Restoration Project - 522 Grinnell Street - Key West

522 Grinnell Street - Old Town - Key West

The listing Realtor describes 522 Grinnell Street as:

"There is an exceptional opportunity to continue the renovation of this beautiful home in a highly sought after location. This historically significant home built prior to 1884 has always been admired for its beautiful architecture including Dade County Pine walls and ceilings throughout, grand proportion room sizes with twelve foot ceilings on the first floor and eleven foot ceilings on the second floor. The current owner has completed all of the demolition work and this wow factor potential home is ready for completion by a new owner with the style and manner they desire. This property is licensed for two units."

522 Grinnell Street as photographed in 1965

Peeling paint of yore - now gone

Restored bay window on opposite side of the house

I have shown this property numerous times over the past several years. I fell in love with the place before I ever went inside. It has looked sad and forlorn for years. The paint was peeling and chipping away, but I knew that could be fixed. A window on the south side was broken and covered by an Al Gore for President sign, but I knew it could be replaced. An odd looking carport on the right side diminished the grandeur of the house, but I was sure there would be a way to deal with that issue. The rear of the house had a cobbled addition that looked awful, but I imagined that wreck could get removed and a new two tiered rear porch could be added in its place.

First floor front porch

Rear addition has been removed - what will take its place?

The former owner's family had lived in this property for generations. The current owner is not related to the prior owners. My remarks about the prior owners are not intended to disparage anyone. Contrarily, I relish the somewhat odd experiences I had when I showed the house. I recall the story the former owner telling that this house, like so many of the grand old homes in Key West, was built by ship chandlers. That means the house was built by the men who built great sailing vessels that could withstand strong winds and the elements. I will never forget standing with her on the second floor front porch as she recounted having watched a storm coming across from the Atlantic side of the island as it made its way toward the Gulf of Mexico a couple of blocks to the north. She remarked about how strong her father was during that storm and how well the house withstood the winds and rain.

The current owner purchased this property in 2006 after the house was marketed by not less than four different agents over a four year period. The prior owner never allowed any listing agent to show the property. The owner did it. She took charge and told and re-told the family's history in the house. I imagine she did not want some Realtor to get the facts wrong or to fail to state an essential point about the property. After one showing I remember my buyer saying something like "No wonder she hasn't sold the house..." and then said something unflattering about the owner. But I got why the former owner was so proud of the house. It is, as the current Realtor says, "admired for its beautiful architecture".


If you look at the photo of the house above you would expect the front door to be the door on the front porch. You would be wrong. The main entry is actually located on the side porch to the right. The entry hall is rather unassuming. The stairway, however, is ever-so-graceful. I love the thin stiles and deep dark and delicate handrail, especially as is curves and makes a you turn toward the top handrail.

The ever-so-graceful stairway

Once inside there are multiple large rooms with twelve foot ceilings. Rooms of this size do not blend easily with the way live our modern lives, but there are people who crave the sophisticated single purpose rooms of yesteryear. This house has many such rooms for that buyer. One such room is the formal dining room with a fireplace. It looks sad now, but most houses look sad while they are 'under construction'. I'll bet you that it won't look sad by the time the renovation is completed.

 One of two bay windows in this home

Originally the main parlor - would this become your Great Room?

Dining room with fireplace - would this be your new kitchen?

Renovated front and side porches with new doors

The rooms upstairs have been stripped away as well. The family kitchen was located at the rear of the second floor. I remember the former owner's mother sitting at the kitchen table coddling a box of new born kittens during one showing. The older woman always sat in that kitchen and always smiled as potential buyers passed by her table. The memories of the ancient matriarch and her progeny are all that remain of the events that occurred during the hundred years her family lived in this old house

Photo taken where an old shed used to stand

Room for a pool in this large rear yard

The current owner has removed the old addition at the rear and cleaned up the interior. It will be up to the new owner to complete this house. While I am not a builder, I have a good sense of the work ahead which will include installation of all new electric throughout the house, new water and sewer lines, new HVAC, installing new bathrooms, a kitchen, a pool, and landscaping. I heard that the approved plans call for the addition of a new two story rear porch. I remember telling perspective buyers that is what I would do if I owned the house. The house did not need the old falling apart addition. It is gone and now there is room for a porch where I can imagine there will be space off the master suite at the second floor rear where the new owners can sit and ponder the meaning of life (or anything else).

