611 Simonton Street - Old Town - Key West

611 Simonton Street in 1965

611 Simonton Street Old Town Key West October 2010

Just listed, but not by me, 611 Simonton Street in Old Town. You may recognize this great old house as it is located adjacent to the Conch Republic Embassy on Embassy Row in Key West. Priced at $699,000.

The Conch Republic Limo is parked next door to 611 Simonton Street

The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"This is a wonderful spacious home which has a great covered outdoor entertainment area with a Fire-place. The Master-bedroom with balcony and master-bath is located upstairs. Downstairs is featuring a large open Living-area, two Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms, separate Dining-room and Utility-room."

The original house was built in 1953 and was enlarged sometime later both downstairs and by adding the second prominent second story. The house now measures 2080 sq ft. The lot is an oddly shaped 3908 sq ft that wraps around the rear of the adjacent commercial two story building next door. This property is zoned 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 have not been inside this property. I could not locate any recent listing for this property either. The Google aerial photo CLICK HERE suggests there may be room for a pool in the rear if the pool would not interfere with the root system of the neighboring trees. You never what to expect in a place like this. There is always something to learn and often something to capitalize upon.

CLICK HERE to review the Key West mls listing data sheet and to view interior photos for this property. If you would like to see this property, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Our office is the Exclusive Lower Florida Keys affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Pigs Get what Pigs Deserve

I have a couple of thoughts about banks and bailouts. I was opposed to the bailout because it insured the fat bastards that got us into this mess would emerge whole and unscathed. Their bad acts have gone unpunished. And they continue to reward themselves with gluttonous bonuses. All of this earned on the backs of normal people. BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg (not a banker, I know) said this of what I call normal people: "we care about the small people. I hear comments sometimes that large oil companies or greedy companies that don't care, but that is not the case at BP. We care about the small people." Big banks and big oil care a lot about small people, you bet they do.

The big banks continue to deal with the foreclosure mess which they themselves created. It's a numbers game to them. And the staffs (inside the banks and outside contractors) crunch the numbers so that the result of whatever individual deal they are working on produces an acceptable result for the bank.

And it is not just the big banks that function this way. One local bank was acquired by an out of state banking system a while back. Then it acquired another local bank that was shut down by the FDIC earlier this year. The new bank spends lots of money on local advertising and seeks new business. Loan officers do what loan officers must do in small banks, they join service clubs and participate in community organizations to "reach out" and encourage new banking relationships.

This same bank has a huge number of bank owned properties acquired through foreclosure. You would think it would have all of those assets listed with local Realtors so that the non-earning assets could be sold. I used to manage bank owned assets for a big bank in Denver. I know what I am talking about. This is not "theory". It is dogma.

Mr. Potter - the ultimate sting banker

Instead this particular bank holds its bank owned assets in its stingy bankers' hands and ineptly tries to sell the banks with "bank owned" signs placed on the various properties. A phone number to an out of state location may connect an interested buyer with a special assets person who may have information on the specific property. Maybe.

Now I know the local person who is responsible for these properties. But when I call this person, the voice mailbox is always full and will not accept my phone message. If I call the local bank I am referred to the special assets departmetn in another state. When I call there I am told a local bank person will call me to schedule a showing. Eventually I will get a call back and we can perhaps see the property. In a recent instance the bank person did not show up for our appointment. He called later in the day and by chance we had just finished our last appointment. We scooted over to the property when I asked a couple of pertinent questions like "What is the price? " To which he answered I would need to talk to Special Assets in the far away state. Outside the presence of my buyer I asked "Will the bank pay me a 3% commission if I produce a buyer?" To this he answered he doubted the bank would be that generous.

A few months ago I wrote about a property that same bank owned in Old Town. It was not listed with a Realtor, and I spoke with a senior bank official directly about that asset. I produced what I thought was a very good, clean offer to purchase the property. I even delivered the contract to banker's house just as he requested. Later when I had not received any response from him, I called him back. He said the Special Assets person would respond to me. That did not happen. So I made calls to Special Assets. My calls were not returned. I called the senior bank official again and reminded him that I used to do the same type of work for a really big bank. I said that if I had failed to respond to a written offer that way I would have been fired. Within minutes I got a phone call. My buyer's offer was countered by the bank. The counter: full price. A few months later the bank listed the same property with a local Realtor at a price less than what my buyer offered months earlier.

