606 Truman Avenue No. 1 - Windward Park - Key West

Preferred Properties Key West (that's where I work but this is not my listing) is the listing brokerage for 606 Truman Avenue #1 a sharp 2/2 Windward Park town home which is offered at  just $729,000.  The home offers 1260 sq ft of living space divided between the two floors with two master suites.

The listing Realtor describes Unit #1 this way:

"Delightful two bedroom two bath townhouse in a well-sought out Old Town compound, Windward Park. Unit 1 is tucked away in the front corner of the complex, therefore somewhat removed and most private. Enter into a large great room with two-story cat walk. Great for displaying treasured art. The new kitchen features high-end, custom cabinetry with unique counter tops and new appliances. The downstairs bedroom with adjoining bath has French doors leading out to a very secluded deck with beautiful tropical plantings and a hot tub. The upstairs features the master bedroom with en suite bath, as well as a second-floor porch that offers private, treetop views of the pool (heated in Winter) and well-manicured tropical gardens of the complex."

The main living area with the second floor "catwalk" can bee seen in a couple of other units at Windward Park but not all. The catwalk certainly adds dramatic flair to the living space where the ceiling soars two stories.  Otherwise, the main floor is laid out traditionally with the living room and dining area at front followed by a guest bedroom at the rear. There is a main floor bathroom with access off either the living area or from the bedroom. French doors open from the living space out to a spacious deck which includes a private hot tub. (Not all units have this feature.)

If you have looked at houses in Key West before you have probably found that many bedrooms are rather small and often dark. Not so here. The second floor master bedroom is extra large.  If you prefer sleeping in a king size bed, you will have room to spare in this big boy bedroom that has windows that face the east, south, and west (although the light here is filtered by the second floor covered porch) . The closet is equally extra large. The en-suite bath is located at the rear and has a window that overlooks the garden of St. Mary's of the Sea Basilica.  The first floor bedroom is quite large and has plenty of room in case you find using a stairway a bit challenging.

The second floor front porch provides an enviable view of the pool that is shared with only 12 other units.  Compare this property to some similarly priced units in Truman Annex where the pools are shared by potentially shared by hundreds of units.  I am not being negative on Truman Annex, but you will likely to have to pay more money to have fewer potential people sharing your pool if you live there.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view all listing photos.
Readers not totally familiar with the location may be aided by who the nearby neighbors are including the aforementioned St. Mary's of the Sea Basilica (Truman at Windsor Lane), Better Than Sex (desert restaurant at Truman and Simonton), Moped Hospital (also at Truman and Simonton),  and Denny's (located one block away at the corner of Truman at Duval Street).  Many of the gyms and yoga studios are located nearby as well. I mention the neighbors because many popular tourist attractions which are within easy walking distance.  Unit #1 is currently used as a private residence but a new owner could easily rent the unit as a Key West monthly vacation rental. Several, but not all, residences at Windward Park are rented. 

 If you would like to see this unit or any other  property in Key West, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

630 Elizabeth Street - Key West

Frequent readers will recall my former listing at 630 Elizabeth Street (above). The house sits at the very top of Solares Hill - the highest point on the Island of Key West. Passers-by could not help notice how poorly she looked.  Last year the new owner had started a major renovation to the property when his business and home were devastated by Super Storm Sandy. That put the Key West project on hold. The renovation was stopped after the new foundation had been added. The property is now offered at the asking price of $650,000 or $328 per sq ft which makes it the least expensive property for sale in Old Town on a per square foot basis. 

630 Elizabeth Street built circa 1887, photographed in 1965

Photo taken during renovation of the piers

This property was historically a two unit. In the very old days the downstairs unit was a neighborhood store. Presumably the owner lived on the second floor. The property was converted into a legal duplex in the 1970s. The downstairs was a three bedroom apartment. The second floor was a two bedroom apartment.  The property would still qualify as a duplex were a new owner want to keep that usage.  However, in my opinion the highest and best use of this property would be to make it into a single family residence.

The listing Realtor describes the property today as:

"Historical renovation project 1.5 blocks from Duval street, built in 1887 located at the highest point in Key West on the top of Solares Hill. The seller began the renovations on a legal duplex and has plans already in place which would convey with the sale. The property also has plans to be turned back into a single family home. The seller has lifted the property up and renovated the footers/subfloor, leveled the home and placed it back down. Inside is now stripped down to just the shell so it is prepared for the floor plan of your choice.2nd floor views looking down Solares Hill are extraordinary. Plans Provide for 2300 sq ft of Living Space upon Completion of Remodel plus Porches&Siding (Exc20%of Existing)."

