1100 Angela Street - Key West - Bank Owned Legal Duplex

Attention bargain hunters! I know you are out there. I get emails and phone calls from people that still want to buy a bank owned property in Key West. It's getting more rare to see a bank owned property in Key West, especially in Old Town.  1100 Angela Street in Key West is a Bank Owned legal duplex described by the listing Realtor as:

"Two units, two stories, and two separate driveways make this Old Town corner property too good to miss! Hardwood floors, French doors, skylights, and patio decks with a Jacuzzi complement the street appeal of the main 2/2 Angela side house; the legal 1/1.5 Frances unit can serve as guest quarters or an attractive rental. You will find the Key West Cemetery is a quiet X zone neighbor; this locale is in the heart of historic Old Town Key West and ensures an easy stroll to all downtown amenities, restaurants, and nightlife."

1100 Angela Street first appeared in the 1899 Historic Sanborn Fire Maps. That block was omitted form the 1892 edition. So the house could have existed even before 1892.  Two houses, attached at the hip, are shown on the map.  I dug down into the old shoebox and found  a black and white photo of the property taken in 1965 that shows how the property looked then. The color photo underneath taken in 2014 shows the property from the same angle.  I am of the opinion the original rear cottage was razed, not renovated. There are new piers under the two story house whereas the main house has historic coral piers.  The interior of the two story house is very contemporary in design.  All interior and exterior construction materials suggest that this part of the structure is only about twenty years old. 

I looked at online building permit records and found that improvements were made to the property in 1997 and 2000. Those improvements include new decks, two hot tubs, and interior renovations. In recent years both units were rented. The front unit was rented as a vacation rental and the rear was a long term rental. Prior to being recently listed as a bank owned property, 1100 Angela Street was offered for sale as a 'short sale'.  Let's just say there was not a lot of enthusiasm by the prior owner to sell and thereby terminate the income stream. A long foreclosure eventually led to this property becoming a bank owned asset. During the long foreclosure process income was taken out of the property, but no improvements or repairs were made. As a result, the house needs painted and cleaned. When you look at the photos I took of the property, you will see deferred maintenance. Some of the French doors need replaced. There is some wood rot, but not a lot of it.

This property is located at the corner of Angela Street at Frances Street opposite the Key West cemetery. The location is notable because Angela Street becomes a one-way street at Frances and ends about 300 feet to the east at White Street. On the opposite side of Frances Street, Angela is a one-way street heading west as it traverses the cemetery.  The point is there is very little traffic on either one-way segment of Angela Street.  Nighttime traffic on Frances is but a trickle, as is the case for most streets in Old Town. And the neighbors to the west, well, let's just say they never make a peep.

The main portion of the house has a combined living/dining/kitchen area with French doors that open out to the side deck and spa.  The living room has a volume ceiling. That extra space really gives this home a special feel.  Whoever designed the kitchen forgot to put the refrigerator in the kitchen.  It is located in a small ante room along with the washer and dryer.

The second floor bedroom and bath are accessed via the spiral staircase.  There is a small deck off the bedroom area which overlooks the hot tub below. The master bedroom is located on the main level. Two sets of French doors open out to the deck and hot tub.  Those doors need replaced. I think the floor tile, as charming as it is, needs to go away as well. This is a nice space. The tile gives it a cold feeling.

The bathroom is located just off the first floor bedroom. It does double duty as a guest bath as well.

A new owner might elect to forgo one of the two off street parking spaces in order to free up some space for the installation of a pool.  I think there is room off either property to create a pool. I personally feel way too much space is presently devoted to a hot tub which may get used a couple of times a year.  But that is just me thinking out loud.

The apartment is configured with the living room, kitchen, and laundry closet on the first floor. Both the living room kitchen open out to a spacious wrap around deck for the apartment.  This would be a very easy place to rent. I expect an owner might get $1800 to $2000 per month for this space. The apartment needs painted but otherwise looks to be in very good condition.  (Some exterior wood needs replaced. But that is easy.)

The bedroom and bath occupy the entire second floor which also includes a good sized closet and a small office area.

CLICK HERE to view a lot more photos I took of 1100 Angela Street.  View the interior and exterior photos and imagine how you might revamp this legal duplex. Perhaps you might decide to make it into a single family house which I see as having a lot of potential. Look at the nearby homes. This is a great Old Town location which is also in the X zone for flood insurance purposes.