I used to refer my buyers to a great banker that works at that same bank. No more. It is not personal. It's business. As nice and as competent as the banker is, I want to do business with individuals and businesses that I like and trust. I don't trust this bank. There are two other local banks that I refer buyers to plus a national bank that is getting a big Florida presence. Why should I send my buyers to deal with a bank that does not want to deal with me and my fellow Realtors fairly. I'm not talking just about listings. I'm talking about pricing, availability to show properties, to have good competent knowledge of what the bank is offering for sale, and to offer fair market compensation for producing a buyer.

Key West is a small town. This particular bank is sitting on millions of dollars of non-earning assets. It spends money and time trying to get new business but refuses to list most of its bank owned properties with local Realtors. It's business plan sucks.

Pigs Get what Pigs Deserve.

901 Packer St - Old Town - Key West

The Key West Cemetery as viewed from 901 Packer Street

901 Packer Street in Old Town Key West is located directly across the street from the Key West Cemetery and is in desperate need of The Re-Animator.

The listing Realtor describes this property thus:

"Great Old Town Key West location within walking distance to Duval Street and all of the Key West attractions. Perfect renovation project on a corner lot with off street parking. Located in an X500 flood zone, this is one of the highest elevations on the island."

This house was built in 1948 or 1953 (there are two different dates in county records). The relative newness means the house is not a contributing structure and that means a new owner could tear down this property and build all new. A caveat to tearing down and building new is that the current building codes and set backs will control what can be built and the lot coverage area. "Re-animating" or renovating this house would permit the new owner to keep the existing lot coverage and setbacks in place. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls data sheet and listing photos.

Let me share my thoughts about the house. Unlike The Aadams' Family mansion, this house is no museum. The house itself is ooky and the layout is kinda kooky. I don't know that I'd say its mysterious and spooky, but it surely ain't imperious.

"it surely ain't imperious"

This place will need lots of work. These are things I think it needs: new doors and windows, a new roof, new electric and plumbing, new interior layout which means all new interior framing and drywall, a new kitchen and one or two new bathrooms. The existing covered parking is nice but it looks like the roof may collapse. There is an old homemade addition to the Olivia Street side of the house that looks awful from the outside and it looks terrible from the inside. There is spauling across the north side of the kitchen. (Spauling is prevalent in many Key West houses of that vintage. It's repairable but the cost depends on the condition of the house and how much area has been compromised.)

While the house is capable of re-animation (lol), it is a better candidate for demolition in my opinion. A good architect or contractor could help a potential new buyer determine what could be done on the 27' x 58' lot. I personally think a new owner could build a nice two story Conch style home on this lot. The 1566 sq ft lot may sound small compared to the big sized lots you readers who live up north in America have, but down here a lot this size in Old Town is quite common. What is less common is the view across the street.

I recently took photos of the property. It was a gloomy day in Paradise, that day. CLICK HERE to view. A lot of potential buyers absolutely refuse to consider a property that overlooks the cemetery. Some would see that location as gloomy forever. I think not so. That refusal to consider the location is their loss in my opinion. Of course the area is quiet at night. No pun intended. It really is. And that is a great feature in any neighborhood. Having quiet neighbors that do not party all the time is a blessing compared to those that do. Olivia Street is a small one-way street that runs parallel to the south boundary of the cemetery. That street is primarily used by locals and is not normally used by commercial vehicles or Conch Trains. That keeps street noise to a minimum.

More than the quietness of the location is all the sunshine one normally gets. If you love Old Town houses as much as I, you know that most houses are built so close to each other that there often is little space between properties. Since most houses are densely landscaped and typically have trees on all sides, natural light is often minimalized. The result is that many homes only have direct sunshine for a few hours a day. And most Old Town homes do not have clear open views of the beautiful Key West skies.

The house at 901 Packer Street has a vast sweeping view looking north across the Key West Cemetery. Locals appreciate such views because so few in Old Town have them. The house at 901 Packer Street was originally priced at $249,000 and recently reduced to $219,000. I have my own opinion of what it will sell for, and that price is nowhere near the asking price.

If you would like to see 901 Packer Street 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 Key West, Florida. I believe in Re-Animation, Renovation, and Innovation. But I am not a witch!

