628 White Street, Key West - An Old Town Landmark

I finally got to take a full tour 628 White Street yesterday afternoon during an open house. It is a beautiful Old Town landmark.There lookers inside when I entered, as I walked around, and when I left. A steady stream of potential buyers.  Before we look around, checkout the photo taken from the same location in 1965 - half a century ago.  This is one very pretty home. Great lines. Oh, and HARC, dormers were used in Old Town. HARC hates dormers.

Other than the fence being added, not much else has changed. I know the current owner replaced the original jalousie windows with impact glass windows. It is super quiet and hurricane safe inside.

As I approached the front door I sensed I had been in this house before. There is off street parking on the right. The front porch is prim and proper. The house and grounds are in immaculate condition. I entered and saw the listing Realtor in the rear. I know for sure I was inside last year when customers of mine stayed here. I only saw the living area on the first floor then. I distinctly remember asking them how they liked the house. They loved it. I was about to get my turn to see why.

First, this place has a sense of home. While the house is old, it does not feel old. It is neither a museum  nor re-invention. It is just a very clean and easy living environment with south facing windows bathing the interior with subtle light. There is a media wall in the living area which has ample seating for an entire family. I have seen the same room divide in many houses of that era. A door at the side of the kitchen leads to a first floor guest bathroom and the pool and outside kitchen beyond.

The master bedroom and en-suite take up about two thirds of the space of the first floor north side of the house. Both rooms are extra large. The rear hall and guest bath take up the balance. The ceilings are tall. Tall men who have trouble in houses with low ceilings and older couples who don't want to do stairs will love this space.

 

When I arrived at the second floor I had to pause. I had a sense of de-javu. But I knew for certain I had never been inside this area - ever. And then my mind took to me to a very similar house in the 600 block of Grinnell Street. Both houses had front and rear bedrooms with a landing area in between. The spaces were designed differently. There is a sweet little office nook sandwiched in under the south facing dormer. I took a picture of the wedding cake house across the street. I have never been inside that house either. I remember watching carpenters and painters work on if for months - making every detail perfect. Not a bad view. Oh and the cemetery for the fallen of the Battleship Maine is across the street. There is no parking on that side of the street. It is a quiet and lovely neighborhood. 

There is a little media room with sofa, television, gaming equipment, and so forth located opposite the desk area.  

As soon as I entered the front bedroom I headed over to the little nook overlooking the cemetery. It is the perfect place for reading, knitting, or Twittering. This space is so cute and so Key West.

 

The rear bedroom is equally charming. It has an en-suite bath. There is a second full bath off the hallway. The bathrooms are pure luxury.

The pool is longer than the daytime photo suggests. The night photo does not do the space justice. There is a full outdoor kitchen - that trend is picking up here. More money for the appliance dealers and more things for the cleaning people to attend to when the owner or guests go back up north. See the door at the end of the pool? That is the garage which is entered off Angela Street. For all its loveliness, this house has clutter too. It is stored inside the garage. It will go away when the house is sold. 

This is a big house on a bit lot. The house has 2,851 Sq Ft of interior living space and sits on a 6,030 Sq Ft corner lot. Thee are two one bedroom apartments for income. I did not tour. There off street parking on both White and Angela Street.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and professional photos of this beautiful Key West landmark home offered for sale at $3,425,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing. Showings are tough as this home is actively rented as a monthly vacation rental. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

317 Whitehead Street, Key West - Bring Your Imagination

 

Just Listed 317 Whitehead Street, Key West. The building at the top left is an historic structure and cannot be taken down. The building on the right is actually concrete block construction and has been approved from demolition by the City of Key West Historic Architectural Approval Commission. The plans provide for the construction of a similar new Conch Style building plus second floor addition that extends far to the rear. The photo just above show the approximate location of where a new pool and sundeck area could be located. The area woul have a new fence and garden and would not be like anything visible today. 

I remember walking up and down Duval Street many times on my first visit to Key West. I ventured east and west on some of the side streets which then were a bit "sketchy:. But that was nearly forty years ago. So much has changed. The once forlorn streetscape it now mostly renovated. Not all, but mostly. Prices were relatively "cheap: then. Not so now. Key West has grown up in so many ways. A town built by pirates and thieves is now managed by politicians with MBA and Legal degrees. 

As much as I jest, Key West is still the best. It is BOOM TOWN right now. There is a lot of money coming here. I know more than I can say. I was awed by the hotels that were purchased prior to Covid. More is on the way in short order and at higher prices than before. More money is flowing into Key West. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and CLICK the DOCUMENTS tab. There you can view the most recent Survey of the property as well as the HARC Approved Demolition and Renovation Plans. A new buyer could seek amend the plans to suit a new owners needs. Or a new owner could keep the existing buildings and renovate them. Options are open. Offered at $2,000,000.

I am the Listing Agent.Text me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to sec up a private showing.i am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Bring your imagination.And Proof of Funds.

 

1500 Atlantic Blvd #314, Key West - Ocean Front Condo

It's Winter in Key West where today the temperature reached 76 degrees. What's the forecast where you live? I saw reports of record cold temps up north. Imagine living at water's edge looking out to the Atlantic Ocean every morning, noon, and night. You could - if you buy the just listed end unit at Key West Beach Club Condominiums. The real estate market is crazy here right now. I promise that if you snooze, you will lose on this baby. 

