1012 Southard Street - Premier Old Town Location - Key West

1012 Southard Street - Old Town - Key West

Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. (that's where I work) is the listing broker for 1012 Southard Street in Old Town Key West.

We all know the Golden Rule of Real Estate: "Location, Location, Location". The home at 1012 Southard Street has a premier location. This particular block has several architecturally or historically significant homes. The house next door CLICK HERE for example was the feature home in an Architectural Digest issue a few years back. And just about everybody recognizes the Gingerbread Man House CLICK HERE house two doors to the east. The simple yet majestic home across the street CLICK HERE dominates the smaller somewhat smaller houses on the rest of the block. If you haven't been to Key West for a year or so you will see that the Haitian Art Gallery has been replaced by Jan George Interior Design but you will be glad to see that Cafe Sole is still where it belongs. Five Brothers Grocery and Sandwich Shop is a block to the west. And the rest of Key West is at your footsteps.

The listing Broker describes 1012 Southard Street this way:

"Super value in a most sought after location in historic old town! This charming property features a 3/2 home that could be a show place w/some updating/renovation plus a move in ready 1/1 guest cottage. Both houses open to the covered lanai and spacious, sunny decked pool area. The large lot features off-street parking. This is a great opportunity!"

Guest Cottage is to the left

Guest Cottage

The house at 1012 Southard Street was built circa 1899 according to the Monroe County Property Appraiser. The house has been added onto and updated over the years. There is a guest cottage at the rear that adds to the total square footage of the property. The 1932 sq ft home and cottage have a total of four bedrooms and three baths and sit on a large 50' x 100' lot. (That is a really big lot for Old Town!) There is ample off street parking.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view more listing photos.

1012 Southard Street is offered at $895,000 or $463 per sq ft. This house and its charming guest cottage are worth looking at. I hosted an open house here last November and many of those that looked said they had no idea how large the property was nor how big the pool is. You simply cannot appreciate what is behind a facade. You really must see the property to appreciate what it is and what it could become.

If you would like to see 1012 Southard Street or any other home in Key West, please call 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 Lower Florida Keys exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

Open House - Today - 418 Porter Lane - Truman Annex - Key West

Porter Court - Truman Annex - Key West Wonderful Living

Open House - Today - March 12th
12:00 PM ~ 4:00 PM
418 Porter Lane in the Truman Annex

Looking for the perfect carefree retreat...look no further! This beautifully decorated Porter Court 2 Bedroom/2.5 Bath condo is located in the gated community of Truman Annex. Nicely sited for privacy, yet just steps away from the pool, and only 2 blocks from Duval Street. The unit is being sold turn-key and comes with a TRANSIENT RENTAL LICENSE. A fabulous opportunity to own a second home or a vacation rental property. This pristine unit is in move-in condition. And it is fully furnished.

Offered at $699,000. CLICK HERE to see the mls datasheet.

Drop by and meet me, Gary Thomas, or call me at 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.

Best Friends

Not Rex's house

A valued buyer of mine, who I will call "Rex", recently told me a true story that had me rolling on the floor.

Rex is a most understated man. He wears simple clothes and has no self-pretense. He doesn't talk much about himself. For the most part his presence in a room or place is unremarkable.

He told me that he left high school at age sixteen and never competed his education. He didn't stop learning. His education came from real life and an inquisitive mind. Before I met Rex in person, I had many phone conversations. He asked pointed questions that revealed he had actually thought about the issue he was concerned about. And then he listened to the response. He eventually bought a property from me sight unseen. But his purchase was not based only on what I said but also on what he learned himself by searching the public records online and doing Google aerial and street views of the property. At last he had his vacation getaway in Key West.

Rex lives in a small town - the same town he lived in as kid and as the high school dropout. Last year he got invited to the high school reunion. Odd, he thought, since he did not graduate. But he went. He owns a couple of businesses in his town, and he became a bigger fish in the small pond than most of his classmates might have expected. He mentioned to someone that he bought a place in Key West. Ears perked up!

Ears perked up!

Now every high school in America has to have the class jock and cheerleader that end up getting hitched. Sometimes it may be the unexpected baby or may be just true love, but high school romances that become lifelong relationships are a fabric of our lives. And the most awesome people in Rex's class followed form and became mates for life. The former football star and all around jock moved in on Rex and let him know how great it was to see him again after all these years. Pals, once more.