704 William Street - Key West - Hidden Treasure

704 William Street - Hidden Treasure in Old Town Key West

The delightful house at 704 William Street in Old Town Key West is close to everything important but many people can't seem to find it. If you are familiar with William Street, you know it is one of the best blocks in Old Town. It starts at the Historic Key West Seaport and ends up in the Casa Marina area just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. It makes a dog leg jog to the west where it intersects with Windsor Lane. And that's why the 700 block of William Street is so hard to find. Windsor Lane is a one-way street heading the wrong direction. Honest folks see the One Way - Do Not Enter sign and obey it. They can't figure out how to get to the 700 block of William Street. I simply turn right and go against traffic for the 15 feet or so and then turn left. However, if you are afraid of going to jail for such an infraction, you could take Windsor to Passover Lane and turn right at Bill Butler Park. Or you could drive back over to Truman and turn right at Elizabeth, go north and go to Olivia then travel a block and turn left on William Street. There is no sign and the street is only about 10 feet wide at that point. You would turn left and wind your way around the park and finally find end up at 704 William. Simple, isn't it. Trust me when I tell you that if you buy this house, you won't have lots of Conch Trains and Trolley cars going past your house. Nor will you have hordes of tourists in electric cars or motor scooters driving past your house with horns a honking. CLICK MAP to see 704 William Street. (Even Google makes mistakes. The street view shows 704 William from a distance of perhaps 30 feet away.)

The listing Realtor describes 704 William Street this way:

" Beautifully renovated throughout with 2 story addition in a sweet and quiet old town location. Totaling 3bd/ 4ba all ensuite, you will marvel over the private layout this split floor plan boasts with seperate staircases to 2 second story bedrooms. Gorgeous kitchen with top the line cabinetry, high end appliance package and stone countertops. Bright, airy and open with vaulted ceilings in great room and double French doors to heated pool with dramatic water feature."

Bright, airy and open with vaulted ceilings in great room

Heated pool with dramatic water feature

This house functions very nicely as a get-away vacation home.The master bedroom is on the second floor. It has vaulted ceilings and lots of space that make for very comfortable living. The ensuite bath is bright and airy. A second bedroom on the first floor has its own enuite bath and there is a door to the front porch where you can watch nobody go by. (Remember, you can't find this house.)

Master bedroom

Master bedroom with en-suite bath with lots of mood lights

A third bedroom is located on the second floor of the adjacent wing. That bedroom could rival the master bedroom in many Old Town homes. That bedroom also has an ensuite bath.

The listing agent says the house has 3 bedrooms but there is actually a fourth room that can be used as a den/office/study/optional guest room because it has an adjacent bath. This room does not have a door for privacy but it does have a set of French doors that open out onto the beautiful pool for a quick midnight dip. CLICK HERE to checkout the mls listing data sheet and to view listing photos.

When you open the front door your eyes are immediately drawn to the dramatically vaulted ceilings of the great room and kitchen. The space is so open and inviting. The kitchen is so "user friendly". A set of double French doors beckons you to look out to the pool, and a beautifully crafted stairway on the opposite side of the kitchen suggests something important must be located at the top of the stairs. (Remember the master bedroom?) The pool has a waterfall feature and the rear yard does get quite a bit of sun. I have no doubt a serious sun worshipper will have all the space he or she needs to be a golden god or goddess all year long.


This home has 1654 sq ft of space that has been thoughtfully divided between the two connected buildings. The house is now priced at $999,000 or $604 per sq ft. This is a lot of house for this price. And even though I tried to be a little funny about the location, this really is a great location. Duval Street and the Historic Seaport are just minutes away by foot or bike. Charlie's Grocery is the only neighborhood store for blocks and it is just around the corner. Bill Butler Park is located at the end of the street where William curves and becomes Poorhouse Lane.

This house does not have off street parking but there may be space to create an off street spot if a non-protected palm tree were removed. I know from experience that buyers who pay a million bucks for a house expect an off street parking spot. I think it is achievable but I do not think it is necessary.

If you are looking for a large home in Old Town that has been thoughtfully renovated, you might want to take a look at 704 William Street. I am a buyers agent and I would love to show you this 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. And I know how to find this house.

