615 Caroline Street, Key West

The impressive home at 615 Caroline Street looks so regal now with its wrap around first and second floor porches. Dark colored shutters punctuate the exterior of this crisp white house. There is off street parking to the left  plus two gated entrances. The gate to the far east side (right) is a service gate which leads to the pool at the rear. Passersby must think someone famous lives here after all this place is so elegant.

In preparing to write today's blog I searched the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to determine when this home first appeared on the fire maps that date the etiology of residences in Key West. I was surprised to learn that this building did not appear until the 1912 map. The 1889 and later maps showed something I had not previously seen on any other map: sponge drying. I then checked my favorite book on old Key West, The Streets of Key West written by J. Willis Burke. Of Caroline Street he wrote:
"Caroline Street, once the inland boundary of fledgling Key West, starts at the Presidential Gates on Whitehead. There, Whitehead begets Caroline, who then begins an elegant swath past founder Simonton and siblings William and Margaret.  She stops at Grinnell, perhaps affronted by the ill kept grounds of the old City Electric."

800 Caroline Street back in the day.  The old City Electric with smoke stacks is visible at street end.

Burke adds: "Pauline Hemingway, who remained in Key West after she and Papa divorced once worked on Caroline Street. She bought a spacious two-story structure at 525 Caroline Street and went into the drapery and upholstery business with family friend Lorine Thompson. (Ernest used the Thompson Docks at the foot of Caroline and often fished with Lorine's husband, Charles.) Pauline died in 1951. When consoled by fellow writer Tennessee Williams, Hemingway dug down for another of his 'true sentences': 'she died like everyone else and after that she was dead.'"

The listing agent told me that back in the day 615 Caroline Street probably was located on waters' edge lined with various boat docks where sponge boats and turtle boats came to unload their daily catch. The sponges would get relocated to the sponge drying field at 615 Caroline and the turtles would be taken to Turtle Kraals holding pens to be kept alive before they would be processed into turtle soup.

The listing Realtor describes 615 Caroline Street thus:

"Quintessential Key West historic home - This 4 bedroom 3.5 bath masterpiece is located just steps to the Seaport and world-famous Duval Street. The home has a beautiful formal entry hall adorned with antique chandelier and an exquisite fireplace with mantle. High ceilings, original restored pine floors are among the peerless details of the living, dining and lounging spaces of the first floor. A newly-remodeled kitchen services the dining room as well as the impressive covered outdoor dining pavilion. A freestanding cottage, once the kitchen of the original house, is now a private bedroom located near the pool area. Upstairs are 2 guest bedrooms, one full bath, and the master bedroom with bathroom en suite. The crown jewel of Frenchman's Court is a magnificent covered pavilion that provides seamless indoor outdoor dining/entertainment with a backdrop of private the lush tropical gardens. Other amenities include central air, landscape lighting, irrigation system and off-street parking."

 Let me pose a question: If you bought this home, where other than your bedroom would you prefer to spend your time - the semi-formal living and dining areas or the covered outdoor living space?  I'll bet it would be the posh outdoor area which overlooks the pool.

What a luxurious pool and outdoor space this home enjoys. The former cook shack has been revamped. The current owner has a desk and computer there. The space includes a w/c plus an outdoor shower located next to the entry door. Checkout the specially fabricated copper roof over the shower enclosure. This little cottage would make a wonderful guest cottage but be careful who you let stay there. They may never want to leave.

The two guest bedrooms are located on the back side of the house. In the olden days they may have had a water view. Today they have a view of palm trees and the gorgeous Key West sun. They share share a large bath. CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this home.

It was a prior owner from France who oversaw most of the renovation of this home. I assume he added the exquisite bathroom mirror with silver lining that has started to flake a bit. This space oozes so much class. Who in the world would dare to replace this much charm with modern day Renovation Hardware cabinets or Kolhler fixtures? Who, indeed.

The covered front porch overlooks Caroline Street below. Notice the old fashioned swing that intersects the front and east porches. The screened door viewed in the master bedroom opens out to the east porch while the bathroom door opens out to the front. Imagine sitting out there drinking your morning coffee or sipping a glass of sherry before you hit the hay. Wouldn't that be wonderful!

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view more listing photos of 615 Caroline Street which is offered for sale at $2,395,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this very special home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

302 Amelia Street, Key West - Big Price Reduction

The asking price on 302 Amelia Street was just reduced from $1,250,000 to $1,050,000. That's a big price reduction on this Key West home that even comes with an ocean view from the second floor. 

The home at 302 Amelia Street is so pretty that it could be on a travel poster for Key West.  First and second floor verandas wrap around this stylish home that was designed by noted  Key West architect Michael Ingram.

The occupant of the front bedroom has a view of the the historic Key West lighthouse off to the north while the occupant of the master suite has a view of the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

This home is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. While the facade mimics grand old homes from two centuries ago, the construction of this house and the interiors are anything but old. This home was constructed with reinforced concrete with Hardiboard siding added to give the appearance of traditional wood siding. The home also has impact windows and doors which provide sound insulation, protection from windstorms, and reduced fire/casualty and windstorm insurance rates. 

