Every Vote Matters

The photo below shows me, far left (lol), waiting to shake hands with Vice President Humbert H. Humphrey in his hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in Denver in 1968. That was nearly fifty years ago. The photo was taken a few weeks before the Democratic National Convention which I attended as a member of the Colorado delegation.  I left the convention the day after Humphrey won the nomination - I refused to stay to watch him accept the nomination. I felt the whole thing was rigged.

1968 was a pivotal year in American history. These are a few of the events that happened that year:

In early spring Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota challenged Lyndon Johnson for the Democratic Nomination as President.

On March 31 President Lyndon Johnson announced the would not seek nor would he accept the nomination of his party for another term as President.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis on April 4th. Within a few days riots broke out across America. Cities burned. A month later Senator Ted Kennedy spoke at the Colorado Jefferson Jackson Dinner held at the Hilton Hotel. I was there that Saturday night. He had every man and woman in tears as he described the positive changes that had occurred as a result of Martin Luther King's life and leadership and loss we faced with his death.

Senator Robert F Kennedy was assassinated on June 6th within minutes after winning the California Democratic Primary Election.

Governor George Wallace of Alabama mounted a hugely successful candidacy to challenge both Vice President Hubert H Humphrey and Governor Richard M Nixon.

The Viet Nam War divided America more than any event I can remember in my years on earth. Half of America wanted to leave Viet Nam and the other half wanted to destroy it as if that would destroy Communism and restore our old world order.  Families were split. Generations were at war with each other with the older generation supporting the war effort and the younger generation demanding that we exit Asia. Many of the men in the service were branded as "baby killers". Young men that refused to join the war effort were called "draft dodgers" except guys like Bill Clinton and Donald Trump who got suspicious deferments. I got one of those deferments. I ended up feeling guilty as hell. 

The angst of the youth was not limited to the United States. In an era before Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even the internet, young people across the world protested the war and social injustice. I watched the CBS Evening News every night and watched Walter Cronkite recounting the demise of the world. Each day I wondered what next would happen.

I was holdup in my dorm room in Fort Collins, Colorado thinking the world was about to end. Election Day came. I voted my conscious and not my party. I got my ballot and wrote-in the name of Eugene McCarthy for President and Abraham Ribicoff as Vice President. I wasted my vote. For that I am ashamed. I was smarter than that. But I voted with emotion rather than reason. Richard Nixon won the election, not because he was the most favored, but because he had the most electoral votes. Nixon had 301 electoral votes, Humphrey had 191, and George Wallace had 46.  My vote didn't change the election, but I know a lot of Democrats sat out the election or chose not to vote for Humphrey. We got Richard Nixon and all the chaos and rancor that followed. I realize now that our collective lives would have been different and I believe they would have been better.  I don't think the divisions that the Nixon era generated would have happened. He was a divisive figure.  I think his impeachment created the nexus to get a Democrat in revenge - not because it was merited but because Republicans sought equity. I may or may not be correct about that. It is what I think. I could be very wrong.  But I do know our reality would be entirely different had Humphrey won.

Forty-eight years later our country is facing a new election and has choices not everyone is excited about. I am excited about my candidate and have given money to the campaign. I will enthusiastically cast my ballot this year. I urge votes to vote. I know for certain that there will be a new reality no matter which person wins this election.

If you think one votes does not matter, you are wrong! Every vote matters!

1119 Packer Street, Key West - Potential Perfect Place in Paradise

I refer to myself as Realtor to the Dreamers for good reason: there are many people who have this intense desire to find a place in Key West where they can live in Peace and Happiness. They see Key West as an incredibly charming island city filled with cute little cottages where want to live either part time or preferably full time. They envy the locals who live here and believe that if they can get a place here their lives will be forever enriched. They inevitably call me to help them find the perfect home. Those either without a lot of money or who have good design and building skills seek project properties to create their own perfect place in Paradise.

The house at 1119 Packer Street is located in the Old Town area referred to in the Key West MLS as South of Truman. This area is a beehive of activity of late. Buyers have discovered that homes in this area may be cheaper to buy and may offer design and build options that could not be achieved in the historic district. While the rules are the same, houses like 1119 Packer Street, which was built new in 1957,  may avoid many of the rules that constrain renovations of historic homes. 

