1300 Virginia Street - Key West - Award Winning Restoration

Just listed, but not by me, 1300 Virginia Street, Key West. This 1223 sq ft home has just about everything a primary home or second home buyer seeks in a house in Key West - great renovation (it's got an award to prove it), great location (near everything), and an affordable price (who wouldn't love that?).  I dug down into the old shoe box and found a photo taken back in 1965 that shows 1300 Virgina Street and a photo of the two story house next door located at 1308 Virginia.

1300 Virginia Street was built in 1893 and substantially rebuilt and enlarged in 2004 when it received the Historic Florida Keys Gold Star for Excellence.  The 1300 block of Virginia sits across the street Bayview Park. I found the 1918 aerial map of the Bayview Park area. I added a graphic that shows where 1300 Virginia Street is located.

1300 Virginia St shown in 1918 aerial map of the Bayview Park area

1300 Virginia St noted in a 1970 photo of Bayview Park area

1300 Virginia Street shown in a 1999 aerial photo

 The listing Realtor describes 1300 Virginia Street Key West this way:

"Wonderfully renovated Conch house in the historic district. Bright and airy with cathedral ceilings and lots of windows. Beautiful wood floors through out. Great room addition on the rear opens to a peaceful covered deck, garden and outdoor shower. Kitchen has travertine floors and Silestone counters. The yard has automatic sprinklers and low voltage landscape light system, plus room for a pool. Plans on file. The new addition has impact windows and hurricane shutters for all other windows.Renovation earned the Florida Historic Star of Excellence Award. X flood zone!"

Some of the many features in this quality renovation and expansion include wind impact rated windows and doors in the new addition plus corrugated metal shutters for the remaining windows, historic metal shingles plus galvanized sheet metal (V-crimp) in the addition, limestone baths travertine in kitchen and laundry, custom made red oak cabinetry from Hansen & Bringle, plantation shutters, reclaimed Dade County Pine walls, silestone, granite, and marble counter tops in kitchen, guest and master baths, and central air plus heating.  I looked for, but did not find, any deferred maintenance.  This place looks like the renovation was just completed.

This 1223 sq ft home sits on a 3679 (45' x 81.75') corner lot just one block east of White Street.  The house is a traditional "cigar maker cottage" or "shotgun house" layout that has been modified by the new addition to the rear where there is now an office and new great room comprised of an open kitchen, living room, dining alcove, and laundry room. The living room ceiling soars and provides abundant light into the living areas.

So many times buyers feel they have to "settle for less" than they want when they purchase a home in Key West or they buy something they must spend additional money on to fix or make the house better.  This place needs nothing. Even though the renovations are nine years old, everything looks crisp and clean.  Nothing is "dated".  The only thing a new owner might choose to do is add a pool.  Architect drawn site plans exist for a 20' x 7' pool that could be located at the rear just off the existing covered rear porch and west of the small utility cottage and storage room.

CLICK HERE to see more photos of this house, the yard, and the neighboring properties.  The neighbors on the east and to the south own great properties that show a lot of pride of ownership.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for more detailed info on 1300 Virginia Street which is offered at $749,000.

 If you would like to see 1300 Virginia Street or any other house in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.  If you buy this house you will have a home by Christmas next year. 

832 Johnson Lane - Key West

I recently showed 832 Johnson Lane in Old Town Key West to some buyers who had expressed a willingness to buy a fixer-upper.  They were searching for a place they could buy for a reasonable price, do some renovations, maybe expand the existing size, add a pool, and end up with a dream cottage. Their primary concern for any house was price and location. The amount of work and potential cost of updating and expanding 832 Johnson Lane became their over-riding concern. The little cottage  was a bit more of a challenge than they imagined.  I saw the place differently.  The house is small and because of certain rules, a new owner probably cannot expand it too much. I think it is worthy of your consideration if you are a cash buyer and have the ability to see beyond what presently exists.  A buyer with an ability to do some of the renovations or who has additional cash for renovations ought to at least take a look.  You may be pleased.

Just below is a photo of 832 Johnson Lane that was taken in 1965.  I took the photo below it to show the same house nearly 50 years later.  Our HARC (Historical Architectural Review Commission) will need to approve changes to the building.  The existing house has just one bedroom and one bath.  The Monroe County Property Appraiser says the 527 sq ft house sits on a 2633 sq ft lot or 25' x 116'.  The house sits close to the front of the lot. A new owner could seek permission from HARC, our local Historical Architectural Review Commission to expand the size of the little house by adding to the rear. It appeared to me that the existing foundation is a bit dated. The existing piers may need rebuilt or replaced.  

832 Johnson Lane as it appeared in 1965

As we walked through the house I knew nothing on the inside was worth saving. The rooms are small and dysfunctional. They were built long ago for people who lived much differently than we live today. I didn't bother to take any photos because the interiors will be gutted and replaced by whoever buys this place. The cottage will need all new everything - water, sewer, electric service. It will need new wood windows, doors, and floors.  A new kitchen and bath(s) will replace what exists today. There is some Dade County Pine walls which ought to be preserved.

