912 Truman Avenue - Old Town - Key West

The photo above shows how 912 Truman Avenue appeared in 1965 when the photo was taken. Look to the right and you will see part of a garage on that property. Behind the three story main house was a huge rear yard.  The house was extensively renovated in 2002 at which time the adjacent garage was also renovated and expanded. The grounds to the rear had new houses built upon them. To comply with City of Key West building code, the properties were classified as condominiums. There are limited common areas for ingress and egress to the new houses. Otherwise, the quarterly condominium fee is just $150.

 

The three photos above show the front porch of 912 Truman Avenue as the property  appears in 2012.  The house sits behind a white picket fence and specimen palms.  This is one of the few surviving homes on Truman Avenue that remain a single family home. Many of the larger homes were converted into apartments, guest houses, or were morphed into commercial businesses. Alas, some of the grand old homes were demolished and replaced by modern structures.

When you step inside 912 Truman Avenue its like stepping back into another era. This home retains the functionality and character of the original home. Some new fangled features such as nearly gourmet kitchen, updated baths, and central air conditioning have been added. But the old style rooms remain in tact with all of their flaws, charm and character.

As you enter the front entry you are greeted by a wonderful staircase and central hallway that divides the house in two. On the right side you will find the living room and parlor on the right side.  The dining room and kitchen are on the left side. A small bath and servants' stairway are located at the rear.

 Front door with living room located on the right

The dining room is located to the left. Note the crown molding and high baseboards.

The beautiful staircase leads to the bedrooms on the second and third floors.

The living room (above) is divided into two sections.  Note the rich Dade County Pine walls, the rich and very real wood floors (not the kind of manufactured floors we see in modern homes which you just know are fake), and the old school wood ceilings. Note as well the ancient windows with glass that ripples.

The dining room obviously hearkens back to another era. What a wonderful space this would be to share food and beverage with family and friends. So what if it is formal. Instead of buying take-out or nuking Healthy Choice or Marie Callander's you might actually cook a real meal.

My dear old grandmother had the same octagonal tile in her bathroom. I love the look and feel of this place. It evokes a feeling continuity over generations of people that lived here. The house has the necessities, but it is not consumed by modernity. It retained its soul. 

The master bedroom and bath occupy the west side of the second floor. Two more bedrooms plus a shared bath are on the east side. The master bath is huge. In my opinion, the renovator could have done a better job in this space. I would probably redo the space, eliminate some of the marble and glitz, add more closet space, and make the master suite function better in the process.

The two second floor bedrooms are shown above. One is now used as a sitting room. Note the old newspapers glued to the ceiling. The papers were originally used as insulation and where retained when the home was renovated.

A door in the hallway opens to the second floor front balcony that spans the breadth of the home.

The master bedroom is located to the right and it's bath is located to the right rear. The second bath is located at the far rear and it is used by the occupants in either of the bedrooms on the left. Note the servants' staircase at the rear. It goes goes down to the area just off the kitchen. The main staircase provides access from the main floor (at front). And the staircase rising on the left leads to the third floor bed and bath.

The third floor space is actually quite large. Unfortunately I took lousy pics. 

 Off street parking.

The listing Realtor describes 912 Truman Avenue this way:

"This elegant historic three-story home has been carefully restored with stainless steel and granite in the kitchen and three and half modern but charming bathrooms. The double front porches are 38 feet long, there is a sparkling swimming pool in back and off street parking. This a great price per square foot for a renovated home."

CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls data sheet and to view listing photos. And CLICK HERE to look at photos I took. 912 Truman Avenue is offered at just $795,000 or $227 per sq ft for this gracious 3494 sq ft historic home.

This property is listed by Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc., but it is not my listing.  If you are a buyer who wants a real "old house" and not an imitation of one, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this property. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties.

Key West Short Sale - Back on the Market - 620 Mickens Lane

 620 Mickens Lane - Key West, Florida

 Back on the market, this Short Sale at 620 Mickens Lane in Key West, Florida.  This 1237 sq ft house was completed renovated in 2004 and looks in really good condition today. I doubt that buyers shopping by price will find a better property at this price point in the Old Town area, just $339,500 or $274 per sq ft.  The listing broker describes this property thus:

"Great CBS home on a quiet lane in Old Town. Just needs some TLC, but was completely renovated in 2004. This three bedroom two bath home has a very bright and open floor plan with French doors that lead out to the private back deck and yard. This is a potential short sale transaction subject to lender approval."

