619 Virginia Street, Key West

Just Listed 619 Virginia Street, Key West. This is one of just twenty-one newly built town homes located in Old Town just one block from world famous Duval Street. This two bedroom, three bath unit has a large wrap-around deck and is located just off the pool.

This home has high end finishes throughout including porcelain floors, crown molding, high base boards, window treatments, stainless steel appliances, and granite counter-tops in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Entertaining is a breeze with the impact doors pulled back expanding the living area out to the deck. All windows and doors wind impact resistant which means insurance will be greatly reduced. And this home is located in the X Flood Zone which means your mortgage lender will not require flood insurance.

Both second floor bedrooms are large and have private en suite baths. The front bedroom has a door which opens out to the second floor front porch which has views toward the south.  The adjacent property is the rear garden of Saint Mary's Basilica.  

619 Virginia Street is the only unit with a private side yard and it also has adjacent parking. It is offered for sale at $899,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. If you buy this home now, it could be your home buy Christmas.

1105 Flagler Avenue, Key West - Now a Must See!

1105 Flagler Avenue is located in the Casa Marina Area of Key West. It is one of three adjoining properties currently listed by Preferred Properties Key West. It has been tenant occupied until the past week. It was for that reason I never wanted to show it. But now it is vacant and easy to show. And it is worth seeing.

The house has 722 sq ft of living space under air which includes two bedrooms, one bath, updated kitchen and interiors, plus a spacious rear deck and a large backyard with room for a pool. It sits on a large 4568 sq ft (45' X 100') lot. The massive "tree" in the above photo is not protected and if removed would provide space for a pool. The view from the deck is spectacular (but not photographed).

While I have lived in Key West for 25 years, I keep learning new facts about my island home. In fact I live a block away from this property on Von Phister Street where many years before my time the house now at 1105 Flagler once sat. It used to sit directly behind the larger house at 1117 Flagler Avenue. I added white arrow pointing out 1117 Flagler. Note the "developed" lot behind the house. County records show that house was moved to 1105 Flagler.

The black and white photo two above was taken in 1960 and shows the relocated house at 1105 Flagler with a garage in the rear. The front porch was semi-enclosed with a screen. Both the garage and semi-enclosed porch are gone. The house is bright and cheerful and in need of a new owner. 

The above house was relocated from 610 Dey Street in Old Town to 1122 Von Phister Street in the Casa Marina Area in 1958.  In fact two other much larger houses were also relocated to that same block. 

The listing Broker tells us more:

"The history of this home adds to its charming character. Both 1101 and 1105 Flagler were owned by Jim Russell and Peter Pell, New York designers who started Key West Handprint fabrics which became well known for supplying iconic fabrics, including those designed by Susie dePoo, to Lily Pulitzer with whom they became close friends and business partners. The renovated cottage style home sits on a 4,500 sq. ft. lot and features 2 bedrooms, 1 bath plus a large sunny deck. Located in the sought after Casa Marina area, it is close to the White Street pier, the dog park, the beaches, tennis and the promenade. Perfect as is but also room to expand and create your own dream in this terrific Key West location."

Readers who love to learn more about Key West should CLICK HERE to learn more about Jim Russell and Peter Pell and their Key West Hand Print Factory and how Lily Pulitizer is linked to this house and these two men. It's a small world. And people from all over the world come to Key West to find their place in Paradise. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. Remember the tenant is now gone and all the junk is gone. Then call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me show you the Casa Marina Area. You will love it.  If you buy this home right now, it will be your home by Christmas!

1106 Georgia Street, Key West - The Golden Heron House

People from all over the world come to Key West for many reasons including its old homes and buildings. They love to walk and bike around various neighborhoods where they can see homes from a different era most of which have been restored and preserved and some which desperately need help. Many of these visitors dream about owning a place in Key West. The new listing at 1106 Georgia Street might just be that place for someone reading today's blog.

I dug into my old shoebox and found the black and white aerial photo taken in 1918 which I added an arrow identifying the location of 1106 Georgia Street. Today the large parcel of vacant ground is Bayview Park,  The broad street under the text was then known as Division Street. Today it is Truman Avenue. Much has changed in the hundred years since that photo was taken. The one time grocery at the corner of Georgia and Virginia Street is now a house. And it is now offered for sale at $1,639,000.