CLICK HERE to view more photos of this restoration project.

522 Grinnell Street is offered at $1,450,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet and to view the listing photos. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

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912 Truman Avenue - Old Town - Key West

Photo circa 1890 from Monroe County Library showing horse drawn trolley on Division Street (now Truman Avenue) at the corner of Francis Street a couple of blocks east of 912 Truman.

I dug around in the famous old shoebox and found a photo of 912 Truman Avenue taken back in 1965.  If you study the old black and white pic you will see an almost ancient chain link fence that surrounds the corner lot. Also, note the extra long posts that support the roof overhang and the 'missing' second floor porch floor. Checkout the extra tall roof with gables facing north, east, and west which will be discussed below.

912 Truman Avenue as it appeared in 1965

912 Truman Avenue - 2012

Today the front porch of 912 Truman Avenue that sits back off the busy street behind a white picket fence and spacious front yard populated with lush palms.  This is one of the few surviving grand homes that once lined Truman Avenue that remain a single family home. When you step inside, you will find a property that is reminiscent of olden days.  This home retains the functionality and character of the original home. Some new fangled features such as nearly gourmet kitchen, updated baths, and central air conditioning have been added. But the old style rooms with all of their charm and character (flaws and all) remain in tact.

As you enter the front entry you are greeted by a wonderful staircase and central hallway that divides the house in two. On the right side you will find the living room with its formal parlor in front and more informal living space at the rear (that opens out to the new pool). On the left side you will see the formal dining room at the front and the country kitchen at the rear.

 Front door with living room located on the right

The dining room is located to the left. Note the crown molding and high baseboards.

The beautiful staircase leads to the bedrooms on the second and third floors

The living room (above) is divided into two sections.  Note the rich Dade County Pine walls, the rich and very real wood floors (not the kind of manufactured floors we see in modern homes which you just know are fake), and the old school Dade County Pine wood ceilings. Note as well the ancient windows with glass that ripples.

The formal dining room obviously hearkens back to another era. What a wonderful space to dine with family and friends. So what if it is formal. Instead of buying take-out or nuking Healthy Choice or Marie Callender's you might actually use your recipes from the Food Network and begin to cook  real meals.

My dear old grandmother had the same octagonal tile in her bathroom. I love the look and feel of this place. It evokes a feeling continuity over generations of people that lived here. The house has the necessities, but it is not consumed by modernity. It retained its soul.

The master bedroom and bath occupy the west side of the second floor. Two more bedrooms plus a shared bath are on the east side.

The two second floor bedrooms are shown above. One is now used as a sitting room. Note the old newspapers glued to the ceiling. The papers were originally used as insulation and where retained when the home was renovated.

A door in the hallway opens to the second floor front balcony that spans the breadth of the home. 

The second floor hallway divides the spaces by function and use. The master bedroom is located to the right and it's bath is located to the right rear. The second bath is located at the far rear and it is used by the occupants in either of the bedrooms on the left.

Note the staircase at the rear. It goes goes down to the area just off the kitchen. The main staircase provides access from the main floor (at front). And the staircase rising on the left leads to the third floor bed and bath.

The third floor space is actually quite large. Unfortunately I took lousy pics.

The listing Realtor describes 912 Truman Avenue this way:

"This elegant historic three-story home has been carefully restored with stainless steel and granite in the kitchen and three and half modern but charming bathrooms. The double front porches are 38 feet long, there is a sparkling swimming pool in back and off street parking. This a great price per square foot for a renovated home."

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet and to view listing photos. And CLICK HERE to look at photos I took. 912 Truman Avenue is offered at just $795,000 or $227 per sq ft for this gracious 3494 sq ft historic home.

I think this property would make an excellent vacation rental. It has a optimal location for vacationers who want a large house (remember it has four bedrooms and three bath), a pool, parking, character, and lots of charm. This place will end up photo albums across the world as vacationers celebrate their great Key West vacations here.
 

