1217 Grinnell Street - Key West

Preferred Properties just listed an absolutely wonderful two bedroom stand alone home with private pool and spa in Grinnell Gardens. This is how the listing Realtor describes this home:

"This fee-simple unattached townhome in the Grinnell Gardens Compound has it's own private, heated swimming pool and spa. In addition it has access to another heated compound pool shared with the six other homes, so you can follow the sun around. The home has a surprisingly large rear garden and an assigned parking space. The spacious, sunny house has large open rooms with many windows and French doors and four covered porches -two up and two down. The new designer kitchen was recently featured in the newspaper."

A picture is supposed to be worth a thousand words. Here are some pictures I took on Tuesday of this ready-to-move-into home. I had been here before many years ago when a friend lived there. I remembered the place being really neat back then. But, baby, look at it how.

The main entry to 1217 Grinnell Street

The private pool and spa are located just off the livingroom at 1217 Grinnel Street

The spa

The new kitchen is incredible

A room with a View!

French doors open out to the private pool at the rear of 1217 Grinnell Street

French doors in living room also open onto front porch on main level

Master bedroom on west side has French doors and private balcony off sitting area

A separate master bedroom has a sitting room with French doors opening to private balcony

Shared pool with privacy entrance on the left

CLICK HERE to see the mls listing info and view numerous photos. 1217 Grinnell Street is offered at $725,000 or $465 per sq ft for this 1560 sq ft home. The home sits on a fee simple lot of 3945 sq ft. The lot includes a separate cottage the houses the laundry; the private pool and spa are located at the rear ; a lush side yard to the east offers a private sanctuary for the contemplative types; and the deck just off the kitchen provides a nice place for al fresco dining.

1217 Grinnell Street was built new in 1990 as were the other homes in this compound. Some of the other homes also have private pools but others do not. Beside the shared community pool, the compound provides lush gardens and a share off street parking area. Each unit has its own dedicated parking spot. I know a lot of potential buyers want a place of their own and have never thought of living in a compound. I "get" the resistance argument. But there is also a group of potential buyers that do not mind having nearby neighbors that live in close proximity to keep an eye on the place when the owner is not in residence. The people who live in compounds pretty much love it. Compound living may not be for everyone, but it is easy peazy with others.

This home is located at the southeast corner of the compound. There are French doors located off of each room downstairs and on the second floor. So each room has beautiful views from every room, and every room has immediate access to the beautiful outdoor spaces. The two master suites on the second floor have adjacent sitting areas and en-suite baths. There is nothing confining or claustrophobic about the separation between this home and the rest of the compound, but the separation is there just the same.

Click MAP to see where 1217 Grinnell Street is located if you are unfamiliar with the area. This property is located in the area knows as South of Truman-Old Town by Key West Realtors. It is a stones throw to the Casa Marina area. The beaches are about six blocks to the south. Upper Duval Street is a five minute walk to the west. The shops and restaurants in the arts district are a five minute walk to the east.

If you would like to schedule a visit to see this terrific home, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

810 Carey Lane - Old Town - Key West

I have written about Carey Lane before. It is just the dreamiest of the lanes in Old Town. The lane is only one block long and is accessed at Margaret Street across from the north entrance to the Key West Cemetery. The lane is narrow and is enveloped in lush foliage and flowering trees. All of the little houses have white picket fences. There aren't any straggler houses here to bring property values down. Each of the houses is perfect in its own right. The location looks like a Hollywood set designer created it.

Carey Lane - The Dreamiest of the Old Town Lanes

810 Carey Lane

The asking price on 810 Carey Lane just got reduced to $895,000 which means this cutie just became a lot more affordable to a wide universe of potential buyers.

This is how the listing Realtor describes 810 Carey Lane:

“Perfect! Beautifully remodeled cottage on a quiet Old Town Lane with pool and parking. The master bedroom and living room open to a deck, pool and covered dining area. A third bedroom space can be easily created by closing a set of pocket doors in the guest bedroom. The kitchen is a cook's delight with lots of open space, convenient island work space, wolf gas stove, and more. This property has been well cared for and is easy to show.”

