I Like Ike ! Key West Waterfront

716 Eisenhower Drive #6 Pictured above

Key West is famous for renaming its streets to honor former Presdients. Located at the water's edge at the Garrison Bight the former North Beach Road was renamed Eisenhower Drive. Read "The Streets of Key West: a History Through Street Names" By J. Wills Burke for a colorful description of how many of Key West streets got their names. Of Eisenhower Drive, Burke writes "From Palm [Eaton] to Truman, Eisenhower Drive runs a straight line along the shore of the Garrison Bight. Burke wrote "His name sums up the man. Dwight D.Eisenhower's boyhood nickname, Ike, stayed with him throughout his life. It reflects an affability that put everyone in his presence at ease, and it lent itself readily to the "I Like Ike" campaign slogan that helped him get elected twice... Like the man, his namesake street is direct and unambiguous."

716 Eisenhower Drive Unit # 6 in the Paradise Harbor Condominium is very "likable". In fact when I recently showed it my potential buyers stayed much longer than expected. We first looked at the developer's unit in the adjacent building. After seeing that unit, they wanted to leave. I convinced them to stay since the listing Realtor had taken his time to show this property. Big enclosed garage and storage plus a private elevator to all four floors was the same as next door. But that was the end of the similarities.

Each floor and each room of this very special place was designed for easy and comfortable Key West living. This place has no pretense, yet it is so very special. You know from the get-go that the place was designed and outfitted with the very best materials. Everything works. There is no hodge podge and no skimping.

The living space is on the second floor which includes kitchen, dining and living room. Sliding doors on the east open onto the balcony overlooking Garrison Bight. Another set of sliders on the opposite wall provide protected views to the west. The semi hi tech kitchen is separated by a comfortable island. Sitting in the tall bar stools I just imagined what a great party place this could be. We walked outside and looked at the boats bobbing up and down in the water. Yes, the Palm Avenue bridge is busy in the daytime. But at night the traffic is minimal. The doors are all hurricane impact resistant rated. You can't hear a peep inside the home.

Living area over looks the Garrison Bight Marina

Party Central or Divine Cuisine?

The Chef's Table de Cuisine

Floor three has two good sized bedrooms and each has an ensuite bath. Both bedrooms have separate balconies with one overlooking the water and the opposite toward the city. The fourth floor is the master suite. The ceiling is vaulted (like in some of the great Old Town homes) so the sense of old Key West is not lost in this 21st Century waterfront townhome. Imagine waking up in the morning with sunrise views across the Bight and walking to the private elevator to take you down to the second floor for your morning coffee. The stairway works just as well.

Remember this property also includes a private boatslip. After that morning cup of coffee you can go out to your boat and enjoy the waters of Key West.

Checkout the mls info and listing photos CLICK HERE. The architect owner over-indulged on this space. It will make you want to have one just as nice. You can. You can buy this one for $1,995,000.

CLICK HERE to see one of the two mansions across the street. And CLICK HERE to see The Meadows Townhome that I recently sold also located across the street at the corner of Petronia. I like the neighborhood.

Bedroom with west view

Bedroom with east view of the Garrison Bight Marina

Master Suite on third floor will make you green with envy

Interior stairway and private elevator take you from floor to even lovelier floor

If you would like to see this really lovely waterfront townhome, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.294.3040. 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. Let's take a look and I bet you will say "I Like Ike !".

Key West Guesthouse - Bank Owned !

Just Listed, but not by me, the Nassau House guesthouse located at 1016 Fleming Street in the heart of Old Town Key West. This property is now Bank Owned and it has been re-priced to sell. This listing agent describes this property as follows:

"Bank Owned Guest House in Old Town Key West. Well known 9 room Guest House with full kitchen, outside decks and porches. Lush landscaping. Spacious rooms, each individual in it's location in the house, as well as it's theme. Lock out units provide flexibility in booking larger parties. Lagoon pool and Tiki hut provide relaxing area to congregate, as well as decks and porches on each floor. Priced to sell. Bank says Bring Offers."

Nassau House is a well established guest house located right in the heart of things at 1016 Fleming Street. For point of reference the famous Eden House is located across the street (it was the home of Goldie Hawn in the movie Criss Cross filmed in Key West in 1992). Click the MAP for the best view of the location. (Google maps give viewers great perspective views of the area as a whole and then zeros in onto the neighborhood. The street view is great as well.) The location is great because guests can walk to any number of nearby restaurants (Azur, Michael's, Cafe Sole, The Marquesa Cafe, A&B Lobster House, etc.). The Tropic Cinema, the Red Barn Theatre, and the Waterfront Playhouse (where you will occasionally see something deliciously naughty) are all within a ten minute walk. The seaport is only a five minute walk and the nightlife on Duval Street is a comfortable stroll both going and returning.

