846 Olivia Street - Old Town - Key West

846 Olivia Street - Key West - built circa 1908

Just Listed by Preferred Properties (that's where I work) 846 Olivia Street in Old Town Key West. I found an old photo (above) of this old house (built in 1908) showing the way it appeared in 1965. The photo below shows a similar view in 2011. The listing agent says the building was originally a tobacco barn. The agent describes the current use this way:

"There are so many unique properties in Key West and this is no exception. Originally this was a Tobacco Barn which has been renovated to include a two story main living area with 3 bedrooms, two baths and a lock out suite. Most of the materials used in the renovation have been recycled. On the second story addition there are two spacious bedrooms and a spa like bathroom with its own terrace and entrance. On the first level is a bright designer kitchen with the newest energy saving stainless steel appliances. Located on the corner of Olivia and Packer across from the cemetery. Off street parking."

2011 view of 8476 Olivia Street with off street parking

Note the mother-in-law's sitting porch

Main entrance to house is on Packer Street which also has a porch

The asking price on this 1817 sq ft property (sits on a 36'x58' lot) is $529,000 or $291 per sq ft. The house is divided between the main house and what I'll call a mother-in-law suite complete with kitchen and bath. The main part of the house has a slick and sparse look that totally surprised me. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The galley kitchen is 'arty' and minimalist. The stairs to the second floor seem to float. The two bedrooms and bath are located up there. The mother-in-law part of the house is located on the main level only. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and more photos of this property.

The house is located at the corner of Packer and Olivia Streets. CLICK HERE for a GOOGLE MAP view of the area. Packer is just one block long at this location. Olivia is a one way street that heads east on the south side of the Key West cemetery. Many folks won't consider a house that is located across from the cemetery. But they should. Homes on any side of the cemetery have great open skies views. And the neighbors are ever so quiet at night. There are no guesthouses, apartment buildings or commercial properties nearby so you won't have to fight for a place to park your car. The house has a parking space anyway.

If you would like to see this house or any other property in Key West, please consider calling me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida where today it is 80 degrees.

212 Angela Street - Old Town - Key West

212 Angela Street - Key West

Just listed, but not by me, 212 Angela Street in the Bahama Village area of Old Town, Key West. The listing Realtor sums up this semi-recently construced house this way:

"Location! Location! Location! Owner/Contractor built home on the corner of Angela St and Chapman Ln(across Truman Annex on Angela). You can't get more Old Town Key West than this location. Built in 1995 to Category 5 specs with PT lumber throughout except for finished floor. Bonus items include: interior doors (made out of Old Growth Cypress taken from the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine FL that Flagler built), Mahogany & Cherry cabinets in dining and living rooms, whole house fan, and a R/O water system. Closet in LR was made with room for a Murphy bed. There is Off-Street parking and plenty of room for guest parking on Chapman Lane. Home is 1 block to Whitehead & 2 blocks from Duval St. X-No-Flood Zone."

Room for guest parking on Chapman Lane

Chapman Lane view

Bricked rear yard

212 Angela Street is offered at $450,000 or $317 per sq ft for this 1420 sq ft (calculated by appraiser) house that was built in 1995.

Blue Heaven is located one block east of 212 Angela St at Petronia & Thomas

You may be semi-familiar with this area of town if you have gone to Blue Heaven for breakfast or dinner. Chapman Lane is one block west of Blue Heaven. Angela Street is the proposed walking-only lane to the new Key West marina that is to be built at the Truman Annex (when the politicians and city folk stop bickering and start building). The photo just below shows the lane with the Shipyard Condos in Truman Annex across the street. Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park & Beach are nearby. And Duval Street is three blocks east where you can walk from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean any day of the week.

Someday you may be able to walk to your boat at the new marina

You can definitely walk to Ft. Zach Beach

There are a lot of buyers looking for a place in Key West that is priced under $500,000. Some are willing to settle for less and may have to do some fix-up to get the house of their dreams. At some point the price of doing major fix-up has to impact one's budget and psyche.

