409 Grinnell Street - Key West - Price Reduction

The two story Conch house at 409 Grinnell Street has been lovingly updated and looks picture perfect  The house first appeared in the 1889 Sanborn Fire Maps for Key West. I was surprised to learn that the adjacent Elgin Lane was named "Hidalgo Alley" in 1889.  As I looked through the old shoe box for photos of the property, I found a photo of a former resident that was taken in about 1918 - during World War I.  The photo shows Lawrence Higgs who was an inspector for the Florida East Coast Railway. The black and white photo below Mr. Higgs was taken in 1965 and shows how the house presumably looked for decades.  The color photo beneath shows the same property as it appeared in April 2011 - before the current owners purchased it. Note the metal louvers on the front and sides.  These louvers were replaced by real windows during the recent renovation. The owner told me that drywall covered two upstairs windows on the Elgin Lane side. New windows were added, the Dade County Pine walls were sanded and sealed. The floors were sanded and refinished.  Two difficult small bedrooms became one large bedroom filled with light. Little changes were made throughout the house.  Living spaces became a bit more user friendly for today's lifestyle. But the renovation kept the original character in tact.

The listing Realtor describes 409 Grinnell Street as:

"Beautifully renovated 2-story Old Town home located a few blocks from the Historic Sea Port. This grand Key West home displays Dade County Pine and a picture perfect interior. The 45' deep by 27' back yard includes an outdoor shower & plenty of room for a nice pool, decking, and garden."

When I first started selling houses in Key West in 1996, a time before almost every place had granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, and designer baths,, houses looked more like 409 Grinnell save the 1950's appliances. 

Drywall from an earlier renovation was removed. Much of the original Dade County Pine walls, ceiling, and floors remained intact and in very good condition.  The original wood walls were sanded and had a clear sealer added.  The trim was painted a crisp white to make the wood walls appear more robust.  The floors were all sanded and refinished. The house now has a uniform look throughout without having a "staged" look. Let me tell you there is a world of difference between original floors and some of the stuff retailers are passing off today. The closet under the elegant staircase became a wine storage room sans temperature control. It works - naturally.

The first floor has a bedroom which currently has an overly large bed and armoire that makes the room seem pretty small. The room is fine. It's the furniture that is perhaps too big for the room. The adjacent bath does "double duty" so to speak. The bath doubles as a guest bath. The bathroom is quite large. Notice the Dade County Pine walls and ceiling and the old style tiled floor. The bath tub hearkens bath to yesteryear as well. An opaque window provides lots of light and lots of privacy.

As soon as you enter the house your eyes are drawn through the living area then past the dining room where you see the kitchen. You see an old refrigerator and smile. Cute. Must be a gimmick - a piece of nostalgia.  Not so. When you look more closely you see the Crosley Refrigerator and the Kelvinator double oven stove with polished chrome top. Both appliances have been totally restored. The original temperature settings in the Kelvinator oven still guide the cook as the best method for making real meals (not the nuked kind so many people eat today).

The beautiful stairway leads to the second floor landing which then leads to three bedrooms on this floor. The bedroom on the Elgin Lane side was previously two small rooms where drywall covered the window at the rear. An interior wall was removed to create a larger bedroom.  The front covered balcony is adjacent. You might have your morning coffee while watching tourists and locals stop by the Old Town Bakery just across the street and down on the corner. If I lived here I'd be ever so fat. That bakery ought to be declared a sin for the pastries are sinfully delicious.

A second bedroom is located on the south side.  The third bedroom is located at the rear. It is smallish and makes a good den for the current owners. There is but one second floor bath. It is, however, quite large.

The rear of this property is still pretty much a blank canvas where a new owner could create his or her or their vision of the idyllic Key West back yard with pool or whatever. The space is quite large and provides adequate room for a pool. Constructing a pool would be pretty easy because a contractor could temporarily take down the fence on Elgin Lane, dig the pool and surface it, and then restore the fence. By the way, the laundry and a cute outdoor shower are located in the backyard as well.
CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this cute Key West home.

409 Grinnell Street is now offered for sale at $997,000 or $652 per sq ft for this 1688 sq ft four bedroom/two bath home. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to see listing photos. After you have looked at that, please contact 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.

Happy New Year 2014 from Key West

It's the morning after the night before when Sushi descended from the Bourbon Street Pub to welcome in the New Year in Key West.

I found the Sushi photo on Instagram where someone posted it as "best photo ever".  I took the photo below. Note the two city workers guarding the police barricades to prevent someone from walking away with a couple of hundred pounds of iron. (I had to wait seven to ten minutes to take this photo.  Two garbage trucks stopped in front of the bar while workers picked up yellow trash containers and loaded them on the trucks. Two huge street cleaning machines and five or six "chase" vehicles stopped to wait for the workers to complete their pickups. The work crew reluctantly picked up their pace, loaded the trucks, and left. The machines swept and sprayed the street. The chase vehicles followed.  The two guardians of the barricades did not move an inch.) 

