813 Frances Street, Key West - Just Listed Old Town Charmer

Just Listed 813 Frances Street, Key West. This truly is one of my favorites houses in all of Old Town Key West. The listing Realtor, not me, describes this home thus:

"Picturesque Key West Cottage filled with an abundance of Charm and wonderful architecture. Located right in the Heart of Old Town, this two bedroom/two bath Southern Belle has all the qualities of the perfect Key West home. Completely open from Living Room to Kitchen to Pool and Patio. Double Hatch Windows open from Kitchen to Pergola so you can enjoy the balmy breezes. Wonderful private pool with Privacy fence surrounding the property and access to full bath/shower from inside and out. Master suite on ground floor with additional bedroom on second floor and a spot for an office or reading nook. Dade County Pine, soaring cathedral ceilings, Central AC, Custom Built Shelving, Stunning Stained Glass, Gorgeous Hard wood floors and so much more. Off street parking and X Zone."

I looked in my old shoebox and found the above black and white photo taken back in 1965. Compare it to the color photo above. The original louver windows and the galvanized chain link fence have been replaced but the classic bungalow style is the remains. The inside is totally renovated and expanded.

I'll bet you were not expecting such a dramatic interior. The living room ceiling rises to the rafters and makes the inside every bit as inviting as the exterior is charming. The stairway leads to the second floor bedroom which opens to the living area below. This is the perfect space for the occasional guests.

As if this home wasn't comfy enough, the kitchen and family room make life here downright enviable for those who desire a relaxed life style. Two windows lift back into the kitchen space creating counter space when entertaining out by the pool.  The family room is bathed in light during the daytime. Note the stained glass window at the far end of the room. That it is the guest bath which may also be accessed by a separate door off the pool.

The master bedroom and bath are located on the first floor. Custom panel walls, crown molding, high baseboards and trim are among the details that make the interiors of this home so appealing. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos for 813 Frances Street offered for sale at $1,199,000. 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. You will love this home.

Key West, My MeToo Moment in Real Estate

 Before you read, know this. I am a gay man and I am not a victim of anything. What I write really happened. It was a metoo moment when it occurred. Looking back more than twenty years later I consider what happened amusing, but it still should not have happened. 

I first read about Key West in a magazine in 1979 way before the internet. I didn't actually visit Key West until 1984 but instantly fell in love with this magic island.

I worked with the same Realtor for several years before I actually bought a place in Key West. I made absurd offers on several properties over the years all of which were rejected. One of my biggest regrets was failing to purchase the Sheridan Apartments located at the corner of Eaton and William Street. The main building at 802 Eaton Street was, and still is, one of the most beautiful buildings in Key West. It is a Grand Conch (or Revival Style home) with wrap-around porches on the first and second floors. Some of the porches were enclosed years ago to create more interior living space and a widow's walk was added to the top of the building. You can see the sea from there. The Key West seaport and the Gulf of Mexico are located two blocks north. A smaller Bahama style house was located next door on Eaton Street and a different two story house was located around the corner at 409 William. There was a very large rear yard behind 409 William Street where I could have added a pool.

A few years later I became a Realtor in Key West. One day in 1997 or 1998 Mr. Sheridan Crumlish, the owner of the Sheridan Apartments, invited me over to discuss listing the property for sale. He was a tall older (I believe) gay man. He must have been in his seventies. I was fifty at that time. He lived in the second floor apartment at 802 Eaton Street. I met him at the property and he showed each of the apartments. The place was as interesting then as I remembered from years earlier - a gem. His apartment took up the second floor at 802 Eaton. The windows and doors in his apartment were all opened allowing a slight breeze to cool the space naturally. I remember the white Dade County Pine walls, re-purposed furnishings, and art. The simplicity of it all was quite memorable. 

We sat in his living room to discuss the property. I told him about my half-hearted attempt to buy the property years earlier. He laughed a bit. And somewhere things got uncomfortable. He was wearing a caftan that looked something like the beige outfit above. Sheridan sat opposite me. His legs spread apart and I got to see what was a very private part of him. It was deliberate. It was not an accident. I had no desire to list the place and got out of there as soon as I could. Amusing now, not then.

1525 Von Phister Street, Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed - 1525 Von Phister Street, Key West. This home was recently totally renovated and now has all the features current home buyers seek including an open concept living area, high vaulted ceilings, impact rated glass windows and doors, Hardiboard siding, new roof, covered rear loggia, pool, off street parking, and a white picket fence.

All that remains of the twentieth century house is some of the original framing as this twenty-first century renovation is au currant. There is a new addition at the rear where the master suite and kitchen are located. The interior flow was reoriented. Now the two guest bedrooms  are located to either the left or right just off the front entry.

