415 Frances Street Key West, Florida - A Classic Bahamian Eyebrow House

The recently listed house at 415 Frances Street in Old Town Key West is described by the listing Realtor, not me, as:

"This beautiful example of a classic Bahamian eyebrow style home has been totally renovated from top to bottom. The first floor of the main house includes a formal living room with exposed Dade Pine walls, study/den which could possibly be a 4th bedroom, full bath and gorgeous great room. The great room features a vaulted ceiling, built-in cabinetry, recessed lighting and granite countertops and stainless appliances in the kitchen. Upstairs are two large, sunny guest bedrooms. The separate cottage is a private master suite with vaulted ceiling and multiple sets of French doors opening onto the large deck and access through the bath to a private deck with outdoor shower. There is an inground pool, off-street parking and lots of outdoor space."

I have shown this home several times over the many years I have been selling homes in Key West.  It has always been a favorite of mine because of the classic lines of the main house, the inviting rear cottage, and the spacious and sunny pool that separates the two buildings. The first home I owned at 511 Eaton Street had the same style delicate French doors at the front entry. Those doors have been retained and create a gracious entrance into this beautiful home. The most recent update put this home in move-in condition for a new owner. Nothing needs to be done or fixed. The interiors glisten. The home has been freshly painted throughout. Side and rear windows and doors have been replaced by wind impact resistant windows. The roof on the main house was replaced. The effect of these updates will reduce the cost of windstorm insurance for the new owner.

I dug into the old shoebox to see if I could find a photo of the house before any renovations were done. I did find a photo taken in 1965. Contrast that black and white photo with the color photo immediately below. Note the original "windows" were actually louvers - a metal shutter device used in many older Key West homes before electricity and way before air conditioning.  Note also the slant of the rear portion of the roof. You will see the angle is less pronounced than the front portion. This slant created additional head space on the second floor to allow for the two rooms to be used as bedrooms.  You will also see a shed addition that attaches to the rear of the main house. Anybody familiar with the house as it existed almost fifty years ago would be pleased with the sensitive transformation to the property it has become. I found 415 Frances Street on the 1889 Sanborn Fire Map for Key West. That means the original house was built before 1889.

The old louvers were replaced with impact windows and doors except the front windows. Bahamian style shutters cover the other windows for decorative purposes. The front porch was beefed up with substantial columns and a new banister added to create a wonderful porch for sitting and watching the world go by.  A white picket fence, off street parking spot, and a couple of palm trees and other tropical foliage complete the classic eyebrow house look.

Inside, you will see the original house was and is still divided into quadrants. Main floor left is the formal living area. Main floor right is a small bedroom or study. The main floor bath is located behind the front main floor bedroom or study.  There are two bedrooms located on the second floor.

The open family room, dining area, and kitchen are located in the addition to the rear of the main house.  It appears to me this space was created in two separate additions to the original house. Whatever the case, the new spaces look great and provide an inviting space to kick back and enjoy the this user friendly home.  During the winter the French doors open out to the sunny pool and newly rebuilt deck. During the summer the doors are most likely kept shut to keep the cool inside.

The cottage at the rear of the property was also recently updated. New impact doors were added. These doors open out to the sunny pool. Consider how many houses you may have looked at in Old Town that have "dip" or "cocktail" pools and lots of trees or tall neighboring houses that block sun.  Ain't gonna happen here. This home has a large pool, lots of sun, and no tall neighboring houses to diminish your privacy or take away your sun.

The interior of the master suite is so tastefully outfitted.  Plantation shutters provide privacy when needed and open to reveal the pool when desired. The huge double vanity and closet are located behind the bedroom area. The W/C is off by itself. There is both an indoor and outdoor shower ( a must-have in my opinion). And there is a wrap around the house deck that provides some private sunning space for an all over tan.