I consider the backyard as the most attractive feature of this home. The yard is 25' wide by 116' deep or 2633 sq ft. The back property line abuts the rear of a parking lot that belongs to a guest house on Truman Avenue.  I am making an assumption that a new owner may be able to obtain permission to use the parking lot for a limited time to add a pool and deliver building materials necessary to renovate the cottage. 

The above photo was taken from the back step of the house and looks south. There is no back porch.  I have added a graphic to show the lot line at the rear.  As you can see there is a lot of open space from the house to the rear lot line. The plumeria tree (some call it a Frangipani) is not protected. It can be removed to provide room for lot development such as adding a pool.

The above photos were taken from the rear lot line looking toward the house.  The small addition to the rear is bathroom. The original "out house" still sits exists on the property. The blue chair (two photos above) rests in the middle of the old outhouse. HARC and building rules may permit that space to be expanded into a cabana or other use.

The above photo shows the condition of the rear piers or foundation.  This is typical of many older homes in Key West that have not yet been renovated. Many of the lovely homes you see on the streets and lanes of Old Town used to look something like this. Some were much better to be sure, but others were worse.  Our local contractors are seasoned veterans when it comes to dealing with fixing old foundations which are essential to any good renovation.  Once the foundation is repaired, the creative part begins.

Johnson Lane is only one block long and runs parallel between Truman Avenue to the south and Olivia Street to the north. Entrances are located on Windsor Lane (that intersects at Truman Avenue) on the west and Margaret Street to the east.  The lane itself is a mix of very expensive town homes, some nicely updated homes, and a few little cottages like 832 Johnson Lane that await renovation.  Photos of the house next door and across the lane are shown below.

Next door

Across the lane

832 Johnson Lane is offered for sale at $580,000.   CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for more information.

If you would like to see 832 Johnson Lane or any other house in Key West, please contact 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.

Forget Christmas in Connecicut - Next Year it Will be Christmas in Key West - 1503 Washington Street - Key West

Shortly after I arrived at 1503 Washington Street to take photos for today's blog, I fell in love with this home and garden that was decorated to the nines to celebrate the Christmas season.  At first I wandered through the front, side, and rear yards checking out the gardens, fountains, ponds, and babbling brook that make this Key West home like no other. At the rear I spotted St Nick peeking inside the house alongside a 13 foot tall Christmas tree.  I took a peek as well and saw a home decked out for a Christmas party. I went inside and recognized this home was designed for both entertaining and easy family living.  When I saw the wraparound piano bar, I remembered a scene from my favorite Christmas movie - Christmas in Connecticut - where Barbara Stanwyck and her beau sang while she trimmed the Christmas tree.  I thought to myself about buyers who could choose between freezing their rears off in Connecticut or tanning their backsides in Key West.  Key West wins every time.

Barbara and her little stole have been replaced by a silent butler with fur wrap that sets the mood for Christmas cheer at 1503 Washington Street. The main level of this home includes the formal entry, the removable piano bar - living area, dining area, guest bath, kitchen, den, and informal dining area. The Connecticut home has a grand two story entry.  The Key West home has an equally impressive entry which features Brazilian walnut entry doors.

 

The den or family room opens into the informal dining area and kitchen.  These spaces are the way modern families live as opposed to boxed in spaces like we see the Connecticut home, grand as it was, it is a relic in time. The Key West home even has a modern day fireplace. Personally, I like the fireplace in the Connecticut house a bit more, but at least this home has fireplace. The Connecticut house has a bar whereas the Key West house has a wine storage closet. And the Key West home an outdoor kitchen - something unheard of in Connecticut in the wintertime.  Many homes in Key West have outdoor living spaces and kitchens.  This is how we live no matter the season. At Christmastime when our relatives up north are wearing sweaters and wraps and wallowing in the snow, we can go to the beach in the daytime and dine outside at night.  

 

The pool, gardens, and pond wrap the house like Christmas wrapping paper. Everything is tied up with a cute bow. This home has a carport that is currently used as a semi-office. The second and third photos below show the inside of the "carport".  (There is a second garage on the opposite side of the front.) You can hear the babbling brook through the louvers at the front of the enclosure. You would be amazed at this space. 

The second floor includes a large master suite at the rear, a guest bedroom, an office which could easily become a bedroom, guest bath, a library, a laundry room, an ironing room, and a library. You won't find many houses in Key West that have this much attention to detail as this home.

Real work gets done in the office at 1503 Washington Street. A buyer who wants a home office won't need to be too creative to move right in and set up shop.  Maybe mergers and acquisitions got done in Connecticut. I will bet people who live in the cold north will jump at the chance to move their home office to Key West.

CLICK HERE to view more photos of 1503 Washington Street.

1503 Washington Street is listed by Preferred Properties Key West. That is where I work but this is not my listing.  This home has 2845 sq ft of living space situated on a 4698 sq ft lot. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet on this home that is offered at $2,200,000.  Better than looking at photos, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this wonderful Key West property.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. If you buy this home, you will have a Key West home by Christmas next year.