Ben Teague Design - Key West

The above photo shows 1414 Albury Street in Key West as it appeared soon after being totally renovated in 2015. I wrote about the house in my blog and showed it several times.  Buyers liked the "newness" but felt the house had several drawbacks including the second floor bedroom which had no privacy.

The photo immediately above shows the same view after Key West interior designer Ben Teague fixed a couple of the design flaws and made the past present perfect. Sliding glass doors now give the bedroom privacy it did not have. Note the checkerboard floors are gone as well.

I have written about Ben Teague before. Several years ago he appeared on HGTV's House Hunters. I  have worked with Ben before on a couple of projects and have recommended him to several of my customers. If you are looking for an interior designer in Key West, you may want to consider using Ben Teague Design.

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527 Margaret Street, Key West - Price Reduction in the Historic District

Buyers who want to buy a quality home in the Historic District at a really great price should take a look at 527 Margaret Street which was just priced below the amount the current owners paid a couple of years ago. The owners have purchased a larger home in Key West. So this very attractive home is no longer necessary.  I wrote about 527 Margaret Street, Key West soon after it was listed for sale.  I really thought it would sell in a matter of days because it has almost every feature most buyers are looking for in Old Town except a third bedroom or parking. Let me share with you what it does have and why I think this property is such a great value.

First, the listing Realtor's description:

"Stunning and Stylish Renovation in this Historic Home, Ideally Located on 500 block of Margaret St, walking distance to so many attractions, Restaurants and Galleries. Remodeled in 2015, the home underwent a complete Foundation to Roof Renovation and received the Historic Florida Keys Preservation Award in 2016. Features include Soaring Exposed Beam Ceilings, White Oak Wood Floors, Top End Appliances, A wall of glass leading to pool and Deck. Beautifully finished bedrooms and baths, with 2 bedrooms and additional loft. Being Sold Turn Key!"

I wrote about this property years ago when it was a multi-family house with numerous gawd-awful additions. Later I wrote about it while under renovation in my Projects of Key West continuum.  Then I wrote about the house when it was completed. Now it is available for re-sale. The original house was taken to the ground and totally rebuilt save enough boards to fit within a thin definition of a renovation. The end result is a beautiful home located in a great Old Town location near all the places primary and second home owners seek. It is located just four blocks from world famous Duval Street and only four blocks to the Historic Seaport. One of Key West's finest steak houses in located across the street and dozens of small joints and fine dining restaurants are within easy walking distance. While what you see from the street is picture perfect, it's the interior that will really grab your attention. As you look more closely, you'll appreciate the quality new construction and the cost saving benefits owning a home like this offers tear after year.

When you look at the house from the street you would probably expect the interiors to be compact and tight because the house simply looks like a quaint one story home with a cute little front porch. But you would be wrong. Very wrong. Oh, it is just a one story house, but once you open the door and pass through the formal entry hall you'll see a wall of glass which soars to the vaulted ceiling immediately refuting any per-conceptions about this home being small.

The first thing I saw was the canopy of the old banyan tree at the rear. The blue sky seemed to blend with the subtle and not-so-subtle blue tones interspersed throughout the house.  The wood ceiling and white washed wood floors add a natural color perspective to this living space. There is a guest bath located off the center hall adjacent to the adult beverage center with color co-ordinated booze. The laundry area is opposite. Dale Trice designed the interiors and created the media and display wall with storage below. Giant shells and white objets d'art fill that space and throughout the house. The setting is like something out of Coastal Living Magazine or Architectural Digest. Maybe it should be!

The master and guest bedroom (with loft) are located at the front of the house. Both have en-suite baths.The master suite is stunning-almost regal. The guest bedroom is quite understated by comparison. The loft space will be a favorite of the grand kids. I don't know if kids still play "fort" like I did when I was a child. This space would make a perfect fort, of that I am sure. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos.  527 Margaret Street is offered turn key at $1,399,000. 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.

1500 Atlantic Blvd #107 , Key West - Stunning Ocean Front Condo

Imagine waking up each morning to the view from Unit 107 at the Beach Club Condominium in Key West, Florida. It would be akin to being on permanent vacation. In fact that is what living in Key West is for those of us fortunate enough to live here full time. For others who own a second home, it's almost as good as the real thing.

