807 Catherine Street - Key West

The listing Realtor describes 807 Catherine Street this way:

"This ideal centrally located Conch style home has been recently updated including a beautiful new bath and kitchen that includes stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and glass back splash. The charming home has very tall ceilings, Dade County Pine Walls, wood floors and a very nice floor plan. The living/dining area and kitchen are located at the rear of the home adjacent to a covered porch overlooking the private nicely landscaped rear yard with outdoor half bath and koi pond. Additionally there is a sleeping loft or storage area and lots of exterior storage."

This 856 sq ft home is set up like many other Conch style homes that have been updated. The entry hall goes in a straight line from the front door to the kitchen at the rear. The two bedrooms are located at the front of the house.

 This home has a good deal of exposed Dade County Pine incorporated into the interior walls. The entry hall almost looks like the walls are pickled (they aren't), but they offer a bit of a contrast to the somewhat darker walls in both bedrooms. The floors have a light finish to avoid monotony. The hallway folds into the great room with vaulted ceiling that includes a second level roost for meditating, writing, or maybe singing while your partner is preparing dinner. The indoor bathroom is located under the roost.

What happens next is pure Key West cool and can only happen here because of our year around moderate climate. The kitchen opens out to the outdoor dining area and rear deck. That space includes space for outdoor meal preparation, a separate outdoor bathroom, a small garden and a koi pond. The space is just precious. You can tell someone who loves life lives in this home. This is definitely a happy home.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this very cute home.

807 Catherine Street is offered at $649,500.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet. 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.

1513 Pine Street - Key West - Value for Your Money

1513 Pine Street - Key West - Offered at $1,195,000

If you are an active home buyer that is looking for quality and value up front plus affordable insurance costs and low maintenance fees year over year, the recently built home at 1513 Pine Street located in the Meadows Area of Key West is certainly a home to consider. I'll depart from the way I write most blogs and instead do a list of features that make this home standout.

(1) Date of Construction and Location. This home was built new in 2008. It is one of eight homes built just off Eisenhower Drive in The Meadows Area of Key West. The Garrison Bight Marina is located across the street. Key West's main city park, Bayview Park, is located two blocks to the north where today the city Christmas Tree will be lit. The hubbub of Old Town Key West is a long walk (ten minutes or so) or short bike ride (maybe six minutes) away. Key West's three shopping centers are a five minute car drive to the east.

(2) Size and Construction. This home is 1717 sq ft and sits on a fee simple lot 2628 sq ft lot (37.27' X 70.52'). This home is a corner lot which is sited adjacent to a community owned and maintained tropical landscaped nature basin.  The lot seems larger because the nearest neighbor to the east is located over a couple of hundred feet away. The architecture of the house evokes memories of a Grand Victorian with a turret and main level and second floor porches. The house was wood frame built on site. The siding is Hardieboard, a man made cement and fiber siding that looks like traditional wood lap siding, but which is rot and insect resistant. It is made to resist elements like our driving rain and hot sun. It will be years before the house needs to be repainted. Compare Hardieboard to traditional wood which takes a beating in the Florida Keys. And it is 90% fire resistant.  All windows are wind impact resistant. This home does have shutters, but they are decorative. The roof is metal. Gutters take water to rain water away from the property.  This home was built in accordance with Florida's stringent building codes after Hurricane Andrew. This means this home will qualify for the best discounts on wind and home insurance policies.

 (3) Interiors. Interior features include a gourmet kitchen with a home office tucked away in the turret. The ceilings rise 11 ft  high where they are wrapped with crown molding. The living room includes a built in media (includes cat 5 wiring with wifi technology) center plus a wet bar and wine cooler. There is a guest bath on the main level. A prominent stairway leads to the second floor where the guest bedroom is located in the rear. This room has a coved ceiling plus a en-suite bath. The master suite is both spacious and luxurious. The bedroom has a soaring cathedral ceiling which gives the room the sense of size, but it's the turret that gives the room a most comfy feeling. And who doesn't want to fee comfy in the bedroom? The bathroom rivals one you might find in a five star hotel with Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, boudoir lighting at the vanity, plus several closets which automatically light when the door is opened. A door leads from the bedroom out to the second level front porch.