Buyers who want to purchase a home they can rent as a monthly vacation rental will be pleased to learn that this home has been rented this way for several years.  You won't need to create a market for renters to find this home. They already know about the great location near the seaport and the convenient walk to Duval Street which is near enough.

415 Frances Street is offered for sale at $1,425,000 for this four bedroom two bath home with a total of 1849 sq ft of living space.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for more information and more photos.

After you have view the facts, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a personal tour of this home.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise.  

1524 5th Street - Key West, Florida ~ A Place for Mom!

The newly listed 1968 era ranch style home located at 1524 5h Street in the MidTown area of Key West will appeal to cost conscious buyers who want space, value, new upgrades that will reduce windstorm insurance costs, and that does not need any new improvements to move in that is priced under $400,000.  That sounds like a lot of conditions, but this house can meet those.

According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this 1468 sq ft home is a three bedroom, two bath house built on a 96' x 54' lot.  The records show the house benefited from recent Federal Aviation Administration $44,000 in grants in 2006 that provided for the installation of a new metal roof, new windows and doors, new Miami Dade code compliant shutters, new electrical update to operate the newly installed air conditioner, and new insulation.  The value of the upgrades will benefit this property for years as it will benefit the surrounding neighbors who received similar upgrades.
 It looks to me like the property just received some new updates that include new tile flooring throughout the main house and newly painted interior and exterior walls.  I might have picked a color other than brown for the interior wall, but the outside looks very clean.

There is a back door that opens from the master bedroom out to the back yard. A new owner might change the opening to a French door, build a small covered patio, and add a pool. The back yard is a barren slate right now.  It's hard to believe a house that is 46 years old has such an empty back yard. But this one does. A new owner can be very creative with a property like this. You save money by not having to remove decades of old growth and getting permits to make ugly trees go away. You'll still have to obey the rules for what you do create.

 This house comes with a place for mom - an accessory unit that has two exterior entrances on the south side of the house. Mom can come and go whenever she wants and not disturb you and the family.  She'll have her own separate mini-split A/C, bathroom, and a living area with cabinets.

1524 5th Street is offered for sale at just $399,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.  I took more photos which you can view if your CLICK HERE.

Better than looking at photos, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to see this home that has the extra value of having a place for mom including in a very attractive asking price.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you and mom find your place in Paradise.

3529 Sunrise Drive, Key West, Florida

Matthew Broderick and Tom Cruise were born in 1963.  3529 Sunrise Drive in Key West Florida was built in 1963.  Each will become 51 years old in 2014.  The two movie stars take good care of themselves and probably look better than a lot of people their age.  Men and women who workout and take care of their bodies, skin, and hair normally look better than those who don't.

A lot of my buyers are in their fifties. Many probably grew up in a house built in the 1960s when contemporary design was the trend.  The house at 3529 Sunrise Drive was custom built by the owner who has lovingly maintained this property ever since.  The house is big. The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows this house as having 3378 sq ft of interior living space. The house sits on an 8937 sq ft lot (138' X 65') just across the street from the Riviera Canal that ends a few blocks to the east where water flows into the Atlantic Ocean.  The houses across the street benefit from being located on the water.  This house is every bit as nice or nicer than most of the original houses in the area.  And the houses across the street all cost a whole lot more than this house.

The home at 3529 Sunrise Drive incorporates many of the features of large suburban homes built during the early 1960s including multiple living levels, large rooms, vaulted ceilings, and large outdoor living areas. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Everything you want in Key West living. Plenty of room both inside and out for entertaining or just relaxing with the family. Vaulted ceilings and large rooms make the interior exceedingly livable. A walled lot, lush landscaping, large pool and several covered outside seating areas along with offstreet, covered parking make this an ideal property. This is a home that you can live in tomorrow or add personal touches to create your own island oasis."

