1021 Catherine Street, Key West - Conch Grove Compound

The new listing at 1021 Catherine Street is located in the Conch Grove Compound located two blocks west of White Street in the the South of Truman area in Old Town Key West. The compound consists of eleven unique cottages and single family homes which share a large sunny and heated pool, and gardens. Each cottage or house own is owned in fee simple.  The property owners share ownership of all of the common areas including the sunny pool.  A couple of the cottages are quite small and a couple of the houses are very large. Writer James Kirkwood, co-author of “A Chorus Line”, lived next door at 1023 Catherine Street and was one of the first homeowners in the Conch Grove Compound. He knew a thing or two about a singular sensation. Other original owners included Jay Garon (literary agent who "discovered" John Grisham) and Albin Krebs, a reporter for The New York Times, who wrote obituaries of notable figures. The compound was then and is still today a small enclave of individual homes that share a sunny pool on a quiet little street on a little island out in the middle of the ocean.

I searched through my old shoebox and found the black and white photo below showing 1021 Catherine Street in 1965 long before it was renovated. I then Searched the historic Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine when this house was built. There were numerous small houses on this corner location between the first map in 1889 and 1912 when 1127 Catherine Street first appeared. 1127 Catherine Street was a larger house and faced south as opposed to the smaller cottage that sat on the same lot on earlier maps and which faced toward Watson Street. Several smaller cottages fronted onto Watson and also extended eastward into the property. I am assuming that some of the surviving small cottages dated back to the 1889 era and that 1127 Catherine Street was built after 1899 and was later renumbered as 1021 Catherine St after the 1912 map. Those original 200 sq ft  cottages just did not make sense for long term living for most folks.

The cigar makers of yesteryear and the writers of plays and obituaries of not so long ago would surely be surprised to see how much this little compound and the houses therein have changed  This house has been enlarged on the ground floor and a second floor added in 1995. The Monroe County Property Appraiser website shows this home as being 1862 square feet and sitting on an irregular rectangular 87' X 45' lot. The original front yard is now the back yard which  includes a private spa. The west side yard now has a nice shaded private patio.There is abundant walking space around the entire perimeter of the house.

The original house was remodeled into three parts. A new contemporary building was added at the rear to become the new main entrance to the home. It has clean lines, new opaque glass louvered windows that provide privacy without the use of curtains or shutters, saltillo tile floors, vaulted ceiling coupled with the expansive use of glass, and an open-concept living area.  The main floor of the original house was re-oriented to move the two bedrooms and baths to the front of the original house. The kitchen and bath then became located in the middle of the renovated home. Timber framing was exposed to give height to the spaces. The master bedroom with en-suite bath is quite large and includes a screen enclosed private porch. A second bedroom is now used as an office.  A set of French doors open out to the private spa in the new private backyard.

Do you remember the haunting lyrics of Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" There's more here! When you enter the compound you can move through a winding path toward the common pool or make a sharp right turn where you end up a 1021 Catherine which has its own little private front yard. When you approach the front porch you see a set of exterior stairs that deliver you to the second floor mother-in-law suite. I can tell you from personal experience when you start to get older and see your years waning, you begin to wonder if that is all there is. Imagine your mom arriving at this tree-top nest and how grateful she would feel to live in such a glorious space with such sunny views. That's not a bad way to spend your days, be they be end days or just plain old ordinary days.

As some people get older they start to divest themselves from all the "things" they have accumulated by shopping and shopping over the years. When people move to Key West they realize they probably won't have room for all the stuff they accumulated and won't need as many clothes (especially cold weather clothing). This little nest is perfect for the person who appreciates light and space and fresh air. I'll bet you mom would feel at home, here.

That's the pool. It does not get much better than this. The HOA fee is a nominal $200 per month and covers pool and yard maintenance. Owners are responsible for maintaining their own homes. 1021 Catherine Street is offered at $998,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet to view the particulars and see more listing photos. 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. Let me show you this singular sensation. There is more to life!

