14 Golf Club Drive, Key West - Bank Owned

New to the real estate market is 14 Golf Club Drive in Key West. This 1320 square foot Bank Owned town home unit is offered at $454,900. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Beautiful views from your large screen porch and master bedroom overlooking Key West Golf Course! This larger townhome offers 2 bedroom and 2 bath home with extra room which can be an office/additional bedroom on main living level. Walking distance to one of the two community heated swimming pools, gated entrance and 24 hour security."

This home is located near the front gated entry into the Key West Golf Club Community. The smaller pool is located less than one block away. The view from the front porch gives this home a country club feel even though the gold course is public.  The view at the back is even better. This home was painted and cleaned before it was placed on the market.  The bank owner also made repairs to the exterior requested by the community homeowners association.

I have sold over thirty homes at the golf course over the years several of which are also 1320 square feet in size. Each has the first floor "family room" which many owners have converted into a third bedroom.  The room does have a closet and there is an adjacent full bath on this level. I sold a similar unit a couple years ago at Roosevelt Annex which was built by the same developer as the golf club. That unit had a new kitchen with upgraded cabinets and stainless steel appliances plus really nice baths. This home is really clean and will probably appeal more to the bargain buyer. But a new owner could easily spend a little money to achieve a really nice finished property.

 Two bedrooms on the second floor share one bath. While neither bedroom has a walk-out rear balcony, both have very nice views.   The screen enclosed first floor back porch offers really nice view of the golf course and adjacent lake.

 The smaller community pool is located about one block from 14 Golf Club Drive. The much larger pool and gym are located within a five minute walk. Home owner association fees are $380 monthly and include gated security, common area grounds (and tree) maintenance, pool, and basic cable.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took.

If you are relocating to Key West and have young children, the Gerald Adams Elementary School is located nearby. The community college (soon to be a four year college) is located nearby as well. Not too far away is a large CVS store, Burger King, Roostica Wood-Fired Pizzeria, and Hogfish Bar & Grill among others. I consider the Key West Golf Club Community to be one of the very best values in Key West. The grounds are always very well maintained. A good portion of the units are investor owned and are rented to members of the US military. Other homes are owner occupied. The military are an important part of our community and make excellent neighbors.  In a couple of months the many Royal Poinciana trees on the golf course are going to explode in color. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 14 Golf Club Drive offered at $454,900. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to show you this sharp property.  The listing agent is soliciting all offers. I think this unit is a buying opportunity.

Two-fers OPEN HOUSES TODAY in Key West

If you are in Key West today and not otherwise occupied by eating, drinking, shopping, sunning, fishing, tickling spiny lobsters or other such activities, please stop by the two OPEN HOUSES shown below. 

11 Nassau Lane in Old Town Key West is now priced at $749,000. Come see this sweet 2/2 that comes fully furnished. It is located on one of the slow lanes in Key West. If you wait on this, you're gonna miss out big time. First time on the market in fifteen years. Hosted by Gary Thomas at Preferred Properties Key West.  OPEN 12:00 to 2:00.

1500 Albury Street is located one block north of Key West's beautiful Bayview Park. This 2240 square foot home is all new construction with four bedrooms, three and one-half baths, with top of the line construction features and amenities throughout. Now offered at $1,999,999. Hosted by Cory Held and Jeffrey Groskey at Preferred Properties Key West. OPEN 11:00 to 1:00.

Key West - Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda!

Talk about mid-life crisis and the road not taken, how about the lost opportunities that people (buyers and sellers) regret day after day after day for years into the future. In a little town like Key West you can drive by that house you could have bought for a great price but didn't because you didn't like the seller, you didn't like the deal, you think you coulda bought the place cheaper,you were afraid Obama or Trump would do something stupid, etcetera. As a seller you wish you wouldn't have been such an ass, that you had been more pragmatic, that you would have accepted the all cash offer with no strings attached instead of holding out to get more money which in fact you did not get. Life's lessons in real estate: woulda, coulda, shoulda, but didn't!

About three weeks ago a couple from the northeast walked into my open house at 1500 Albury Street in Key West. I met them around 2000 when I was an agent at Knight Realty (now Berkshire Hathaway Knight and Gardner Realty).  A year later we looked at two adjacent houses in the 1000 block of Fleming Street. (One of the best blocks in town.) The houses had been hideously and cheaply redone a few years earlier. They needed revamped. Her father was a builder, so she was familiar with construction and saw the potential of this location and these properties in particular. They said they had investment properties up north they had to sell first. They said they had kids to put through school and college - first. They did not buy even though in their hearts they knew this was a really outstanding opportunity.. Somebody else bought the properties for $660,000 and did an "over-the-top" redesign of the property. That same house was resold in 2015 for $2,750,000. Sixteen years later this same couple is still dreaming about buying a place here but they are still burdened by all the things that they must do first.

Most of the buyers I have worked with have fairly simple goals. They may lay in a hammock on their guest house porch and dream about what it would be like to own a home or business in Key West. Or they may sit on their computer monitoring every new listing that appears on Zillow sometimes thinking "this may be the one if I can buy it at the right price," They may even talk with a Realtor and look at houses and maybe make a half-hearted offer on a place. Or maybe they just find excuses as to why none of the houses work.

As of today there are 434 active listings for homes, condos, and town houses in Key West. Just 70 of those are priced below $500,000. And most of those are condos or town houses. There are 178 houses and condos priced over $1,000,000 and 46 of those are priced over $2,000,000. A lot of sellers have recently reduced their asking price in hopes of selling their place this year. Would, coulda, shoulda works equally for buyers and sellers.