If you would like to see 212 Angela Street (or any other house in Key West) please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

Open House - Sunday - 507 Amelia Street - Key West

There's a Big Event this Sunday, and I'm not referring to the Super Bowl. I'm hosting an Open House from 12:00 to 3:00 PM at 507 Amelia Street in Key West.

$499,000 - Estate Sale

The listing Realtor describes 507 Amelia Street this way:

"Located only a half a block off Duval on a dead-end lane is this sweet conch house with a spacious yard, front porch and parking for two cars. Perfect for a vacation / second home as is but location could support improvement as well. Plenty of room for a pool. If you want to live within walking distance of all that Key West has to offer, this is a perfect home. Zoning allows for transient use with restrictions."

World Famous La Te Da

507 Amelia Street is about 125 feet up on the left side

The 500 block of Amelia Street is a small dead end street located about 200 feet north of LaTeDa. This block has several houses built during the same time and almost all have been remodeled and are now used as transient rentals or vacation rentals. This property is zoned to permit a Transient License.

The lovely cottage home directly across from 507 Amelia Street

The existing house is 1064 sq ft (plus unit in back which has 285 sq ft) which sit on a 3964 sq ft lot (irregular shaped 51' x 87' or so). I see this as a renovation project. The house itself is perfectly livable as is. It's clean and tidy. Many second home buyers want a place that is all fixed up with a pool and tropical landscaping. Come over and checkout this house and decide what you'd do if you had a hammer.

What would you do if you had a hammer?

233 Southard Street - Old Town - Key West

233 Southard Street

Just listed by Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. (but not by me), 233 Southard Street in Truman Annex in Key West. The listing Realtor describes this two story townhome this way:

"This bright and sunny end-unit in the President's Walk has been recently renovated with a sparkling new kitchen with granite countertops. The master bathroom has also been upgraded with new tile, granite countertop, and new fixtures. This townhome has four porches (two up, two down), new hurricane shutters and a deeded carport with overhead storage. Used as the owner's vacation home, this unit has been very well maintained."

The listing agent left out how cute and comfy this place is. I had the opportunity to be the first to show it the day after it was listed. If you have been in several President's Lane units, you still must see this one because it isn't like all the others. The new kitchen has new cabinets and appliances which totally redefines the kitchen usage and makes the entire main level more attractive. This is an end unit with windows on the side. The photos below prove my point.

All New Kitchen

French doors open to private rear deck and yard

Rear bedroom with deck that overlooks the pool to the right

Newly remodeled bathrooms

The "X" is 233 Southard Street and this is the pool at President's Walk

Deeded parking space with overhead storage

This unit is permitted to obtain a valuable Truman Annex Transient License which allows weekly rentals.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls listing datasheet and photos. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a showing on this really charming President's Walk townhome. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

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Bargain Quest in Old Town Key West

Attention Bargain Hunters: 217 Truman Avenue in Old Town Key West may be the answer to your quest. I have shown this property several times and really think they buyer who purchases this house is going to get a real bargain.

The current owner did a superior job in renovating this property. Just about everything inside and much of the outside is new within the past five years. I have been inside a lot of renovated properties in all price ranges. This is real deal at this price. The 1022 sq ft house sits on a tight 19' x 100' lot two blocks west of Duval Street. The public records show the owner purchased the property in 2005 for $475,000 and then took out building permits totaling $173,570 to do the renovation. Total investment of record is $648,570. The asking price today on this Short Sale property is $349,000. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"This charming Key West home was renovated in 2006. Upgrades include new kitchen with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. French doors lead out to the private pool and waterfall. Spiral staircase takes you to the upstairs bedroom with balcony view of the pool area. This is a potential short sale transaction subject to lender approval."

The floor plan provides a very efficient use of space. The front door opens to a left hand hallway that takes you to mid point in the house. The first room on the right upon entry is a bedroom or study depending on your needs. Two large pocket doors with etched glass panels provide an unexpected novel entry and privacy. The adjacent bath can be entered from a door in the bedroom or the hallway. This allows guests to use the bath without going through the bedroom.