This property has been listed for sale over the past two years at an asking price as high as $2,750,000. It is now offered at $1,700,000. There are nine guest rooms but there are only five City of Key West transient licenses. The city is aware that this guest house, like many others, has more guest rooms than it has licenses. There is an inherent risk in buying a place with less licenses that the law requires. Yet, the law has not been enforced for years. Someday a new city administration may enforce the rules and only permit guest house owners to rent only the number of rooms for which they hold a valid transient license. My advice to a prospective buyer is to discuss the legal ramifications with a real estate lawyer in Key West. My opinion is that the city will continue to take the bed tax and look the other way. That being said, CLICK HERE to review the mls information and to view more photos of this property.

I used to own a guest house in Key West. I bought a place that had been foreclosed and I got a very good deal. I regret now that I sold it. But what I know now more than ever is the value of a good location and a good name. Tourists know what they want or expect for their money. People that want beachfront location and luxurious amenities don't stay in guest houses and vice versa. I suggest that a prospective buyer develop a good business plan that fits the expectations of guest house visitors and not to develop some grandiose miniature Ritz Carlton. Providing a clean and comfortable room, a friendly environment, and TV and internet that works, a pool and a place to get that enviable Key West tan plus a good cup of coffee in the morning are the framework for putting lots of heads in beds.

I think this property ought to sell fairly quickly at the asking price. I would love to work with a buyer that wants a Realtor that actually knows something about the guesthouse business. And having just listed or sold other guesthouses does not necessarily bring any expertise to the table. Like I said, I purchased a bank owned guesthouse and ran it. I know first hand what a prospective buyer will face. If you are looking to purchase a guesthouse in Key West and would like to see the Nassau House, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

The "Glass House" - Key West

When I first saw the beautiful home at 2309 Flagler Avenue my mind flashed to Phillip Johnson's Glass House that he designed for himself half a century ago. The lines and feel are so similar. The Key West Glass House, however, invites you to look right through the glass walls to enjoy the year around beauty of the side and rear gardens. And we all know that Key West has New Canaan, Connecticut beat when it comes to weather.

The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"You don't want to miss this hidden gem located on an oversized 7500 SF lot within bicycling distance to Old Town. This enchanting two-bedroom, two-bath home features 64 feet of floor-to-ceiling glass sliders and windows opening out from the remarkable living and dining areas to the gorgeous lanai and gardens, with a yard big enough to add a generous pool. Beautiful new Chicago brickwork at the entrance, driveway and circular patio, with multiple mature palms and verdant landscaping make this a very special property. Central air and heat, tiled and carpeted multi-level floors, new accordion shutters, loads of storage and an outdoor bar ready for entertaining. Cared for with love..."

2309 Flagler Avenue was built in 1953 but recently had a major addition added to the side and rear. The original house was a ranch, and it is similar to many in the area that were built during the 50s and 60s. But that is where the similarities stop. The addition is a "knockout". The new glass addition was built to surround the original house at the side and rear. While the much of the house opens onto the outside, the neighboring properties have no view of the house.


Most homes have defined spaces the we recognize as front yards, back yards, or side yards. The home at 2309 Flagler Avenue does not have the kind of landscaping you expect in a home priced at just $427,200. This home has multiple outdoor spaces where small gardens and paths take you from place to place. The covered lanai off the living room is like an extension of the house into the outdoors. But that is only one of several outdoor spaces where design and function create wonderful, separate outdoor living areas.

The lanai off the glass walled living room

The backyard is large and has plenty of room for a pool. A large covered outdoor bar area on the east side yard could easily be converted into an outdoor kitchen. (I say easy. Nothing is ever easy. But you get the point.) There are storage sheds on both the west and east side yards so there is no reason to ever see a garden tool, bike, paint can, or Christmas ornaments. This pace has been meticulously maintained so you "fixer uppers" need to look elsewhere.