Events, styles, trends, fads, they all last for a while but many impact our lives for years or decades into the future. When you are young, you tend to live in the moment. As you get older, you learn that not everything in the world revolves around you. As you get much older, you may learn that what you do or say or think is of no consequence to anybody. That's sort of what happens to styles, trends and fads-they get ignored or displaced or even replaced. Styles that were hip become passe. Maybe that's why for many people buying a house in the Old Town area of Key West is so safe: old is always popular there. Even cherished.

If you are old enough to remember the 1960s you will recall the space race and the New Frontier. You will remember the forward thinking we embraced. Our TV, our culture, our furniture and home goods, and our architecture reflected the hopes and dreams as aspirations of that time. Some homes today still have fallout shelters that were built in the 1960s, a different and sad face of the culture of that time.

The home at 3529 Sunrise Drive incorporates many of the features of large suburban homes built during the early 1960s including multiple living levels, large rooms, vaulted ceilings, and large outdoor living areas. It is time for buyers to consider houses like this that have plenty of good years left as alternatives to much more expensive homes in the Old Town and Casa Marina areas.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

" Everything you want in Key West living. Plenty of room both inside and out for entertaining or just relaxing with the family. Vaulted ceilings and large rooms make the interior exceedingly livable. A walled lot, lush landscaping, large pool and several covered outside seating areas along with off street, covered parking make this an ideal property. This is a home that you can live in tomorrow or add personal touches to create your own island oasis."

3529 Sunrise Drive is a big house located a on a large lot on the east side of Key West- just about four blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. It is far removed from the hub bub of Old Town. This is a family area and this is a very nice family home that has been well maintained during its lifetime.  CLICK HERE to view a slide show with lots of photos of this home. This property is listed by Preferred Properties, but it is not my listing. It is offered at $899,000. And CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls data sheet.

If you would like to see this blast from the past, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a visit. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

1621 Rose Street, Key West - Bank Owned

If you are looking for a reasonably priced home in great Key West neighborhood, you might want to consider either 1621 Rose Street #1 and #2 Key West, Florida.  These two town homes are Bank Owned by a local Key West bank.  The listing Realtor describes the homes this way:

"Spacious 3Br/3Bth en-suite condo w/private heated pool located Very Close to the Casa Marina area. Built in 2008. This condo offers a BR & Bath down and two BR's upstairs w/Jacuzzi tubs. The rear BR has a deck overlooking the pool. Laundry room has full sized washer & dryer. Kitchen has granite counter tops. Rear yard has mature vegetation and plenty of space to relax and entertain. Close to several of the beaches, Rest Beach, Higgs and Smathers Beaches. Walk down to White Street Pier to watch the daily water sports enthusiasts or take a romantic evening stroll and watch the moon and stars reflect on the ocean. Mid Town location is excellent. There are only 2 condos, side by side with same amenities, off street parking, both are for sale."

These homes are each 1439 sq ft and are identical in every way except they are mirror images of each other.  They each feature stucco siding, what I believe to be impact windows and doors, metal roofs, a large sunny pool with waterfall surrounded by Trex decking. The asking price on each home is $565,000 or $293 per sq ft.  That is a lot of house in Key West for the asking price. CLICK HERE  to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet on this property.  Remember, there is no homeowner association or home owner fees to be paid. Each owner is responsible for individual maintenance and insurance. 

The master bedroom with en-suite bath is located on the second floor. The master bath includes two individual vanities, Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, linen closet, and WC.   

 

The laundry room and a separate storage closet are both located off the second floor hallway. A spacious second bedroom is located at the rear. It has French doors that open out to a covered rear porch that overlooks the backyard and pool with waterfall. The second bedroom has an en-suite bath nearly as large as the master suite.  Two co-equal homeowners would find either bedroom acceptable.

The second floor decking is traditional wood. However, the main level and pool surround is Trex Deck - a composite material which requires low maintenance. The Trex deck will stand up to Key West's tropical climate and that will save the new homeowner money.

I took many more photos of both properties which you can see if you CLICK HERE. But better than looking at photos, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this attractive property.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.