619 Virginia Street, Key West - Pre-Pride Parade Open House

If you are among the thousands of people in Key West for Gay Pride and are free between 12:00 to 2:00 PM, drop by 619 Virginia Street to checkout this awesome end unit at Southernmost Cabana Resort located one block east of Duval Street.

There is a reason people return to visit Key West year after year - they love this town. People can come here and be themselves. They can snorkel on the reef during the day and later take in a play. They can walk to just about all of the main attractions and get a tan at the same time. Southernmost Cabana Resort is located four blocks from South Beach.  Fort Zachary Taylor State Beach and Park is a ten minute walk. There are places eat, drink, be merry, get married, or be "Mary!". And nobody cares who you are, how much money you have, or who you sleep with. It's been like that for years - before it was fashionable to be tolerant and accepting.

Randy Jones of The Village People as photographed in Key West for AFTER DARK Magazine in 1978.  I had never heard of Key West before then. I thought what an incredible place is must be.  It is.

Key West has changed so much in the intervening forty-one years. Most of the houses in Old Town have been restored. Dogs can no longer take naps in the street - on most days. But the sun and blue sky and green ocean and palm trees and lush tropical foliage has stayed the same.

619 Virginia Street is located at the far end of Virginia Street which dead ends at the St Mary's Star of the Sea church school wall. There are only 21 units. This one has adjacent off street parking and an extra large side yard and the largest wrap-around deck of all the units. Best of all it is located just off the pool.

Located in  the X Flood Zone (flood insurance is not required) these homes were built to Florida's tough building code. The exterior features Hardiboard Siding, Wind Impact Resistant Windows and Doors, Trex Decking. Inside features include porcelain floors, fire suppression system, recessed lighting, stainless steel kitchen, and laundry closet. This 1394 square foot home has two large bedrooms and three baths.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more photos of 619 Virginia Street, Key West, offered at $889,000. Better yet, stop by and take a look before Gay Pride Parade one block to the west.

317 William Street, Key West - Classic Old Town Home

Just Listed, but not by me, 317 William Street, Key West, Florida. Buyers looking for a classic Conch House (revival) at an affordable price need look no further. This 1944 square foot home is currently configured as a duplex where the upper unit has one bedroom, two baths, and a loft. The main level unit is a one/one but has access to the rear yard. In my opinion, the best use of this home would be to restore it to a single family home.

Locals and frequent visitors to Key West knows that the 300 block of William Street was the equivalent to the cradle of civilization as far as Key West history is concerned. The historic seaport was located just on the far side of Caroline Street.  Businesses lined Caroline Street. Merchants and seamen lived in the nearby houses and boarding houses. I looked in my old shoe box and found the black and white photo of 317 William taken a little over fifty years ago. I also found a photo of the 300 block of William Street in 1885. I took a similar photo on June 5, 2019 from that same location - basically in the middle of William Street and in front of 317 William. The old street appears much wider, but there were no cars and few trees. The legendary Red Doors is located at the right side of the photo.

Many things have changed over the years including the redevelopment of the historic seaport. That revitalized this entire section of Old Town. There are multiple restaurants and tourist related businesses at the seaport and on Caroline Street. The boardwalk or esplanade now rims the north end of the seaport and wraps around to the south and ends at the new Truman Waterfront Park. Most of the homes in this area (bounded by Eaton to the north and Caroline to the south) are second homes many of which are used as vacation rentals. 317 William is one of the original surviving houses that has not been significantly updated and it is for that reason that this house is priced at just $799,000.

 I also found the historic interior photo of the parlor at 317 William Street. Millennials and even us old baby boomers don't live like this any more. A restoration to single family house would include installing a new interior staircase, new kitchen, and baths and removal of the existing exterior stairs. The restored home would add to the legacy homes that line this historic block. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos.

 The photo two above shows the Red Doors at 800 Caroline Street in 1975. The Red Doors are also visible on the right side of current day Caroline Street. The waterfront area is a draws thousands of visitors to this area all year long. Vacationers love to stay within easy walking distance to the seaport and Duval Street located just four blocks to the west. 

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. There will be a lot of interest in this classic Conch House. Don't wait!

Alice Doesn't Work at Wells Fargo Anymore

This is a true story. I feel compelled to tell my readers that what I write is real because there is so much on the internet and in broadcast media that is fake or framed in such a way as to make many people skeptical of what they read or see or even hear. I also know that people who claim to be real truth tellers can be liars. I am not one of them.