 When you enter the house you immediately realize this is not some old house that has been updated. Instead you walk into an open living area that is bright and cheery. Windows and French doors on three sides provide filtered views of the gardens. Top chefs will appreciate the gas range and designer cabinets. The granite counter tops and breakfast bar provide compliment the over-sized tile floors. All interiors and exteriors were recently painted. Everything is crisp and fresh.

With the French doors opened, the pool and waterfall look mighty inviting. The second floor balcony offers views of the pool below, the park across the street, and the Atlantic Ocean two blocks to the south. An electric extending awning provides shade from the sun when needed, but allows full sun at other times. All of the deck areas have Trex decking which is a man-made material that does not rot like regular or pressure treated wood. The waterfall adds a little splash to complete this Keys pool. There is a gated off street parking space located just beyond the pool. A door at the back of the house provides easy access for bringing in the groceries.  These are thoughtful and useful design elements that are often overlooked.

The stairway to the three bedrooms on the second floor is pretty impressive. It's quite wide. A window located at the turn around point illuminates the space and gives the perfunctory space a sense of importance. Notice the wood floors throughout the second floor which give the rooms a bit of an "old house" feel.

I couldn't decide which of the three bedrooms I'd pick if I lived here. Each bedrooms has its own particular view and mystique that make it special. Really!

The west corner bedroom is just plain beautiful.  The French doors open out to the wrap around porch from each bedroom so I guess anybody can have the same "view" once on the deck, but I'd prefer to think the views from inside the room are all mine.

The master bedroom with en-suite bath is quite large. Multiple sets of French doors open out to the wrap around deck. Note the drapes that provide privacy when needed.

The views just off the master bedroom include the pool below, the park across the street, and the ocean in the distance. Notice the Trex decking around both floors of the wrap around decks and the pool decking. 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos on 302 Amelia Street which is now offered for sale at $1,050,000. It is a three bedroom, two and one-half bath 2080 sq ft residence. It has a pool, off street parking, and like I said at the beginning of today's blog, a view so pretty it could be on a travel poster for Key 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.

11 Boca Chica Road, Key West - Lower Florida Keys Private Paradise

A while back I wrote a blog about a waterfront property on Saddlebunch Key.  A few days later a fellow Realtor mentioned she read that blog and asked if I had packed a lunch before I ventured the few miles outside of Key West to take the photos. Then a few days later the listing agent of 11 Boca Chica Road asked me if I would photograph his new listing on Geiger Key. I said, "Sure".  As we crossed over Cow Key Channel (the span of water between Key West and Stock Island) he made a similar remark about me venturing so far out of Key West.  Just because I love living in Key West doesn't mean I get weepy when I leave. The truth is I love Key West so much I don't feel the need to go elsewhere. And when I do go away, I am grateful when I return. I have found my own private paradise, and that's the truth. But I continue to write my blog to help potential buyers find their slice of paradise.

11 Boca Chica Road is a 1152 sq ft two bedroom two bath home with a screen enclosed rear porch with a great canal view. As I roamed the 60' X 125' lot while taking photos, I immediately understood why some buyers prefer this type of home versus living in Key West - the water. There's a big boat parked out back on the canal - waiting. Just waiting like a big dog waits to go for a walk. Waiting to motor the five minutes it takes to reach deep water and then explore the Atlantic Ocean. In the meantime, the boat sits patiently at the sixty foot seawall. As I snapped photos I could hear the water lap up the side of the boat as if it was kissing it - tempting it to go out to the sea. I got why people buy this kind of property. I got it.

The first thing I noticed about this particular house was all the adult toys - toys like the travel trailer, the kayaks, the motor cycles, and so on. People that live in houses like this spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying their time on earth. In my blog I often write about the first thing I see when I walk inside a new home. In most of the homes in Old Town and the Casa Marina areas, the view I most often see is that of  pool and garden located just French doors that open out to the pool or garden. The first thing I noticed at 11 Boca Chica Road was the family boat bobbing in the water. The second thing I saw was the incredible view with all of the other boats parked on the canal waiting to go out to the ocean.

The house sits above a large semi-enclosed parking and storage area. The house is bright and nicely updated. The two bedrooms are located at the opposite end of the living area which opens out to the screened porch that overlooks the boat and the canal. CLICK HERE to view all the photos I took of this lovely canal front home.

The ground level has kick-out walls in the event storm waters were to rise to that level. In the meantime there is an additional 1152 sq ft of storage space under the house which includes a legal bathroom located on the other side of the door shown above. This area would be great for an owner who is a fisherman, water sports enthusiast, or maybe a carpenter who likes to tinker on his time away from construction jobs.

Ultimately, it is the view from the porch where I imagine an owner would spend most time drinking early morning coffee while planning how and where to spend the day  maybe where to fish that day to catch dinner for the evening meal. Later in the evening the owner would likely sit in the same chair this time drinking a beer while musing about the fish that were caught and and making plans for tomorrow to catch the one that got away.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 11 Boca Chica Road which is listed at $549,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this nice elevated family located located a few miles outside of Key West but only located five minutes from deep water access to the Great Atlantic Ocean. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.