525 Grinnell Street - Old Town Cottage - Short Sale

525 Grinnell Street- Old Town - Key West - October 2010

525 Grinnell Street in 1965

Just listed, but not by me, 525 Grinnell Street in Old Town Key West. This just might be that great little cottage you have been waiting for. It seems like so many would-be second home buyers want pretty much the same type of property, to wit: (1) Old Town; (2) two bedrooms; (3) priced right; (4) parking; (5) good condition but willing to do a little fix-up if required; and (6) pool as desirable but often not necessary.

You can't beat the location. One of the top real estate producers is redoing a big house a couple of doors away. He knows a thing or two about locations. He chose this street for a reason. A very famous recording artist lives across the street and down the lane and a former Washington very big wig lives doors away. More important than who you might have as neighbors is why the location is sought after. It is just two blocks to the Historic Key West Seaport and Duval Street is only four blocks west. Five Brothers is up on the corner on Southard, the Old Town Bakery is one long block away on Eaton, Azur, Michael's, and Mangia Mangia are two minutes away. The locations is convenient to everything but it is not in the middle of the action. CLICK MAP for an aerial view. And CLICK STREET VIEW to checkout the neighbors.

This 808 sq ft home was updated six years ago. It has two bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, a new kitchen, and a very comfortable feeling. The master bedroom is fairly good sized and the second bedroom is good for a child, an occasional visitor, or it would make a great office.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Welcome to your Starter Home in Paradise. This sweet Conch house sits in the heart of Old Town, has 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. Located on the corner of Grinnell Street and Lowe Lane the home is within walking or biking distance of all the attractions and amenities that Duval Street and Old Town Key West has to offer. This is a potential short sale that may be subject to third party approval."

CLICK HERE to checkout the mls listing info where you will see the asking price (key requirement for so many second home buyers is affordable price) is just $275,000 or $340 per sq ft which sits on a 30' x 50' lot. (The lot ain't a lot of lot!) Remember this is a Short Sale. Lender approval will be required. But I think the seller's agent got the asking price right. There is some fix-up required and the place is small. That's why I think the price is on target for approval.


The photo above shows a big white privacy fence. That is where you could have off street parking. There is a curb cut in existence. The current owners use the space for outdoor living area, and I think that is the highest and best use for the space myself. This block is mostly single family homes. I have never had a problem finding a place to park when going to any home on this street. Off street parking here is an option but not a requirement.

The home was update in 2004. I'm not a contractor but I did notice a couple of things that need repaired including the French doors and air conditioner. But the house itself is in move in condition and ready for a new owner.

The sixth item on many buyers' wish list is a pool or the space to add a pool. Well, this lot is just too small. The Key West building code would not permit an in ground pool because of the setbacks and location issues. I have a solution, however. The Conch Harbor Marina is just two blocks away and there is a huge pool CLICK HERE located there. Go there and buy a few cocktails and lunch and save the cost of pool maintenance and electricity to run your own pool. You'll be money ahead and the tan will look the same as if you got it at your own pool.


I would probably ask the city for permission to remove the existing decorative concrete block front porch (see above photo) so that I could replace it with a more historically correct wood railed porch. I would also put in a white picket fence across the entire front space and add a gate to preserve the right to park a car at some future time. The front would look wonderful.

I don't see a new buyer as having to spend a lot of money to make this place really damned adorable. If you are a potential second home buyer and 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. (That means I will be then when you need me. I won't be off fishing or boating or working someplace else. I'll be there when you need action.) Don't wait on this. I don't think it will last long.

---

Pelican Landing Penthouse - Key West Waterfront - Short Sale

The listing Realtor for the Pelican Landing Penthouse unit said it all when he wrote

"Current owner's loss is your gain! Here is your chance to buy a 4 bedroom waterfront income property on the edge of Old Town. This is a very large penthouse unit in a newly renovated building. Access to boat slips included! This is a potential short sale transaction that may be subject to third party approval."

The current owner purchased this property at the height of the real estate boom and paid $1,250,000 for the property. The market turned down and at about the same time the building underwent a major renovation (with jackhammers). Revenues were down and vacancies were up. That renovation was only recently completed.

The unit is located on the north side of the building so it is the furthest removed from the street traffic as it passes at the corner of Eisenhower at Truman. Pelican Landing is located across the street from Bayview Park, the main park for the City of Key West.
This unit would make a really nice permanent home for someone wanting a water view with a boat slip but it would also make a great getaway property for an investor that wants a waterfront property with a real water view with all the amenities I will mention below for a great price.