Among the striking features of this building is the wrap-around awning which extends out over the public sidewalk - note the dotted yellowish line framing the lot. I also found the black and white photo of the building in 1965. Both the exterior and interior of this property were used as sets in The Rose Tattoo movie filmed in Key West in 1955.  The main floor was a grocery (see also the Sanborn Map above which shows the building as a grocery). The Georgia Street awning was partially enclosed to make the space more private and provides a comfy sitting place to watch the comings and goings in the neighborhood. Tennessee Williams, the author of The Rose Tattoo, lived a couple of blocks to the south and east. This was his neighborhood.

Etched glass French doors open into this one-of-a-kind home with open-air living room (immediately above) located off the main entry. The 2587 sq ft home has five bedrooms, three and one-half baths, two kitchens, and a grotto like pool.  This place is just too cool for words. It has a history of being used as a monthly vacation rental. In fact, a customer of mine has stayed there before. His family loved it.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and to view the striking listing photos of 1106 Georgia Street. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This home will be on Open House Sunday November 18 from 12 to 3. Drop by and tell the Karen Lane, the listing Realtor, that you read about the property my blog. She would love to have you take a look.

My logo is an image of Tennessee Williams home on nearby Duncan Street. Williams wrote The Rose Tattoo. This is a neat neighborhood filled with interesting buildings and stories.

1409 Truman Avenue, Key West - Incredible Bank Owned Property

Buyers looking for a great value in Key West should take a serious look at 1409 Truman Avenue. This 1932 square foot two story Eyebrow House sits on a 3213 square foot lot and overlooks Bayview Park across the street.Property records suggest it was originally built circa 1889. It was substantially renovated in 2005 but it could use a new coat of paint and replacement of kitchen appliances and counter-tops.  I did not see any large dollar items that need attention. MY old shoebox contained the black and white photo below showing the house in 1965 when an exterior stairway led to the second floor which I assume was used as apartments then. That stairway no longer exists and the current second floor is the master bedroom and en suite bath.

I am a big fan of Eyebrow Houses. This is different from any other I have been inside. The central front door opens into a formal entry hall that leads to the back of the home where the living area is located. There are two bedrooms with private baths on either side at the front of the house. The stairway ascends to the second floor master suite.

As this is an historic Key West home, it is not surprising that the walls and floors are of Dade County Pine throughout the house. Both first floor bedrooms are fairly good sized and each has a private bath. There is a guest bath located at the end of the entry hall.

The open concept living area at the back of the home includes a niche for dining, kitchen, and living are with multiple French doors that open out to the covered rear deck and swim spa. We just start our official fall season. All those leaves will be off the tree within two weeks and brand new green leaves will appear immediately thereafter. We do not have a dormant season. Notice the blue tarp-covered swim spa. I did not remove the tarp to take a look but a new buyer can do that during a home inspection. The spa may have been added instead of a swimming pool because much of the rear yard is covered with tree roots. Our Tree Commission has rules directing the types of trees which may and may not be removed to add a pool.  Since spas are not pools, some owners elect to add spas which do not require city approval.

The staircase lands on a well lit landing where daytime light floods the area. Double doors open into the master bedroom with high pitched ceiling that runs the length of the house. The spaces are divide to provide a large bedroom area, a dressing or sitting area, and large bathroom with dual vanity sinks, soaking bathtub, shower, and private toilet. You can see window unit air conditioners in several windows. The house does have central A/C.  It may be that the A/C stopped working properly and the exiting owner or tenant preferred to use cheap Home Depot units than to pay for a costly repair of the whole house system. A home inspection will tell the prospective buyer the cost to fix the system if it is in need of repair. The good thing is the house does have central air.

1409 Truman Avenue is a lovely old Key West home. It sits high across the street from the tennis courts at Bayview Park - the city's largest park. Workers are busy decorating the park for the upcoming Christmas holiday. The little village of small houses is being erected. Various events are held at the park throughout the year. It's all quite civilized.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 1409 Truman Avenue Key West now offered at the reduced price of $774,900. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. The house does not need repaint nor the counter-tops replaced. It would just look better and feel fresher. Take a look and judge for yourself. This is somebodies dream home. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.