720 Simonton Street (Rear), Key West, Florida

A few years ago I started to use the term "slow lanes of Key West" as a counterpoint to places up north in America where people live their lives in the fast lane. You know what I mean.  People who live lives driven by ambition and accumulation. People who buy things for show and blow. Down here hardly anything ever happens on a slow lane. Hardly anybody ever sees what's going on because most people here don't care what you "have" or what you "do" or how "rich" you are. And most people won't be driving their cars or riding their bikes or even walking their dogs past your house unless it is on a regular path.  That is why many owners prefer to own a home on a slow lane - they can live their lives pretty much uninterrupted.

The little house at the far end of 720 Simonton Street is just such a place. I dug into the old shoebox and found a photo taken half a century ago of this same small cottage. The cottage sits at the rear of a private drive (deeded) that enters off Simonton Street between the Gardens Hotel to the north and Petronia Street to the south. You'll probably recognize the contemporary house located next to the driveway. I found a photo of the old commercial building that occupied the same location years ago.

I found more photos of other surrounding houses that all appear to have been built around the same time. They all share that tree lined drive from Simonton Street to where it ends in a large gravel parking area for the homes located there. I recently showed 720 Simonton Street Rear and remembered that I had been back in this hidden area years ago but did not return because I had no need to go there. I get amazed at how hidden some places are. This is one of them.

 The listing Realtor describes 720 Simonton Street Rear this way:

"Live In The Heart Of Key West Just Steps From All The Attractions On Duval Street! Cozy Cottage Located Off A Quiet Lane In Old Town With Deeded Off-street Parking. One Bedroom, One Bathroom, Living-dining Area, And Galley Kitchen. Sliders Open On Front And Back Of Home To Two Separate Privacy Fenced Decks."

As soon as you pass the gated entry you realize this cottage is no cigar maker cottage. Instead, it is slice of life of mid-century American architecture complete with glass slider doors that provide ample daytime illumination of the living area located on the other side of the wide deck.

 The four room house is easy to understand. The living room and dining area are located in front. The galley kitchen and bathroom are located in the middle of the house. And the spacious bedroom is located at the rear where there is another set of sliders that open out to a rear deck.  Notice all the closet space in the bedroom. This place just seems to offer so much living space as compared to some cigar maker cottages where sometimes rooms are cramped. If you are reaching your 'golden years' you'll appreciate that all rooms are located on one level. There are no stairs, no spiral staircase, and no ship's ladder or other contraption to complicate your life or mobility. And your off street parking spot it located right outside your front door. CLICK HERE to see more photos.

720 Simonton Street rear is zoned  HNC (1-3) which may allow for future transient rental which would require the purchase of a transient rental license at additional expense. This property does not have a transient license and may not be rented transiently at this time. Some abutting properties do have transient rental licenses. 720 Simonton Street rear could rented as a monthly vacation rental. I think this would make an excellent vacation rental property even without a pool. There is room for a hot tub. That could add some wow power to the property. This property is located one block off Duval Street but far from the noise and hullabaloo.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 720 Simonton Street rear which is offered for sale at $519,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

809 Eaton Street Key West - Bank Owned - Buying Opportunity

809 Eaton Street in Key West just became a Bank Owned Property. It is an historic house. It is a very large house with 6 bedrooms 5 1/2 baths, a pool, a guest cottage, two off street parking places, and an incredible street presence. It is priced beyond the means of most potential buyers. But it is an incredible buying opportunity for the buyer who wants to own a significant home in a great Old Town Key West location. It is offered for sale at $1,995,000.

The front section of the house stands three stories tall and appears to resemble an eyebrow house in construction except that it has wrap-around balconies on the first and second levels. The front portion of the house dates back to circa 1840.  I found a photo of the property taken in 1965 which shows the front portion, a sawtooth addition, and an extension. The building was meticulously restored in the early 2000s and was was featured in the Old Island Foundation House Tour in 2005.

The house is typical of other Bahamian styled homes of that era located in the immediate neighborhood. Many of the Key West's founding fathers were expatriates from the Bahamas. They brought with them the architectural style and construction techniques with which they were familiar.  Bahamian styled houses were placed on piers and had wood frames and had tall ceilings and large windows with Bahama shutters which permitted air to circulate through the house to provide natural cooling. The houses were built with wood clapboard siding. I stood on the front porch of this home a couple of days ago and noted the extra wide siding which suggested to me that the wood used was quite old when the house was built around 1840. That suggested that the trees used in construction must have dated back to the founding of our country or even before. Old growth lumber only comes from old trees.  The wood inside the house is Dade County Pine and would be of similar age. Dade County Pine is as tough as petrified lumber.  This house is about as solidly built as any you are apt to find.  Look at the photo immediately below and notice the tiny window just under the roof as it slopes downward. That window is located at floor level on the third floor. In the time before central air conditioning the windows and doors could remain open to ventilate the house. The architecture was not only graceful but also functional. The graceful style survives.