This unit has a transient license and is currently managed by the on site manager at Pelican Landing. The main floor area includes large living room with access to huge rear deck that overlooks the Garrison Bight Marina and the Pelican Landing boat slips below. Deep water access is at the back door and sunrises are available every morning from the living room and the very large master bedroom that also has the stunning early morning sunrise views. The kitchen and dinging area on the first floor. A second bedroom and bath have a "lockout" capability. There is an interior stairway that leads to two additional bedrooms and baths on the fifth floor. These two bedrooms have their own front balcony that provides an incredible view of Old Town, the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west and you can sort of see the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Al fresco tanning is added gratis.

If you are a buyer with a large family or you have a lot of friends, this may be the place for you. There is a nice sunny pool at ground level that overlooks the marina. Each unit has access to the boat slip and boat slips may be rented separately to provide income when guests or owners are using them. The lockout provides ability to rent the single bedroom nightly even while the owner is using the rest of this very large unit.

This property is priced offered at $650,000. The seller is obligated to pay about $70,000 for an unpaid special assessment to cover its proportionate share of renovation costs. This amount will be passed on to any new owner. CLICK HERE for more detailed info on this unit and to view listing photos.

If this sounds like a property that you would like to own, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or email me at kw1101v@aol.com for more info. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. .

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:

"Charm and price make this exceptionally well renovated cottage in the heart of Old Town a best buy and a must see. With 3 bedrooms/2 baths plus den/office this classic eyebrow home is in a gated 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. This is the perfect investment or your personal tropical paradise not to be missed. Seller is licensed Florida Realtor - not listing agent."

This place is captivating. The owner did the restoration himself several years ago. But the place looks as fresh today as it did then. The house is laid 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. And 903 Thomas Street has its own private parking space.This just happens to be one very precious home that is oh so charming and that is now priced to sell. The new asking price is just $525,000.

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 watch JEOPARDY, you would have known that address (Hemingway and Key West are frequent clues).) 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 recently had brunch at La Creperie. It is so cute and great food. 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!

---

901 Grinnell Street - Old Town Home with Transient Rental License

Just listed, but not by me, 901 Grinnell Street in the Old Town area of Key West. There are three reasons this house will go under contract very quickly: (1) the location; (2) the price- just $695,000; and (3) the Transient Rental License which makes is permissible to rent this home on a daily basis every day of the year. Read on.

The listing Realtor describes this home like this:

"Wonderful Old Town historic home with transient license loaded with Key West Charm. Gorgeous Dade County Pine walls, high ceilings, open floor plan and large pass-through windows from kitchen to the outdoors. Lush tropical yard boasts a large second floor balcony providing breezes throughout the day. Heated pool, outdoor shower, and desirable location make this the Quintessential Old Town Key West retreat."

The house sits on the corner of Olivia Street and Grinnell Street. The Key West Cemetery is across the street. Olivia Street is a small one-way street more often used by locals than tourists. It is an active little street for bikers and pedestrians but not so much so for cars. I don't recall ever seeing a Conch Train or Trolley Car there. The views from the second floor deck that overlook the cemetery are wonderful. Readers may not appreciate the wonderful expansive Key West skies because so much to town is closed in by really tall trees and neighboring homes. This place is the opposite. It has commanding views of the skies. And this is a view that will never, ever change. CLICK HERE to view exterior photos.

The house itself is pretty much as the listing Realtor describes: Dade County Pine walls with open living area and lots of charm. CLICK HERE to view the mls datasheet and to view more photos of the house and grounds.

A lot of second home buyers want the opportunity to rent their home when they are not using it. This place might meet your needs if you are seeking a place like this. Duval Street is a five minute walk to the west. Truman Avenue is one block to the south. The White Street arts district is a five minute walk to the east. This is the area with the highest concentration of gyms and yoga studios. Faustos Food Palace is located on White Street as are lots of great neighborhood hot spots. The Atlantic Ocean is perhaps a seven minute bike ride. Likewise, you could walk or ride to the Historic Key West Seaport in about the same time. Tourists will find this an easy location to get to their favorite places.


If you are looking for a second home in Key West and want to be able to rent it to help pay for the purchase, this charming little home with a valuable Transient Rental License may be what you have been waiting for. Please consider contacting me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to help you find your place in Paradise. 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. This house is not an estate, but boy would it be great to own!

