1417 Catherine Street - Key West

The stunningly simple and ever-so-clean single family home located at 1417 Catherine Street is located in the Arts District of Key West. This home first appeared in the Sanborn Fire Maps for 1912; however, none of the houses in this area were shown in the earlier additions. One might assume no houses were located in this area, but I think there were houses and that the map maker did not place them.

When you arrive the piercing green (almost black) shutters offer a distinct counterpoint to the crisp white clapboard siding of this charming cottage.  I dug deep into my old shoebox and found a photo of the home taken in 1965. Compare the way it looked nearly fifty years ago from how it looks today.  It almost looks the same, except it got better.

The listing Realtor, not me, describes this home this way:

"Charming Conch Pearl of a home in a wonderful and quiet old neighborhood. Meticulously restored, upgraded and maintained. Two bedrooms, bathroom, living room. Kitchen and dining room, both completely redone and modernized,open through French doors to the patio, pool and workshop/laundry. All doors and kitchen window have retractable screens. Magical covered outdoor living area embraced by lush tropical landscaping w/irrigation system, outdoor shower, private decked patio, and heated pool. Off-street bricked-parking for one vehicle. Deceivingly modest from the street, this charmer is a MUST-SEE to appreciate!"

The living room and two bedrooms are located at the front of this home. The bath is located opposite the second bedroom which has a great cedar lined closet.  The real living area, like most in the Old Town environs, is located at the rear where the kitchen, dining, and informal living spaces blend with the covered lanai that overlooks the pool.

The lanai currently has an old fashioned swing on one side and a hammock on the other.  There's a place for outdoor dining, and sunning by the pool.  There is also an outdoor shower located adjacent to the rear cottage that houses the washer and dryer and also provides some additional storage. The backyard is both sunny and private but provides covered shady spots as well. CLICK HERE to view more photos of this super Key West home.

1417 Catherine Street is offered for sale at $649,900. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.  Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1428 White Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

Just listed (but not by me) 1428 White Street in the Casa Marina Area of Key West, Florida.  This home was built in 2000 by David Wolkowsky, the man who built the world famous Pier House at the foot of Duval Street. Wolkowsky built many homes in Key West over the years. His properties are legendary.  This is one of them.

Wolkowsky's homes are not the typical reinterpretations of  old Conch houses with white picket fences you might expect to see in Key West. Instead, his homes evoke a sense of destination, grandeur, and purpose coupled with a bit of mystery.  What might be a driveway in an ordinary home is a bricked entry pepped with tropical foliage. A story high fence and giant Balinese doors let visitors know that this must be someplace important. The doors and privacy wall are more than decoration. They provide both a sophisticated electronic security system for the property and also filter street noise. (I promised not to elaborate.)

 

The Balinese doors lead to the a covered portico along the south side of the home which welcomes the owner or guest to the rear courtyard with its serene 31' pool with fountains at either end.  The dense tropical foliage become a Garden of Eden - or something like it.

I took more photos of this sophisticated home which you can view if you CLICK HERE. As you view the photos note that the travertine floors on the first floor of the home continue out to the covered lanai. The living room measures 24' and has two walls of French doors that, coupled with the travertine, bring the outside in and take the inside out to expand the living potential of both.

 

The home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and 1680 sq ft of refined space divided between two floors. The first floor "bedroom" is used by the current owner as a den.  Two sets of double doors provide either privacy or open the area to expand the first floor living area to even greater proportions. The adjacent bath serves both the den/bedroom and the kitchen on the opposite wall.  Having the potential to use this space as a bedroom in later years is an option worth considering.   You never know when climbing stairs might become an issue.

The kitchen has rich wood cabinets that reach to the ceiling. The marble counter tops, like the travertine floors on the main level and the wood floors on the second floor, are natural earth tones that unify the house with the external environment.

The front bedroom makes a great guest area. The room has an en-suite bath and an extra large closet and dressing area. The master suite is located at the rear. It also has an en-suite bath which features slate tiles on the floors and walls that for me at least cooled down the space. The bath is so unexpectedly exotic.

1428 White Street offers both worldly and practical living in tropical splendor for the asking price of $850,000.  This property would make a great full time residence or a second home that you might consider renting as a vacation rental. The White Street Pier, Higg's Beach (with its "thing"), the doggie park, and the Atlantic Ocean are located just a couple of blocks to the south. Salute on the Beach and Louie's Backyard are within walking distance as are several of the gyms and yoga studios.  Vacation guests will love this part of town and you will too if any part of your life involves fitness or being by the sea.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a private showing of this wonderful Key West home. You will another property in Key West that has as many fine features as this home at this price. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I am the Realtor to the dreamers. Let me take you to a place you have never been before. Sit down in the living room or by the pool or the balcony overlooking the pool. Pretend this is your new home. You just may not go back to New Jersey or wherever from whence you came.

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1723 Bahama Drive - Key West - a Wise Investment

Just listed by Preferred Properties Key West, that's where I work but this is not my listing, 1723 Bahama Drive which is located at the easternmost edge of our little island. This three bedroom, two bath home is as clean as a whistle and ready for a new owner to move into.  The listing Realtor describes the home as...

"Immaculate, bright and airy family 3/2 one level home on a very large lot with a great back yard. When the current owner purchased this home, they redid the landscaping and added many new features including an additional bathroom. Open living/dining area leading to the covered Lanai, pool, outdoor kitchen and cabana with a shower off the pool."

This home has a mellow, easy flow from room to room and from inside to the outside.  The island laid back lifestyle is evident everywhere from the large open living areas to the colorful bedrooms.

The front yard and rear garden were designed by landscape guru Pat Tierney.  Instead of a big privacy fence, 1723 Bahama Drive has a densely planted front yard with low maintenance native plants that save water.  The owners have created their version of tropical paradise that includes a very large (and sunny!) pool, palm trees and tropical foliage, a covered lanai, an outdoor kitchen, and lots of room to grad an all over tan. Oh, yes, there is a colorful outdoor shower as well!

CLICK HERE to view more photos of this really charming Key West home that is ready for you to move into and start living the Life of Riley you have dreamed about for so long.

1723 Bahama Drive was built in 1963 of CBS (concrete block construction with stucco over). The house has 1473 sq ft of living space that sits on a 56' X 100' lot. The lot backs onto mangroves so you will lots of privacy when you use the outdoor shower.  The house itself is tastefully designed. The rooms ought to  accommodate most styles of furniture with ease. There are new tile floors, new A/C,and new wind impact windows and doors throughout the house. I did not notice any deferred maintenance anywhere.  All of the outdoor spaces are tastefully designed and outfitted with quality materials.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos.

Buyers who want a second home in Key West often overlook properties like this because they are not located a couple of blocks from Duval Street. Well, 98% of the houses in Key West are not located there either. This owner has a street legal "golf cart" type vehicle that zips down to Old Town  or anywhere else when the mood strikes.  The owner has a bigger home than most of the properties in Old Town and a beautiful sunny pool with lots of room for family and friends. As prices continue to rise in Old Town, smart buyers will look again at homes like these as wise investments.

1723 Bahama Drive is offered for sale at $695,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a private showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your home in Paradise.