I believe that the original main floor wood walls were removed to provide a grand open space. The configuration today provides a semi-formal dining room on one side and a large living area on the other. Large posts and beams appear to have been added to support the weight of this massive building. An elegant stairway at the rear provides access to the second floor.

I have been inside numerous eyebrow houses in Key West. They all have a similar interior layout which includes a center hallway with rooms on either side on the ground floor. Rooms on the second floor vary depending on the size of the house. Smaller houses have one bedroom on either side and perhaps a narrow passage on one side of the second floor stairway landing which might lead to the rear where a bathroom has been added. Some larger homes have a larger bathroom addition with doors leading from the bedrooms on either side. This home has  two large bedrooms on the second floor each of which has private baths and a large hallway with a set of stairs that goes up to the third floor where there are two more bedrooms which share a bath at the rear. A dormer with a bank of windows looks off to the Gulf of Mexico just a couple of blocks to the north. A few years ago you could see the water from the window. Today trees have grown so tall that the water views are pretty much obscured. But the blue skies and white clouds still illuminate that room in the daytime.

The two additions seen in the old black and white photo were reconfigured to provide an open living and kitchen area with high vaulted ceilings. A bank of French doors at the rear open out to the covered rear deck that looks down toward the rear gardens, pool, and guest cottage.

The kitchen is even larger than the photos suggest. There is a butler's pantry at the rear of the kitchen where there is a side door that leads to the off street parking spot on the lane. This makes delivery of groceries and beverages a breeze. Your caterer will love this! There is a main level bedroom with en-suite bath located just off the great room. It has a set of French doors that open out to the covered rear elevated veranda. The guest cottage at the rear expanded the total living area to 4712 sq ft (per Monroe County Property Appraiser records). The irregularly lot runs 57' X 125' or around 7079 sq ft. The house sits at the corner of picturesque Caraballo Lane where one of the two off street parking spots is located.

If you look carefully you'll see a whole house generator tucked away at the end of the pool. There's plenty of space to get a famous Key West tan here. The guest cottage can be accessed via gate and pathway from the Eaton Street entrance or off the lane entrance. Guests can come and go without disturbing anyone.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing or to provide more information on this exciting new bank owned property. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This property is owned by a local bank. Decisions will be made locally and will be made promptly. Don't miss out on this exciting buying opportunity of an important historic home.

Key West Properties Blog - 2014 - A Retrospective

I previously wrote about my picks for the top 20 single family home sales in Key West for 2014. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to look back to see some of the properties that I wrote about in 2014 to see what happened to those properties.

January 14, 2014 - 1021 Washington Street, the Casa Marina Area of Key West

This property was re-listed by a different company this year after having been on the market for several years. It recently went under contract. I think this is one of the most beautiful homes in all of Key West. I hope the new owners don't do a thing to it or the large parcel of ground that abuts it.

January 31, 2014 - 1309 Newton Street Key West

1309 Newton Street was a new bank owned foreclosure offered at only $249,900 way under what I considered market value. This pricing strategy generated a huge amount of interest and many offers. It sold for $290,000. The property is back on the market as a pre-sale for a to be built renovation priced at $1,150,000.

February 19, 2014 - Ronny Bailey Artist

I have done several blogs on one of the truly unique artists in Key West, Ronny Bailey.  He came into my office last February with his then most recent creation, a piece on 227 Julia Street.  We talked about the piece and I said I would like to take a photo of the art with the real house in the background. So we got in my car and drove to the site. He walked up to the owner's front door, knocked, and asked for permission to take a photo of the house. Permission was kindly granted and I went to work. I snapped a couple of good photos that day. If you click on the above date you can see the post and photos. I am particularly fond of the photo looking sideways down the street. It is as if the small art piece is actually the house.

February 27, 2014 - 810 Elizabeth Street

This property was a legal duplex with upside potential. I would have renovated this house and made it into a single family home. There was room for a pool in the back and potentially room for parking on the side. I got several phone calls and email inquiries from various people interested in this property that was originally priced at $740,000 and that eventually sold at $640,000. I drove by this property last week and had not noticed any changes - yet. I don't know if the new owner is going to renovate or keep the place as it is.  I think a lot of buyers want to renovate but sometimes come to realize that what existed for years might not be "broken" and might just work after all. I'll keep my eyes on this property just in case it becomes a Project of Key West in the future.

March 22, 2014 - 622 Grinnell Street

I have written about this big old house several times, and for good reason: I think it is one of the best deals in Key West. It's really big (as in tall) old (as in age) house. It's located on one the best blocks in Key West (quiet as in their aren't Conch trains or trolley cars on this block disturbing the peace). I think it has huge potential for a buyer who wants to transform a house with a lot of character into a grand home. It'll take a few hundred thousand to do it, but the end result would be well worth the time, money, and effort. My experience has been there are a lot of "talkers" who want a project property and few buyers who really want to tackle a project property.