A few years ago I was having considerable difficulty in getting a real estate deal closed. The mortgage lender worked at Wells Fargo which had an office in Key West. I made several phone calls to the lender who I will refer to as "Alice".  She did not return my calls. Key West is a small town. I drove to the bank to see if I could find out where Alice was and when she would return. I entered the bank and saw Alice sitting behind behind the glass wall in her office.  She was quickly moving her mouse about while looking at her computer screen.  I used my cell phone to call her to announce my presence. She picked up the phone, looked at the caller ID, and put the phone back on her desk.  Undeterred, I went inside her office to discuss our deal. While I was not happy having been ignored, I had the upper hand with her. She knew I knew she had been bad. Very bad. I didn't raise a fuss. I got her to take care of business. End of story.

I never got over that. I never sent her any more business. A year ago or so I was discussing some real estate deal with a fellow agent. We have known each other for over twenty years. One thing led to another when he told me about the time he went to Wells Fargo to find out why Alice wasn't responding to his phone calls. He could see her at her desk looking at the computer. He called her from outside her office. He watched her not answer the phone. He said he tore into the office and gave her a piece of his mind. He never used Alice again.  

Bad conduct one time can be excused to some extent. Twice, it is a pattern.  Third time it is a management issue. I don't know if there was a third time. I do know that Alice doesn't work at Wells Fargo anymore.

1410 Reynolds Street, Key West - Casa Marina District Redux

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West, 1410 Reynolds Street, located in the tony Casa Marina District of Key West. If you are only familiar with Old Town you need to take a look at this home which is located just four blocks from Higgs Beach and the Atlantic Ocean.

This 2,262 square foot one story home was originally built in 1963.  Successive owners have updated it over the years. The current owner made substantial improvements to the house including replacement of all windows and doors with storm impact windows. Some of the window openings provide museum like views of the enclosed courtyards and pool. The interiors were professionally designed - and it shows!

An automated voice greets visitors upon entry. (It's a part of the security system. It shocked me when I entered. I thought I broke something.)  As I walked through this house I noticed just above everything had been updated or replace. The house sparkles in every location. The blinds automatically rise and fall upon the click of a button. There is recessed and strategically located art lighting in pubic and private parts of the house.

The master suite is located on the south end of the home. It includes a large sitting room and an expansive private bath with soaker tub, glassed-walled shower with multiple shower heads, and a huge window looking out to private garden. The house has two guest bedrooms each of which are entered off a center hallway.

The house sits on a large corner lot at the corner of Reynolds and Washington Streets. (I wrote about 807 Washington Street, one block to the west, last week.) This home is located in the X Flood Zone which means the elevation is so high that your mortgage lender would not require you to purchase flood insurances. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of 1410 Reynold Street, Key West. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

807 Washington Street #102, Key West, Florida

Just Listed, but not by me, 807 Washington Street #102, Key West, Florida. This has got to be one of the best buys on the market in current day Key West.  There are just nine of these babes that were built in 2007.  I have listed and or sold four of these homes over the years. I know them well and feel very comfortable is recommending a buyer purchase one.

The homes are located on the corner of William and Washington Streets in the swank Casa Marina District of Key West. This home is located in the X Flood Zone. The Casa Marina Resort is just a couple of blocks to the west and south. Higgs Beach is a five minute walk as is Louie's Backyard and dog beach. Upper Duval Street is only four blocks to the west.

These homes were originally built to sell for $1.5 and higher price point back in 2007. That is when the economy took a nose dive. Several new high end housing projects tumbled along with the national real estate market. Our local market has recovered although some price points are not doing as well as others. This particular listing is particularly attractive because it has so many high end features that were built in to the house and that it has just been updated with a new kitchen and new master bath. The above photos show a formal entry hall that includes powder room, new kitchen with high end stainless steel appliances, beautiful heart pine floors, high baseboards, crown molding, recessed and track lighting.

Two sets of glass panel doors open out to the covered rear deck, private heated pool and garden in the rear. There is a walking service alley behind the property where the pool man can enter each property to service to pool. There are four buildings with four one bedroom units each at Southpark Condominiums. They have one beautiful pool. Southpark Condos are a great property and will not create any issues for a new owner at today's listing.

There are two bedrooms, each ensuite, on the second floor. The master bedroom is at the rear. Note the soaring vaulted ceiling and double glass panel doors that open out tot the covered rear porch which overlooks the pool below.

The second floor front bedroom has a private bath and also has a private second floor covered front porch which overlooks Washington Street. This home has one designated off street parking spot plus lots of off street parking on the beautifully landscaped lot.

The third floor bedroom and bath runs the entire length of the home.

Everybody has their view of what living in Key West would be like. I have lived in the Casa Marina District since 1995. I love the area. I don't make it to the beach like I used to, but I love having it there. The homes in the area are by and large much more expensive than today's listing. That signifies to me this property gives the new owner a chance to move on up without paying the price of a single family home. More photos CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 807 Washington Street #102, Key West, Florida. 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 help you find your place in Paradise.

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