Beach Club Condominiums is the only property in Key West where each unit has direct ocean front views. And the views from this unit are particularly incredible in my view. The building itself is just four floors high and one might expect views from a higher floor to be better. Well, that is not necessarily the case. The thing is the palm trees disappear the higher the floor. You still see the horizon, but I prefer the perspective of trees as a part of the total image.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Beach Club #107 is a vision of true indoor/outdoor living meticulously designed to exist in perfect harmony with its oceanfront setting. This magnificent 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom unit with a total space of 1,531 Square Feet not including the oversized balcony offers an open floor plan, updated finishes and endless views of the Atlantic Ocean. The Master bedroom features ocean views, an expanded master closet, and a beautifully remodeled bathroom. The kitchen is complete with stainless steel appliances, wine fridge, and custom cabinetry. 1500 Atlantic Blvd is one of the most coveted Condominiums in Key West with 2 oceanfront swimming pools, tennis courts, and a beachfront setting like no other."

Key West Beach Club has gated access. Each unit has under building assigned parking plus storage for bikes, fishing gear, and so forth. There are two pools, a tennis court, a small gym with incredible water views while running on the treadmill or using the elliptical, and of the course the the private beach.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and more listing photos of this stunning waterfront property now offered at $1,275,000. 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. Bring some sun tan lotion and a toothbrush. You may not want to leave.

Key West Open Houses - Cha! Cha! Cha!

One. Two. Three. Cha! Cha!Cha! That's how many Open Houses I am hosting Sunday February 17th between 12:00 to 2:00 PM.  Since I can't be in three places at one time, two of my fellow agents at Preferred Properties Key West will be assisting in the open houses. Please stop by and take a look at all three.

 409 Grinnell Street
Offered fully furnished at $1,275,000    Historic Home circa 1885  Ceramic Star Winner 2014
Hosted by Krystal Thomas
305-394-4073

11 Nassau Lane
Offered fully furnished at $849,000   Historic Home circa 1860
Bud Luks
305-923-1130

1413 Von Phister Street
Offered at $1,549,000                 BrandNew Construction                          Open  11:20 to 2:00 PM
Gary Thomas
305-766-2642

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11 Cypress Avenue, Key West - Waterfront Estate

I was invited to a special broker open event yesterday to view the stunning waterfront property located at 11 Cypress Avenue in Key West. It wasn't until I started to prepare to write today's blog that I learned I had been here before and actually showed the property around fifteen years earlier - much before it's recent renovation and expansion. Let's start our tour from water's edge and move inside this beautiful home.

Windows and doors on the first and second floor look out or open out to the pool and Lake Cypress (salt water "lake") which leads directly out to through a canal to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. You can be in really deep ocean waters within a few minutes. But you need only step down a few steps to enjoy the resort style pool and spa. A covered loggia is located nearby for al fresco dining.

A small bridge spans the very large koi pond next to the tiki hut. The pool and gardens were designed by Craig Reynolds, Key West's premiere landscape architect. The grounds are illuminated and irrigated. Identification plates inform guests as to the botanical names of the palms and tropical foliage. (By the way the koi pond has an automatic feeder.)

I stopped and gazed at the front entry for several minutes to absorb the space. I am used to showing small cigar maker cottages and on occasion larger Conch homes in the historic district of Key West. This home is huge by comparison - 4385 square feet. The interiors are commanding. The home is ultra-sleek. Clean lines abound. The color palettes include white, ebony, gray, and walnut interspersed with bright colors from the art collection. The kitchen features Allimomo White Lacquer and Ebony Madagascar cabinets with built in walnut drawers with built-in LED lighting. (I have never seen individual lighted drawers anywhere.) The attention to detail is evident in every corner in this home.

The listing Realtor describes the home as being coastal/modern and points out there are water views from almost every room in the house. South facing windows filter light through the house during the daytime.  

While the rooms and spaces on the main level are bright, open, and expansive, the rooms on the second floor personal. One guest bedroom includes a sitting room. The other is just a plain old bedroom. (Don't believe what I just wrote. Nothing in this house is old or plain.)

The master suite includes an office and sitting room (not shown in the above photos) plus access to the second floor balcony overlooking the pool, gardens, and Lake Cypress. The bedroom itself is subdued and cozy, that's the way bedrooms are supposed to be. The bed rests on a plush carpet that is as soft as a cloud.  As I made my way through toward the bathroom I did a pirouette. This space is just beyond belief for a house in Key West. I thought I must have been zapped to Miami or Beverly Hills. The bathroom shower is twenty feet long. (Nancy Friday would have loved this place. I sold her former home on Pinder Lane. It had a shower large enough to accommodate perhaps six adults. Maybe it did.) The bath tub is filled from a waterfall from the ceiling. There are dual vanities on either side. The hall then leads into the dressing room where floor to ceiling closets line both sides of the room. Each closet is individually lighted and outfitted for men's and women's garments and accessories. An island provides more storage.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 11 Cypress Avenue, Key West. 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.