If you are a buyer who wants a real "old house" and not an imitation of one, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this property.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This home offers a lot of value at the asking price.

Bank Owned - 1221 20th St - Key West

Attention Key West bargain hunters, this is your second chance at this Bank Owned house that just went back on the market on August 8th. It went under contract right after it was listed a couple of weeks ago. For whatever reason, the house is now available a second time. I took a quick peek this morning, snapped some pics, and I am here to report that I think this is a good deal. (Not that my opinion means that much.)

1221 20th Street is located on the east end of the island of Key West. It sits on a large lot (6,900 sq ft  (69' x 100') at the corner of Donald Avenue and 20th Street. This is a family area of Key West where most of the homes, like this one, are ranch style homes. This home was built in 1965. The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows this house as having 1,646 sq ft of living space under air. I suspect the living space is actually larger than that as a former carport appears to have been enclosed to create a mother in law apartment and a back porch may have also been enclosed to create the more recent laundry room.

The main house appears to have been recently painted and updated with new carpet in the master bedroom and a second bedroom. The main living area and kitchen have Salitllo tile floors.  The kitchen appears to have been remodeled and updated in the past few years. A nice pantry sits just off the kitchen. The house appeared to me to be in move in condition.

Mother in Law unit

The mother in law apartment has a living area, mini kitchen, bath, and bedroom. That would be a great place for a teenager who wants his or her own space and would add a fourth bedroom and an additional bath to the property as a whole. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet on this Bank Owned house that is offered at $389,900. If I am correct about the mother in law and laundry area not being included in the Appraiser's database, the square footage would probably increase by about 400 sq ft.

I think the really attractive feature of this home is the large backyard and pool area. There is a lot of space, a nice pool in place, and lots of room to create a really wonderful outdoor living area.  A lot has already been done, but it is not perfect-yet.  But it could be. See the photos below and imagine how you could embellish this property and make it your own.

The rear and south side of the property have a lot of potential for a new home owner with a green thumb. The area is ready for some TLC, some creativity, add a few extra bucks to complete the landscaping of this really pretty pool and garden area.  CLICK HERE to view photos I took today of the house and garden area.

If you would like to see this home or any other property for sale it the Key West area please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

Price Reduction - 517 Petronia Street - Old Town - Key West

517 Petronia Street - Old Town - Key West

517 Petronia Street - Both bedrooms open onto the walled front garden and deck

The listing broker describes the 1200 sq ft two bedroom two bath home located at 517 Petronia Street, just steps off Duval Street, this way:

"Location is only the start for this charming Old Town home. Walled for privacy featuring 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with a generous pool and deck. Only a half block off Duval Street this private home is full of light with an open floor plan and a wall of glass overlooking the solar heated pool and deck with outdoor shower. Both spacious bedrooms open through French doors to a walled garden and deck perfect for relaxing. Enjoy nights out.just steps from the Duval crawl."

Duval Street is about 200 feet west of 517 Petronia Street
Photo taken 10-21-2011 as Goombay Festival began in Key West

This property would make a great entry level purchase for a buyer who wants to purchase a nice house that can be easily rented as a vacation rental property on a year round basis. 517 Petronia Street is located midway between Duval Street and Simonton Street. Petronia is a one lane and one way street with off street parking on one side. (This house does not offer off street parking, so you will need to park in front of the house.)

The front garden provides some nice outdoor space for both bedrooms which are located at the front of the house. The kitchen is located midway and the living area or great room is at the rear. Sliders at the rear open onto the sunny pool at the back.of the property.

One of two bedrooms that open either onto the front deck or the great room

The kitchen opens into the great room

Great room is at the rear and opens out onto the sunny pool

The sunny pool

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of 517 Petronia Street which is now offered at $675,000. This house will appeal to the buyer who wants proximity to all the the attractions restaurants, clubs, shops, and attractions located on nearby Duval Street and other Old Town areas. Remember, vacation renters want a place with a pool and proximity to fun. This place has both.

If you would like to see this 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.