The dream of owning a home in Key West has not diminished. It's the price that is the problem for most buyers but not all. Earlier this week a single family home in Key West sold for $5,442,000 with furnishings. Give me a call and let's see if we can find your dream house before it is gone. Don't wait sixteen years to fulfill your dreams.

407 Margaret Street, Key West

The listing Realtor describes 407 Margaret Street located in Old Town Key West this way:

"In a prime Old Town Key West location at Margaret and Eaton Streets sits one of the Grande Dame residences of Key West. Built in 1884 this home has been lovingly maintained and updated in keeping with the original features of the home. Enter the property on Margaret Street where there is ample off street parking for two cars. Wonder at the resort style pool with waterfall and hot tub that draws you to the covered porch off of the great room. Light filled with high ceilings and Dade County pine the home is both old and new at the same time. Wolf Stove and Sub Zero refrigerator keep company with your claw foot bathtub. Over 2000 square feet of living space on a large 5805 square foot lot which includes 902 Eaton Street this home has 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. The master bedroom has a large covered deck overlooking the pool and landscaped yard. Be a part of Key West and it's remarkable history in this very special home."

I checked the historic Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine when 407 Margaret Street was built. The 1889 map showed a "dwelling" located at what was then numbered as 816 Eaton Street. The address was changed to 802 Eaton Street on the 1892 map and changed again to 902 Eaton Street on the 1899 edition of the map. Today the entrance to the property is located off Margaret Street where there is also off street parking. Thus this big old house which once belonged to one of the primary doctors in Key West is identified by the Monroe County Property Appraiser and the United States Post Office as 407 Margaret Street even though the house faces Eaton Street.

The front of the house has a lot of "street appeal". The front porch wraps around the house where there is a second entrance near the kitchen which is located midway in the house. The porch is that formal and reflects the style and dignity one would expect of a doctor during another age. The doctor maintained his office in what is now

Today the former doctor's office is now a home office. I have seen several Old Town houses use similar front rooms for the same purpose. The room can be used as a guest bedroom but it has no closet. Note the abundance of clear coated Dade County Pine walls and floors punctuated by crisp white baseboards and trim work. The living area is located in the rear where glass sliders open out to the covered rear deck that overlooks the pool. There dining area is located adjacent to the kitchen. And there is a full bath on this level as well. 

The listing agent mentioned the view from the covered second floor rear deck off the master bedroom. The view is shown in the photo immediately below. The lot on which the house sits measures 34' X 107'. The adjacent lot on Margaret Street where the parking is located measures 33' X 42' for a total of 5795 sq ft of land.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 407 Margret Street which is offered at $2,395,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this great old home. I used to own another doctor's home also located on Eaton Street. These grand old houses offer so much character and history. You owe it to yourself to take a look. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1503 Washington Street, Key West - A Fresh Look

New to the Key West real estate market is the recently updated manse at 1503 Washington Street in the Casa Marina East area. The listing Realtor describes this home this way:

"Enchanting home boasting custom luxury throughout. Not a detail spared in this brand new transformation to create a spectacular architectural masterpiece. Grand Brazilian-walnut double doors welcome you into a courtyard lush with plant life.Through the barrel-vaulted entry adorned with cascading ivy you enter the two-story foyer. The sleek, modern interior just underwent a renovation to allow the entire first floor to seamlessly connect the entertainment, dining and kitchen spaces.The new decor includes reclaimed oak flooring throughout, ornate molding, rustic /vintage-style fixtures, a white slate fireplace, quartz counters, updated baths and more. Viking gas-fueled appliances, custom cabinetry, spacious island, pass-thru counter to dining room and a wine cooler complete the chef's kitchen. Ascend the iron staircase to the second floor where a library with built-in bookshelf awaits. On further are the laundry room, office or bedroom and a whimsical custom bunkroom. Continue on to the master suite offering two walk-in closets, built-in storage and an en suite bath with double vanity, whirlpool soak tub and walk-in glass shower. Stunning outdoor spaces surround the home with tropical landscaping including a sandy beach area for lounging. A large covered patio boasts an outdoor kitchen, dining and lounging area all overlooking the heated pool. A Truly sensational home to encounter!"

The beige's of the former home were replaced by whites and earth tones. The home should now appeal to a whole new universe of potential buyers. I wrote about this house on two prior occasions and showed it several times. The house is sparsely furnished and this should give buyers a preview of what they could do.  The doors at the rear open out to the outdoor living area complete with a separate outdoor kitchen. The pool is located adjacent. Notice the barrel portico which leads along the east side of the home toward the front where there are covered off-street parking spaces on either side of the front entry.

The simple white painted walls and woodwork show more profoundly in the second floor library which dominates the two story entry hall. I think this space is both dramatic and practical. It gives purpose to space which might otherwise go unused. The new colors really do make a difference here. There is an adjacent laundry room which is really decked out and in keeping with the rest of this high end home. The owners are in the process of converting the home office into an additional bedroom.  The current guest bedroom with multiple bunk beds provides a novel sleeping set-up for families with several children or occasional guests. Both bedrooms share a large bath. The master suite is located in the rear. It has a huge master bath.

2013 photo of the outdoor living area and kitchen

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more listing photos of 1503 Washington Street which is offered at $1,950,000.  Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this impressive home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.