713 Galveston Lane - Key West

Therefore, on Galveston Lane, I made arrangements to purchase a parrot who said Jesus, Mary, Joseph at the trilling of a bell, the sight of a monstrance or a cracker.
                                                                         -- Thomas McGuane, Panama

What was once old is new again.  The little Conch Cottage at 713 Galveston Lane was just listed by Preferred Properties at $389,000.  This adorable 672 sq ft house is a one bedroom/one bath home that sits on a 2220 sq ft (31' X 71.67') lot.  The interiors have all been renovated including new wood floors in living room and bedroom, new windows, drywall, and central air. The new kitchen features solid wood cabinets with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. The laundry room has GE front loading washer and dryer and some extra storage.  There is off street parking in front and a nice sized rear deck. There is room for a pool!

This property is currently tenant occupied and it is set up for long term living. However, a new owner who wants a Key West getaway type of place would likely have less furniture and more art. CLICK HERE to view more photos that I took of this property.  I think there is room for a nice sized pool if a part of the rear deck were removed.  The fencing is first-rate. The rear could look more attractive with less umbrellas and more landscaping. 

View from the front porch looking across Galveston Lane

Readers may not know where Galveston Lane is located. The photo immediately below is an aerial photo taken many years ago. I added a bright arrow to show the location of 713 Galveston Lane. The large street in the middle of the photo is Elizabeth Street which intersects with Angela which jogs to the right and becomes Windsor Lane.  The intersection is located at the top of Solares Hill, the highest point in Key West. Houses in this area are in the X Zone for flood insurance purposes.  Flood insurance is not required of folks who live in a property in the X Zone. That translates into significant long term savings on insurance.  Galveston Lane is at the bottom left.

When I learned of this new listing I searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps for Key West to see if I could determine when this cottage was built.  The short answer is that I could not definitely find out. But I did see all of the cottages on Galveston Lane starting in the 1892 map.  Except Galveston Lane was then called "Low's Alley."  The house number was "13".  In 1899 the lane name was changed to "Lowe's Alley" and the house numbered "711" if I read the map correctly.  Lowe's Alley was changed to Galveston Lane in the 1912 map. 713 Galveston Lane is clearly identified on the 1912 map. After that I dug into the shoebox and found a photo of 713 Galveston Lane that taken in 1965. I took the color photo just below showing 713 Galveston Lane as it looks in April 2014.

The house to the immediate right has also been updated. The house to the left is now undergoing renovation.  A couple of years ago this little lane looked kind of forlorn.  Now most of the houses have been renovated. 713 Galveston Lane is in move-in condition and ready for a new owner.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this charming cottage home that is located three blocks from Duval Street on one of the slow lanes in Key West.  Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise. 

1410 Duncan Street - Key West, Florida

Just listed by Preferred Properties, that's where I work but this is not my listing, 1410 Duncan Street in Key West, Florida.  This home looks as good on the inside as it does on the outside.  It is super clean and super cute. You won't be needing to fix anything before you start living your dream come true.  The interiors have been freshly updated interior which includes a new eat-in kitchen that opens out to the pool. The living area has a built-in media wall. The wood floors and crisp white doors, baseboards, and trim shine and make this place ooze charm. The guest bedroom is located on the main floor. The master bedroom with ensuite bath occupy the entire second floor. There is even an outdoor sky shower with a treetop view of Key West. The home has covered off street parking, a beautiful pool, a white picket fence in front, and lots of charm.

 

 1410 Duncan Street has previously been rented as a vacation rental. The current owner has not rented the property. This property would appeal to a lot of single people and couples who want a charming place in old Key West to spend a month or more.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls on this home that is offered for sale at $795,000.

I found an the black and white photo of the house that was taken in 1965.  I took the color photo just below. Don't you wish we could all look that great 49 years later.  The listing Realtor describes this 1492 sq ft house as "Charming immaculate historic 2BR / 2BA 2-story Conch cottage in Old Town Key West on a quiet street that's perfect for the discerning buyer. What better way to enjoy Key West than to relax out on the front covered porch while taking in the island breezes or out on one of the porches off of the living room or bedroom. This beautiful home boasts hardwood floors throughout, French doors, high ceilings and Dade County Pine. The spacious kitchen with stainless steel appliances has a great view of the inviting heated pool with covered deck. The upstairs boasts a large master suite with a wonderful outdoor shower that overlooks the tropical foliage surrounding the property. Property also includes covered off street parking."

After Tennessee Williams discovered Key West he wrote to a friend and said
"This is the most fantastic place that I have been yet in America. It is even more colorful than Frisco, New Orleans or Santa Fe. There are comparatively few tourists and the town is the real stuff. It still belongs to the natives who are known as ‘conks.’ Sponge and deep sea fishing are the main occupations and the houses are mostly clapboard shanties which have weathered gray nets drying on the front porches and great flaming bushes of poinsettia in the yards. This is beginning to sound like very bad travel literature—but I do wish you were here. I am occupying the old servant’s quarters in back of this 90-year old house. It has been converted into an attractive living space with a shower. The rent is $7 a week. I shan’t do anything the next few weeks but swim and lie on the beach until I feel human again. Then I shall learn how to fish. A good fisherman can thumb his nose at all commercial enterprise in the world."

