Young at Heart in Key West

Fairy tales, can come true,
it can happen to you,
if you're young at heart.

If you are gay and gray...
And if you, should survive,
to one hundred and five,
look at all, you'll derive,
out of being alive!

And here is the best part,
You can live the rest of your life,
in comfort not strife,
in a place in Key West,
where you can build your last nest.

CLICK HERE to watch a quick news video about where old gay men and women are moving. Well, maybe not "old" because nobody is old anymore. They are just seasoned with salt and pepper hair (if they are lucky enough to have hair). The point of the video is that aging gay people need to think and plan where they will spend the rest of their lives.

A while back a gay Realtor friend and I were talking about all the cute gay boys in Key West. (A gay boy can be a guy in his 30s, dear reader.) He said all boys are cute when they are young. And for the most part they are. Age, life, strife, bad boy friends, bad girlfriends, bosses, too much food, too many drugs, too much booze, too many cigarettes, etc. can wreak havoc on what was once a cute boy. But just living life changes the way we all look and over time makes us less attractive than we once were, whether we are straight or gay. The point being: what sustains you after your youthful appeal is gone? Who will you turn to when your sixty four? Maybe the answer is not who you turn to but rather where do you live? Where will you feel comfortable in your declining years?


In the last twenty years it became almost okay to be gay in many cosmopolitan areas of America. That is not necessarily true for what I'll call the 'red states'. In those areas gay people need the approval of the rest of society to even be tolerated. There are still those who think gays are sinners that need salvation.

Every year across America (and now the world) when we have gay pride parades where the drag queens, muscle boys, leather men, and Polo boys come out to march in unison as family. God made florists, interior designers, hair stylists, and boys that march in parades and ride on floats so the rest of us can appreciate the finer things in life.

The thing is that for many gay people it is the gay community that is the closest thing many of these single, older people have to family. In Key West we call it One Human Family.

Gays that are approaching, are at, or are past retirement age need to consider where they are going to spend their final years. Think about it. Where do old drag queens end up. Or old leather muscle gods that are no longer gods and certainly look foolish in leather. What nursing home or assisted living facility welcomes queenie old men? Who will these people dine with on a daily basis? Will they be welcomed, tolerated, or scorned?

Key West does not have any gay retirement housing that I am aware of. But the community of Key West does not have anti-gay bias. This is a place where it really is okay to be gay. If you are a straight reader I question whether you can appreciate how wonderful it is not to have to conceal who you really are when you are at work or at a function. When I was in business up north in America I did not lie about my life. I just did not share it with others. That is not right. But so many gay people have to do that-even now, in the enlightened years. The military may be ending the don't ask, don't tell policy, but it still exists in much of American life. Keep your personal life a secret to get by. Don't wear costumes and march in parades to let your co-workers or neighbors know that you prefer the company of men (or women if you are a lesbian). Is that any way to live? Is that they way you want to spend the rest of your life?

I learned so much about acceptance after I moved here. I saw a town and people that really did not care about the fact that I was gay. The cashier at Faustos on White does not care. The cook behind the deli case at Dion's (where you can get the best friend chicken in Key West) doesn't care. Wes at Truman and White Chevron doesn't care. He wants to fix your car. The guys at Strunk Ace Hardware do not care. The contractors and landscapers that want your business do not care. They want your money! All of these people live their own lives and mind their own business. There are a few exceptions like the guy with the guy with the FAGS DOOM NATIONS sign below. But I have not experienced any negativity in the years I have been here.


CLICK HERE to search the Key West Association of Realtors mls database. If you are gay and should survive to one hundred and five (or even seventy five), consider Key West as the place to spend the rest of your life in comfort and not stress, where you can build that final nest. My name is Gary Thomas and I am a Gay Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida, where it is okay to be gay. Please consider contacting me to help you make your fairy tale dream of living the rest of your life in Key West come true. And here is the best part, it can happen to you.

1115 South Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

I have written about 1115 South Street a few times. I have shown this house several times. It has not sold. I think this is a very nice house in a very good Casa Marina location. I think the new asking price of $790,000 makes this house worthy of a second look by potential buyers that looked at it when it was priced as high as $1,285,000 and also makes it worthy of a first look by new buyers.

Let's start with the location. 1115 South Street is located in the Casa Marina area of Key West. Click the MAP to get a sense of why I think this location is so great. You come to Key West to enjoy the outdoors. We are on a little island at the end of the road. It takes time to get here. So not everyone comes here. Plenty of "boat people" as I call them get off the cruise ships and take Conch Train rides or rent scooters or bikes to do a Gilligan three hour tour of Key West only to get back on the big boat and head elsewhere.

People that stay a little longer in Key West learn to love the island for its simple beauty. I went down to Higgs Beach this morning to take some photos for you. Of course the memory card on my camera maxed out so I didn't do what I planned. 1115 South Street is a five minute or five block bike ride from the beach. You can do as I did this morning and go down there and watch the beach sweeper manicure the sand for today's beach goers. Later in the day the volleyball players will show up and their sweaty muscles will glisten as they strain to smash the other side. Others will either rent a chair or bring their own from home and find a place to work on that Key West tan. Some regulars have skin that looks like leather. Newbies pale by comparison. But they all enjoy the day in the sun as they watch nothing much happen. You might go over to Salute on the Beach and have a cheap but really good meal. Try the anti pasta platter. You can't beat the price and the food is great. The views are free. Or take a picnic lunch. If you lived in Key West, you could do that daily.




1115 South Street has been on the market for quite a while. It was listed in later 2008 at $1,285,000 and the price was periodically reduced to the current $790,000 or $420 per sq ft. The 1881 sq ft two story home has two bedrooms and two baths. The downstairs is just great. You enter off a great bricked front entry into a great room with very tall ceilings. The place has a feeling of real importance. The rear half of the main floor is the kitchen and dining area. This house has got to appeal to foodies that want to create the ultimate meal day after day in the chef's kitchen. There is a side deck where you grill and dine al fresco. But the pool area at the rear is just so damned beautiful. (I didn't take any pics of my own. Let's go visit so you can see for yourself.) A full bath is also (and I must add oddly) located downstairs.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms. The master is not overly large nor impressive. But it is not bad. It is just a bedroom. The second bedroom is oddly shaped and it shares the second floor bath with the master or uses the downstairs bathroom. The current bed and bath configuration are odd. But for the price and location, I think a smart buyer will snap this place up and hire a talented architect and builder and come up with a different way of utilizing the extra large and unused second floor attic space over the kitchen living area. There is plenty of room to correct the ill conceived present configuration. The new pricing makes a renovation affordable. When you see that pool and see the downstairs you will immediately understand why I like this house at this price.

Potential buyers need to understand that most of the homes in the Casa Marina area are priced much higher. There are few homes available in the Casa Marina area for sale at the moment. The house at 1115 South Street has so much to offer at a very good price. If the house were perfect, the house would cost more. Buy it, fix it, and make out like a bandit.

CLICK HERE to view the mls listing information and to view more interior and pool views of 1115 South Street. 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. If you lived in Key West you could go over to Higgs Beach every morning to watch the sunrise on a new day in Paradise. Whereas if you live in New Jersey you can't. Life is full of choices.

Family Home - 201 Virginia Street - Key West

The really big and nicely appointed family home at 201 Virginia Street in the Bahama Village area of Key West is offered as a short sale at the asking price of $699,000. I showed it shortly after it was listed in January 2008 at the then asking price of $1,149,000. It was obvious then that thee asking price was too high given the declining market and the fact that this home is located across the street from public housing. The price has been steadily reduced to the current amount. The property has been under contract twice and, obviously, neither deal closed. The listing agent notes that "Update:Short Sale Approved at $600,000". Some agents do not reduce asking prices to reflect approved short sale prices acceptable to lenders. Doing so often invites future and seemingly endless short sale approval drama. If you were to purchase this home at $600,000 the sold price per sq ft would be $267 and that is very low for any house in Key West, let alone a recently built house with all the features in this one.