View from the second floor looking down Windsor Lane

The photos immediately below demonstrate balloon framing. The exterior walls support the structure. The second floor will then be added to stabilize the entire building. Finally, the interior framing will be added.

Early photo showing balloon framing

630 Elizabeth Street is vastly improved from the way it looked when purchased. With the piers replaced and the building stabilized, the hard and most expensive part of the renovation has been done. Building plans have been approved by HARC and the building permits are in place. However, a new owner could change things - even at this late date.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos. This property is listed by Scott Forman who kindly gave me permission to write about it in my blog.  If you are interested in seeing this property please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

818 Olivia Street ~ Old Town ~ Key West

818 Olivia Street in Old Town Key West is a dream cottage come true. This place is as cute as a button, has off street parking, a pool, and is in move-in condition. It is within walking distance to just about any place you might want to go in the Old Town area, and it could even be rented as a monthly vacation rental if you really, really could allow someone else to use this precious space.

 

The listing Realtor describes 818 Olivia as follows:

"This wonderful historic cottage is loaded with Key West charm and character. Situated on a generous sized Old Town lot the home has a spacious picket-fenced front yard, a rocking chair front porch and off-street parking. The entrance foyer carries through to the rear of the house where the open living, dining and kitchen areas create an ideal plan for entertaining. French doors from the vaulted ceiling living area open out to the pretty landscaped rear deck with pool. The main level includes the master bedroom and bath, second bedroom and half bath. Upstairs is a cozy bedroom and full bath. Great central location just a few blocks from Duval Street."

The Monroe County Property Appraiser's property card shows this 1475 sq ft house sits on a 39' x 83' lot (3244 sq ft).  And the property appraisal card further shows the house was built in 1928. I found an old photo of the same house that was taken in 1965. A notation on the photo shows that 818 Olivia Street was built in the 1890s. That is the same rough date other houses in the block were also constructed.  I choose to believe the 1890s date because the house looked "old" in the 1965 photograph. A house that would have only been 17 years old in 1965. It just does not make sense. Compare the old view with the clean facade as it appears in 2013. It looks picture perfect in my opinion.

This house sits opposite the Key West cemetery. That means the neighbors will be quiet at night and will not be competing for on street parking - ever.  There will never be some big house built across the street with windows looking down onto your yard. You will always have open sky views looking across the street. Your home will forever bathe in the Key West sunshine. There won't be parties at night or people competing with you for parking space.

Once you pass the gated entrance you enter into a lovely small garden. The front porch as a great little sitting area where you can sit and watch tourists and locals pass by the house on foot, bike, or by car. Olivia Street is a one-way street headed easterly.

The first time I entered this house my eyes were drawn past the colorful entry and past delightful artwork that adorns the walls. My attention was drawn through the house to the rear where I could see the pool and waterfall. I knew in an instant that I was ready for a real treat.

As the listing Realtor points out, this home has three bedrooms and three baths. The current owners use the main floor bedroom on the left as the master suite. The bedroom to the right is currently used as a family room or office. The second floor bedroom is used as a guest suite.

There are several really interest architectural features in this home. The stairway to the second floor is one of them. The geometry demands your attention. The craftsmanship requires your inspection. The color scheme commands your consideration. It is whimsical and lyrical. There is nothing predictable about this house. 

The living, dining, and kitchen are located at the rear and open out to the pool and rear deck. This is how we live in Key West. Doors open to allow indoor and outdoor living spaces to meld into each other. On nights up north in America when people are freezing their behinds, you will likely be dining with the French doors opened out to the pool enjoying the the good life in Key West.

I looked for but did not see any deferred maintenance. There is a place for everything and everything appeared to be in its proper place. That's why I said this home is in move-in condition. CLICK HERE to view a slide show of other photographs I took that show this home from bottom to top and front to rear.

I am confident you will appreciate the charming home which is offered at $889,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. Better than just looking at photos online, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this cute Old Town cottage style home. This is not my listing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. This place could be the answer to your dreams.