410 Catherine Street, Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West, that's where I work but this is not my listing, 410 Catherine Street in Key West Florida.  The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Half a block from upper Duval Street this three bedroom, two and a half bath home is within walking distance of all the restaurants and attractions of Key West. This charming historic home has been completely restored and offers every modern amenity such as a gourmet kitchen, modern baths, a wide covered porch overlooking the pool and electronic gated parking."

When I looked at the house from the street I had no idea that it was an historic home. It doesn't look all that old. In fact it looks pretty crisp and modern. I am not suggesting the recent renovation took away the charm, it simply spiffed the place up with aplomb. The house is located one-half block west of Duval Street in an area once known for the cigar maker cottages where factory workers lived. I reviewed the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to determine the approximate age of this house and was surprised to see that it appeared on the 1889 map when it was then identified as 235 Catherine Street. The house identifier was changed to 410 Catherine on the 1892 map. True to form the Villamil Pino and Co cigar factory was located at the corner of Duval and Catherine Street. A small lane identified as Doe Alley separated the factory from the nearby cottages. That lane curved behind the cigar maker cottages and ended at Whitehead Street.  The portion of Doe Alley that ran parallel to Duval Street became Riehl Court on the 1912 Sanborn Map, and the rear alley was then identified as Louisa.  Today what was Doe Alley (Riehl Ct is known as Thompson Lane. However, GOOGLE MAP shows it as Thomas St. GOOGLE MAP is incorrect!)

410 Catherine Street, Key West - 1965

408 Catherine Street razed in 1968

Our history lesson is almost over.  I looked into my old shoebox and found the above black and white photo taken in 1965 which shows 410 Catherine Street as it then appeared. I found a photo of the former next door house at 408 Catherine Street which was damaged by fire and finally razed in 1968. In 1969 a then new CBS (concrete block structure) replaced the old house at 408 Catherine St. That house still exists today on a block where most of the homes are updated versions of the historic cottages which like 410 Catherine Street date back to the late part of the 19th Century. 

Today's house is much different than the original version of this house - that's pretty much a truism for most of the old homes in Key West. The front porch is now a small veranda off the front bedroom. The main entry was relocated to the east side of the home pictured immediately above. The interiors are all refined. The kitchen is a chef's delight. Exterior changes can be seen in the black and white photo of 410 Catherine St  which show a sapling Royal Poinciana tree once stood where today at the driveway an electronically operated gate exists.

You enter into the comfortable living area. There is plenty of Dade County Pine to lend an historic feel to the living space. Modern French doors and new windows bathe the interiors with abundant ambient light during the daytime. The kitchen and dining area are located to the left where there are views of the pool and guest cottage.  This property has been rented as a monthly vacation rental. The location one-half block from Duval Street makes this an ideal vacation rental location. The house and all the amenities will seal the deal.

There is a pool house complete with bath adjacent to the pool which runs much of the rear width of the of the property. There is a small waterfall at the far end of the pool. Native coral rock and tropical foliage and palm trees set the backdrop for the pool. The balcony complete with hammock provide outdoor entertaining area protected from the sun and those occasional days when we have rain. This is a very pleasant and spacious area to spend idle hours doing not much of anything.

The large master suite is located behind the Dade County Pine wall in the living room. French doors open out to rear covered porch and pool for a late night swim. The ceiling is vaulted giving this bedroom area a more spacious feel. 

The front bedroom is an equally restive spot. Bahama shutters provide muted daylight to enter the bedroom area as well as to provide privacy. What was the original front door is now a door to the front porch which has no entry from the yard - the Fuller Brush Man won't accidentally enter the bedroom. The porch will give the occupant a nice private outdoor space to read a book or to contemplate the meaning of life.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 410 Catherine Street, Key West. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a personal view of this new listing which is offered at $1,485,000. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1122 Von Phister Street, Key West - Welcome to My Neighborhood

There is a lot of hidden potential sitting behind the trees and tropical foliage at 1122 Von Phister Street in the tony Key West neighborhood known as the Casa Marina Area. I have lived in this area for 21 years and love it.

I looked in my old shoebox and found the above photo which shows a small conch house being relocated from 610 Dey Street in Old Town to 1122 Von Phister Street sometime around 1958. (Dey Street runs east from Simonton Street to Elizabeth Street near the seaport. There is a big commercial building at that location today.) The Casa Marina Area was developed gradually over the years after the Casa Marina Hotel was opened in 1925. Individual houses populated individual lots in the area until just after World War II ended. Undeveloped lots were purchased and new homes added, many of which were mid-century modern like the house next door to the west of 1122 Von Phister.  In the half century that has passed since the conch house was movd to it current location, the Casa Marina Area has become an alternative preference for many new home buyers who want to be in Key Weest but who prefer a home located in a quieter and less populated location. 

The above photo shows 1122 Von Phister as it appeared in 1965. You will notice two important features about the house. First, it sits back from the street and second it sits on the left side of what appears to be a large lot. The lot measures 60.25' wide by 97.5' deep or 5872 sq ft.  That's a bit larger than the typical 5000 sq ft Casa Marina lot - it offers much more ground with which to improve the house and lot. The original house measured 738 sq ft. This does not include the front porch but does include the rear bedroom which appears to be a sawtooth addition to the original cottage. In 2007 an addition was added on the right side which included a new indoor living area of 255 sq ft and a screened porch area also of 255 sq ft.  That addition has a basic flat roof which begs for a new second floor addition.