Next, CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datsheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this 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.

1221 #A Grinnell Street - Grinnell Gardens - Key West - Price Reduction

The asking prince on 1221 Grinnell Street # A, in the Grinnell Gardens gated community was just reduced to $710,000.

1221 Grinnell Street # A is a 1369 Sq Ft  single family two story revival (Conch house) offered at $720,000 or $522 per sq ft. The home sits on a fee simple lot of 1769 sq ft. The home, built in 1990, is wood frame construction with 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 one wall in the 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 which faces to the south.  A side gate opens to the designated off street parking space. There is an outdoor shower and laundry on the opposite side of the rear courtyard.

All three bedrooms are located on the second floor. The master bedroom with en-suite bath is located at the front of the house. The room is quite large. A door opens onto the second floor covered balcony which 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. The second floor space is just a bit larger than a two bedroom Shipyard condominium unit. If size matters to you, bigger may be better.

Three of town homes in the Grinnell Gardens complex 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 monthly HOA fee is just $170. As a home owner, you would be responsible for all building insurances and maintenance on your individual home. Remember, this property is owned in fee simple - just like a traditional home.

The Casa Marina area and beaches are located about six blocks to the south. Duval Street is a five block walk to the west. The shops, gyms, yoga studios, and neighborhood restaurants in the Arts District (vicinity of White and Truman) 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.

1319 Eliza Street Key West

If you love old houses but prefer contemporary design , you will love the freshly renovated property at 1319 Eliza Street that is located just one block south of Key West's Bayview Park.  Two historic smaller Key West cottages have been combined into a new single family residence with three bedrooms, two baths, a sleek kitchen and dining area, topped off by a voluminous living room filled with light that overlooks a large new pool with waterfall. The new home is crisp and clean.  It is bathed in the glorious Key West sunshine. Newly planted palms and garden accent the home but do not overwhelm it.  The star at this address is the understated but evident classic Key West architecture.

I dug into my old shoebox and found photos taken of the two original houses taken about fifty years ago.  The photos show the clean lines even back then. Note that 1319 Eliza Street is a corner lot. The other house was previously identified as 1317 Eliza Street.  Both now share the 1319 Eliza Street address. Notes on the back of each photo says the houses were built in 1906.

If you look at the old photos you can appreciate the creativity of the new design and all of the hard work that went into the reinvention of space and thoughtful use of construction elements. The old piers were replaced; new wiring and plumbing installed; and new roofs attached. Both historic homes had sawtooth additions. The sawtooth at 1319 Eliza is now the kitchen. The sawtooth at 1317 Eliza appears to have been expanded into a much larger space that is now the living and dining area that spans and connects the sister houses.

The photo second above and the one just above were taken in the same approximate location about fourteen months apart.  The old louver windows at 1317 Eliza were replaced with new energy efficient windows.

The angles are a bit off but the spaces are the same, again photographed about fourteen months apart. It is absolutely amazing the transformation that has taken place in this property.

The top photos shows the original front room at what once was 1317 Eliza Street. It shows the front door and entry hall with a Dade County Pine wall separating the smallish room from the hallway. That wall was removed which was transformed into a marvelous new master bedroom. The second room was divided into two spaces: a spacious master bath and a large closet.

There are two bedrooms that share a Jack and Jill bath in the 1319 Eliza house. There is an additional full bath as well. New floors, windows, lighted closets, air conditioning, ceiling fans, and a really cute bathroom make these spaces functional and attractive.

 The "old" kitchen, which was anything but old, was replaced by a sleek new kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a farmer's sink, island with marble top, and chic lighting fixtures that gave the space a special punch. 

The new addition bridges the two original houses so that they become a much larger and much more functional single family home. The kitchen, dining, and living room spaces each have sets of French doors that look out to the new pool. 

None of the neighboring properties have a view into the pool. There is plenty of room to add a poolside cabana or to create some shady space.  CLICK HERE to view all the photos I took of 1319 Eliza Street.

1319 Eliza Street is offered at $1,495,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of this terrific property. After you have taken an online look, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing. I am sure you will be as equally impressed with this home as I was.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.