The house at 810 Carey Lane is a bit deceptive because what looks like the front entrance is actually a sitting porch located off of the front bedroom. The front porch as an old fashioned swing hanging from the ceiling where you can sit and watch absolutely nothing go by except maybe the clouds. The real entry is located at the rear end of the bricked parking space. That doorway leads you inside and into the beautiful kitchen located in a sawtooth addition. It has a vaulted ceiling which adds lots of volume to the room and makes the room seem so very spacious. That kitchen is so sweet you won’t need sugar to make cookies.

The original front porch is now a sitting porch off the master bedroom. The master bedroom has an adjacent sitting area on the east front of the house. The neatest feature in the master bedroom is the loft above the which has a ladder that hangs from a rope that permits occasional entry for good little boys and girls. When I first saw that space I immediately thought "FORT". What kid doesn't want a FORT? If you have grand kids, this is the place they will always remember. Forever!

The rear bedroom has French doors that open onto the secluded pool. The living room shares the rest of the rear side of the house which is a second sawtooth addition to the main house. The pool and outdoor kitchen are located at the very rear of the property. The area is very private and the only things you see are the blue skies and neighboring trees. Lots of sunshine in this place. CLICK HERE to see the mls listing info page and to view more photos.

If you have ever dreamed of owning what some Realtors call the quintessential Key West Cottage, you owe it to yourself (and your grand kids) to look at 810 Carey Lane. This is the kind of place that could stay in your family for generations. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to see this really special home. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

1413 Albury St - Bank Owned - Key West

1413 Albury Street is second house from the right

Just Listed 1413 Albury Street, a cute and previously well maintained conch cottage located in The Meadows Area of Old Town Key West. This 1140 sq ft house has two bedrooms, one bath, central air conditioning, wrap around porch, and a very low maintenance yard. The house sits on a 2053 sq ft lot (29' X 67'). There is no room for a pool. CLICK HERE to view the side yard and note the old fashioned pump. Perhaps there is still a well on the property. MAP Warning, if you do a Google Map search and try to see a street view, you will see houses on Olivia Street. Albury Street runs parallel to Olivia Street from Georgia Street to Eisenhower Drive. Most locals don't know where it is. Conch trains don't drive by the house. That could be a good thing. CLICK HERE for more info on this house and to see photos provided by the listing Realtor.

The house at 1413 Albury Street is just one block north of Bayview Park (the main city park in Key West) . The park has an old fashioned band stand, public tennis courts, lots of trees and grass. It is the place where locals meet for all kinds of civic events and celebrations.

The Meadows Area is located just to the east of the main part of Old Town Key West. I like to tell people how far things are by estimating the length of time it takes to walk or ride a bike from a house to a familiar destination such as Duval Street or the Historic Key West Seaport. The house at 1413 Albury is five minutes extra. If you were to walk from White Street to Duval it would take about seven to ten minutes. I'd add on five minutes extra for the Albury address. Albury would be a good place to own a bike or a scooter. It's not far away, but not as convenient as a place in the heart of Old Town. But it is not so far away as to require that you bring snacks every time you leave home.

The White Street arts district, Faustos Food Palace, Island Gym, and The Coffee Mill are all within a five minute walk. If you are a boater, the Garrison Bight Marina is a three to five minute walk. Most of the homes in this area date from the late 1800s to the late 1920s. The black and white photo of the house (below) was taken in 1965. You will note that the photo shows that the porch was enclosed at that time. The photo also shows that the house did not have shutters. Today the wraparound porch is a prominent feature in this house as are the shutters. The house at 1413 Albury Street was built around 1906. Most of the houses have been redone. Some are very expensive. And there are a few that look like they have never been touched.

1413 Albury Street as is appeared in 1965 above

1413 Albury Street is BANK OWNED and priced at $389,900 or $334 per sq ft. If you would like to see this house, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

Opportunity Knocks - Shipyard Condo - Key West

The front porch at 106-9 Southard Street overlooks the park-like setting in Shipyard Condos

Impressive view when you enter the second floor unit

Expansive views from the second floor deck with French doors from Bedroom and Livingroom

Take a left at the end of the walkway an go to Ft Zach Beach or right and end up on Duval

Just Listed, but not by me, 106-9 Southard Street which is a second floor end unit that is in pristine condition. I looked at the unit for an aggressive investor who decided it wasn't cheap enough for him. So I want to share my thoughts with my readers and let you know why I think this particular condo may be a good deal for you. Let's start with the listing Realtor's comments and move on to mine.

