won't find one.

Architectural details including crown molding, high ceilings, porches and solid wood doors. The wood doors on the first and second floor front are massive and of the highest quality. The 8' sliding doors that separate the living area from the pool are hurricane impact resistant to 155 mph that open wide to let the outside become part of the inside. A private, gated drive leads to the carport and a separate entry to the private pool and spa area. Each home is completely fenced and beautifully landscaped. CLICK HERE to see more photos and listing information.

This home is located in the Meadows area of Key West. Bayview Park, complete with an old fashioned bandstand and public tennis courts, is two blocks to the south. The White Street arts district is a five minute walk. The Garrison Bight Marina is located one half block away. Duval Street and the Historic Seaport are each a five minute bike ride. The big (f0r Key West they are big) shopping centers are five minutes by car to the east. The Key West International Airport is five to seven minutes depending on traffic.

This home would be great as second home for someone who wants everything that is done just right and only requires room for an occasional visitor. The second bedroom is just beautiful and would work great for a family of three, but I think empty nesters or a gay couple would find this place just about perfect. Stop by today and check it out.

CLICK HERE to view a list of of town homes and condos with similar features that were built about the same time. Compare the prices (and size, amenities, and location) to see why I think this property is such a really good buy. Nothing constructed then is priced lower than these units.