Except when Rex was in high school nobody paid much attention to him. And especially not the big jock. Rex didn't know the big guy even knew his name. Same for the cheerleader girlfriend turned wife. She never looked Rex in the eyes let alone speak to him or acknowledge his existence.

So it came as a complete surprise this past Tuesday night when the jock called Rex from the airport in Miami stating he and the wifey were heading to Key West and asked if they could stay with Rex. Rex had himself just arrived for a couple of days for rest and relaxation. He was so shocked by the bold question that all he could do was say "Yes". The couple arrived a few hours later and moved in with Rex and his wife.

The couple only stayed two nights but showed their genuine appreciation for Rex's long time friendship and offer to share his home by taking Rex and his wife to dinner - at Margarittaville where they were treated to a ten dollar hamburger.


The couple did not outstay their invitation (wait, they were not invited, they asked to stay). They left their old friend Rex after just two days, and all is right with the world. Hugs and kisses and can't wait to see you again!

The next day Rex and I were talking when the post high school reunion at Rex's house came up. We laughed about it. Everybody I know has had a similar situation occur although not with total strangers. I asked if I could share his experience with you, and Rex willingly agreed. A few minutes later and called back and suggested a possible title for the blog. I think his suggestion works better as as a postscript.

You weren't my friends in high school. Why do you want to be my friends now?

Bank Owned - Key West Golf Course

Just listed, but not by me, 50 Spoonbill Way at the Key West Golf Club Development. This is a Bank Owned beauty that I predict will sell fast and likely above the asking price of $350,000. The listing agent describes the property this way:

"LOCATION! LOCATION! 3 bedroom, 3 bath located in Key West Golf Club community. Open and bright floor plan with volume ceilings and a lot of natural light! Kitchen features granite tops and raised panel cabinets. The second floor has wood floors and awesome views. Home is Located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. Large side yard for outdoor living. This is a great find, don't miss this one!"

CLICK HERE to see a Google aerial view of the location. This property is located at the end Spoonbill Way. The house sits on a really large 4446 sq ft lot. The side yard is large enough to accommodate a pool and garden both. There are front and rear porches on both first and second floors of this property.

This is a three bedroom unit with 2 and 1/2 baths. The main level has a guest bedroom opposite the kitchen which is located up front. The dining area and living room look out onto the golf course. Upstairs there is a large second bedroom with ensuite bath and covered front porch. The master bedroom with ensuite bath is at the rear, and it also has a covered porch with a terrific view of the golf course.


This is the good thing about this Bank Owned unit: it has not been messed up. It looks great on the inside and very good on the outside. While I would not call it pristine, it is almost in move-in condition. It is in better condition than most market value listings. So don't anticipate a lot of fix-up because I did not see much that needed fixed. (There are a couple of board that need repair, but nothing major.)


If you are looking for a nice sized home in Key West, consider 50 Spoonbill Way. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. Don't miss this one.

Key West Waterfront at Affordable Price

This Gulfview Drive townhome in Roosevelt Annex with a private pool and killer waterfront views is offered for sale at an incredibly affordable price of just $479,000. The best thing is it not a short sale and it is not bank owned. We don't need to deal with unscrupulous ninnies in far away places to make this deal happen.


The listing Realtor describe this treasure like this:

"Beautiful open water Gulf views in an immaculate gated community.Out door deck area w/private pool and fountains. Two upstairs balconies. Open the doors for wonderful cross breezes. Hurricane shutters for all windows. Carport with storage. Due to windstorm credits total annual insurance costs are $3,370."

Roosevelt Annex was the final Key West development done by the Singh Company that developed the immensely successful Truman Annex and equally popular Key West Golf Club development. It is the waterfront setting for each single family home or townhome that makes this property the crown jewel of the three Singh created in Key West. Yes, Key West is an island surrounded by water, but very few people who live on our little island can enjoy the soothing waterfront views available here.

Locals will remember all of the intense political battles that lead to the creation of this development. An outside might look at this property without any appreciation of the fury that went into the creation of something so serene today. Enough of history: more about today and tomorrow.

This Gulfview Drive townhome is located at the far end of the lazy drive that ends just about 100 feet east of this property. CLICK HERE for a Google Map aerial view. An elaborate electronic iron gate secures entrance to the property. Then a beautiful landscaped drive takes residents to their homes. Like any Singh property, the landscaping is lush. The covered off street parking is located across the street from this property.