Pocket doors enter to bedroom/den

The living area is at the back which has a wall of French doors that open out to the deck, pool with waterfall, and the garden. The pool area is larger than many in the heart of Old Town! The new kitchen in located in the heart of the house (the center, of course). A black iron spiral staircase leads to the second floor bedroom and bath. This space is very comfortable and usable. A set of French doors at the north end of the bedroom open to a Romeo & Juliet balcony that overlooks the heated pool and garden below. The neighbor to the rear is a compound of four homes located at the end of Hutchinson Lane. The view from the balcony is very serene in all directions.

Beautiful hardwood floors and French doors opening to the pool

Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in new kitchen

Pool and garden viewed from Romeo & Juliet balcony

Bethel AME Methodist Episcopal Church is on the corner at 907 Thomas Street

1945 photo of Fort Taylor and vicinity - 217 Truman Ave. is noted with V

217 Truman Avenue is priced at just $349,000.

Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to show this home. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. Your bargain quest may be over.

Cool.... in Key West !

Cool.... in Key West !

The new listing at 1322 Thompson Street is the antithesis of the quaint cigar maker's cottages, big conch houses, or eyebrow houses that dominate Old Town Key West. Most of those houses are old and have been updated to accommodate today's lifestyle. Some renovations are highly successful while others are often challenged by small buildings, small lots, small budgets, or small imagination.

1322 Thompson Street is a 1958 ranch that was renovated by Debra Yates and Raymond Jungles who created a one-of-a-kind Key West residence that is the essence of 'cool'. The Urban Dictionary defines cool as 'The best way to say something is neat-o, awesome, or swell. The phrase "cool" is very relaxed, never goes out of style, and people will never laugh at you for using it, very convenient for people like me who don't care about what's "in.' At least half the people in Key West are cool by that definition. And so is this residence.


The first time I went to this house I was taken aback. The house sits on a large corner lot on a Key West suburban block (not Old Townish by any stretch of the imagination). It's located at the beginning of the mid-town burbs. The lot dominates its corner location which is enclosed by a large privacy fence. Tall palms and specimen trees ring the inside of the fence and grass that looks like a velvety moss that delicately frames the lot at the corner of Thompson and South Streets.

When you open the gate you walk into an oasis of lush vegetation in all directions. Specimen trees of all types and wondrous foliage separate this property from the hum-drum of so many Home Depot instant gardens.

I don't know whether it is the sound or the vibrant colors of the mosaic tiled waterfall that draws your attention to the pool. But you cannot avoid looking and hearing and just falling immediately in love with this garden. It is like "wow" in every direction you look. This is not what you expect to see-in suburbia.

The house itself is both bold in design yet very understated. Travertine marble floors in the main living, dining and kitchen areas keep the tone very low key. A glass wall in the living room looks out to the pool and fountain. The kitchen sits at the back of the living space and is defined by fire engine red wall with non-traditional horizontal windows over the kitchen sink. An intimate dining room without doors (or pretense) completes this part of the house.



The master bedroom and bath are on the south side of the house. The bedroom is totally understated, but it too has a glass wall that opens out to its own private sitting area. There is a separate Debra Yates mosaic in the master bath. A second bedroom and bath are also located in the main house. And then there is the guest cottage located out under the palm trees. Guests can access this cottage from either the front entry or a side gate on South Street.

Indoor & Outdoor Showers - Way Cool !

The listing Realtor describes 1311 Thompson Street this way:

"Key West is about outdoor space and this home has it all. There is a Privacy fence surrounding this oasis, framed by outstanding landscaping designed by Raymond Jungles and Debra Yates with a spectacular pool with a mosaic waterfall. Off the pool is a large lanai for entertaining. The main home on one level, consists of 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, with an ultra-modern kitchen, comfortable living area and an abundance of glass pocket doors leading to the pool. There is a separate guest suite with a bedroom and bath."

Guest cottage and sun deck

1322 Thompson Street is offered at just $749,000--and that, Dear Readers, is an incredible bargain. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls database and to view more listing photos.

If you want to be cool in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am 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.