While every Beach Club Condominium unit has a direct ocean view, only a few have front and side views like this one. It has east views from both the living room and the guest bedroom. Equally important, the property to the east is a nature preserve where no buildings will ever be built. I'll show you later. The center hall foyer deliverers guest to midpoint to the open living space. Master and primary guest bedrooms are to the west, kitchen and media room (or third guest bedroom) to the east. The Atlantic Ocean is right outside on the front facing balcony.

Readers familiar with the Beach Club Condominiums may recall all units enter from a north facing walkway with elevator and stairs on each level. This unit is located at the far end of the east building. An exterior entry door was added onto the balcony walkway capturing that walkway for the exclusive use of this owner.

The captured space adds about 120 Sq Ft of living area to this unit as compared to others. Other units do not have the side window and other units typically walk thru this space to their homes. The additional space and privacy make a big difference when comparing units. Imagine your furniture and your lifestyle inside this incredible property.

A large guest bedroom and bath are located on the opposite side of the central hallway. This is a spacious room. The windows at the rear look out to the enclosed entry balcony. Nobody other than this unit owner and guests have access to that area. You won't hear tourists dragging luggage down the hall or toasting spring break outside your window. Will not happen. I promise!

 The master bedroom has an ocean view and direct access to the balcony. There is a large en-suite bath and large walk-in closet. But most of all there is that view.The Beach Club Condominiums have two waterfront pools located on the east and west side of the development. There is space for sunbathing, grilling and outdoor dining, a gym, tennis courts, under building parking and additional storage. There is abundant guest parking all behind secured gated access. 

Whenever I show units at the Beach Club I point out that our annual Fourth of July firework display takes place at the White Street Pier - about six blocks to the west. The fireworks are easy to see as are the shrimp boats bobbing in the ocean at night. Day or Night, Holiday and any day, you'll never tire of the changing sky or ocean views from or of Beach Club.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 1500 Atlantic Blvd Unit 314 offered for sale by Preferred Properties Key West at $2,150,000. The unit may be purchased furnished. 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. Our real estate market is on fire. Do not wait on this one. It will sell quickly. 

1003 Seminary Street, Key West - Casa Marina Area Redux

 

1003 Seminary Street, Key West. Stunning Contemporary Conch House located in the Casa Marina Area. Renovation now complete. All new exterior. All new interior. Pool. Guest Cottage. Two bricked off street parking spaces. Near the beach. Near Old Town. Near Perfect. Furnished. Interiors by BEN TEAGUE DESIGN

Freshly Renovated & Enlarged 3/3 in the Exclusive Casa Marina Area. NEW Everything including New Great Room with Vaulted Ceiling with Doors Opening out to Covered Deck. Bricked Dining Terrace. Totally Private Pool and Tropical Garden. All New Kitchen, Custom Cabinets, Quartz Counter Tops, Gas Range. Fully Fenced & Landscaped including TREX Decking, Bricked Off Street Parking for Two Cars. $2,300,000.

 

Key West- a safe place to live

Recently a prospective  customer asked me about a Key West neighborhood. We drove through the area where I pointed out houses I had sold or knew something interesting or maybe salacious. I pointed out where some famous people live (or used to live before they died or were ushered out of town). I discussed how many police we have in Key West and how little crime. And that I feel safe living here.

I told them about the time I was walking on Whitehead Street moments after a local bank had been robbed.There were cop cars with lights blinking and uniformed offices everywhere. I surprised to see so many undercover police (some dress like Hells Angels) with badges displayed and carrying guns. It was a massive display of force you just would not expect in such a small island town. The police immediately caught the guy. What kind of idiot would rob a bank or steal a car on an island? The point was Key West is a very safe place to live.

And then I immediately related back to growing up in Denver, Colorado and how safe I felt there until just before I moved to Key West. The entire Denver area had less than 500,000 when I was a child but grew to nearly two million when I moved to Key West in 1993. I grew up in a suburb just a couple of miles east of where the Rocky Mountains rise out of the ground. I moved into the Capitol Hill area of Denver at age 21 to attend law school and lived in that area until I moved to Key West at age 47. 

Two of several unrelated events changed my whole view how safe my neighborhood and my ity had become. I sold my home in 1993 and had rented a house in the 800 block of Lafayette Street. A woman Realtor was raped and killed while showing a house a in the 700 block of Lafayette Street - one bock south - the same block where Mamie Doud Eisenhower grew up. Her home is shown at the top. It was not the murder house. They all look pretty much alike. They were expensive then. They are more expensive now. Very desirable area of town. Less desirable after a murder. 

A short time later the television stations had saturated coverage of then freakish story which is now a daily occurrence in many large cities. But then it was freakish because that kind of thing had never happened before - at least in Denver. It scarred us all. As I recall a little girl, aged three,was riding in the back seat of her family car when she was shot in the head by some random stranger. She died of her wound. The shooting was not road rage related - just random violence. It was time to leave Denver.

I told my customer how safe I feel in Key West. Our crooks are politicians, drunks, dopers, and occasional bank robbers. In that order.

OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW

WATCH MLS LATER TODAY for NEW LISTING

READ TOMORROW'S BLOG FOR DETAILS