This 1320 sq ft property has one bedroom(and bath) downstairs opposite the kitchen. The dining and living areas look out onto the water. Upstairs you will find a good sized second bedroom(with bath) in front and a large master bedroom with ensuite bath at the rear. Both bedrooms have private porches but it is the master suite that has that incredible waterfront view.

If you walk past the private pool and through the rear white picket fence you will find a path past the other equally lovely properties that share the remarkable waterfront view. Imagine walking your dog down the path each morning and night looking out to a sight only a few lucky souls will ever get to enjoy. The best part about this Key West property is that it can be yours for $479,000. So do not wait. It will be gone, and then you will regret taking too long to make up your mind.

If you would like more information on this property or any other property, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

808 South Street - Southpark Condos - Key West

Just listed, but not by me, 808 South Street Unit No. 204 in the Southpark Condos in Key West. The listing agent describes this second floor unit this way:

"Sunny and bright one bedroom condo located just blocks from the Southermost point of Historic Old Town Key West. This second floor unit offers wood floors, large kitchen, central air conditioning and a private balcony overlooking the large heated swimming pool."

While I have not been inside this unit yet, I can report that the Southpark units are each unique in that they have been individually updated over the years but they are also similar in that they have the same basic floor plans depending on floor level. The downstairs units have a large rear deck with quick access to the rear yard and pool. The upstairs unit have covered front balcony and a rear deck off the master bedroom for private sunning.


808 South Street Unit # 204 at 650 sq ft is almost equal in size to many of the two bedroom units at Shipyard. I think this place has a lot to offer someone who respects mid-century architecture and construction. This development has a feeling of solid construction that has weathered the test of time. Thus unit is offered at $324,000. Compare that to units at Shipyard. CLICK HERE to see the mls datasheet.

There are only 16 units at Southpark condos and each has a designated off-street parking space. The four building complex has four units in each building with two units on the ground floor and two on the second floor. The front garden is always superbly maintained. And the rear gardens and inviting pool are just too beautiful.

I sold a unit here last year and my buyers love their vacation getaway property. They love the location and their neighbors. They absolutely love the kewl pool and the convenience of being able to walk to Old Town or the beach. It has all the amenities they wanted, a great price, and a very good location.

If you are looking to purchase a property in Key West, please consider using me as your agent. Call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, or send me an e-mail at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. Our office is the Lower Florida Keys exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

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Key West with One Regret

Twenty Six years ago this month I sat foot on the Island of Key West for the very first time. I had read about Key West a few years earlier in a magazine called "After Dark". Things were different back then. We did not have 24 hour per day news channels and travel channels to tell us about the world. We had to read magazines and books. The photos above are from the Jnuary 1978 issue I read. (That's Randy from The Village People in the top photo doing a Key West photo shoot for the article.) Those pics attracted my attention, but it was the story inside about Key West that made me decide that I must see this place for myself. It took me too long to make the trip, but the wait was worth it.

I drove down from Miami and thought, if I didn't like Key West, I could return to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale for the second week of my vacation. When I got to Key West, I did what any red blooded American guy would do. I didn't read the map. I guessed which direction to take. I drove south along the ocean side and ended up in no man's land somewhere. I was really upset. I thought I had made a horrible mistake coming here. I kept driving west and eventually found Duval (this is an island after all). Then I found the cross street where my guest house was located. I checked in and started to decompress. Within hours there was no stress at all. Like every other first time tourist I walked up and down Duval Street and some of the side streets taking in the still "beat" feeling that existed at that time. The town had not been gentrified the way it is now. Some places like Jerry Herman's two sisters houses at the corners of Fleming and Elizabeth were redone. But so many more houses looked like they were ready to fall down. The sidewalks were cracked and falling apart. When you walked down the sidewalks at night Palmetto bugs (dozens of them) would litter the sidewalks. The sidewalks are fixed now and the bugs are gone. Thank God on both accounts.

Each day brought a new discovery. I met new friends at the guest house. Together we found great restaurants to enjoy and together created wonderful memories of one of my best vacations ever. I met some locals and got invited to a party at a really swank Casa Marina home. I attended Tea Dance at La Te Da. (They held Tea Dance on both Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. The town was hopping!) I made the nightly trek to the COPA and the other bars that existed back then. There was a place called Michael's on Duval Street. The Old Plantation and another bar called Papillion were popular as well, but now they are now gone. The Monster had burned down a year or so before. So I only learned of it by legend. I made the pilgrimage to Atlantic Shores and was amazed at the mass of naked people, many college kids and locals, hanging out listening to loud disco music in the daytime.

