809 Eaton Street - Key West - Henry Lowe House

809 Eaton Street in Old Town Key West dates back to circa 1840 when it was built for Henry Lowe. The house was totally restored and expanded in 2005 when it was featured in the Old Island Foundation House Tour.  The house is typical of other Bahamian styled homes of that era located in the immediate neighborhood.

Many of the Key West's founding fathers were expatriates from the Bahamas. They brought with them the architectural style and construction techniques with which they were familiar.  Bahamian styled houses were placed on piers and had wood frames and had tall ceilings and large windows with Bahama shutters which permitted air to circulate through the house to provide natural cooling. The houses were built with wood clapboard siding.

I dug deep into the old shoebox and found a photo of the roof of 809 Eaton Street (black and white photo immediately below) that was taken in 1914.  I just love the look of Key West back in the day. You can see that the Historic Seaport is only a couple of blocks away. Note all of the smaller buildings which back then were cook houses or privies.  I found another photo of 809 Eaton Street that was taken in 1965 (black and white photo second below). The house would have been about 125 years old when that pic was taken. Forty-eight years later 809 Eaton Street still looks great (color photo below taken February 2013).

 

Recently I found a photo of 809 Eaton Street that was taken in the 1960's from the Island City House located across the street. That pic reminded me of Freddy in the Nightmare on Elm Street. I took a photo from the same location a few days ago just to prove a point that what was once is often still the same on our little island where historic homes are preserved - not destroyed.

The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties, that's where I work but this is not my listing, describes 809 Eaton Street this way:

"Classic 1800's Old Town property which is a combination of the Henry Lowe House and the Samuel Kemp House, built in 1840. This 5 bedroom / 4.5 bath 3 story home with 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom guest cottage has all the amenities you're looking for! This historic home offers a spacious living area with large open kitchen which is great for entertaining. Additional features include large porches throughout, high ceilings, Dade County Pine, hardwood flooring, large covered deck, fantastic pool and jacuzzi and off-street parking. Converted cistern as wine cellar. There is also a 60,000 watt generator so you're never in the dark. On the National Registry of Historic Places."

 This house has 4712 sq ft of living space in the main house and guest cottage. The lot is an irregular rectangle of of 6079 sq ft (approximately 57' x 125'). The main level includes a spacious living room, dining room, family room and extra large kitchen and pantry. The master bedroom with en-suite bath is also located on the main floor at the left rear of the home.  Multiple sets of French doors line the back of the house and open onto a rear loggia that overlooks the pool.

A gracious staircase leads to the second floor where there are two large bedrooms and baths. These bedrooms open onto the wrap-around second floor porch. A smaller staircase leads to the third floor which has a dormitory style bedroom plus a wonderful bath at the rear which as a view looking toward the Gulf of Mexico. You can see the pool, guest cottage, and garden.This is the kind of view that  people who accomplished great things get to enjoy.

The interior finishes and materials are all of the highest quality. While the house is rich in history and the house itself has several formal living spaces, most of the living areas on the inside and outside are quite relaxed. The combined family room and kitchen provide area for family and friends to enjoy this incredible home.

It is the outdoor living area that will probably entice that special buyer to select this home. The covered rear deck overlooks the lengthy pool and spa which is surrounded by bricked walkways and sunning areas. The guest cottage on the west side was built as part of the 2005 restoration and expansion. The cottage has a separate designer kitchen and bath plus bedroom each of which looks out to the pool. (Your guests will never leave.)    

The property has two off street parking spots: one adjacent to the front entrance and a second at the rear.  The whole house generator will provide electricity to keep you comfortable and cozy in the event of power failure elsewhere on the island. CLICK HERE to view more photos of this incredible Key West property.

This is a very large house with an extra large guest cottage. You can see it has a great outdoor entertaining area with an extra large sunny pool. The property is located two blocks south of the Historic Key West Seaport and only four blocks from Duval Street. This place would make an incredible vacation rental.

Nearby Key West Seafood Market

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos of this special Key West home which is offered at $2,699,000. If you area qualified buyer and would like to see this special home, 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.

1510 Patricia Street - Key West Mid-Century Home

 

 

 If you were a youngster in 1954, you may recall that Disneyland (the TV show), Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and The Tonight Show debuted.  Movies released that year include White Christmas, Rear Window, On the Waterfront, and Dial M for Murder. Lord of the Flies, Horton Hears a Who, and The Lord of the Rings were published in 1954. Life back then was much simpler than it is today.  Most families had one TV set, a family car, a telephone with a rotary dial, and house with a single bathroom shared by all family members.

The home at 1510 Patricia Street in Key West was built in 1954. It is a 1278 sq ft ranch style home located on a 5547 sq ft lot with three bedrooms, one bath, an updated kitchen, and a combined living room and dining area with doors that open out to a Florida room with jalousie windows. There's even covered parking. All of the floors are original Cuban tiles and all are in great condition. The house has been well maintained for generations. The yard has lots of green grass and a couple of palms in front.  The view from the front looking across the street is great. The back yard has more grass, some  palms, and a large cottage.  There is more than enough room for a good sized pool.

I wish my dad had created those turquoise tiles. They can be found in bathrooms across North America.

I think the cottage would make a wonderful pool house, artist's studio, or writer's cottage.  The back yard has lots of potential. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this home which is offered at $479,900. This is an Estate Owned Property.

CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this home. But better than looking at photos, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this listing. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1421 Reynolds Street - Casa Marina Area - Key West

Buyers who want a million dollar address ought to take a look at 1421 Reynolds Street in Key West.  Locals and frequent visitors to Key will likely recognize the value of owning a home located in the Casa Marina Area of Key West. This Mid Century home is located within a five minute walk to Higg's Beach and the Great Atlantic Ocean.  And it has easy access to the rest of Key West as well. The great thing about this three bedroom, two bath home is that it is move-in ready and it is priced at only $649,000. That beats the higher prices you'd expect for similar sized house in Old Town.  The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Lovely Mid-Century Modern three bedroom home in highly desirable Casa Marina neighborhood. Beautifully maintained terrazzo floors, sleek lines and simplicity are hallmarks of the Mid-Century style. Renovated kitchen, open floor plan living room and central air conditioning are recently added conveniences. Great outdoor spaces and room for a pool on this large tropical lot. Entry courtyard provides privacy and relaxation. The 310 square foot screened covered porch not included in the under air square footage but could be easily enclosed. Off-street parking with carport provides convenient parking for at least 2 vehicles. An Adorable Casa Marina Treasure."

Even the newer areas of Key West are not always "new".  The house at 1421 Reynolds Street was built in 1958.  I didn't have to dig all that deep into the old shoebox to find a photo of the house as it appeared fifty some years ago. Today the house sits behind a six foot fence that protects the view from the street. This is typical of many homes in the Casa Marina Area. I do think it looks better today, however.  In fact all of Key West looks better today. There are trees and lush vegetation all over the island. Lots of tourist dollars has made it possible for our little city to provide great amenities for locals and tourists alike.  And things get better each year.  And little houses like this one on Reynolds Street, and the people that own, are the beneficiaries of all the tourist revenue.

The nearly 1100 sq ft house is a ranch with three bedrooms and two baths. The interiors have been updated to compliment the original design which included Terrazzo floors that shine. A new contemporary kitchen was added along with new sliding doors that open out to two different covered outdoor living areas. The property has off street parking at front and room for a pool at the rear.

The former carport is now one covered outdoor living area and a covered and screen enclosed porch serves the backyard area. I think there is room for a pool here.  Of course, you could save the cost of building a pool by walking the four blocks to Higg's Beach and the ocean just four blocks to the south.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datashteet on this property. Or better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this house. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I live in the Casa Marina Area and love it for its convenience and quiet. I work almost all the time so I don't get to use the beach like I used to, but the proximity is truly a plus when guest are in town. If you have a dog, our doggie park is located across the street from Higg's Beach. Your pooch can meet new friends twice a day. 1421 Reynolds Street could by your home by Christmas this year - if you hurry!

The Ghost House of Christmas Past or How Not to Buy a House

This is a true story. 

A couple of years ago just around Christmas I posted a blog about a bank owned house located on a nearby island not far from Key West. Like most of the homes in the Lower Keys, this home was elevated and located on a canal with a boat dock. This particular home had sold a few years earlier for nearly $800,000. It was a spacious three bedroom home with over 2,000 sq ft of living space. The lot was in excess of 15,000 sq ft and had both sunny open spaces and tropical foliage that provided privacy. There was a pool and a hot tub and a cabana. You could tell that whoever lived there before loved this house. The grounds around the house, though overgrown, had been magical. The nearest neighbor was half a block away. The house was offered at less than $300,000.

The day after I wrote the blog I received a phone call from a buyer from an east coast location. He loved the house. He and his wife drove directly to Key West from the frozen north and met me at the house two days later. I told the buyers that other agents and potential buyers were at the house the day I took photos for my blog.  I warned the buyers that what they liked about the house would attract other buyers just as much. I suggested that if they made an offer to make it in excess of the already very low asking price. Instead the buyers offered 85% of asking price all cash with a quick close. A different buyer offered 102% cash of the asking price, a longer close, and got the property.

I happened to drive by that former bank owned property last week on my way to show a different house on a smaller lot on a different canal with neighbors to the left and right in front and behind. There was no pool, no hot tub, no cabana, and no privacy. That house is in much better condition than the bank owned property, but it is smaller in size and priced near $500,000.  

I have seen this scene played out several times. A buyer draws a line in the sand.  He says I will pay this price and not a dollar more. When a seller refuses to meet a buyer's price, the deal ends.  (Sellers draw the same line.)  A variation often arises after a home inspection and "problems" with a house are pointed out. Sellers who want to sell and buyers who want to buy normally work out a way how to deal with whatever "problems" are discovered. Genuine problems require a lot of work by the parties and their agents. Problems can sometimes lead to the break-up of a deal simply because a buyer or a seller refuses to negotiate or cannot find a meeting place that is on the other side of a line in the sand.

Instead of drawing a line in the sand and creating a barrier that makes buying a house potentially impossible, buyers ought to keep their eyes on the prize: owning a home in Key West. No, I take that back. It's not owning "a" home, it is moving to Key West to live your life here. That is the prize. Once you find the house you want to live in, you may need to compromise a bit to get what you want. I am not suggesting that a buyer pay whatever some greedy seller demands. I am saying not to lose sight of what you want to achieve. Sure there are always other houses.  But in Key West, some places, like the house my buyer lost, are really one of a kind. A few thousand dollars over the course of a few years will seem like nothing.

If you are looking to buy a place in Key West please consider working with me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.