CLICK HERE to checkout the mls listing information and to view more mls photos. If you click my TWITTER you can view more photos I took of the property as well. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this beautiful home. This is a lot of house and a lot of value for the asking price. Call me to take a look at the Glass House to see for yourself. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

Happy 4th from Key West

Old Town Key West - Commercial - Location

514 Southard Street - Key West

If you are an investor or user looking for commercial space in Old Town Key West with a great "just off Duval Street" location, the new listing at 514 Southard Street may be the property you have been trying to find. I know the location quite well because our offices at immediately next door. A more notable landmark is Bank of America's Old Town location which is next door to the right of the new listing. Click the MAP for both aerial and street views of the location.

This property is located about 200 feet east of the intersection of Duval and Southard Streets. CLICK HERE, you'll recognize that location for sure. Southard Street is a major feeder (one way) street for locals and tourists that make the pilgrimage to Duval. The seller is the current user of this building and it would "consider a leaseback". Seller is credit union that is in a conservatorship.

The county records show that the building was constructed in 1957. Just below you will see how snazzy it looked back in 1965 and what is looks like in 2010.

514 Southard Street Key West as it looked in 1965 (above)

July 3, 2010

Bank of America and 514 Southard have ATMs that are non-stop day & night

The listing Realtor describes 514 Southard Street this way:

"Affordably priced office building on Southard Street just steps from world famous Duval Street. This building is perfect for any type of office or professional service use. The building contains and extensive build-out of multilevel professional office space. The property contains a rear parking area. Seller would consider a sale leaseback. Priced at a recently appraised value."

Below you will see some photos of the rear parking area. Notice the covered awning. That area used to house a private mortgage brokerage company totally separate from the credit union up front. Also notice the enclosed walkway between the two buildings. This space is locked at night but during the daytime it provides quick access to Southard Street up front.


The building has 2900 sq ft of space on two levels. The asking price is $800,000 or $361 per sq ft. Zoning is HNC-1 which is short for Historic Neighborhood Commercial-1. Uses for this zoning include include residential (including single family, duplex, and multi-family) and limited commercial including professional offices, banking and financial services, personal service shops, specialty shops, limited retail, transient accommodations and guest cottages. Rather than rely on what I write, do your own investigation to determine suitability for the use you intend. CLICK HERE to read the City of Key West zoning ordinances and consult with your own attorney. Just because some use may be permissible does not mean you will necessarily be able to do what you want.

I did a quick search of comparable office and commercial space in the immediate Old Town vicinity so you can do your own price comparison. CLICK HERE to view. The average price on all of the properties is $429 per sq ft. But you need to compare location, construction, availability of parking in this mix.

CLICK HERE to see the mls listing info on this property. But better than that, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com if you would like to schedule a showing on this property. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

Award Winning Old Town Restoration - 627 Elizabeth Street - Key West

X marks the spot of 627 Elizabeth Street atop Solares Hill in Key West

The residence at 627 Elizabeth Street sits at the tippy-top of Solares Hill in Old Town Key West. The home was meticulously renovated and received a Certificate of Excellence and a Silver Star for Renovation in 2010. It is as clean as a whistle and ready for new owners to bring their tooth brushes and flip flops. Not much else to do here but sit back and enjoy the good life in Old Town Key West.

This is how the listing Realtor describes 627 Elizabeth Street:

"Opportunity knocks.This totally remodeled home was awarded the Cert. of Excellence and a Silver Star for 2010. You will feel the attention to details from the moment you step inside. The entire house has Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors. A 2-storey addition was added and there is central HVAC throughout the house. All rooms a wired with cat5 cable for phones and computers. A salt-system, heated pool with a waterfall was installed, and a propane valve is available for your backyard grill. The kitchen has all stainless steel appliances.The house is located at the intersection of Elizabeth and Angela Street. This is the highest point on the Island and flood insurance is not required. Furniture may be purchased separately."

The renovation included major structural improvements that will outlast all of us. Those improvements permitted the owners to edit the traditional approach to room configuration and ceiling heights in cigar maker homes. So what you think you know about a house that looks like this probably is not what you will actually see.

The home has a very elegant but not overstated feel once you enter. Every detail has been attended to but not in such a way as to make you feel uncomfortable. Some houses come across as being so "done" that you don't fell you can sit down. Not here. This home was made for sophisticated but also relaxed living.



Two bedrooms with a shared Jack and Jill bath are located at the front of the house. A guest bath is tucked in the hallway just off the living room with its vaulted two story ceiling. The kitchen with French doors that open onto the pool at the back occupies most the space at the rear but there is a darling staircase that takes you up to the second floor rear master bedroom and with ensuite bath.

