1325 Whitehead Street, Key West

Millions of tourists come to the Southernmost Point in the USA to take photos of themselves to remember their brief visit to Key West. Many of them stand at that point and dream that little dream of someday moving to Key West where they could leave the rat race back home and live in Paradise. A few years ago I wrote a blog about The Residences at Southernmost Point, the new development being built near the point. Now the project is nearing completion. I intentionally mention the multitudes that come to the Southernmost Point because the volume of tourists might lead buyers to assume the tourists hangout there all the time. Not true. The tourists start to disappear before 5:00 PM when the trolley cars and conch trains go back to the barns as they head to their hotels to prepare for sunset and cocktails.

 Only one unit remains: 1325 Whitehead Street which is located at the left rear of the compound of seven newly built single family homes. It has just one abutting neighbor and the neighbor to the rear is the Butterfly Conservancy. Like the other houses, this one has a stunning rooftop view of the Atlantic Ocean. The photos below are of a similar unit.

These homes were built subject Florida's tough construction code and include Hardiboard siding and impact windows and doors. This home has four bedrooms, three baths, cathedral ceilings on second floor, walk-in closets, private pool, and third level rooftop deck. Offered at $1,399,000.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a showing of this home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. 

Quit Your Job & Move to Key West - at SONIC Speed!

The new Sonic Drive-In at 2312 North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West is scheduled to open in early September and is now hiring.  I am not involved in this, but report about this employment opportunity especially for readers who have considered moving to Key West to test the waters before buying.

Key West the and Lower Florida Keys lost a lot of skilled and unskilled workers last year after Hurricane Irma damaged a lot of low cost housing. With no place to live, the workers left and many have not returned.   Normalcy has pretty much returned to Key West as far as rentals is concerned. Prices are high, but they have been high for several years. The good thing is that wages are equally high, especially for skilled laborers.

It is easy to get a job in Key West if you have a skill and show up for work every day and on time. That sounds so simple. Living on a tropical island as pretty as Key West isn't as easy as you might think. There are lots of bars, pretty girls and other distractions to tempt you from staying home at night. Those who stay home and go to work when required can make a good living here.

1219 Royal Street, Key West

Just Listed: 1219 Royal Street, Key West, Florida. The listing broker at Preferred Properties describes the property this way:

This beautiful home is located just blocks from Duval Street yet it seems worlds away. Completely remodeled, this move in ready home features a two bedroom, two bath main home plus a separate poolside guest cottage with one bedroom, one bath and a sitting room. The main home has dramatically high ceilings throughout and a large gourmet kitchen. Each bedroom offers ample closet space and privacy. The master bedroom en suite opens through french doors to the newly resurfaced heated pool which is surrounded by landscaping and decking making it a perfect spot to relax & dine al fresco. An added bonus is gated off street parking. Located in the x500 zone, this home is move in ready and comes completely furnished and equipped. It was just freshly painted so all you need is your suitcase!

You can tell from the architectural design that this is not the typical Key West house normally featured in my blog. According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this home was built in 1965. While searching my shoebox for a photo of the house in 1965 (shown immediately below) I found another picture of the Beatles who spent the night at the Key Wester Resort out by the Key West International Airport in 1964. While searching,  I remembered an aerial photo of this area taken around 1960. I found it and added an arrow directing your attention to the vacant lot. The other lots had houses on them. One may have previously existed, but I couldn't find it. The aerial photo demonstrates the location as being three blocks to Duval Street and that means this home has an excellent location as a vacation rental.

The main house and guest cottage provide 1620 square feet of living space under air conditioning plus an additional 297 square feet of covered deck and porches. There is gated off street parking for two vehicles - now that is a treat!

The house has been thoroughly updated by licensed contractors in the past several years which included electrical systems, new air conditioning, new roof, new kitchen and baths plus the addition of the pool and renovation of the guest cottage. Recently new AZEC decking was added around the pool. One of the features I find most appealing is the French doors which open out to the pool so that the owner may take a late night skinny dip.