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The renovation included all new kitchen, baths, flooring, paint (inside and out), central a/c, roof, windows, doors, plumbing and electrical. The home has a light, airy and open floor plan. Upon entering the house my eyes were immediately draw to the rear where French doors open and continue the flow of the home to a nice size deck and yard that was once landscaped for easy maintenance. The front and rear landscaping is overgrown and out of whack right now but that's an easy fix.  The interior is in move-in condition.

Rear area today

The same area a few years ago. It can look this nice again!

Mickens Lane is a small lane that dead-ends off Angela Street between Thomas Street and Whitehead Street. Duval Street is less than a five minute walk to the east. Ft Zach Taylor State Park and Beach is an easy bike ride or a fifteen minute walk to the west. Frequent visitors to Key West will recognize the location as being one half block from the entrance to the Shipyard Condominiums in Truamn Annex.

Ft. Zach Beach - minutes from home

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of this home.This is a really nice house that does not need any work (other than some new plants) that will sell within a matter of days. If you are looking for a property that won't put you in the poorhouse, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a 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.

618 Petronia Steet - Atop Solares Hill - Key West

 618 Petronia Street - Old Town - Key West

The house at 618 Petronia Street is worth looking at if you are a reasonably priced house in Old Town Key West that is in livable condition but which could be upgraded and improved upon as well.

The house is located near the highest point on Solares Hill - the highest point on the Island of Key West. I searched the Monroe County Property Appraiser records and old photos and learned the houses in the immediate area were built right after the end of World War II. Records show 616 and 618 Petronia was built in 1948. This is important in that the two historic photos I found of both houses show how much different 618 Petronia appeared a few years later after the front masonry addition was added and stucco added to cover the original wood siding.

616 Petronia - 1965

616 Petronia - 2012

 The original house (and current configuration) is a wood frame house that is more typical bungalow style house than cigar maker's cottage. The gable roof is not as high or as pitched. Note the house has a wood frame "addition" on the right front. Other houses on this block appear quite similar but all have been modified a bit differently.

618 Petronia - 1965

 

618 Petronia - 2012

 It looks to me as though the original house at 618 Petronia Street was expanded by the masonry addition at the front. This addition includes the front porch on the left and the third bedroom on the right. I believe a second addition was added at the rear where the kitchen is now located. A rear covered patio at the rear has been enclosed and seems to now function as a family room. The original house is still intact and consists of the living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house has several floor elevations and floor surface materials. Some interior walls are 1950's wood panel (the kind you see in rec rooms and trailers) while other spaces are plaster over masonry.

 Front porch

The kitchen

Family room

It looked to me as though much of the original house got a stucco exterior when the front addition was added many years ago. The house next door at 616 Petronia Street is almost identical and it has "novelty siding". (Manley deBoer Lumber in Key West still sells novelty siding.)  I think the houses are the same and I expect 618 Petronia would have had the same siding were it not for the stucco. I'm a believer in wood and I think this house would benefit immensely from the removal of the entire masonry and the rear additions. I would replace the front with a period correct front porch. I'd restore the wood siding all over the the house. I would remove the clam shell awnings and replace with shutters that are more in keeping with the way Key West cottages look today. Finally, I would replace the kitchen and add a new rear porch.  I think you could come up with a mighty charming home to keep to yourself or that you could easily rent as a vacation rental. There are several homes in the immediate area that are used that way.

The rear yard is immense. (The Monroe County Property Appraiser's map shows the lot as being 32 feet wide by 189.33 feet in depth.) There is room for a huge pool. There is even room for an accessory unit (a mother-in-law cottage).  This space is just incredible. 

 I spotted huge an avocado tree, a lime tree, a key lime tree, and a sour orange tree in the rear yard. This lot is just incredible. It offers so much for future development.

CLICK HERE to  view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet on this property. A new owner doesn't have to do any of the remodeling I suggested. The place works just fine the way it is. But it could be so much better. And at the asking price of $459,900 it is worth looking at.

If you would like to look at this property or any other house in Key West please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.