"Pristine and beautiful end-unit in highly desirable Shipyard condominiums at Truman Annex. Fully furnished and turnkey with Ethan Allen furniture, flat screen TV and high quality finishes, this unit is a great second home or rental property. Meticulously maintained with open floor plan, second floor unit with attic storage. Huge private deck overlooking Shipyard Gardens offers privacy and outdoor living. Property is located in the center of the development away from street for maximum peace and quiet. Eligible for Truman Annex transient license. Within walking distance of beaches, restaurants and nightlife. A Quiet Oasis in Old Town Key West."

I arrived at the unit at noon just as a light rain began. The building is located just next to a wide and richly landscaped park-like expanse that is part of the common area for the Shipyard Condominiums. This setting provides one of four walkways for residents entrance into the condo develeopment. The gated parking entrance is two blocks away on Thomas Street. This park like entrace is located opposite some of the uber expensive single family homes and less pricey town homes. Take a left at Southard and walk five minutes to Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach or take a right and walk three minutes to the east and you are on Duval Street. But sit on the second floor balcony and just veg-out. What a pretty and quiet place it is.

This unit is and always has been a one bedroom unit. It has never been used nor abused by renters. The current owners have used this place as their private weekly getaway from Miami every weekend for over 12 years. The place is just immaculate. And everything you see in the mls photos is included in the purchase price. CLICK HERE to review the mls listing info and view the photos provided by the listing Realtor.

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106-9 Southard is offered at $349,000. For value comparison I suggest that you CLICK HERE to checkout the sales info on a similar one bedroom unit in Shipyard located at 620 Thomas Street, Unit No. 161 that sold and closed on Monday, March 1st. And if that doesn't help you, look just below to see how quickly the Unit No. 161 sold:

Date Time New Status Old Status New Price Old Price Selling Date DOM Change Type
03/01/10 2:22:27 pm Sold Pending 325,000 359,000 03/01/10 2 Price/Status
02/05/10 11:46:02 am Pending Contingent 359,000 359,000 2 Status
01/22/10 10:07:16 am Contingent Active 359,000 359,000 2 Status
01/20/10 8:39:58 pm Active 359,000 0 0 New

106-9 Southard Street can get a valuable Shipyard Transient Rental License which offers the opportunity to rent on a weekly bases. The listing Realtor sent me a guestimate as to what a potential buyer might expect to earn from rentals:
"... they rent for approximately $1600 per week in season and $900 per week off season. The special transient license in Shipyard allows for a maximum of 26 weeks and an unlimited number of monthly rentals (or a combination of weekly and monthly) The license is valid for 20 years (we are in year 3)....(deleted) indicated that a similar unit he has earned about 30,000 in gross income."

It takes time and marketing to get a new rental to make money. So what you as a buyer could actually earn could be much less. And you need to understand that the unit might not appeal to a wide universe of budget minded travelers that share condos like pack dogs with four to six people staying in a two bedroom unit that is priced cheaper than a hotel room on or near Duval. But that could be a good thing for you as an owner-not having four to six people living in a small unit with one bathroom. Think about it.

But if you are looking for a place for just you and your sweetie to use and have no intention to rent out, ever, this charming unit might be just the ticket. I think this place will sell quickly. So if you are interested, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, or email me at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida where today the sun is shining like it is supposed to. The town is starting to fill up with college kids and oldsters looking for a sunny spring break in Key West.

1800 Atlantic Condominiums - Penthouse Units - Key West

1800 Atlantic Condominiums - Unit A 403 is the top floor mangrove side Penthouse

1800 Atlantic Condominiums interior courtyard

The seller of Unit A-403 at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums just reduced the asking price on this extra large Penthouse unit to just $664,000 or $460 per square foot. CLICK HERE I think the price, location, view, and fact that this property has a valuable Transient Rental License may be just the property a buyer seeking an income producing property may find interesting. This is how the listing Realtor describes Unit A-403:

"Spectacular Oceanview Penthouse. Located at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums on Smather's Beach, this resort style setting is loaded with amenities & considered one of the premier condo complexes in Key West. As a penthouse unit, the condo features large volume rooms with vaulted ceilings. A valuable transient rental license is included in the sale, allowing nightly/weekly vacation rentals. Completely furnished, you're ready to catch the income from the peak winter rental season. Originally a 2 BR & 2 BA model, the floor plan has been modified to present a huge main living area to capture the ocean view. 1800 Atlantic offers a heated pool, hot tub, grilling pavilions, covered parking & 24 hour security all in a private tropical oasis."

I did a quick search of THREE penthouse units currently available at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums. CLICK HERE to do your own price and feature comparison. I have not been inside of this particular unit, but I can tell from the photos that it looks like it has the original kitchen as when constructed. The two other penthouse units appear to have granite counter tops and newer cabinets. But with they are priced much higher in real dollars and in price per sq ft. Neither unit has transient rental license either. I guess you could spend a few thousand bucks for some new cabinets and granite counter tops if that would make you feel better.

I did a separate search of other all "active" and "active short sale units". CLICK HERE to checkout the other properties and do a comparison of those units. Certainly Unit A-403 is offered at a higher price point than many other units, but I urge potential buyers to consider the top floor ocean front location, the extra large size, the valuable transient license when you make your comparison between apples and oranges.

Although each unit is different in some aspects, all of the units at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums have use of the huge Olympic swimming pool, an extra large spa, three tennis courts, beautiful interior courtyard, covered off-street parking plus individual owner storage space.

If you would like to schedule a visit to see any of the units at 1800 Atlantic Condominiums, or any other property in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

903 Thomas Street - Key West Charmer !

903 Thomas Street Key West - Classic Eyebrow House

The outdoor living area at 903 Thomas Street overlooks the cool pool !

This is what I refer to as the Cool Pool !

Vaulted ceiling in the bright and cheery kitchen that overlooks the cool pool as well

As soon as you cross the threshold and enter the Eyebrow house at 903 Thomas Street, you know you have walked into a home that was restored with love and attention to detail. This is no cookie cutter, could be located anywhere house. This is a true Key West classic. This is how the listing Realtor describes this home:

"PRICE REDUCED on this charming renovated cottage in the heart of Old Town. This 3 bedroom/2 bath plus den/office classic eyebrow home is in a compound with three single family homes lushly landscaped with an outdoor shower, shared pool with waterfall, off street parking, all new plumbing, electric, and HVAC. A tropical paradise not to be missed."

I had not been inside of this home for several years. I forgot how captivating this place is. The owner did the restoration himself several years ago. But the place looks as fresh today as it did then. The house is layed out like many Key West houses with the bedrooms at the front and the living area at the rear overlooking the pool and garden area.

Downstairs there are two bedrooms on either side in front. The bedroom on the left has an armoire built into the wall. What a beautiful piece of furniture and an equally novel way to use it. This was an OMG for me. The bedroom on the right is bright and cheery. The center hall leads back towards the kitchen with a vaulted ceiling. Unfortunately, the photo I took of the kitchen does not show the height or equally clever use of space. Rats!!! Just to the left is a separate office area (not a bedroom) and the downstairs bath. The dining area and living room wrap around the kitchen which is open to the living room. But the real kicker is the covered outdoor room that overlooks the cool pool with its adjacent bar and grill area to the north. There is a private garden and outdoor shower area on the right side of the house. Since this is an eyebrow house, there is a second floor where the owner located the master bedroom and bath. Everywhere you look, outside, inside, first floor, second floor or just the stairway, you can tell that his home was lovingly restored and made better than before.

This house is technically a condominium because the pool and some of the rear area are owned in common with the two other cottages that are adjacently located. But each of those houses have their own separate private spaces as well. Here each homeowner maintains his/her own residence as in "fee simple" ownership. The common areas (including pool and deck) are maintained the the association. There are many similar type of condominium, townhome, and compounds in the Old Town area of Key West. This just happens to be one very precious home that is oh so charming and that is now priced to sell. And 903 Thomas Street has its own private parking space. This home is offered at $599,000.

903 Thomas Street is located two blocks from Duval Street and just one block west of the Ernest Hemingway House at 901 Whitehead Street. If you watched Friday nights episode of JEOPARDY, you would have known that address. One block to the north you will find two competing eateries, Blue Heaven and La Creperie which is a new addition to the corner of Thomas and Petronia. I had bruch at La Creperie with friends last Sunday. So nice. Santiago's Bodega is one block further west on Petronia. Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park and the coolest beach in Key West is a five minute bike ride.