This property has a multi-year history as a vacation rental. A new owner may continue to rent, stay with the current property management company, or change companies, or not rent at all. The location is three blocks to Duval Street and about seven blocks to Higg's Beach, pictured below. Salute on the Beach and Louie's Backyard are nearby eateries. Other nearby attractions include the Old Town Fitness on Truman, Seven Fish, several yoga studios, a couple of lawyers in case you or your guests get arrested for driving under the influence, and Fausto's food emporium. All of these places are within easy walking distance. Guests love to be able to walk places.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 1219 Royal Street offered at $1,475,000. 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.

1122 Whitehead Street, Key West

1122 Whitehead Street, Key West has an interesting history in usage. The building was built in 1880 when it was the Jos. Reves Cigar Factory and numbered 129 Whitehead Street on the 1889 Historic Sanborn Fire Map. The street number 1122 Whitehead Street appeared on the 1912 Map. It was the same property but it was then designated as a dwelling. For years and years the property was a legal duplex. The property has been renovated twice in the past ten years. When it sold in 2014 it had been awarded a certificate for excellence in historic preservation by the Historic Florida Keys Foundation when it was still a legal duplex. The current owners converted the two story classic revival building into a single family home with the intention of making this their permanent residence. Along came a child and now another is on the way. Now this beautiful three bedroom, two bath home awaits its next owner.

The new owners added the new interior staircase shown above. Previously, the second floor was only accessible via exterior staircase. That staircase still exists and will be discussed later. The first floor is laid out in quadrants with the living room on the left (south) front and bedroom left rear. The dining area is in the left (north) front and the kitchen in the rear.

The house is in move-in ready condition. And it is beautiful in every detail, of which there are many details. Architectural plans have been drawn for the construction of a pool where the exterior staircase now exists.

The master bedroom with loft office occupies the south front side of the house. That room also has access to the second floor front porch. A new internal staircase leads up to the loft office. A second bedroom is located on the north front but it does not have access to the porch. The laundry room is located at the north rear while the second floor bath is at the south rear. It is such a bright and beautiful room. Both bedrooms share the use of the second floor rear deck that offers lots of space for getting a key west tan with no neighbors having a view.

While I couldn't find an historic photo of the house itself, I did find the above aerial photo taken of the area in 1999. The Douglas Pool is located one block west. South Beach is located five minutes away except when the corner of South Street is clogged by people taking selfies. Ft Zach is ten minutes by bike. Thanks to the Saudis you must use the Southard Street entrance to go to Ft Zach. In 1999 you could ride your bike on the first straight road and be there in two or three minutes. A lot of things have changed since 1999.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet for 1122 Whitehead Street and 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. This home has a lot of potential and is well worth looking at.

2907 Seidenberg Avenue, Key West

Just Listed, but not by me, 2907 Seidenberg Avenue in sunny Key West, Florida.  I got to see this home a couple of days during Realtor caravan and immediately asked the listing agent for permission to blog about it. This home was built in 1958 and has 1963 square feet of living space under air conditioning and a pool plus a guest cottage. What separates this house from so many other mid-century homes in Key West is the thoughtful real-life livability of this house coupled with the incredible rear outdoor living area and pool. 

When you enter this home it feels like a brand new house as opposed to a house that is half a century old that has a new kitchen or baths or both. The ceiling in the open concept living area was vaulted. Then my eyes were drawn past the kitchen where French doors opened to the water feature. I knew this house was going to be different.

The four bedrooms and four bathrooms share similar features yet each is distinct. Unlike to many houses of this era, these bedrooms are large offer more space for the way we live today. Each bathroom has new fixtures and tiles. While I am a fan of those cute mid-century tile bathrooms, this house is on point with current styling. You will notice contemporary baseboards and trim throughout the house. Even the closets are lighted and prepped for storage. And ceilings were vaulted as allowed.

The 49 foot pool includes side "benches" for chilling while others swim. It is genuinely inviting. The new Trex deck wraps the pool and joins the main house with the guest cottage that offers self-sufficient living space for the guest who refuses to go back up north where he or she belongs.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and lots of listing photos of 2907 Seidenberg Avenue. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this contemporary revival of a mid-century home. I am buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I think you will really like this home. I did.

And no that is not me in drag. I detest drag.