In a few days I will write my year end summary of real estate sales in Key West.  But for now I'll simply say what is quite obvious to the real estate agents and "active" buyers who are seeking a place in Key West, the pickings are slim and the prices are rising. Several properties I have written about in the past few weeks went under contract within days of being listed.  

CLICK HERE to search the Key West Association of Realtors mls. This is the real website that Realtors post listing information. Viewers see what is available in "real time" as opposed to other shadow sites that sometimes offer stale or dated information.  If you want to buy, you need real time information.

If you are not working with a Realtor, please consider working with me, Gary Thomas.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Contact me at 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com.  Maybe you will have a place in Key West to call home on January 1, 2015.  Wouldn't that be great!

1221 Grinnell Street # A - Grinnell Gardens Town Home - Key West

Just listed by Preferred Properties, that is where I work but this is not my listing, 1221 Grinnell Street # A, a beautiful fee simple home in the Grinnell Gardens, a small gated community of 7 units with a large shared pool located in Old Town Key West.

1221 Grinnell Street # A is a 1369 Sq Ft  two story revival (Conch house) offered at $749,000 or $550 per sq ft. The home sits on a fee simple lot of 1769 sq ft. The home, built in 1990, is wood frame construction, traditional wood siding, and metal roof. Wood storm shutters flank the front, side and rear of the house. The main floor has a traditional home look with modern combined living, dining, and kitchen areas. A large built in bookcase dominates living room. A small alcove off the living room leads to the main floor guest bath and a storage closet. French doors at the end of the dining area open out to the private rear courtyard with direct access to the designated parking space on one side and on the other is the laundry area plus a private outdoor shower.

 The three bedrooms are located on the second floor. The master bedroom with en-suite is located at the front of the house. The room is quite large. A door opens onto the second floor covered balcony that overlooks the pool. The are two guest bedrooms which share the hallway bath.  One bedroom is fairly good sized while the third works well with a single bed and a small dresser.  Bunk beds or a crib would work just fine in this space. 

Three of town homes in this complex three have private pools. The remaining four homes share the heated community pool and large outdoor space. The common areas include the lush gardens and off street parking area. The home owner association maintains the pool and common areas. The monthly HOA fee is just $170. As a home owner, you would be responsible for all building insurances and maintenance. Remember, this property is owned in fee simple. 

The Casa Marina area and beaches are located about six blocks to the south. Duval Street is a five blocks to the west. The shops, gyms, yoga studios, and neighborhood restaurants in the Arts District are a five minute walk to the north. This property might work as a vacation rental. The location and sunny pool will surely appeal to returning guests.   CLICK HERE to view more photos of this property.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this home. If you would like to schedule a visit to see this terrific home, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

202 Southard St #6 - Transient Licensed Shipyard Condo - Key West

 

 

202 Southard Street #6 is a transient licensed Shipyard Condominiums at Truman Annex addition to Key West. Truman Annex is located just two blocks from historic Duval Street and all of the attractions that make Key West a world class destination.  The listing Realtor describes the listing this way:

"Fabulous opportunity to own a 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo in Truman Annex. First floor unit with large rear deck. Just steps away from the pool. Perfect home away from home. Condo comes with a transient license allowing for 26 weekly rentals. Just steps from Duval and an easy stroll to the beach. Excellent income producer."

                   202 Southard Street #6 pictured above. Lower photo is view from the front.

This unit is similar in layout to most other two bedroom/one bath units.  The kitchen and dining/living area is one the left side, and the two bedrooms with a shared bath are on the opposite side. French doors at the rear open out to the rear deck and ground level garden area.  A small walking lane is located behind the units. The lane leads to the off street parking spot and the community pool.

Returning visitors to Key West love the location, comfort, and security that Truman Annex provides. Guest who stay in this unit will especially love this location because it's hard to get lost when the place you are staying is located near the guard booth at the entrance to the complex. People do get lost, especially people who have had the extra cocktail.  The location is within walking distance to Ft Zach Taylor State Park and Beach.  The pool is only a minute or so walk, but I'll bet you more guests will head off to the beach to enjoy the sun and ocean.  At night the Green Parrot and other nearby establishments provide music, food, and cocktails.  During season the Waterfront Playhouse at Mallory Square and the Red Barn Theater offer live performances that feature many local talents. Day or night, there's always something to do and whatever it is, it is within easy walking distance of Truman Annex.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos.  Better than that, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a showing of this unit.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.