 

1416 Catherine Street, Key West - Catherine The Great!

Just Listed, but not by me, 1416 Catherine Street, Key West, Florida. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Spectacular historic home located on the edge of Old Town! Built in the early 1900's, this impressive 4 bedroom 2 bath gem checks all of the boxes. From the moment you enter you will see the historic detail and character that together with the abundant square footage makes this a truly remarkable place. Filled with coveted dade county pine, the spacious interior is designed to take advantage of Key West living. Bright and open, the living room, dining room and updated kitchen open to the zen-like oasis with sparkling heated saltwater pool. Multiple outdoor areas set up for entertaining including outdoor dining, built-in seating, covered conversation space, as well as lounge area to soak up the sun. As a bonus, the outdoor space also includes an outdoor shower shaded in a canopy of blooming jasmine and a detached garden shed. Inside on the lower level you will also find 2 bedrooms, a separate office space, laundry, full bath, and a large walk-in pantry. Upstairs there are 2 bedrooms, including the master suite with private deck overlooking the stunning back yard haven and pool area. Too many to list other amenities include huge front porch to enjoy the passersby, large side yards for bike/scooters etc., plenty of space for guests/entertaining, lots of storage for all your gear, fully fenced and beautifully landscaped yard with irrigation, updated kitchen with stainless appliances, a great location, and to top it all off this beauty includes off-street parking. There is nothing missing! This is the one, call today for your showing."

The listing Realtor invited me to take a look at this property so that I could write about it in my blog. I sold three nearby houses in recent years and feel very comfortable with this neighborhood. The former home of Tennessee Williams is located one block to the east. Bayview Park is one block north. From the street this house appeared to be a simple one story Key West vernacular. Boy was I surprised.

The front porch sets the tone for this place. The porch is wide and fairly deep. A new but old fashioned looking hanging swing with beverage rack provides a nice shady spot to sit on an early Spring day. Once inside I was taken by abundant Dade County Pine located nearly everywhere except the kitchen.

The front door was opened when I arrived. At first I saw the abundant Dade Counpt Pine walls, ceiling and floor. My eyes were immediately drawn through the house to the bright newly installed kitchen and beyond that to the rear garden. I am used to seeing a lot of wood in our historic homes. In this instance the view was interrupted about midway through the house where the about one-half the ceiling was vaulted to provide stairway access to the second level which in previous times was an attic. During the renovation new wind impact resistant window and doors were added at the rear. I had to step outside to see what was there. .

I stood by the post for a good ten to fifteen minutes taking in everything the owners had done. I could see all of the thoughtful planning that went into creating these spaces. A backyard like this does not just happen. The component parts include a new deck a part of which includes a second level porch off the master bedroom overlooking the pool and garden. The new pool includes a water feature and sitting area inside the pool. A new shower was tucked in under the eaves of the old shed. There is shaded sitting area under the porch and an alternate sitting area under the  Royal Poinciana tree on the west side. That area also has a fire pit for taking the chill off on those few nights the temperature dips a bit. There is whimsy everywhere.

There are two bedrooms on the main floor located off the living room. A home office and bath are also located on this side. The laundry room is located just off the bathroom. I stood in the bedroom with the two twin beds and marveled at the whimsy of this space. Unlike houses renovated by flippers, this house uses color and whimsy to make the place come alive.

There is a third bedroom at the front of the second floor. The bath on this floor is shared by the guest bedroom and master bedroom which is located at the rear.

Can you imagine sleeping with the doors open in February and March hearing the waterfall from the pool below?  You could here. In a couple of months the Royal Poinciana tree will have a million red or orange flowers on it.  What a glorious site that must be. The flowers will last a couple of months and the tree will go mostly green and shade the area more than it is now. The cycle of sun and shade will repeat itself year after year.  I did not see the house at night but the photographer did. Enjoy a peek of how this home looks at night.

CLICK HERE to view more photos of this adorable home. You should also CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 1416 Catherine Street. 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.  The logo below is an artistic fantasy of Tennessee Williams' house located around the corner. This is a great little Key West neighborhood. You should check it out. You'll understand why I called it Catherine The Great!

1109 Petronia Street, Key West - another Price Reduction

Okay, so it's time that I fess up. A couple of days ago I wrote about money grubbers. I mocked them and made them look impotent. The truth is I made a mistake when we listed 1109 Petronia Street last December. There were few houses for sale in Old Town and I really believed a buyer looking to purchase a fixer property would immediately snap up the double gabled duplex.  I was wrong. I share this listing with Dan Skahen from my office, Preferred Properties Key West. He always felt $649,000 was the correct asking price but went along with my suggestion to list higher to test the market.

