The House of the Future is Not What was Imagined

I grew up in a western suburb of Denver, Colorado in the years immediately following the end of World War II. My generation are known as baby boomers. We are now or soon will be retired - my how time flies.  Like so many children of my generation, I would watch Walt Disney's Disneyland on Sunday night. Walt Disney would introduce each show to let us know a bit about what we were about to see. Walt was like a kindly old uncle who shared programs featuring animals, kids, cartoons, and folk heroes.  A few years ago I wrote a blog after Fess Parker's death was announced. He played Davy Crockett who was introduced to my generation on Disneyland. Wikipedia informs me that there were just five one-hour episodes which played between 1954 - 1955. Those five episodes showed the world the power of television. Every boy in my class had a coonskin cap to mimic the one worn by Davy Crockett. The coonskin caps weren't just at my school; they were everywhere. I am confident the guys on Madison Avenue who are responsible for selling cereal and toys appreciated the instant significance of television's power of persuasion.

The Mickey Mouse Club began to air in 1955. I was in the third grade. I lived one block from school and would get home just as the program came on TV. I loved the Spin and Marty episodes and The Hardy Boys.  I was a nerdy little kid who even sang along with the Mouseketeers. I fell under the spell of whatever it was that Walt Disney was peddling. Every now and then Walt Disney would appear on the Sunday program or on the Mickey Mouse Club to spend a few minutes telling viewers about the Disneyland park being constructed in Anaheim, California. He showed photos or film clips of the progress which at that time were ho-hum to me. Disneyland was to have separate areas: Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland each of which related to various programs on the Disneyland TV series or Disney movies. After the park was completed and I saw how wondrous the place was, it became exceeding imperative that I needed to go to Disneyland for my life to be complete. Nobody in my school had been there. I had to be the first!

And so in the June 1957 my mother, my dad, and I got in our 1952 Studebaker and headed west to Disneyland.  Along the way we stopped at the Petrified Forrest, the Grand Canyon, and Las Vegas each of which slowed us down from reaching the reason for our trip. I spent hours and hours in the back seat of that car dreaming of the magic kingdom. But upon arrival in Los Angeles instead of heading directly to Disneyland, my parents took a couple of adult detours to see a glass church on the ocean, the Farmer's Market, and Hollywood.

We eventually made it to Disneyland and like any kid (or adult), I was so happy to be there. I bought a souvenir guide like the one pictured at the top of today's blog. We set out to visit every inch of the park. While I remember a lot of what I did and saw, my purpose today is to share the one attraction that left a marked impression on my life. While Main Street was Walt Disney's homage to the way life used to be, Tomorrowland was his vision of what life might become. There was a space rocket, rocket rides, and The House of the Future. The house, most of the interiors, the furniture, and most of the furnishings were made of plastic. The objective was to show the public the flexibility and utility of plastics as a building material for all aspects of modern life. 

If you have twelve minutes to spare, you can watch a YouTube video (above) which shows the house of the future as it existed sixty years ago The video is well worth twelve minutes of your time. Among the features cited are the atomically irradiated food center; the supersonic dishwasher which cleans dishes by ultrasonic waves; a refrigerator comprised of three cells for regular cold food storage, frozen food, and irradiated food. The kitchen included a microwave "range". The walls, ceiling, floors, and kitchen cabinets, counter-tops, and bath fixtures were made of various forms of plastics. The furniture was also made of plastic - even the man-made fabrics. The Climate Control Center was designed to control heat, air conditioning, ventilation, and also provide scent control by adding the scent of roses or salty sea air to the home. The new age telephone offered push button dialing (as opposed to the rotary dial so familiar at the time) as well as being able to speak without a handset. There was a wall unit device in the bathroom with a closed circuit TV screen where an owner could see who was at the front door and provide two-way communication. The bathroom also had a built-in razor for dad and an electric toothbrush for the family. The shared wall between the boy's bedroom and the girl's bedroom was a collapsible accordion-style room divider. I can't imagine any teenage boy or girl wanting a sibling to open a wall like that without warning - or even with warning.

I walked through the house of the future more than half a century ago. While many of the home's features still survive in our real world, the slick aspects of plastics everywhere did not become our modern reality just like Russia never attacked us with an atom bomb.

Today home buyers in Key West want buy older house constructed of solid wood. They want a place with character - not module that looks like every other module - the way the house of the future would have looked. Some buyers prefer little cigar maker cottages while others want to buy large  Grand Conch Houses. Most of our homes were built well over a hundred years ago.  The Old Town area of Key West has street after street after street with all kinds of historic old homes that were built over the decades of varying styles. Many of the old homes have been renovated while a few are still relatively untouched. Some buyers prefer to buy a house that needs renovated just so that they can incorporate their sense of design and style into their particular house of the future. It is the lack of uniformity that attracts buyers to Key West to find the perfect old home which buyers can transform into their new home. Even houses of more recent construction mimic the building styles of the past to some degree (bottom photo below).

We all create our own future. If you are a potential buyer who wants to create your future on a little island in the middle of the ocean please consider contacting me, Gary Thomas, kw1101v@aol.com or call me at 305-766-2642.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I am so happy to report that the house of the future is not what was envisioned by the makers of the plastic house at Tommorowland. In Key West, the house of the future will probably be a great old house that has been saved by someone who cared about preserving the past.

1200 Florida Street - Key West

The recently completed renovation of 1200 Florida Street may be the dream cottage you have been waiting to find. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"Just completed renovation of a charming Historic District bungalow with separate guest cottage. This one level, two bedroom, two bath home has a large living area with pine floors and whitewashed ceiling opening to a beautiful cottage style kitchen with adjacent dining room. The spacious master suite is at the rear of the home and has a separate sitting area, large bath and open to the pool.  Additionally there is a nice sized sitting room with french doors to a rear deck. The separate cottage with bedroom and bath sits poolside and is perfect for guests who like a private space. This sunny corner property has been tropically landscaped and offers off street parking and storage."

Everything about this home is new - the floors, the interiors, the kitchen and baths. It's fresh as can be and really charming. The furnishings are negotiable which means a new owner could buy this place pretty much turn key.  That's good news because the place works perfectly. 

As with many Key West homes, the inside and outside blend together with ease. Both the kitchen and dining area and the adjacent master bedroom have French doors which open out to the deck and pool. The guest cottage likewise has French doors which open out to the pool. With a nifty view like that why would anybody want to stay inside?

I have sold three homes within three hundred feet of this home in the past five years. This is a great neighborhood with quick access to Old Town, the beaches, nearby Bayview Park, and the gyms and yoga studios in the Truman and White area.

CLICK HERE to  view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private showing of this really interesting home which is priced right at just $1,198,000. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

How to Win a Negotiation without Going Postal

I remember the time I had a few minutes to spare between showing appointments. I asked my buyer if he would like a cup of coffee. He said yes. So I drove over to Sandy's Cafe at the corner of White at Virginia Streets in Key West. I had been at Sandy's at about the same time the day before. The guy behind the counter who waited on me then was helping another customer. A new guy behind the counter asked me what I wanted.

I said "One small cafe con leche with two sugars and a decaf." He asked "Sugar?" and I said sugar in the con leche but not the decaf. He walks to the coffee machines and starts the laborious process of freshly brewing coffee just for me. He bangs the machine, cleans something, adds coffee, turns on the machine, grabs the machine and fiercely jerks it. He removes the small coffee brewer and pours hot coffee into a small white Styrofoam cup. He then added the milk and sugar and then put on a ilid. He placed the cup in front of me. He looked at me whereupon I asked where the decaf was. He said "We only have decaf for con leche decaf." I replied I did not want the decaf con leche, only the decaf. He removed the coffee can from the shelf over the coffee machines as if to prove to me that he did indeed have decaf coffee. But then he said they do not sell decaf coffee, only decaf con leche.

Since I ordered exactly the same thing the day before with no trouble at all, I was perplexed by my inability to get it a day later. I did not lose my cool. Instead, I remembered how Jack Nicholson dealt with a similar situation many years ago in the movie Five Easy Pieces.  Jack Nicholson's character (Dupea) was in a diner and tried to order plain wheat toast which wass not on the menu but which could easily be made.

Dupea:  I'd like a plain omelet, no potatoes, tomatoes instead, a cup of coffee, and wheat toast.

Waitress:  No substitutions.

Dupea:  What do you mean? You don't have any tomatoes?

Waitress:  Only what's on the menu. You can have a number two - a plain omelette. It comes with cottage fries and rolls.

Dupea:  Yeah, I know what it comes with. But it's not what I want.

Waitress:  Well, I'll come back when you make up your mind.

Dupea:  Wait a minute. I have made up my mind. I'd like a plain omelet, no potatoes on the plate, a cup of coffee, and a side order of wheat toast.

Waitress:  I'm sorry, we don't have any side orders of toast...an English muffin or a coffee roll.

Dupea:  What do you mean you don't make side orders of toast? You make sandwiches, don't you?

Waitress:  Would you like to talk to the manager?

Dupea:  ...You've got bread and a toaster of some kind?

Waitress:  I don't make the rules.

Dupea:  OK, I'll make it as easy for you as I can. I'd like an omelet, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.

Waitress:  A number two, chicken sal san, hold the butter, the lettuce and the mayonnaise. And a cup of coffee. Anything else?

Dupea:  Yeah. Now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules.

Waitress:  You want me to hold the chicken, huh?

Dupea:  I want you to hold it between your knees.

Waitress:  Do you see that sign, sir? Yes, you'll all have to leave. I'm not taking any more of your smartness and sarcasm.

Dupea:  You see this sign? [He sweeps all the water glasses and menus off the table]

I got the decaf without the con leche.  And I didn't have to postal.

3414 Duck Avenue, Key West - Major Price Reduction

When most things are too big they get reduced - like bellies and high prices. Most things - not all!

Just Announced - Price Reduction on 3414 Duck Avenue, Key West.  The original asking price was $1,620,000. The new price is $1,420,000.  This 5676 square foot office condominium is located in the Poinciana Plaza center in the New Town area of Key West. Other tenants in this center include the Key West Association of Realtors, an alternative medicine clinic, an art and framing store, a real estate closing and title agent, an insurance company, and a land surveyor. The prior tenant in this space was a medical laboratory.

The listing broker describes the property this way:

"This commercial condominium has appx. 5,600 sq. ft.and can be reconfigured as needed. It is conveniently located at Poinciana Plaza with plenty of parking and close proximity to transportation, schools and housing. This large space is presently two commercial units, one formerly a diagnostic center, the other is a private medical practice. Both units front on Duck Ave. and have high visibility. The property lends itself to a variety of commercial uses and is located in the center of new town. This spacious, versatile condominium is ground level and has easy access for customers. Other well established businesses in the plaza. Equipment does not convey. Easy to see."

The Monroe County Property Appraiser website shows this concrete block building was constructed in 1945.  I dug into my old shoe box and found photos of the Poincina center that date back to 1960. It appears to me that the taller structure (Poinciana Food Centre) was added to the original center soon the building was originally built. The building became a commercial condominium in 2002. The facade was updated and a new covered walkway was added. Unit #8 is located at the far west side of the building and occupies 36.2% of the space.   

Customers have plenty of on street parking in front of this complex. There is gated housing community across the street which means which has restricted access. That means there is no competition from residents for on street parking on this section of Duck Avenue. This  building has additional parking on the side and rear for staff. 

While this commercial condominium is offered as one unit, a new owner could divide the spaces into smaller office units. In fact the prior owner created one separate unit at the far west end. There are five doors which open to the covered front walkway.  I took more photos which you can see if you CLICK HERE.

Click GOOGLE MAPS for an aerial view of this location and then use the toggle switch for a street view. The building is located two blocks north of Flagler Avenue and three blocks east of Kennedy Drive. This property can has quick and easy access from Old Town, Casa Marina, Mid Town, and points east.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on 3414 Duck Avenue, Key West. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties.

Open House Today - 1400 White Street, Key West

Dear Readers,

I am hosting another Open House today at 1400 White Street, Key West. Please stop by between 12:00 to 2:00 PM to see this really beautiful three bedroom two bath home located in the Casa Marina Area.

I placed an ad in the Key West Citizen to notify all the people in town about today's open house. I specifically asked the ad agent to make sure the ad appears in the online version of the newspaper because the last time I placed a similar ad, the ad did not appear. Guess what - it's not there again today.

Look at the photo above. It is the Key West Citizen. Let me know if my ad is in the paper edition. No need to call. A simple comment below will suffice. 

Be the First to Live in this Freshly Renovated, 1353 Square Feet, Two Story, Three Bedroom Casa Marina Area Condo. Grand New Designer Kitchen with Eat-In Dining Area, Custom Shaker Cabinets, Carrra Marble Counters, Stainless Steel Appliances. Two New Baths. Laundry. New Impact Windows and Doors in many areas. Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Floors. Large 22' 14' Private Deck. Offered Furnished as Shown. Offered at $675,000.

There are only three units in the building and this unit is the largest. Just about everything inside is new. The back deck is totally private and has room for a hot tub if a new owner would want to add one. The monthly condo fees are just $544 and include all insurances. That means you this unit can qualify for a mortgage.  The building is located just a few blocks from Higg's Beach and the Atlantic Ocean.  Fausto's Food Palace on White Street is located a couple of blocks to the north.  There are numerous gyms and yoga studios within easy walking distance. You can walk to the nearby Dairy Queen for a brain freeze or go many of the nearby small eateries. If you work for the City, the new city hall is located one block away. (Your boss will know when you play hookie, however.)