713 Windsor Lane - Key West Writer's Compound

713 Windsor Lane in the Key West Writer's Compound

Just listed, but not by me, a charming cottage a most desirable location: The Key West Writer's Compound - more particularly 713 Windsor Lane. This is how the listing Realtor describes this treasure:

" Quiet Cigar Maker's Cottage in a secluded community of 11 homes reserved for those who enjoy peaceful living and are 55 years of age or older. Main home is a 2 bedroom , 2 bath with porches in both the front & rear and upstairs is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath apartment with tree top views of the meticulously maintained grounds. Both kitchens and all bathrooms have been newly renovated with wooden cabinets & granite counter tops. This tropical oasis enjoys a huge shared pool and deck area."

713 Windsor Lane as it appeared in 1965

The black and white photo above was taken of the property in 1965 before the compound was created. The Monroe County Property Appraiser's records show that this property was totally renovated in 2003. I remember submitting a near 100% asking price offer on this property to the developer who quickly turned it down. My buyer was beside himself at not getting this property. Today, this 1488 sq ft duplex is offered at $525,000 or $353 per sq ft. CLICK HERE to review the mls datasheet and to view the listing photos.

The Key West Writer's Compound is "hidden behind the white stucco wall, is a collection of once run-down shacks and shanties, frame cottages perched upon limestone piers, later restored as the winter residences of such literary luminaries as poet Richard Wilbur [former U.S. Poet Laureate], critic John Ciardi, writer Ralph Ellison and Hiroshima author John Hersey. There are several literati compounds in Old Town,and this complex, established in 1976, with its landscaped walkways and a central pool, is one of the most charming. Wilbur won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry and is renowned for his translations of Moliere; Ciardi, a critic, also translated Dante’s Divine Comedy; Ralph Ellison wrote The Invisible Man; and John Hersey, taught at Yale for 18 years and won the Pulitzer Prize for his writing debut, A Bell for Adano." (From SeekKeyWest.com with Sharon Wells.)

( I sold the Hersey home earlier this year. It was still filled with Hersey's furniture, art, books, and general stuff. I sat in the chairs in the living room and felt like I was in another era.)

The compound itself is an assemblage of other cottages that were built for the Key West working class. They were nothing extra-ordinary. I see the simplicity of their construction as perhaps the biggest reason the writers chose to congregate there. Today a large fence sets the compound apart from the street. Two large gates open onto a wide bricked walkway that navigates pedestrians to each of the homes in the compound. There is a large pool located near the east side of the property. I don't recall ever seeing anyone actually swimming there, however. I do recall admiring the great views of specimen trees and brightly colored foliage. The compound would be a treasure on its own even if the notable writers had never lived there. But they did and that sets this property apart and makes the compound very notable.

The red X marks the location of 713 Windsor Lane (above photo)

The top of Solares Hill is just a couple of houses to the west of 713 Windsor Lane. 713 Windsor Lane is located in the X Zone for flood insurance purposes. Flood insurance is not required in the X Zone. Since units in the Writer's compound are classified as land based condos, as an owner you would have to buy your own property insurance including flood, windstorm, fire and general liability. The duplex at 713 Windsor Lane is part of a land based condo association for common area ownership purposes but the building itself is located on a piece of ground that is owned in fee simple estate. (Just like your home up north in America.)

Looking eastward toward the Key West Cemetery from Windsor Lane at William St.

Looking westerly up Windsor Lane near the William Street intersection

The famous Solares Hill Grocery (now called Charlie's Grocery-see photo below) is located near the summit of the hill (elevation 18 feet) at 648 William (corner of William and Windsor Lane). It's the only store or commercial enterprise for several blocks. You could send "Lovey" for a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, coffee or cigarettes and think nothing of it.

Charlie's Grocery is located just around the corner from the Writer's Compound

The Writer's Compound is just a few short blocks walk to the Historic Key West Seaport to the north or a three block walk to Duval Street to the west. That's part of the joy of living in a great location like the Writer's Compound: you can be anywhere important within a few minutes.

If you are looking a a great place in a great location at a really great price, this property may be exactly what you are looking for. Remember, at least one owner must be at least 55 years of age to be able to buy into this compound. No children under 18 are permitted at the pool-ever. If you have little grand kids or nieces the nephews, this won't work. Otherwise, this is a place to consider. Call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.