923 Southard St. Key West - Just Listed

Just listed, but not by me, 923 Southard Street in Old Town Key West. The original cigar maker's style cottage was built circa 1889. I found an old photo that shows pretty much the original structure as it appeared 50 some years ago (see the black and white photo below). If you look carefully you can see traditional clapboard siding at the front but board and batten siding (vertical siding) on the side.  You also will see a "sawtooth" addition at the rear. I suspect that was the kitchen at the time the photo was taken. A later owner expanded that space to include a second floor addition.  The resultant house today has 1476 sq ft of living space under air. The house sits on a large 2700 sq ft lot (approximately 27' x 100') lot located in the heart to Old Town.

Today this storybook cottage rests behind a picturesque white picket. The front porch provides the perfect perch for people watching.  Inside, you are greeted by a traditional long hallway on the right which leads to the kitchen and dining at the rear. The current owner removed a previously existing wall that separated a small front office from the adjacent living room. The newly expanded living room is a delight. The floors were refinished and look like new. Windows from the hallway on the east which filter into the living area.  Windows at the front and west side light the living room during the daytime. The Dade County Pine Walls are punctuated by the baseboards, trim, and crown molding all painted a crisp white.

There is a full bathroom plus closets closets located at the rear of the living room. This space will come in handy as the second bathroom on the second floor is en-suite to the master bedroom.

The kitchen is a compact place to cook when the owner is dining at home versus going out to one of the nearby restaurants including Mangia Mangia, Michael's, Azur, or Cafe Sole. Five Brothers is located down on the corner of Grinnell. The turf is not real, but the sunshine, the trees, the singing birds are very real, and they are very much a part of the appeal of this magical back yard located in the heart of Old Town.

The roof top balcony is the perfect spot to take an all-over Key West tan. It's also a great place to sit in the morning drinking your coffee or late at night as the warm breezes move across the island. The last couple of nights have been incredible as the full moon migrated across the sky with slow winds moving lots of clouds about. It was quite the show. When the conch trains, delivery vans, scooters, and cars stop the real noises of the island begin: the dog scratching off fleas, the occasional cat screeching, the gecko on the wall chirping, the fountain in the garden gurgling, the palms swishing. These are the sounds of Key West us locals love to hear.

923 Southard Street is offered at $1,199,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this treasure. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

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.