I showed this same property a few weeks ago. The inside is the same. The outside is looking a little worn. The paint job is starting to show that the painter may not have been a professional. I took the blog photos this morning. The fence looks especially bad. But if a poor exterior paint job and location near public housing bother you, do not read on. If on the other hand you are looking for a big family home with lots of really nice features, continue to the next paragraph.

This 2250 sq ft 3 bedroom, 3 bath home has big rooms, tall ceilings, superior finishes and other features you will not find in a house for the same asking price in Key West. The corner lot is even large: 3737 sq ft (43' x 87'). The bonus to this home is the third floor eagle's nest which is the access to the widow's walk where you can see the Atlantic Ocean just a couple of blocks away. This widow's walk is the perfect place to mark and photograph the Truman Annex redevelopment project.

Downstairs you will find an extra large great room which combines living and dining areas with the kitchen located at the rear. French doors open from there onto the covered back porch that overlook the pool. A full bedroom and bath are also on the first floor. Two master suites with very large bathrooms are on the second floor. You won't see any of the sibling fighting over who gets the bigger bedroom because all of the bedrooms are made for real sized people. Note the rear second floor covered porch CLICK HERE.

The listing Realtor describes 201 Virginia Street this way:

"Incredible value awaits the smart buyer for this recently built quality home. Top of the line finishes are used throughout including stone and wood floors, granite countertops in the kitchen and baths and wind impact windows and doors. The home has an up to date floorplan with an open living/dining and kitchen opening to a covered porch and stunning pool with water feature. Also on the main level is a guest bedroom and bath. Upstairs are two oversized master suites both with walk-in closet, and bath with separate tub and shower. One of the master suites includes a large loft area with stairs to a rooftop widows walk with spectacular panoramic views of Key West and the waterfront."

CLICK HERE to see the listing information and listing photos of 201 Virginia Street. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 to schedule a showing of this very nice family home that is priced to sell. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

316 Peacon Lane - Old Town - Key West

Just listed by Preferred Properties 316 Peacon Lane near the Historic Key West Seaport in Old Town Key West. If you read my blog regularly you already know that I'm like Lady Ga Ga about the slow lanes of Key West. Peacon Lane is one of the more user friendly of the lanes because you can actually drive a car into and out of the lane. (Some lanes require that you park your car on the street and walk to your house. I like those really slow and quiet lanes, but some owners have this need to be near to their cars.) Click the MAP to see the location of Peacon Lane. It's easy to miss if you are not looking for it. As a result most tourists miss it and don't drive that live on Peacon Lane residents to distraction with senselessly beeping scooter horns.

The listing Realtor describes this Peacon Lane home this way:

"Elegantly renovated two story Historic home on one of the most desirable Key West Old Town Lanes just 2 blocks from the Seaport. All Dade County walls and floors were painstakingly removed sanded and hand finished. On the first level you have one ensuite bedroom, grand kitchen, dinning and living room lined with French doors leading to a great backyard and cocktail pool. On the second level you are greeted by another guest ensuite bedroom, laundry area, and a large master suite with vaulted ceilings and a small terrace. Room for one off street parking and many scooters."

I showed this new listing and was immediately taken by the clean lines of the entire house. The Dade County Pine restoration makes this place look new unlike so many old Key West homes. For the buyer who wants the look of old and comfort of old but also wants a new house without the faults of an old place that needs lots of work, this may be the place you have been looking for. The hard work has been done and done correctly. Bring your decorator or channel your inner HGTV Design Star and finish this home off the way it reflects your tastes. Instead of spending months overseeing carpenters and painters, you can oversee your boat located a short two blocks away at the Conch Harbor Marina.

