107 Front St #217, Key West - Harbour Place Condominium - Waterfront Luxury

The above photo shows the "Outer Mole" in Key West, historically the area where Navy vessels were moored while in port. I added an Arrow to show the location of 107 Front Street #217 at Harbour Place Condominium. Today the mole is where huge passenger ships park while thousands of day visitors come ashore to tour the Isle of Key West. Later in the day the ships depart to motor to their next port of call.

The Sunset Key Pier is located at the north edge of the mole where the Sunset Key motor launch and pleasure craft move in and out of port. At sunset private and commercial sailing boats chase the sunset. On some nights the views are quite spectacular. But even on gray days and in storms the views will always be interesting.

I got the opportunity to see this Harbour Place waterfront penthouse last week. I walked in near sunset and was just awed by the views of the Outer Mole. I have seen the Mole many times over the years from several different units at Harbour Place. But I was never there at sunset.There are two separate front decks. I went out onto each. Both had different angular views of the mole. There are also decks on the back side of the unit where the three of the bedrooms are located.

The ocean facing bedroom has a mighty spectacular view. Of that I am sure you would agree.

 This 2420 square foot unit has four bedrooms and four bathrooms plus private terraces and four parking spaces.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of this very special property offered for sale at $3,295,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to show you this unit and the other two now offered for sale in Harbour Place. You are going to fall in love with one or maybe all. I m a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1517 Washington Street, Key West - Past Made Present Perfect

I have been to the home at 1517 Washington Street in Key West several times over the years, but it was just yesterday that I returned for a visit on Realtor Caravan.  This home is owned by a fellow Realtor and his partner, a local architect. They bought the house in 2011 and totally reinvented the space while saving and preserving the very essence of this Mid Century Classic.  Millions of similar homes were built across America in the early 1950s. How many of those homest of the past looks so perfect today?

The top photo was taken in 2011 when the house was listed for sale. The previous owners had raised their family in this three bedroom home. They had updated it a bit over the years, replaced the kitchen, and screened in the back porch. The home sat on a 4698 sq ft lot with a 50.25' frontage with 93.5' in length. The house had been very well maintained over the years and the yard had what Realtors call "potential". The second photo shows the soon after the renovation was completed. The last photo shows the front today with matured but minimal landscaping.

The twilight view sets the stage for today's discussion of this home. There are several items to consider. Not the round ceramic tile under the light fixture. The Historic Florida Keys Foundation awarded the owners  the 2012 Historic Preservation Award. (Consider this: I was five years old when this house was built in 1952. Houses younger than I are considered historic. I have another birthday coming up in a week. Dang.)

Large tiles lead across the low maintenance enclosed yard. The new wind impact windows and doors are trimmed in dark metal creating a subtle department from Home Depot aluminum products. It is, however, the cleanness of design that lets us know we are ready for a treat.

The owners transformed the former semi-enclosed front porch into a home office. The original Cuban Tile floors were professionally restored. They are stunning. (I was in Paris in September and went to several home resource stores. Cuban tiles are being used there in new projects. Don't assume something "old" has no use in modern design. )

The original house had the same basic room layout and configuration but it did not look like this update. The Florida red cypress ceilings add texture to the clean white walls and contrast to the bluish-gray Cuban tile floors. It works well.

The master bedroom and bath is stunning in its simplicity. The custom teak bed and closet "Wow" visitors when they enter the room. A new bath was added off the bedroom where daytime light makes showering seem like being outside. There is, however, an outdoor shower as well.  We Key Westers love our outdoor showers.

The design features from the front and interior follow out to the updated rear where the old screened in porch has become an open extension of the living area. We spend so much time outside that it is important to make that space as equally inviting as the inside. They did that right!  There is room for a pool and drawings exist to show a new owner exactly what can be built.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 1517 Washington Street Key West offered at $1,075,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to show you this lovely home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. What a Christmas present this could be. Past made Perfect!

I Caught Santa Claus Shopping for a Home in Key West

A couple of years ago I was showing a house in Key West. The other agent was in front of the house taking selfies to post on Instagram while my clients and I moved about the property

We were awed by the place. It had fountains and gardens galore. What a dream home this was, that was for sure.

As I approached the rear, I saw Santa Claus without his reindeer. He was peeping inside. Had the old elf something to hide?

I snuck back inside to find out if Old Nick had something to hide.

There stood Big Red with his cobb pipe affixed to his head. He had no ill intent, of that I was now assured. I nodded good day and invited him to enter through the rear door. He came inside to my clients' delight. We chatted for a few minutes and ate Christmas cookies while the listing agent stayed out front taking more selfies.

Santa confessed he was looking for a place to retire after he leaves the frigid north.  I gave him my card and wished him the best.

If you are thinking about buying a place in Key West, I promise I'll give your my very best!

Santa's Short List of Open Houses in Key West

Santa has a short list of must see houses this weekend before Christmas. There are two open houses, one that is old (really old) and one that is new (just two years old).

11 Nassau Lane is a charming 2/2 storybook cottage located near the end of the lane. It is believed to have been built just before the Civil War. Bricked side yard leads to the orchid garden in the rear where there is room for a pool   It has been updated and is offered furnished at $899,000. See Gary Thomas (Realtor at Preferred Properties at the property) 305-766-2642.

619 Virginia Street is newly constructed 2/2 poolside two story home also offered at $899,000. This Old Town home is located in the X Zone one block from Duval Street. Off street parking and big wrap-around deck. See Colby Fisher (Realtor at Preferred Properties at the property). 305-432-6368

Just Listed: 1409 Grinnell Street, Key West - Casa Marina Area

Just Listed, but not by me, 1409 Grinnell Street, Key West. This Casa Marina Area home was originally built in 1972. It has just been totally renovated and is now available for sale.  The Casa Marina continues to grow in popularity with second home buyers who often seek contemporary homes on large lots with cost saving features such as impact windows generally not permitted in Old Town homes.

I love referencing the 1930 aerial photo of the Casa Marina Area where I added arrows indicating the locations of 1409 Grinnell Street and one of our premiere waterfront restaurants, Louie's Backyard. Today the scruffy area at the bottom right is Higgs Beach. A long swimming pier now extends out into the water. There are tennis courts, a playground, and a much more affordable restaurant, Salute on the Beach. It is this location near the beach that also makes homes in this area so attractive to new buyers. 

Take a moment and consider the scarcity of housing in the Casa Marina Area in 1930. Most of Key West's population was then concentrated in the Old Town area particularly near the historic seaport. As the population grew, other parts of the island saw new housing added. Most of the houses in the Casa Marina Area, midtown, and new town area were built after the end of World War II.  I moved into the area in 1995 when there were still a couple of never built upon lots. Most of the lots in the Casa Marina Area, like 1409 Grinnell, are larger than 4,000 square feet. Many lots are 10,000 square feet. Most of the streets, like Grinnell, do not have curbs and gutters. This "rural" feel is the opposite of the more densely populated Historic District where many of the lots are just 2500 square feet and heavily shaded by abutting two story buildings or ancient canopy trees.

This 1168 square foot home has four bedrooms including one located behind the kitchen. That room may also be used as a home office or media room. The fourth bedroom is located in the rear cottage. The house has new tile floors, impact windows and doors, a new kitchen, and three new bathrooms plus new HVAC. There is room for a pool adjacent to the covered patio and rear cottage.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 1409 Grinnell Street offered for sale at $1,149,000. 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.