March 26, 2014 - 1100 Angela Street

This property appeared in my blog more than a couple of times as well. I liked this property because it had so much upside potential. It was a legal duplex and it was priced at a reasonable price given that it needed some TLC. I had a couple of different buyers who made offers on this "bank owned" property. It did finally sell in September for $732,000. Interestingly, it went back on the market yesterday at $1,369,000.

April 13, 2014 - I wrote about the Importance of Finding Ernie

Ernie had a few too many cocktails and wandered around Old Town looking for Bert. A lot of people get lost in Key West.

May 4, 2014 - Key West Life is Never Predictable

I wrote about encountering a nude man while riding my bike to the gym several years ago. See the story above about Ernie. I said a lot of people get lost in Key West. I mean it...

May 15, 2014 - 2015 Staples Avenue

This house just amazed me! This area is populated by dozens of similarly sized homes built in the 1950s and 1960s. Most have been tinkered with by homeowners. Some have been renovated by licensed contractors. But I don't think any house in the area can compare to the superior renovation the owner of 2015 Staples did to his house. It is a model of perfection.

July 12, 2014 - 1429 Johnson Street

I wrote about this bank owned house located just east of the Casa Marina area. The house had been updated several years earlier but looked a bit forlorn when I photographed it. I showed the house to several potential buyers and talked with others on the phone. It was sold and the new owner has removed much of the older landscaping and fencing and is in the process of bringing the house into the new century.

August 8, 2014 - 615 Southard Street

 Within a matter of days two neighboring houses in the 600 block of Southard Street were listed for sale. Both sold quickly. One had a transient license, the other had an extensive history as a monthly vacation rental. When I write a blog and say I think it will sell quickly, I mean it. Sometimes I am wrong about my predictions. But I think I am more often correct. Both of these houses were money makers.

September 16, 2014 - 530 Grinnell Street

This picture perfect renovation is still for sale. It is absolutely beautiful.  The only reason it has not sold is that it does not have a pool or room for a pool. Not every buyer needs a pool. Dante's is a couple of blocks away. The ocean isn't that far away. People, this is a real beauty!

October 17 2014 - 1109 Fleming Street

I probably got more phone calls and emails on this house than any property I wrote about this year. This was a big bank owned house located on a good block in Old Town. It had a large guest cottage in the rear as well as off street parking accessed via lane in the rear. I saw this property as being one incredible project property. The main house and cottage were in very good shape but lacked refinement. 

November 5, 2014 - 522 Petronia Street

This property reminded me of so many of the houses I used to see when I first started selling houses in Key West. It is actually two older homes that were joined together with a common entry. The rooms and uses were re purposed by the owner and made into one larger home. A pool was added and a mini-estate was created. Times have changed and new owners require a more sophisticated design today. The house still works but the 70s renovation is history.  I think this is a project worthy of consideration.

November 24, 2014 - 1227 Von Phister Street

 I really liked this little house located just east of the Casa Marina area. So did they buyer that put it under contract right after it got listed. a
A lot of of buyers insist they want to be located in Old Town "near the action" whereas locals know that you are more likely to live a comfortable lifestyle if you are not amid all the noise and commotion of Old Town.

I always try to encourage new buyers to expand their horizons and to look other than Old Town or the Casa Marina areas.  Most buyers come prepared to search for a home with sales data gleaned from Zillow. Some come armed with info from locals they may have met in a bar or restaurant. One lady told me she got her real estate advice from her hair dresser. Makes me go nuts. I wouldn't dare try t cut or style some other person's hair.  I'd prefer that stylists and barbers mind their own business.

I was talking to a frustrated buyer yesterday who is getting impatient to buy a house that he could renovate. This buyer Sir looking for a flipper. I told him to hang loose and to remember that locals are always dying, getting divorced, or having getting foreclosed on (or some other tragedy. Holdout and don't buy just to buy. Wait for a good deal rather than going after anything.

812 Johnson Lane - Open House Today - Key West

Open House Today at 826 Johnson Lane

 Key West, Florida

The main cottage has just been remodeled. It includes two bedrooms, travertine marble bath, new kitchen with wood cabinets, granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances. All new floors, air conditioning, plus electric and plumbing. And don't forget the bricked off street parking up front.

 The rear cottage has just been updated and expanded with the addition of a bath and laundry room. There is an outdoor shower. A heated pool and sunny deck links the two cottages and will provide the new owner with endless days to get a sunny Key West tan. This property is located in X Zone so there is no requirement for flood insurance here.

Please stop by to see this totally renovated Key West Cottage with separate Guest Cottage, Pool, and Off Street Parking that is offered at just $789,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.


Johnson Lane is located 1/2 block north of St. Mary's Star of the Sea on Reynolds Street. Follow the Preferred Properties OPEN HOUSE signs with yellow balloons to see this charming property.