The Key West Historic Seaport area has some of the great restaurants in Key West and all are within a very short walk of 316 Peacon Lane. One of my favorite restaurants is the A&B Lobster House which is a two block walk. There you can sit outside at waters edge and get a great seafood dinner as you watch the yachts bobbing in the water as night descends on Key West. Less expensive but very tasty and and Key West to the extreme are the nearby Turtle Kraals and the Half Shell Raw Bar. Pepe's is on Caroline but the wait is forever. My favorite diner food in Key West is always served fresh at Harpoon Harry's. (You really should try it. But if you live in Key West, you already know it's a great place to eat good food at an affordable price.) And B.J.'s Fish Wagon is on still on Caroline where you can dine next to the parking lot.

Fast Buck Freddie's Home furnishing store and Half Buck Freddie's Bargain store are located on Caroline Street. Also on Caroline Street is Key West Accents where you can find some very nice objects and furnishings for your new home on Peacon Lane. The entire area around the Seaport is always abuzz. Tourists come and go all the time to take to the sea or go shopping or dining. Some end up at the Schooner Warf Bar-that's the place where the big dogs hang (as well as a lot of locals). Others end up over at Dante's where they can tan and party like it's still college.

If you lived at 316 Peacon Lane you'd hardly know about all of the nearby hubbub because the house is so insulated by the location. CLICK HERE, CLICK HERE, and CLICK HERE to few of the nearby houses on Peacon Lane. It doesn't any more charming than this. Imagine sitting on your front porch having coffee and watching nothing happen. In Key West!


Click my TWITTER and view more photos of this beautiful Key West home. Learn more about this lovely Key West home by CLICKING HERE to review the mls data sheet and see more photos. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing on 316 Peacon Lane which is offered for sale at $999,000. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Our office is the Exclusive Lower Keys Affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

511 Frances Street - Short Sale - Key West

511 Frances Street has been on the market since October 2009. The original asking price was $1,649,000. The price was reduced several times. Now the property is offered as a Short Sale at the asking price of $1,295,000 or $762 per sq ft.

I showed this house last week and was again impressed with the great location and the way the front invites you inside the home and how the pool area at the rear immediately summons you to the outside. This house has lots of street appeal but it is the pool area that has that Key West I Wanna Live Here! appeal.

Click the MAP to find the location of 511 Frances Street. The 500 and 600 blocks of Frances have some of the most expensive and most photographed homes in Key West. The location is still within an easy walking distance to all of the attractions of Old Town but it is far removed from the zaniness. Maybe that it is why this location attracts buyers with money. You will note that 511 Frances Street abuts Curry Lane (one of the prettier little lanes in Old Town).

Almost every stick of wood in this home is new as of the "renovation" in 1983. Only a few pieces of wood from the original structure remain. A new master bed and bath addition was added a few years ago. The interiors come off a bit sterile to me and I think some fairy dust is in order. But there is plenty of space (some 1700 sq ft of interior living space) to spruce up. The house has 3 bedrooms and 3 baths. The living room is huge and it has three sets of French doors that open onto that incredible pool and deck area. There is already a covered outdoor dining area that overlooks the pool. And there is the cutest little fly fish hook tying cabin at the rear of the property. (Or whatever you want to use it for.)

The rear deck and pool is the star of this house. Too bad I don't have any pics that I took.


The listing Realtor artfully describes 511 Frances this way:

"Built in 1983 is a true replica of a Key West old town home with the luxuries of today located on one of the very best blocks in Old Town. There are three large bedrooms separate from one another with unique style bathrooms, his and hers offices off the living room, and an a separate artist studio off the pool. There is a wonderful serene outdoor covered dining space for those large dinner parties surrounded by lush landscaping and gentle lighting. The interior has pine walls with painted maghony molding, and vaulted ceilings Located two blocks from the Seaport. Off Street Parking."

CLICK HERE to checkout the mls listing information and to view more photos of this lovely home. Better yet, call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a showing of this property. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. This property is a listing of our office but not my listing. This house needs a buyer.

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1217 Petronia Street - Short Sale - Key West

This listing Realtor describes the charming home at 1217 Petronia Street this way:

"This beautifully renovated two bedroom Classic Conch home is located in The Meadows of Key West. The main living area features a cathedral ceiling, hardwood floors and a spiral staircase that leads you to a large sleeping loft with room for an office or sitting area. The very private yard includes a wraparound deck, heated pool and a separate pool cabana. This is a potential short sale transaction subject to lender approval. Owner is a licensed Florida Real Estate Salesperson."

This home 1507 sq ft home has two official bedrooms (downstairs at front of house), the second floor loft (quiet large), and the pool house which could be used as a guest bedroom and 2 1/2 baths. This home could function as a full time family home with room for the grown-ups and kids or as a great getaway house for buyers who want a place where they can relax with their friends and family. The main living area is at the rear half of the house where French doors open onto the covered patio. The pool and pool house lure the people on the inside to come outside.

This property was renovated in 1999. I'm not a builder or home inspector but the workmanship looked pretty thorough to me. The front of the house is very Key Westy cute but it is the pool area that really awes the viewer. This property is a short sale. It has been under contract twice before and unfortunate events prevented the first buyer from completing the purchase. A second buyer decided he could not wait for the lender to move as quickly as the buyer wanted. So now this property is back on the market.This is a lot of house for the asking price of $575,000 or $382 per sq ft. CLICK HERE to review the mls data sheet and to view photos supplied by the listing agent.

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or email me at kw1101v@aol.com for more information. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

The Plight of the Living Dead

I don't want to start something that I cannot finish. Whenever you talk about religion, politics, race, and other sensitive issues on which almost everyone has an opinion, you open yourself up to criticism and maybe more. But what the heck, this is America where everybody is entitled to his or her opinion. As long as you are not a Commie.

I grew up in the 1950s when Commies were everywhere. We knew they had to be stopped or they would takeover the world. We saw menacing photos of millions of Commies and their missiles that threatened our very existence.


If you are an original baby boomer like me you must remember "duck and cover" as a way of avoiding total nuclear annihilation by diving under your wooden school desk and waiting for the nuclear bomb to explode and clear so that you could return to normal life.

I may be wrong but I think the horror movies of the 1950s were an allegory of our collective fear of the Commies. We watched monsters mutate and take on horrible existences that threatened our way of life. These monsters were seemingly unstoppable. It was as if nature had turned against us. We became the prey of the dead and the near dead. Animals and insects mutated into hideous creatures that tried to eat us. And just plain natural crud like "The Blob" oozed out of nowhere and slimed its way into our small towns and engulfed everything in its path. Our lives were doomed, forever. But at the end of the second reel a hero would emerge and save the day and kill all the monsters.


I was at the gym on the morning of 9/11. The guy at the front desk yelled out two planes had hit the World Trade Center. I knew instantly that accidents like that do not happen. I jumped on my bike and sped home talking to God all the way. I was home in a couple of minutes where I turned on the TODAY Show where I watched in disbelief as the first tower collapsed and then the second. As I think back on the images I saw then, I remember similar images from the movie "Armageddon" when New York City was being destroyed. It was like life was imitating art only it was not a movie. It was really real. It was unbelievable. It was like the worst nightmare I ever had, but I couldn't wake up from it because I wasn't asleep.

I saw with my own eyes but listened to the talking heads trying to give meaning to what we had all just witnessed. Life as we knew it was over. But this time there would be no hero at the end of the second reel.

If you are like me and have become so accustomed to hearing news reports of wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, mine collapses, mass shootings, you may have been de-sensitized by the initial BP oil rig explosion. But as the days wore on and the oil kept gushing out of the ocean and wildlife started dying, I finally realized we have a huge mess on our hands. I thought for sure it would be over by now. I was confident someone would do something heroic. Where is Superman when we really need him?

My blog is about Key West real estate. I try to give potential buyers good, real time information on various types of properties for sale in Key West. Sometimes I reminisce about life as it used to be when we were a kinder, gentler nation. We were, you know.
And sometimes I try to impart a little perspective that whatever the catastrophe du jour is, there will always be a better tomorrow. It does workout that way in the end. Well, at least the turmoil goes away and we get on with our lives. Sometimes we get so caught up in the moment with constant "Breaking News" flashes of things that really are not news but merely re-hashed images and often conjecture created by talking heads trying to be first as opposed to being correct. Sometimes the "Breaking News" is just garbage "content" between commercials.


The mess in the Gulf is slowing tourism along Florida's Gulf Coast. Some local weatherman irresponsibly predicted the oil will get caught up in the Loop Current and will send oil toward the Florida Keys. Some other talking heads spread rumors that the oil will wind its way into the Bahamas and or up the eastern coast where it will bring further calamity. I guess anything is possible. I don't know what will ultimately happen. Nobody knows. Making predictions and scarring the hell out of people is so wrong. But I do feel comfortable in predicting that things will be okay in the end. The Russians did not attack us with nuclear weapons. The North Viet Namese did not take over all of Asia after we left. The oil spill will be dealt with. The American Economy will surge again.

Every summer real estate sales in Key West slow to a trickle. The buyers go back up north where it is cooler. The sellers who were greedy and didn't sell when the buyers were here either fire their Realtors or reduce the asking price on their over-priced trophy houses (or over-priced shacks). Hurricane season just started. You can bet that CNN and all the rest of the news channels will have satellite trucks here as soon as a named storm heads this direction. Some bonehead weatherman will be standing in our streets or pointing to his map warning of our impending doom. Bet on it.


Use the current uncertainty of the stock market, the oil mess, the bank mess, the economic mess, or hurricane season to be your catalyst to purchasing a place in Key West. Sellers who need to sell their houses need to have buyers. Use the collective calamities to your advantage.

I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@al.com. Let me help you take advantage of the plight of the living dead.

Key West Dream House

"First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination."
Napoleon Hill

The pic immediately below was taken about three years ago. It is a pic of a smallish eyebrow house in Old Town Key West. The house had a For Sale sign on it for quite a while, but it eventually sold. I showed it twice. The listing agent would not go inside because of the stench and filth. Owners lived there, trapped inside this house of hoarding. Paper and plastic bags everywhere saving God knows what or why. On one showing my buyer started to proceed up the narrow stairway to the second floor. He paused and turned back to me and said "Gary, I can't do it! The smell is so awful." I told him to breath through his mouth. We were up and then out in a flash. A nice house in a great location, but too much work and cost, he thought. The house had two licenses, meaning it could be used legally as a duplex. Again, only God could understand why someone might even consider that. Yet, the well worn look of that house intrigued so many potential buyers who dreamed of what they could do with it. One person acted and the old reality is transforming into a new one.


I took some photos to show what is going on at present. I have used the term staple gun decorating to describe some of the cheesy redos I have seen in Key West. Those redos usually consist of cleaning a place up, a good paint job, floor replacement (often with a floating floor which I hate), replacing kitchens and baths with stylish new cabinets, nice lighting, cheaper stainless steel appliances, and granite. The things that are visible are the features that get attended to. What is not seen is often not attended to.

I remember one developer(who is also a real estate broker) who renovated a house on a little lane a few years ago. The place looked so cute. I remember showing it on New Years Eve in 2004. As we stood inside I looked back at the entry door and noticed a big gap underneath where sunlight was shining through. When we went into the kitchen we saw an expensive Italian light fixture that looked just great. But when I asked how somebody was supposed to actually cook in the kitchen at night with that cute little solitary light, the developer-agent scowled at me. The developer had not attended to the foundation of the house which meant the floors were uneven. But what do you expect for a million bucks?