The listing Realtor, not me, describes the property this way:

"LARGE FENCED PROPERTY WITH PLENTY OF OFF STREET PARKING IN OLD TOWN! 3 bedroom, 3 bath home is conveniently located to shopping and all that Key West has to offer. The property is completely fenced. Large yard. Properties with this kind of space are hard to find in Old Town. X Flood Zone."

The Monroe County Property records show us this home was built in 1957 which means it is not historic. The home is in good condition. It has been maintained and does not need "fixed". I believe the size of the lot coupled with the location of the house on the lot, make it a great candidate for a renovation.  The 1402 sq ft house sits on a 54.98' X 93.5' lot (5140 Sq Ft)  located one block from the second highest spot in Key West - United Street. This home has a coveted X Flood Zone location which means a new buyer would not be required to purchase flood insurance if financed by a lender.

I recently showed this home and later returned with a local contractor who offered numerous money-saving options to my prospective buyer. He pointed out the house has a relatively new roof which means a new homeowner won't have to worry about the roof for several years. He suggested simple cosmetic changes to enhance the curb appeal by removing a lot of the concrete which surrounds much of the house. He suggested removing the existing windows and replacing with new six-over-six windows would significantly improve the street appeal. The addition of nicely painted shutters would give this place new pizazz.  As he spoke I suggested taking out part of the existing front room to create wider front porch. Adding columns and railings would totally change the look. . 

I often imagine what a new owner could do to an existing home that would not cost too much money but that could totally transform the look and use of space. I would take down the old galvanzied fence and remove the concrete which surrounds most of the house. I would landscape the yard and install a new white picket fence and still maintain an off street parking space.

The current house is divided into many small rooms with varied uses. A new owner will likely gut the interior and re-purpose all of the spaces. If I owned this house, I would move the bedrooms to the front and move the living, dining, and kitchen to the rear. I would expand the existing rear just a bit to give the space a clean and sophisticated look and then open a portion to create anew covered rear porch over looking the pool and rear garden. I would add a deck at floor level so that the owner could walk from house to pool without stepping down. The rear lot runs 50 feet - that is more than adequate space to add a great pool with room for deck and garden. You can't find many lots in the historic district with this much land and especially lots that are void of troublesome trees.

Packer Street is located five blocks east of Duval Street - the same distance as Margaret Street in the historic district. So it is a five to seven minute walk to Duval. Most of the gyms and yoga studios are located within a five minute walk. Fausto's has a grocery store located on White St which is five blocks to the east.

Most of the houses on this block of Packer Street have been renovated in the past few years. This is one of the few houses that remains untouched. I would love to show this place to a buyer who wants to create that perfect place in Paradise. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an appointment. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

811 Washington St #102, Key West - Casa Marina Beauty!

I wrote about 811 Washington Street #102, Key West, Florida soon after it was listed a few months ago. It has not sold yet and I think it is time for a second look at the beautiful Casa Marina Area home.  The listing agent, not me, describes this home this way:

"Luxurious Casa Marina Estates townhouse with cathedral ceilings, high end tiles and hardwood floors throughout. Beautiful open living room with French doors opening to the pool and tranquil outdoor space. The gourmet kitchen features stainless steel Viking appliances and granite counter tops. Each bedroom is spacious and bright with en-suite bathrooms. French doors in the Master bedroom open up to a private balcony overlooking the pool and mature landscaping. X-500 flood zone means no flood insurance required. Perfectly located within walking distance of the world renowned Casa Marina Resort and close to beaches, shops, restaurants, and Duval Street."

As soon as you open the front door of this home your eyes are drawn through the interior toward the pool at the rear. But then you notice all of the sophisticated living space between the entry and the pool. Then you realize this is no ordinary living space. The fixtures and finishes are all high end and meant to appeal to the discerning buyer. Notice the over-sized travertine marble floor tiles, crown molding, high baseboards, and decorative trim all set off by the pleasing color pallet on the walls and ceiling. The Viking kitchen was a standard feature when this home was built because "standard" was superior to this developer builder.

This home has a formal entry way with a beautiful staircase to the left. The first floor powder room is tucked away under the staircase.  Two sets of French doors open out from the living area to the rear garden with private swimming pool with waterfall. High fences and tropical foliage and palms provide privacy from the other homes. 

The gate at the rear is where the pool boy or other service people can enter the property from a rear alley.  The property on the far side of the alley is South Park Condominiums. Each of those condos are one bedrooms. They share a really sweet pool and a very lovely garden. They won't be disturbing your life.