I'm not a party person, but I started thinking "I could live here." Then it became "I want to live here." It wasn't about the bars or the booze or the sun. It wasn't about the beautiful old houses or tall palm trees or the ocean. It was about the way that the People that live in Key West relate to where they live and how they relate to each other. I found Paradise.

It took me nine years of screwing around making goof-ball offers on real estate before I bought my first property. I was always trying to get the best deal. That got me no deal for nine years. Then I got lucky. Real lucky. I bought a foreclosed guest house at an SBA (Small Business Administration) auction in 1993. I aggressively outbid the others in attendance. I moved to Key West the week before Christmas. So many great properties had slipped through my hands. I wasted nine years in the cold winter snows. Nevermore.

Look at the photo just below. My Realtor called me about it when in got listed in 1987 for the asking price of $280,000. She asked if I remembered the property. Of course I did. It was the grimy Q Rooms at 600 Fleming Street. I told her drug addicts lived there and that I wanted no part of it. She implored me to reconsider. I would have none of it. I knew better! (What a pompous idiot I was.)

The Q Rooms in 1987

Some buyers much smarter than I snapped the Q Rooms up in a flash. They renovated the place on the inside and spiffed it up on the outside. They added a pool and even added a restaurant on the corner. They created The Marquesa Hotel. Later they acquired two additional parcels of ground and did some additional renovation and more new construction. They turned $280,000 into a landmark which is also a goldmine.

The Marquesa Hotel - March 2011

I have a lot of stories about other places I missed buying. I drive past many of them on a near daily basis. I sometimes muse what might have been. It's the same thing I sometimes do when thinking of relationships that could have happened or could have been avoided if only....

A reader who became a buyer who is now a friend sent me a newspaper article about Key West that appeared in The Guardian earlier this year. CLICK HERE to read Edmund White's account of his ongoing relationship with Key West. While White does not cite the address of where he lived in 1979, I am pretty sure it is 1327 White Street (our current listing) since there are only three houses located across from the church he wrote about and only 1327 is as large as the house he described. White's nostalgia for what was is understandable. I miss the same things he misses. Much of Key West has become too gentrified. Too many people want to turn simple old houses into show places. Too many nasty tee shirt shops on Duval spoil our little town. Too many scooters and electric cars create too much traffic. Cruise ships inundate lower Duval Street with too many day trippers. Thank God for hurricanes and hot September days when town goes back to normal.

I found and saved some photos online of Old Town Key West that were taken by others around 1978. Here are a few.

300 block of William Street - Key West - 1978

300 block of William Street - 1978 - Key West

This Key West house now has a big fence in front but not when photographed in 1978

I lament the loss of what once was Key West including the fact that cats and dogs can no longer lay in the middle of Fleming Street to take a nap. I will always remember my Realtor picking me up at the Cypress House to take me to the airport after a buying trip that crapped out. We were going down the street and she had to stop her car to wait for a dog to wake up and move out of the way.

Nothing stays the way it was forever. Times and people change. The old houses of Key West look pretty much the same today as they did a hundred years ago except now they get painted more regularly and have lush gardens and pools. The college crowd and tourists still flock to Key West in March to greet Spring with a Key West tan and enough experiences to make them wish they could live in a place like Key West forever.

If you are looking to buy a place in Key West, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. The only regret about my move to Key West is that it took me nine years to do it.

1311 Newton Street - The Meadows Area - Key West

1311 Newton Street - The Meadows Area - Key West

The absolutely charming two bed and two bath cottage at 1311 Newton Street in the Meadows Area of Key West is something buyers in the $500,000 range ought to consider. And consider it before it is too late. I showed this quaint place a couple of weeks ago and went ga-ga over how sweet it is. The listing Realtor describes this place this way:

"On a quiet one way street in the coveted Meadows neighborhood sits this quintessential Key West cottage featuring two bedrooms and two baths ensuite. Bright, vaulted living room, kitchen and dining are highlighted by carved balustrades and beautiful custom stained glass. An 84 sf loft situated in the eaves is perfect for storage. The living room and updated kitchen opens up through French doors to the deck, heated pool, covered patio and bar offering wonderful indoor/outdoor living. Dade County pine, transom windows and a classic sitting porch are just a few of the special features this cozy cottage offers. Completely fenced with optional space to park your conch cruiser."