The photos shown below are illustrative of what a thoughtful renovation must entail. I haven't seen the plans and I don't know the architect or owner. A very respected local builder is apparently doing the renovation. I'll check back in a few months to give you an update. Take some time and look at the pics. They may be helpful in seeing what is sometimes necessary to do to fix an old house that was neglected for too long. Understand that most houses do not have to go through this kind of a renovation process. This is extreme home makeover, for sure. By looking at the lengths that someone is willing to pursue to pursue to transform their dream into a new reality for this old house.

This photo shows the house elevated several feet off the ground. The main floor is gone and all that remains is the "eyebrow" or second floor portion.

This is what remains of the underside of the house. Big holes have been bored into the ground for placement of new concrete piers.

Look carefully at the top of this photo where you will see a window that is actually hidden from street view. Placement of windows like that allow the windows to remain open during the day and even during storms. These windows allow some light and cooling ventilation inside the house.

This photos shows what was the second floor of the old house. Now that all of the clutter and cramped living spaces are gone, the new house has a fresh start on re-imagining what this house can become.

The two above photos are taken from Elgin Lane looking at the underside of the house as it temporarily sits awaiting new piers on which it will be transformed into its new reality.

CLICK HERE to search the Key West Association of Realtors mls database. If you see a property that interests you, 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. Not all "fixers" have to go through such a process. We are in the summer lull right now. There are still some good nice homes that are affordably priced. Please give me a call and let's find your new place in Paradise.

824 Shavers Lane - Key West

A little over two years ago the little house on the big lot (50' x110' or 5500 sq ft) at 824 Shavers Lane was offered for sale at $735,000. It did not sell. The price was recently reduced to $297,500 which is still $488 per sq ft, but now the price may make the property worth a look-see.

The listing agent describes this property this way:

"An opportunity! Total renovation/demo. Rarely can you build your dream home on a small quiet lane steps off Duval.What a location..steps away from the Hemingway House and the Lighthouse Only five short blocks to the Southernmost Point!Recent appraisal and priced accordingly."

Click the MAP to locate 824 Shavers Lane. You probably have walked near or biked or drove by but never even knew the lane, let alone the house, ever existed. It is a one block long lane that is sandwiched between Duval Street to the east and Whitehead to the west. Olivia Street (the Hemingway House is at the corner of Olivia and Whitehead) provides entry to Shavers Lane from the south and Petronia Street (Bourbon Street Pub near the corner of Duval and Petronia) is at the north. Shavers Lane is narrow and few people go there without a reason. So if you are looking for a secret hideaway, Shavers Lane may be worth considering.

The listing agent suggests the property may be demolished. Renovations normally cost more than new construction so it might make good economic sense to remove the existing structure and build all new. I'm not a builder and I can't and will not cite construction costs. But I do believe it would be economically feasible to buy this property and construct a very nice new home with off street parking for two cars and put in a real pool for less than it would cost to purchase a three bedroom home with a pool and parking on one of the tonier streets in Old Town. (I'm not talking about a million dollar house either.)

CLICK HERE to review the mls listing info. The existing house sits rather close to the street. The lot is very deep and quite wide. I think a new home that sits further back would make better sense than trying to use the existing house and current configuration. Of course using the existing house makes it easy for the new owner not to use current building code setbacks. It may make sense to utilize the existing structure in some portion of the overall design of the revamped property.

I found an old photo of 824 Shavers Lane (old as in 1965 and shown above in black & white). The house looks pretty much the same today. The depth of the lot and the absence of any protected trees that would prohibit building give this property great development potential.

South Beach is a five minute walk (if you can avoid slow moving tourists). La Te Da, the Bourbon Street Pub, the 801 Bar, and The Monkey Bar are all within a five minute walk. Camille's, Santiago's Bodega, and Antonia's Restaurant are also located within five minutes of the front door. CVS Pharmacy and Bobby Shop (that's where I get my hair cut) are within a five minute walk as well. You can ride your bike at Ft Zach Taylor in about seven minutes.

If this property looks like something that may interest you, 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. in sunny Key West, Florida. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.