The master bedroom is located at the second floor rear. It has a large en-suite bath and two closets. French doors open out to the covered rear balcony that overlooks the pool below. This is a good spot to catch the famous Key West sunset without leaving the comforts of home. And it is a good place to watch your children or grand children play in the pool but not get wet.

The second floor front bedroom has a private bath plus its own covered balcony.  That balcony give s the occupant his or her own private space to read a book or to contemplate the complexities of the upcoming election or whatever chaos is occurring in the world beyond Key West. There is always chaos someplace else. Here, the big deal of the day is deciding where to go to dinner. The third floor bedroom (shown above) has a vaulted ceiling and lots of living space plus its own private bath.The third floor bedroom runs the length of the house. Besides the private bath, this room has extra space for the kids or hobbyist. One of my owners has built-in twin beds at the far side of this same room plus a queen bed similar to the one shown above. If you have got grand kids, they will love this space.

I have sold four homes in this development. My buyers love the quality workmanship that went into these homes and the convenient Casa Marina location. They can walk a couple of blocks over to the Casa Marina Club where two families have purchased annual memberships which includes use of the gym, private beach, and discounts of food and beverages. They can walk to Louie's Backyard or Salute on the Beach in a few minutes.  They can walk to upper Duval Street in about seven to ten minutes and take a cab back home at night.  For these buyers its almost like living in a resort. One of my buyers has retired to their home. The two other current families come to town as often as possible. They do not rent their homes, but it is permissible to do so. This unit has been rented as a monthly vacation rental.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 811 Washington Street No. 102. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  I live in the Casa Marina Area and I love it!

1503 South Street, Key West - Beautiful Home in a Park Like Setting

I wrote about 1503 South Street just after it was listed in April. The house has not sold, and I think it is worth buyers taking a second look. This is a listing of my office, but it is not my listing.

Who'd-a-thunk you could buy a genuine Old Town house in Mid Town Key West with a virgin-like yard and home.  I searched through photos of the Monroe County Library and found a photo of the original house which was moved from the 600 block of Simonton Street to its current location at 1503 South Street several decades ago. The purpose of the move was to permit construction of the a city offices, police head quarters and fire house at the corner of Simonton and Angela Streets. (That building itself was razed four years ago to permit the construction of a new fire house.)

The updated roof line extends out from the original house. A new front porch provides a shady place to sit and watch pretty much of nothing happen. This is a very quiet area of Key West. There are no tourist locations or any commercial in the immediate area. The yard is the perfect place for a child or grandchild to run around and enjoy life in Key West.

The listing Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West describes this property this way:

"Go play outside until I call you for dinner! Remember hearing that? With this property,they will have someplace to play! Kickball, baseball or just horsing around. This charming home sits on a 9400 sf lot offering the opportunity to build a second home or accessory unit. Never before offered for sale and one of a kind in this neighborhood. The house is considered a historic structure, having been moved to this location from Simonton Street in the late 1940's and features the sawtooth roofline found in many Old Town cottages. The house was completely renovated from the structure up in 2011 and features vaulted ceilings, an open kitchen/living area, a beautiful kitchen with white Kraft Maid cabinetry and granite countertops, porcelain tile floors throughout and all new windows."

This recently remodeled home looks so bright and cheery on the outside and that same warmth continues when you open the door and step inside and view the vaulted ceiling and great room. The old walls were removed and the interior reconfigured for our modern lifestyle.The modern house has 1260 sq ft of living space which does not include any of the outer buildings. The lot measures 101' X 94' or 4663 sq ft located inside the fenced yard.There is plenty of room for a pool, cottage, and off street parking.

 A central hallway leads to the three bedrooms and two baths. A glass door at the rear leads to the covered patio and nearby workshop.  You rarely get to see a green yard in Key West. The yard here is exceptional. It has got to be greener and in better shape than the nearby Bayfront Park (photo immediately below). I am serious about that!

This home sits on two separate lots which theoretically could be sold separately. It is being offered as one parcel which includes the house and all of the land.  A new owner might want to build an accessory unit or may prefer to keep the yard the way it is. CLICK HERE  to view the Key West mls datasheet for 1503 South Street, Key West and to view more listing photos. The asking price is $1,395,000. This property is as clean as a whistle and awaits the creative touch a new owner may bring to this unexpected treasure. 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.