(4) Pool and Parking. Two massive sliders open out from the living room onto the rear garden and pool area. A tall fence and landscaped yard add privacy to this space that includes a pool with waterfall plus a spa that overflows into the pool.  There is a landscaped side yard on either side of the house which allows the pool man easy access to maintain the pool. The west side yard is where you will find the pool equipment and two new air conditioners - this home has separate first and second floor A/C systems. There is a propane tank which fuels the gas range in the kitchen. (Lot's of houses in Old Town do not have gas but this one does.) There is even covered parking in the rear which is accessed via private gated driveway.

Buyers often use the Internet to do price comparison shopping. I entered four search cafeterias to compare 1513 Pine Street with other active listings in our mls. Those criteria included (1) location in the most desirable areas of Old Town, Casa Marina, or the Meadows; (2) properties sized between 1600 to 1800 sq ft; (3) must have a pool; (4) must have parking. Eight such houses are available as of November 29th. CLICK HERE to see those homes. The cost to insure this house are Citizen's Wind Insurance $753; Flood Insurance $766; Fire & Liability $1,867.  Compare that to the other houses. It won't be close.
 
 I am really excited about this new listing. The housing and rental market in Key West is on fire. There is so much demand for so few houses. To have such a beautiful and well-built home for sale is a true privilege.  Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this home. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

Happy Thanksgiving to My Dear Readers!

Happy Thanksgiving to my Dear Readers 

and to the Buyers and Sellers who have

chosen me to be their Realtor!

I love being the guy that 

gives new homeowners 

keys to their new Dream Home!

1428 White Street, Key West - Casa Marina Area

Just listed (but not by me) 1428 White Street in the Casa Marina Area of Key West, Florida.  This home was built in 2000 by David Wolkowsky, the man who built the world famous Pier House at the foot of Duval Street and who built many homes in Key West over the years. His properties are legendary.  This is one of those legendary homes.

Wolkowsky's homes are not reinterpretations of old Conch houses with white picket fences you would expect to see in Old Town. Instead, his homes evoke a sense of mystique, grandeur, and prominence. A story high privacy wall set off by two giant Balinese doors let visitors know that this must be someplace important.

The Balinese doors open to the a covered portico along the south side of the home which leads to the rear courtyard with its serene 34' X 10' pool with fountains at either end. The entire main floor of the home has travertine marble floors. The travertine extends out to the covered lanai. French doors in the living area are open to the lanai the garden and pool creating one magical living space.

The home has 1680 sq ft of refined living space divided between two floors. There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The first floor bedroom can alternatively be used as a den. The current owners use this space as a dining room. Two sets of double doors provide either privacy if the space is used as a bedroom or they can be left open and incorporate the area into the living room. The adjacent bath serves both the den/bedroom and the kitchen on the opposite wall.  Having the potential to use this space as a bedroom in later years is an option worth considering.  You never know when climbing stairs might become an issue.The kitchen has rich wood cabinets that reach to the ceiling. The kitchen door opens out to a secondary back entry off the parking area which makes bringing the groceries less of a chore.

The master suite is located at the rear. There is a dressing area just off the bedroom that leads to the bath. The en-suite bath features slate tiles on the floors and walls. The space is unexpectedly exotic. French doors open out from the master bedroom to the rear second floor balcony. The pool and garden are below.  The second floor guest suite is located on the front side of the house. The guest bedroom, bath, and dressing area run the front length of the house. Guests may feel so comfortable they may never want to leave.

The dog park, Doggie Beach, Higg's Beach, Salute on the Beach, the White Street Pier, the Queer Pier, and Louie's Backyard are all withing easy walking distance. Your dog will love you even more if you buy this house.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 1428 White Street which is offered for sale at $1,569,000. Then please call 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. I live in this area and can provide any buyer a wealth of information on the area and the homes.

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