When this home was first listed for $985,000 in March 2010 I thought it would sell right away. Boy was I wrong. I have shown the house several times and all of my buyers really love the house. The lack of off street parking and less than totally private pool area were the two things that gave my buyers "pause". The pool could use more landscaping and I think that would provide the privacy that some see as lacking. It would be great to have off street parking, but it ain't gonna happen. The good thing is that there are no nearby guesthouses, apartment buildings, or commercial activities. Typically only local residents park on this block and they respect each owner's parking space.

The asking price on 627 Elizabeth Street was just reduced to $955,000 or $699 per sq ft. This home has 1367 sq ft of totally remodeled space with superior finishes throughout. The wood floors, for example, are solid wood and not some el cheapo laminate. Everything is done just right. The second floor front window is even wired for placement of an electric "candle light" for the Christmas holidays. CLICK HERE for more details and photos of this home.

You can walk to Sarabeth's for breakfast. It is only two blocks away at the corner of Simonton and Southard Streets.
Two great Italian restaurants on Duval Street (such as Antonia's and La Trattoria) are a three block walk. And Walgreen's (also known as the old Strand Theatre) is nearby in case you drink too much Vino Fino. If you want fish for dinner, Seven Fish is located two blocks south at the corner of Elizabeth and Olivia Streets. Pisces is two blocks further but it is way too pricey imo. The Monroe County Library is located two blocks away at the corner of Elizabeth and Fleming Streets. There is a wonderful garden where you can read a book or contemplate the meaning of something important. The Historic Key West Seaport is located at the foot of Elizabeth Street just a couple of minutes further to the north. Lots of restaurants, bars, boat trips, and specialty shops there including Kermit's Key Lime Pie Shoppe. However, there is no commercial activity any place adjacent to 627 Elizabeth Street. Being near is better than being on top sometimes.

I think this is a great house and I would really like to show you this property if you are looking for the perfect Key West Cottage. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this home. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the lower Florida Keys Exclusive Affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Do You Prefer the Smell of Cat Pee or Garlic?

Despite the fact that we are still in a recession and that the BP oil spill continues to pollute Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and now northern Florida, we had a dang fine June in real estate sales in Key West.

Twenty single family homes were sold and closed in June 2010 in the Key West area. Eight of those single family home sales were in the Old Town area of Key West. The average sales price was $502 per sq ft. Three sales were identified as short sales and just one was a bank owned home. By comparison in June 2009 there were a total of 30 single family home sales in Key West, and twelve of those sales were for Old Town and Casa Marina area properties. The average price per sq ft then was $498. I need to add that none of the sale in 2010 was over $1,000,000 but six of the 2009 sales sold over the one million mark. The price per sq ft only increased by a modest $4 per sq ft. And the sales volume was down 33% over the same time last year. That is not good.

Most troubling to me about the June 2009 vs June 2010 is the fact that we had no sales over the $1,000,000 mark in 2010 but six in 2009. I met with one of the top real estate sales producers in Key West last week to take pics for a customer. This agent has lots of listings and told me that (he or she) was tired of million dollar listings (inferring that they are not selling whereas lower priced properties have a better chance of selling). A neighbor of mine just changed listing agents and listed his house with someone I care deeply about-but not me. The house is great and ought to sell. But it has been on the market for nearly a year and has not sold because it is priced too high. Some sellers still don't get it. Resistance to the market is futile. You will not sell if you price your property too high. Buyers are not morons. (Usually.)

June 2009 saw 20 condo and townhome sales in the Key West area. Seven of those sales were in the Old Town and Casa Marina areas. Those units sold at an average sales price of $484 per sq ft. One of those sales was in excess of one million dollars. In 2010 there were 13 condo and townhome sales that closed in the month of June. Three of these sales were identified as short sales and two were shown as bank owned. Five of these sales were for units located in Old Town and they sold at average price of $505 per sq ft. None of the June 2010 condo or townhome sales was in excess of one million dollars. The number of sales was down but the price per sq ft increased by almost 9.6% over last year. Mixed blessings, perhaps.

I have previously written about the time I did commercial loan workouts for a couple of big banks in Denver. Later I worked for the Resolution Trust Corporation which oversaw the savings and loan mess in the early 1990s. I have seen lots of lows but those lows were always followed by highs. I expect the same will happen this time around.

The BP oil spill put a big dent in what was a good uptick on real estate sales in Key West. I have recently heard that some buyers have backed out of contracts because they fear what will happen to Key West if oil does reach here. When some totally unrelated tar balls did hit Key West beaches a few weeks ago, the national press pounced on the story. Those tar balls were not from the BP oil spill, but that news was not as stunning as the initial report. The damage was done.

When prices are high potential buyers are often willing to settle for less than they really want. They think they can do a little fixing and save a bunch of money. But when there are few houses to pick from, some buyers may be willing to buy properties they would not normally consider just to get a "good deal". I have been inside too many houses in Old Town that reek of cat pee. Some of these places are tenant occupied but others are owner occupied. I guess you have to be a cat lover not to notice or care. Yesterday I took pics for an out of town buyer that was interested in two houses. I took photos of one in the morning and a second house late yesterday afternoon. The morning house had the distinct odor of cat pee in two areas, one of which was carpeted. Maybe replacing the carpet would eliminate the problem. Maybe not. The other place is located across the street from a neighborhood restaurant that is open everyday of the year. I told my buyer he could smell garlic everyday if he bought that house. He said he preferred the smell of garlic to cat pee. What a option!

I see the political and economic negativity as being an omen for the better. There are a group of of buyers sitting on the sidelines waiting for the right moment to buy. I think some buyers hope the economy will dip down further which would create more unrest and drive prices down even more. Maybe those sideline sitters will decide to buy then. There is another set of buyers who sense that buying opportunities may have passed them by. I am getting the sense that they may be willing to buy inferior properties today (such as houses that smell of cat pee or that have really serious locational issues) rather than holdout for better (and more highly priced houses in the future). I don't suggest that any buyer buy a cheap property just because it is cheap. Cheap can become very expensive.

When the economy does improve and when we know whether Duval Street will be lined in oil or still just dirty tee shirt shops, I expect prices will rise to meet the demand of people who were afraid to buy into the uncertain market. Those buyers will surely pay more for their place in Paradise, but they will feel better for it.

If you are looking for a place in Paradise, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Let me help you find a place where cat pee and garlic fumes are not options that you need to consider.

Emma's Secret - 715 Emma Street # 4 - Key West

A second unit at the Emma Street compound was recently listed (but not by me) at a price I think is just tantalizing. The four unit compound was built in 2005 and each unit is slightly different but each unit has top of the line fixtures, amenities, and workmanship. I can't say that about a lot of properties in town. But this place is so fine that I invite would be buyers to call me to schedule a showing. Then we can do some comparison shopping so you can see for yourself how this place stacks up against similarly priced properties in all parts of Key West.

The listing broker describes this property this way:

"Stylish 3BD, 2.5BA condominium situated in a secured and private courtyard setting. Just blocks from Duval St & built as the owners unit 1995, it is in beautiful shape. Fine craftsman ship & materials throughout include Brazilian hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, granite counters, sub-zero refrigerator, Viking stainless gas stove and Bosch dishwasher & compactor. Lounge by the designer pool with waterfall surrounded by a tumbled brick patio. Enjoy the luxuries of modern construction with GE smart wiring, Hardiboard siding, , assigned off-street parking and storm shutters. Walk to local attraction, restaurants and shops. Just four units in the development."

The gated entry to the complex lets you know you have arrived someplace special and secretive. You can catch a glimpse of the water wall at the end of the property. But when the gate opens and your eyes travel down the bricked entry past the pool and finally view the water wall that looks like an ever changing mirror of water cascading down into a pool. A small courtyard separates the units and provides some shared and private spaces for each property owner.


This home is located at the far rear on the south side. It gets morning light which breaks into the kitchen and living room. All rooms have beautiful crown molding, rich real wood floors, and designer light fixtures. The kitchen is just gorgeous. You will not find a prettier kitchen for this price in this town. Period.

The third bedroom the listing broker refers to opens directly onto the kitchen so it can do double duty as a guest room, office, or a third bedroom if required. This bedroom has an entrance onto its own private rear porch. The two bedrooms upstairs have vaulted ceilings and separate ensuite baths. There is a beautiful stairway between the two floors that has a window that illuminates the stairway and provides a glimpse of the pool below. I don't recall having ever seen such a beautiful staircase in any home at this price point.

715 Emma Street Unit #4 is offered at only $459,000 or $408 per sq ft. This is not a short sale. This property was built and retained by the original developer. CLICK HERE to checkout the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos on this property.

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305.766.2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com if you would like to schedule a showing on this really cute property. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Psst! Can you keep a secret? I have more photos I will share with serious buyers.

728 Windsor Lane - Key West - Price Reduction

728 Windsor Lane in 2010

728 Windsor Lane in 1965

I think the little cottage at 728 Windsor Lane is one of the best buys in Old Town Key West. The seller just reduced the asking price from $260,,000 to $229,900. This house is still livable as is for a few years, but it really needs a redo. When I show a house like this I tell my buyers not to consider what it looks like now on the inside or the outside because when to redo is done, you won't be able to recognize the place. The good thing about a redo like this is that you don't have to worry about small rooms or inefficient layouts or lack of closets. All of those ills should be fixed in the renovation.

The house currently has two bedrooms, one bath, a living room and dining room, a small kitchen and separate laundry area accessed from the rear deck. The listing agent says the house has 654 sq ft of space under roof and it sits on a 1279 sq ft 1/2 block from the top of Solares Hill, the highest point on the Island of Key West and one block from the tippy top of Solares Hill. MAP. Many of the other properties on this block are of similar size. Many of those have been renovated. Most share the common dilemma this house faces: small building, small lot, no off street parking. Those three factors and the high cost of renovation in Key West have scared away many potential buyers from a place like this. I understand this but I think I have a somewhat good alternative on how to approach this property.

The red X marks the location of 728 Windsor Lane on Solares Hill in Key West

Key West Cemetery

Top of Solares Hill is one block to the west

Small neighborhood park is just around the corner at the end of William Street

Americans have gotten spoiled into requiring big rooms and grand spaces. Even when buyers are seeking bargain properties, most want to make something bigger and better out of what exists. Well, sometimes you can't get everything you want. Sometimes you must accept a little less to get most of what you want. I spoke to one contractor who looked at this house as a possible renovation project for a buyer. That buyer wanted so reconfigure the existing house and add a partial second floor at the rear. That buyer decided not to do the project because he couldn't make the house grow big enough.

The Key West Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) and the Planning Department for the City of Key West must approve such projects. All kinds of rules, building code requirements, and density restrictions must go into approving projects like this. A small house like this can take as much time to move through the bureaucratic jungle as a big project and some decide that the small house does not justify the investment of so much time and money if the end result is still just a small cottage.

What is wrong with a small cottage? Why does someone have to mess with something so quaint? Why not do something a little less daring and probably more certain of getting approval?

I'm not a designer or contractor but I came up with a plausible plan to renovate this house in such a way as to keep the historic facade intact but that would allow a new owner to totally redo the inside to create new living spaces that meet today's lifestyle.

My idea is to remove all existing interior walls, doors, and windows. Repair the foundation as necessary and reconfigure the house with a large bedroom with ensuite bath at the front. Create a new side entrance on the west side of the house with entry into the new living-dining-kitchen areas at the rear. A door off the kitchen would permit guests to use the bath without going into the bedroom area. The existing structure is a double sawtooth with an addition at the rear. I would remove the existing ceilings and create new vaulted ceilings throughout. New French doors would be added to the rear of the house that would open onto the rear deck and pool. I have seen similarly sized and styled homes have been renovated in similar fashion. Local contractors have done lots of houses like this. I cannot say everything I suggest will work or would get approved by HARC or the city planning department. And I cannot guarantee the price of the work. But this only a 650 sq ft property. I just have difficulty believing construction could go beyond $150,000.

Notice the double sawtooth roof

If a buyer purchased this property at the asking price and put $150,000 into it, that buyer would have a virtually "new" cottage style home in a great Old Town Key West location for about $380,000 or $581 per sq ft. What the buyer would not have is off street parking. But a lot of Old Town owners do not have it either. And the new owner would not have a guest room for all of his or her family and friends. I bet that it would be cheaper for a buyer to put his freeloading family and friends up at the Eden House on Fleming Street every year than it would be to add a second floor guest bedroom.

728 Windsor Lane is not a big house for starters, and you can't grow the house much larger. But you could immensely improve the structure and the space. The location is great. There is a neighborhood grocery 1/2 block away. Duval Street is three blocks to the west and the Historic Seaport is five blocks to the north. You could walk to just about any spot in Old Town in about ten minutes or less.

CLICK HERE to see the listing info sheet on this property. This property is rented and advance showing notice of at least 24 hours is required. 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.

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.