The interiors are crisp and clean. Attention to both minimalism and to detail are evident everywhere. The walls are painted a mild gray tone and accented by white. The gray floors contrast the white base boards, trim, doors, sand volume ceilings. New wind impact windows and doors are also framed in white added a bit of "drama" to the otherwise minimalist interior. Inconspicuous recessed lighting is used extensively.

The master suite is located in the new rear addition where the gray and white theme continues. The bedroom is spacious but not too big to be intimate. An alcove provides just the right amount of space for the bed. Opposite there are built-in drawers and media center. You can't see it (that's intended), but the sliding glass door to the covered rear loggia disappears into the wall. Two banks of closets on either side of the hall lead to the spacious en suite which includes a tub, shower, and two sinks. A new impact glass window introduces natural light into the space.

An office nook was added next to the kitchen where another recessed sliding door disappears into the wall with a transom-style window above and large kitchen sink window add more light into this space. Quart counter-tops and stainless steel appliances contrast to the gleaming white cabinets.

Subtle features like recessed lighting, exterior ceiling fans, slate tile floors, drapes, Trex decks, sprinkler system, and solar light system blend together to create two pleasant sitting areas on the loggia. The deck has sunning areas on the east and west side of the long pool. In a town known for its "dip pools" it's nice to see one where you could do laps. This home is located in a neighborhood of both full time and second homes. It could easily be a full time residence or a monthly vacation rental. CLICK HERE to view more photos.

1525 Von Phister Street Key West is offered for sale at $1,595,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and 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.

Hooray for the FBI, NYPD, and other Law Enforcement Agencies

Hooray for the FBI, NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies 

in their capture of the terrorist bomber. 

My grade school teachers always taught us that we each have a permanent record. 

What we do, what we say, what we touch, and how we act matters. 

Our actions and our words have consequences.

DNA and fingerprints matter. Truth matters. 

Not Haunted in Key West

Twenty-five years ago today I did the scariest thing in my life - I bought a shut down guest house in Key West. The 13 room guest house had been foreclosed upon by the Small Business Administration which let the place sit boarded up for two years. The auctioneer removed some of the plywood coverings so that potential buyers could take a look at the inside before making a bid. All bids were final and the property was not subject to any further inspection.

The main house and carriage house were once the home of Dr. and Mrs. Warren. Genevieve Warren is second from the left pictured above. She was one of the founders of the garden club. Rightly so as the guest house property had one of the grandest gardens in Key West back in the day and still did even though the Small Business Administration let it go to seed during its lack of maintenance. The trees were overgrown and vines and weeds crept all over the place. The government agency did not pay the nominal annual license fees to keep the business licensed which resulted in the city voiding the 13 guest house licenses. The lights did not work, the water was not turned on, and I had no idea what other conditions might be discovered were I to be the successful bidder. The bidding went slowly in $5,000 increments. A guy who worked with the auctioneer approached me and asked if I really wanted to buy the place. I said I did. He asked me my what my highest dollar offer would be. I said $500,000. (This was in 1993 when prices were much lower than today. You cannot buy a crumby condo for $500,000 in Key West today.) He said I should bid it all and confidentially told me I would blow everyone else out of the water. They would fear me and said I would get the property. I waited for the bidding to continue for a minute or so and then I bid $500,000. The room went silent. The auctioneer beckoned higher bids. Then he gave fair warning, banged the gavel, and announced I was the high bidder and said the government representative would have to confirm the bid. That happened after they confirmed my deposit check.

My partner and I plus our dog moved into the property the week before Christmas 1993. Within two months we had the trees trimmed, the buildings tented for termites, and the rooms cleaned and ready for business. I hired an attorney to help get back the thirteen licenses that had been lost. In the meantime I obtained five transient licenses which were available based on the size of the building rather than the number of rooms. We opened for business the first week of February 1994 and were busy every day thereafter.

Before we opened the doors to the public we got to spend a night or two in each of the bedrooms. Later we lived in the manager's unit tucked away off to the side of the original dining room which we used as our office. The main house was among the grandest of the grand back in the day. And it was still in really good condition when we bought it.

I sold the place a couple of years later. I regret that now but that is what I did. Years later the woman I sold it to wanted to move away from Key West. I showed the property to a potential buyer. I recall her standing in the main entry way telling my buyer about ghosts in the house. I looked at her and thought she sounded ridiculous. That was a lot of hooey.

Three years ago I received an email from a woman writer who was working on a tour book on Key West wherein she was going to discuss the "paranormal".  I told the writer I could not offer any stories about the paranormal as I had not experienced any such thing. I don't know where or why people come up with things like this. Things that go bump in the night are often the result of gravity and not a ghost dropping an object or stepping on a cat's tail. Or too much alcohol.

 

I have been selling unhaunted houses in Key West since 1996.  I guess Realtors up north in American have to add riders to let potential buyers know their listings are not haunted. If you are looking to buy a place in Key West give me a call.