You enter the house into a wide hallway with the first of two bedrooms located up front. The second bedroom is located at the rear of the hallway with the kitchen and bathroom located in between. Both the kitchen and bath are very basic and have served this home well over the decades. You will note a cord handing from the attic hatch in the hallway. The attic runs the length of the oridinal house excluding the rear bedroom. The space has full window views from the front and rear and could incorporated into living space if either opened to the rooms below or possibly being made into a bedroom or other space if a stairway were to be added. 

The indoor and covered outdoor living areas are pictured above. The space works well with the original cottage. Noting too modern has been added here. That makes for easy living. A new owner who wants a simple place to live could move in and be quite happy.  I checked the City of Key West survey of contributing structures and determined this property is not on the list. The property itself is subject to HARC guidelines and HARC approval would be required for any additions or renovation to the property.

The side yards on either side of the building are wide. The rear yard is very large and has room for a pool. There are a couple of large trees which may have an impact on the size and location of a new pool. Otherwise, I think a new owner has many options on how and when to and maybe even whether to upgrade this property.  This is the least expensive single family home for sale in the Casa Marina Area at this time.  

1122 Von Phister Street if offered for sale at $799,000. Please CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. Than 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.

1400 White Street, Key West - OPEN HOUSE Today

Yee-haw! Giddyup, pardner!

You've gotta follow us over to 1400 White Street to see the Open House - Open Today 12:00 to
2:00 PM. 

Be the First to Live in this Freshly Renovated, 1353 Square Feet, Two Story, Three Bedroom Casa Marina Area Condo. Grand New Designer Kitchen with Eat-In Dining Area, Custom Shaker Cabinets, Carrra Marble Counters, Stainless Steel Appliances. Two New Baths. Laundry. New Impact Windows and Doors in many areas. Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Floors. Large 22' 14' Private Deck. Offered Furnished as Shown. Offered at $675,000.

There's many darned good reasons to consider buying this three bedroom condo. There are only three units in the building and this unit is the largest. Just about everything inside is new. The back deck is totally private and has room for a hot tub if a new owner would want to add one. The monthly condo fees are just $544 and include all insurances. That means you this unit can qualify for a mortgage. The place is located just a few blocks from Higg's Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Fausto's Food Palace on White Street is located a couple of blocks to the north.  There are numerous gyms and yoga studios within easy walking distance. You can walk to the nearby Dairy Queen for a brain freeze or go many of the nearby small eateries. If you work for the City, the new city hall is located one block away. (Your boss will know when you play hookie, however.)

805 Catherine Street, Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed, but not by me, 805 Catherine Street, Key West. I got to show this house a few days ago to a customer who has a dream of owning a large Conch house in Old Town Key West. As we got out of my car and were walking toward this house I pointed out a one story Conch house across the street which I sold several years ago when buyers feared the collapse of the American economy. As you are aware, that did not happen. My potential buyers were shocked at the low price my buyers paid for a three bedroom home with a pool, guest cottage, and off street parking back then.  I also wrote a blog about the ugly duckling house next door the one I sold and across the street from 805 Catherine Street. That house is in the midst of an amazing transformation. I will be writing about in a future Projects of Key West blog. This area of Old Town has many active renovation projects underway.

The listing Realtor describes 805 Catherine Street this way:

"Excellent Old Town Renovation Project with tons of potential. Main House has 3BD/2BA, is full of Dade County Pine, High Ceilings & Opens out to large deck and Garden. Master Suite on Second Floor with front and Rear balcony's. Separate cottage located in back Corner of Garden with private patio. X-zone and Walking Distance to Duval and White St."

I looked through my old shoebox and found the above aerial photo that was taken in the 1950s. I added an arrow to show the location of 805 Catherine Street. It's really amazing to look back at photos like this to see how much of Key West has changed over the years. I then looked for a photo of 805 Catherine Street and found the pic below. This photo was taken in 1965. Look carefully and compare it to the color photo which shows 805 Catherine today.  The original roof-line was extended and a two story front porch added which totally transformed the look of the house. The Monroe Property Appraiser information suggests to me that the original renovation occurred around 1996.

 

I assume much of the interior was renovated at the same time. The current owner has nearly completed an update of the interior of the main house which includes updates to the bathrooms, new light fixtures and fans, relocating and updating the kitchen, and replacement of the first and second story rear decks. 

The main entrance to this home is located on the west side of the house. The front porch is now a private porch off the first floor front bedroom where you will see Dade County Pine on the walls, ceiling, and floors. There is a rear addition to the original house where the kitchen and living area are located. The current owner just relocated the kitchen to mid-way in the house which now allows the owner clear views of the rear deck and pool beyond.

The current owner recently removed a small kitchen from the rear side of the second floor. This created the possibility to create a second floor master suite with private sitting area, large master bath and closets, and huge vaulted master bedroom area with a covered front porch balcony as well. The ceilings in both the sitting area and bedroom area are quite tall. This could become a really dramatic area if decorated properly.

The current owner is going to replace the main floor rear deck, but will not be updating the guest cottage nor landscaping. The new owner will be able to save some money by doing exactly what he or she wants to do. The main house and cottage sit on an L-shaped lot with the cottage appended to the rear side. The cottage is 13' X 18' which needs a lot of work. This is all upside for the new owner.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos on 805 Catherine Street which is offered at $929,000. 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. Now is the time for a buyer to buy - before the hordes of buyers show up looking to grab up the few homes available for purchase.