CLICK HERE to view the mls listing information and to view 15 photos of this home. Better yet, call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. 903 Thomas Street is a lot of house for the money. You owe it to yourself to take a look - with me!

707 Washington Street - Casa Marina area - Short Sale - Key West

707 Washington Street - Casa Marina Area - Back on Market as Short Sale

707 Washington Street - Offered at $1,099,000 as a Short Sale

701 Washington Street - neighbor immediately to the west

709 Washington Street - neighbor immediately to the east

When I saw that 707 Washington Street just re-appeared in the Key West mls as "active" from "contingent" I immediately thought of Mr. Bill and said "Oh Nooo!!!" And then I decided I must let my Readers know right away about this buying opportunity.

This property is technically a "remodel" since the original duplex located on the huge lot was never officially demolished. CLICK HERE to see 707 Washington as it appeared in 1965. But in reality the two buildings that occupy the space are new from foundation up to the tippy-top of the roofs. The buildings were designed by local noted architect Tom Pope. He, however, did not design the interiors.

Even though this property was built "new" (my description, my words) in 2004, the interiors (floor plans and current uses) do not work. I have shown this house to many potential buyers and all love the exterior and the location. Who wouldn't. The houses on either side are just beautiful. So is the mega-house across the street. Louie's Backyard Restaurant and the nearby Doggie Beach is a block to the south. The Casa Marina Resort and Higgs Beach are a five minute walk to the south. And Duval Street is only a five minute walk top the west.

The house at 707 Washington is a legal duplex but for all intents and purposes it is really a single family house with an added two-story guesthouse or caretakers house that is attached at the rear of the main house. The guest cottage might be better suited as a new second master suite that occupies two floors of the house.

The current configuration of the main house just does not work well. At least that is the consensus of the numerous buyers that I showed the house to. My suggestion: gut the interior and rebuild it-not the outside. This time use a good space designer and decorator. Redo the pool area as well. This house is huge. The pool area was poorly designed. The thing that works best in Key West is to have living areas that open out to the pool and garden so that the transition from inside to outside living is almost seemless. The current configuration is more that of a box with a pool located down a clumsy set of stairs.

I am not panning this house. I think this place is great. The interiors suck. Sorry to Sluggo or to whoever designed the inside and pool area. The houses as currently configured have 3257 sq ft of living space and sit on a 5300 sq ft lot on one hell of a Casa Marina location. The asking price is just $1,099,000. This is a Short Sale. There are very few houses in Key West that have this kind of space with the quality of exterior design and construction. This could be a great deal for a buyer that wants a project house. CLICK HERE to see the mls listing and view photos.

If you would like to schedule a showing please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an e-mail at kw1101v@aol.com. 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. When you see the neighborhood, you will agree with my statement in the first paragraph calling 707 Washington a "buying opportunity". Don't wait.

Just Listed - 1412 White Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. just listed a very charming two cottage compound located at 1412 White Street in the Casa Marina area of Key West. The cottages are separated by an expansive deck and a large pool. The main cottage contains the combined living, dining, and kitchen with vaulted ceiling. There is a bay window at the south end of the living area that looks onto the orchid garden. A second floor loft on the north side looks down onto the living area. The loft can be used as a third bedroom or office. The master bedroom and bath are located on the ground floor.

The guest cottage is located on the opposite side of the pool. That cottage has soaring vaulted ceilings as well. French doors look out toward the pool and the main cottage beyond. The entire compound is enveloped by clusters of large palms and two Royal Poinciana Trees. There are multiple plantings around the gardens, all of which are irrigated. There is even an ORCHID GARDEN. And there is a very unique OUTDOOR SHOWER. Decorative outdoor lights provide just the right light to make the night scape just magical.

The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

“Located on the corner of Washington & White St., this is a perfect Key West cottage style home. There is a main house plus a separate guest house, both of which open to the sunny pool and deck. Both houses feature dramatic vaulted ceilings and are light and bright. They open through French doors to the deck area. In the main house, a staircase leads to the loft which is perfect for overflow guests or an office. The open floor plan makes entertaining easy and the large deck provides great indoor/outdoor living. The property is completely fenced and has a gated entry and carport facing Washington St.”

Higg’s Beach, the dunes beach, and the Atlantic Ocean are just a five minute walk to the south. The Key West Garden Club is located at the West Martello Towers at Higg’s Beach. Salute on the Beach Restaurant is located nearby. Astro Land for the kids and public tennis courts are located opposite of Higg’s Beach. The Casa Marina Resort is one block to the west.

A couple of blocks to the north of 1412 White Street you will find the Island Gym, Faustos Food Palace, Dog 30, and a lot of small art galleries and numerous Cuban Coffee Shops. Duval Street is a short bike ride to the west. The Key West International Airport (lol) is a five to seven minute drive to the southeast. CLICK HERE to see a nostalgic photo of our international airport before the Terrorists and Politicians made us have do-over that spoiled the whole thing.

1412 White Street is offered at $799,000 . The two cottages have 1332 sq ft of living space and sit on a 4207 sq ft lot. I live just a block away. I love this part of town and the relaxed way of life. The location is convenient to everywhere you want to go. CLICK HERE for more detailed information and more photos of this very special Key West home.

If you are considering buying a place in Key West and want a house that is not like the one you own up north in America, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642, or contact me by email at kw1101v@aol.com. 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. The only regret I have about moving to Key West is the sad fact it took me so long to move here. You get one shot a life. Use your time wisely.

1115 South Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

The house at 1115 South Street in the Casa Marina Area just had a price reduction to $875,000 or $465 per sq ft. This house was built in 1981. It has two bedrooms, two baths, a very large and open living room. The kitchen is "to-die-for". There are three distinct outdoor areas including a really nice pool. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"This house has been beautifully renovated with easy island living in mind. The first floor is open with living/dining and outstanding cook's kitchen and custom burled maple cabinetry, granite countertops and Viking and Bosch appliances and Brazilian cherry floors throughout. Upstairs are two bedrooms, a beautiful bath and an enormous walk-in attic space that easily could be finished for a third bedroom, studio, etc. Ipe decks surround the heated swimming pool and separate spa. There's outdoor dining through French doors and large tropical plantings all around. Old Chicago bricks cover the off street parking area."

This property was originally priced at $1,285,000 and has been gradually reduced to the current asking price. I have shown this house several times. That is why I am writing about it today. This is a very good value at this price, Dear Readers. I am expressing an opinion so please accept it as such. The layout and access of the second bedroom put off some potential buyers that I had. We looked at this house a couple of times and my buyers ultimately settled on another property. But the house was priced much higher at that time. There is more than ample room to reconfigure the second bedroom and now the price makes a cosmetic remodel more reasonable.

CLICK HERE to read more details on this house and to view interior and exterior photos. I may be wrong, but I think this house will sell very quickly now. This is a lot of house for the asking price. Especially in this area. MAP

I live a couple blocks away from this house. Not that I am prejudice, but this is a great part of town. This house is close to everything, but not located right in the middle of it. The Atlantic Ocean is a four or five blocks to the south, Old Town is a ten minute bike ride, and the White Street arts district is a five minute walk to the north.

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or email me at kw1101v@aol.com, if you would like more information or to schedule a showing of this really nice home. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

How to Buy Real Estate in Key West

Thirty years ago when I lived in Denver I would ask my Realtor if you could borrow her mls book. Realtors were not allowed to share their mls listing books but could copy pages and give them to customers. But I was sweet so she gave in and let me borrow the book. Today the Internet has made home buying really easy, in fact it is so easy even a Caveman can do it! If you are reading my blog on Key West real estate, you probably found me via Google or some other search engine. What you may or may not know is that all of the Key West mls listings are available for free and are offered unfiltered (meaning you do not need to give anyone your name or other personal information).

Key West is located in Monroe County, Florida. You might think the Florida Keys would be the last place to embrace and utilize the Internet. You would be wrong! The City of Key West has its own Internet presence as well. And most real estate agents have websites and an Internet presence of sorts. My purpose today is to give you some good links so that you can do your own "home work" before you buy your new home in Key West. I know for a fact lots of potential buyers like to use the Internet to help find their new home in Paradise.

CLICK HERE to search the Key West Association of Realtors mls data base. All real estate agents use this same database. So no matter which real estate company you may choose as your entree to the database, you will end up using this search engine. There is one notable difference, however. The Key West Association of Realtors database is maintained in real time. I have found other sites that have stale or old data that must be manipulated or changed by human beings. The official database is constantly changing as new listings are added or existing listings are changed.