The house makes very efficient use of the 784 sq ft of living space. The formal entry is at the rear opposite the pool and covered outside living area.
The living room and kitchen share a vaulted ceiling. French doors with side panels enlarge the view from the living area out to the pool. Overheard windows let more light in and the space comes alive. The kitchen end of the room is topped by a loft area accessed by a ship's ladder in the hallway. The loft is fenced off by a railing of cat cutouts similar to porches on old Key West houses. The cat whimsy is heightened by the levity of a mouse at the far end of the panel.

Little touches of whimsy and big dashes of style make this Key West cottage a property worthy of serious consideration. 1311 Newton Street is offered for sale at $530,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls database and more photos of this charmer.

1311 Newton Street is located two blocks east of White on Newton Street. CLICK MAP to see a Google aerial view of the area. I doubt you will see many Conch Trains or Trolleys on this block. The streets are a bit more narrow than other areas in Old Town. Most of the houses in this area have been renovated, but not all. There are still a couple of fixers on this block but there are many more that have been redone. The Meadows Area is just as lovely as Old Town and probably a bit quieter. Prices are definitely less expensive, but the weather and friendly neighborhoods are the same.

If you would like to see this house or any other property in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

623 Grinnell Street - Old Town Classic Renovation - Key West

623 Grinnell Street Key West, Florida March 2011

The fresh new listing at 623 Grinnell Street will likely go under contract within a matter of days because the place just oozes old Key West charm. The house has just undergone a tasteful renovation and a new kitchen, read deck, and pool added. But the bones of the old house and the classic lines are in tact. A fresh new paint job and the old girl looks as beautiful as ever.


The listing Realtor describes 623 Grinnell this way:

"Beautifully renovated and restored historic three bedroom home in one of the most desirable neighborhoods of Old Town Key West. Authentic and sensitive restoration including Dade County Pine walls, high ceilings and wood floors. Convenient first floor master bedroom with ensuite bath. Gorgeous chef's kitchen included in a new saw-tooth addition built to today's standards with an historic sensitivity. Off street parking for 2 vehicles in tandem. Brand new pool with water feature, nicely landscaped back yard, deck and great front porch make this a Gorgeous Old Town Beauty."

I remember showing this house to a couple from Rhode Island back around 1998. The house was old, but not creepy old. It had character and room for improvement. The house changed ownership a couple of times over the years. Now it is all freshly redone and awaits new owners.


The front porch looks out onto Grinnell Street. Two huge orchid trees are located a couple of doors to the north. Flowers were falling to the street yesterday. A mature Frangipani tree is located at the front of the house next door where it is getting ready to burst flowers soon. Very soon. The block has beautiful old houses all around. Two big Eyebrow houses are located across the street. The house at 999999 Grinnell is always decorated at Christmas and normally wins a prize for being so damned Key West. The Key West cemetery is located about 100 feet to the south. Don't get spooked. The denizens of the deep don't move about, much. And because Grinnell ends at the cemetery, traffic on this block is most quiet. All day. No Conch Trains or Trolley Cars. So if you sit on that lovely front porch you won't be seeing a whole lot of wacko tourists. Five Brothers Grocery is just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away at the corner of Southard. You can go there every morning for your con leche and catch up with all the latest Key West gossip. Everybody famous goes there. You foodies know that Michael's is a two minute walk and Mangia Mangia takes the same time to reach if you got a craving for pasta. The Historic Key West Seaport is about a five minute walk to the north. Duval Street is a five or six minute stroll. It takes longer if you stop to smell the flowering trees.

Inside the Dade County Pine walls and ceilings are set off by the bright white crisp trim. The house has three bedrooms, one of which is located downstairs right front. The living room is to the left which opens onto the dining area which then flows into the new kitchen. The kitchen opens onto the rear deck and pool. Upstairs there are two decent sized bedrooms that share a Jack & Jill bathroom. Outside a white picket fence and off street parking complete this little charmer that is offered at $995,000.

CLICK HERE to checkout the Key West mls database and to view more listing photos. If you want to see this charmer, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. It won't last long.

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