While we have had several showings, we have not had any offers. Season is starting to wind down. The tenant on the first floor just moved and we have decided not to rent that space and leave it open for a new owner to move into, rent at a higher price, or renovate. The new price for 1109 Petronia Street is $649,000 or $649 per square foot for this 1,000 square foot house situated on a 43.5X 31.8' (1,385 sq ft) lot on a lightly traveled two block long one-way street in Old Town. 

As of March 4th, there are three duplexes for sale in Old Town - the area most second home buyers and investors want to purchase property: 903 Catherine Street offered at $498,000 for 720 sq ft or $692 per sq ft. It is located directly across the street from El Siboney Restaurant. 1108 Olivia Street offered at $699,000 or $794 per sq ft for  an 880 sq ft duplex. 1109 Petronia Street is now priced lower than both on a per square foot basis.

The main floor unit is a bit larger than the second floor. The kitchen with vaulted ceiling extends out from the house and has a side door that opens out to the garden. The current owner added new windows and updated both kitchens and baths when this building was purchased a few years ago.

The building has been well maintained. It is one of six double gabled buildings in Old Town. I think it is a great candidate for renovation into a single family home and believe the structure would really benefit from removing the staircase that occupies one-third of the lot. Image how magnificent the house could look with a white picket fence and two rocking chairs on the front porch and a hammock on the second.

 CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 1109 Petronia Street in Key West. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let's explore the possibilities of this great house in a really great Old Town location.

Real Estate Bug Infestation in Key West

We've got a real estate bug infestation in Key Wes - a really big one if you ask me. Ask some other agent and you may get a different response. But I will bet you most agents are dealing with the same creepy issues as I am.  Whether an agent represents a buyer or a seller, there are two real estate critters we all have to deal with, especially in Key West where the prices of houses is so dang high. For the un-initiated a no-see-um is a tiny little critter that appears out of nowhere just around sunset. It only bites certain folks. There is no real protection other than staying inside and hiding until it is dark. These critters are real and they hurt.

Another bug, found across the world but with increasing frequency in Key West, is the money grubber. These sick little suckers are about two to three inches long, but puff themselves up so much they may appear bigger and more impressive than they actually are. They are very fond of paper money as that is what they crave more than anything, but in this day of bit coins and internet currency, they have have evolved into seekers and suckers of another form of cellulose - houses. The house itself does not have to be a mansion to satisfy this tiny creature, as they will covet their little two inches as if it is the best two inches in the world. And if they have three inches, they are even more avaricious, tenacious, and sometimes ferocious. Some have the ability to utter words and become quite vociferous and yell out "Mine! Mine" or "More! More" when a Realtor gives them a bid to give up their two inches so he can sell the house to which the money grubber is so attached. Little creatures with only two inches can fend off just about any larger creature because when they stick their little pincers into the wood, nobody else can take it away u less the money grubber is willing to cede it.

The fate of money grubbers is often predictable, especially in Key West. That's because a lot of folks from up north come to Key West in winter and spring to escape the cold and dreariness of the northeast and Midwest are only here for a limited time. Some of these folks find houses they would like to purchase as a second home. They work with a Realtor to find just the right place. Some buyers are able to put a deal together fairly easily, especially if the agent does not have to deal with a money grubber. Because house prices have increased so much, there are now more and more money grubbers to contend with. Money grubbers usually won't move an inch because, like politicians, they  feel if you give an inch, you've given up the game. They often prefer to go into hibernation and appear in winter the following year hoping to lure another buyer seeking their two inches. 

The house goes unsold, perhaps for years, or until the money grubber dies and its larva inherits the two inches.  It's a well recognized fact the money grubber progeny willingly give up the withered old old two inches for bit coins, internet moo-la, or real paper dollars as soon as they are given the chance. They can find their own two inches. 

The no-see-ums are victims of the money grubbers as well. They don't get the chance to sneak up and feast upon the ankles of buyers because the two inches money grubber controlled never saw the light of day. The no-see-ums continue to hover at ground zero waiting for prices to drop. They often wait and wait and wait. Or the owner drops the price but not enough or too late.  As selling season winds down (which has begun in earnest now in Key West) the asking prices on more and more houses are being reduced. Sellers are recognizing that they may not sell unless they reduce the asking price. At the same time potential buyers are being replaced by college kids and spring break families descending on the Florida Keys in search of fun. In May the Europeans and cheap Floridians will flock to the Keys to enjoy life here at half the price. And they are not buyers. And they don't care about some money grubber's little two inches.

That's my story about the state of our real estate market right now: we are infested with too may money grubbers and not enough deals.