The Monroe County Property Appraiser CLICK HERE has a very helpful website that permits you to search for property information from various perspectives including Alternate Key Number (a numerical id that appears on all mls listings, usually in the middle right that reads Alt Key # followed by seven numbers. Copy and paste those numbers and hit the "Search the Monroe County Property Database" button. You can also search Owner's Name, Physical Location Address, and others. Once you click the Search button, a Property Record View appears which you can print or click for more information. Some properties permit the user to click the "Show Parcel Map" which then provides an aerial view of the subject property. You can also see all kinds of detailed information related to that particular property such as year constructed, additions, improvements, building permits and costs, and "Appraisers Notes". Here the Appraiser's office adds comments from newspaper ads, mls listings, or physical inspections that may point out discrepancies or explanations between items shown of record versus data from other sources. You can also see the property tax valuation for past years and recent sales that are noted by date, price, and recording data.

The Monroe County Tax Collector also has a helpful website CLICK HERE. This site permits you to search properties by Owner's Name or Physical Location. I would caution readers not to assume to much since many people do not pay their property taxes on time. Many lenders escrow for property taxes and insurance. Property taxes in Monroe County are paid in arrears.

The Monroe County Clerk of the Court is an excellent website to search all kinds of information about real property and people that own or have liens on property. CLICK HERE to go to the main page. There you must select between Search Official Records and Search Court Data.

If you click the Search Official Records button you will need to click a "Disclaimer" button and then a n Application Menu. Click it. You will then have four new search options to select from. If you know the Name of the Person or Company, click the Name button. A new page will appear where you type in the Last Name. Then add additional information that you have. I would caution, however, that searches can be either too broad or too narrow. I suggest you limit searches by starting date. If your search is too narrow, you may not see all that is available that pertains to a particular property, owner, or lien claimant.

Click the "Go Search" button. A new page will appear with a potential wealth of new information. You can then click individual lines that reference recorded documents by date, name, book and page, document number, legal description, and so on. You can then bring up most items by clicking the item and it will appear in pdf format. Those documents are printable. You can make copies of all pages or copy just enough to maintain your own personal reference on properties that interest you.

Do not substitute your due diligence with that of a title company or attorney. Do not rely on your own searches to find all of the data or assume you have found everything. We all make mistakes. Trust your attorney or title company. Exercised in real estate sleuthing are just that. Exercises. Rely on professionals that are paid to provide correct information.

The Clerk of the Court has an alternate entree point CLICK HERE that takes you to the Civil, Probate, and Criminal Court records. You can search those records for information by Name. But beware that sometimes people make human errors and encode information incorrectly. You may want to search by name variations or omissions of middle names or initials. Sometimes first names are encoded incorrectly or judgements or deeds or liens are encoded correctly but with erroneous names.

A year ago I wrote a blog entitled "Has My Realtor Been Arrested?" Boy did that get some people upset with me. You can search the criminal record for any name in Clerk of the Court's website. You can also search the Monroe County Sheriff's website to see if someone has been arrested. CLICK HERE for access to that site. Being arrested is not the same as being convicted. And an arrest in Monroe County or Key West does not exclude the possibility of an arrest or conviction elsewhere. A few years ago I got into a heated debate with the broker of a company where I used to have my license. There were two people in that office that had been charged with or convicted of felonies. That discussion came up after a new real estate licensee at a different office made the front page of The Key West Citizen which reported that person was wanted in another state for fraud.

The City of Key West has an excellent website that provides access to all city departments, personnel, Code of Ordinances, Commissions (such as HARC and the Tree Commission), forms, permit applications, and so on. CLICK HERE for the main entree page.

Whether you are in Key West walking down a street or in your home or office far away, you can also access the Key West mls database and get real time listing information, maps, etc. with the Realtor.com i Phone Real Estate App. CLICK HERE to view how the IPhone App works and then CLICK HERE to download the Realtor.com iPhone App. You need to sign up with Realtor.com to download the Application but not with any one agent-such as yours truly.

I do hope that if you use the search tools I have described today when the time comes and you decide to fulfill your dream by purchasing your place in Key West that you will call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or contact me by email. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. I don't have another job such as waiting tables, selling shoes, doing construction, or anything else. Selling real estate is what I do.