Can you imagine Key West on $7.00 a week or Key West with "comparatively few tourists"?  Ah, for the good ole days!  Tennessee Williams ended up buying the house down the street at 1410 Duncan Street.  He wrote "The Rose Tattoo" which became a movie starring Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani that was partially filmed in the house next door at 1421 Duncan Street in 1954. That house is now known as in Key West in 1954.  The Rose Tattoo House was in my blog in 2011 CLICK HERE. It is being renovated today.

I took a lot more photos of 1410 Duncan Street which you can see if you CLICK HERE.  After you have looked online, please call me to schedule a private showing or to give you more information.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  This property will sell quickly.  Do not wait.

1301 Newton Street, Key West, Florida

1301 Newton Street is located at the corner of Newton and Florida Streets in the Meadows Area of Key West or two blocks east of Old Town proper. The Monroe County Property Appraiser identifies this home as having been built in 1943. I know that is not right because we were still involved in World War II at that time and houses in the Old Town environs were not being built then. So I searched the Sanborn Fire Maps for Key West and found what I believe to be 1301 Newton Street on the 1892 Sanborn Fire Map. The city had not yet assigned street numbers to each property. To complicate matters the street name for the exact location was then called "Rawson" not Newton. However, the next block to the west was clearly identified as Newton Street.  No matter, I am confident that the house identified today as 1301 Newton Street existed as of 1892.  See the black and white photo below which shows how the house looked in 1965. Compare that with the color photo below.

Today you will see that the house has been renovated to include a second floor addition. The Property Appraiser's records do not show when the second floor addition was added.  I can tell you that I think it would be highly unlikely that a full second floor addition like that would be permitted today. That's not inferring anything negative about this property, but stating the HARC (Historic Architectural Review Commission) guideline against such a drastic redo. The second floor addition added 513 sq ft of living space. The main level now has 828 sq ft of interior living space. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet and listing photos.

 The listing Realtor, not me, describes 1301 Newton Street this way:

"The Meadows is one of the most desirable residential neighborhoods in Key West. This renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bath home has an open floor plan downstairs with fine wood floors and a cook's mod kitchen. French doors lead to an outside living/dining deck area with room for a hot tub. Downstairs has 2 bedrooms and full bath. The master suite is upstairs and there are French doors leading to a large and lovely tree-shaded balcony. On-street parking is easy! The lot is 1624 sf making this an extremely low-maintenance home. Neither off-street parking nor a swimming pool are possible. The simplicity and style of this home in this wonderful neighborhood presents an outstanding value. ONE BLOCK STROLL TO OLD TOWN."

The house sits behind a white picket fence. The front gate leads to a small courtyard entrance and pleasant front porch. I had shown this home many years ago. Even though I had reviewed the mls listing before showing this home, I was not prepared for the new more contemporary look this home has. I was really impressed by the openness and clean lines the owners used to make this home more adaptable to the way we live our lives today. The newly added pine floors shine and provide unifying look throughout the first and second floors.

The bright contemporary kitchen is located at the rear.  An innovative breakfast bar does double duty by providing eating space and storage space below.  The large kitchen window provides wonderful daytime light. Abundant nighttime light is also present. I mention nighttime light because too many redos under think the amount of light you need to cook a meal at night. 

There are two bedrooms located on the main floor. The larger of the two is located just off the kitchen. The other bedroom is located at the very front of the home. The main floor bath is quite large.  The laundry is also  laundry room is also located in the bathroom.

The entire second floor is the master suite. A door at the top of the stairs locks this area off from the kids or guests below. The space up here is quite large compared to most homes you'd expect to see in Old Town or Meadows Area homes. The master suite includes a sitting area or office area, large walk-in closet, large bathroom, and second floor deck. 

A set of French doors at the front of the bedroom lead to the second floor front deck that overlooks Newton Street below. The tree shown in the black and white photo at the top of today's blog has grown quite large. It provides natural shading for the house and particularly the deck. This would make the perfect perch for people watching.  

Windows and doors throughout this house have been recently replaced.  The exterior siding has been recently painted.  I did not see any deferred maintenance. Downstairs there is a deck located at the east rear side of the house. A gate from the front provides easy access for using this space for bike or sport storage.  The space is large enough to add a hot tub or outdoor dining.  The rear already provides lots of storage. Everything about this home is very well organized.

This house is in move-in condition.  It does not a pool or parking. There will never be a possibility of adding either. The house offers a lot of qualityy living space in the quiet Meadows Area of Key West. This area is a brief stroll to Old Town.  Most of the gyms and yoga studios are within easy walking distance.  Bayview Park is four blocks to the south. Most of the surrounding properties are single family residences. 

1301 Newton Street is offered for sale at $671,000.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this super clean Meadows Area home and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise.