923 Angela Street, Key West - Now is the Time to Buy

Okay people out there who have been waiting for the market to drop so that you can get a great buy on a house in Key West, now is the time to buy 923 Angela Street.  I have written about this home several times of the years including earlier this year. And I have shown it two or three times since it has been on the market. The houses has been substantially renovated by the current owner.  I think the new lower asking price is a real value when compared to past sales of similar homes and also compared to the other homes currently on the market.

 923 Angela Street, Key West, Florida - 2017

The listing Realtor aptly describes this home this way:

"Tucked away on one of Old Town's secluded, charming lanes, this storybook cottage is perfectly located so that you can bike or walk to everything that makes Key West famous. Two bedrooms and two full baths, including an expansive upstairs master retreat with a walkout to a sweet, tree-top roof deck and a cozy office nook. Natural light plays across the interior's historic Dade County pine walls and restored floors, while a new updated kitchen and dining area provide a superb entertaining space. The second bedroom/den opens onto the new pool and landscaped courtyard with its touch-of-whimsy outdoor shower. A perfect front porch for relaxing in the cooling breeze. This home offers casual Key West living in a peaceful setting. Located in the X flood zone. 2017 recipient of the Historic Florida Keys Foundation Preservation Award."

This is a one and one-half story cottage with 1254 sq ft of compact but very cleverly designed living space. I use the word "designed" intentionally because the new owner made some very clever changes and additions when he renovated this house. What you cannot see but should appreciate is the replacement of old piers under the house and the new floor system. The Dade County walls and ceiling survive but do not overpower the place.

I snuck in a photo of the vintage kitchen as photographed in 2012 so that you can see how much the space changed and see how the space evolved. The most obvious change is the new cabinetry. A new base cabinet was added next to the wall where an open storage space got all dressed up with a door. Another base cabinet was added to the end wall to create a credenza for more kitchen storage. A custom dining space was added with wood counter top with especially fine joinery. Look just under the top to see five spaces for wine bottles. The stools get tucked out of the way when not in use.

I am not playing tricks on you. The listing agent thought it would be a good idea to furnish poolside bedroom with a sleeper sofa and nix the queen bed that was previously in the room. I left both pics in to show readers how easily the function could be changed to fit the needs of a particular buyer. The current owners live in this home full time. The main level rear is now used as a den.

I am not a fan of trendy decorating thingies. When I first noticed the hanging barn door in the first floor rear bedroom I questioned why. But if you consider this owner put the door in the bedroom and not in the dining area you realize the door is not the focus of attention but rather a convenient way to save space and create utility. Clever! Not having a pool was always a problem for this house. Now it has one. It fits right in like it was always there. But it wasn't. I stepped to the east side and found an outdoor shower where the base is a surf board. Clever again! As in the inside, the outside is minimalist in design carried out masterfully.

To explain the wondrous second floor, I must show you the previous incarnation. Look below.

East gable before

The stairway enters directly into the bedroom area which previously had no closet nor bathroom. The owner created a one level closet/room divider at the east end gable and added a new bathroom at the west rear gable. The square hatch window to the rear deck was previously existing. The A/C was elevated to the side of the deck bringing the noise up in the air making way for the pool down below. The bathroom is quite spacious. I especially loved the custom quartz sink the seems to hover over the white cabinets. This ultimate class in my opinion. The late afternoon light in this room is incredible which reminds me that the view from the deck will amaze you in May and June when the Royal Poinciana tree in the neighboring yard goes into full bloom. It's a killer. Speaking of which, this home is located opposite the Key West cemetery.

 

923 Angela Street is offered at $999,000.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing.  Let's take a look. You will be charmed by this storybook cottage. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

The Case of the Gremlin Chasing Home Inspector

Three weeks ago I wrote a blog where I recounted my experiences as a law clerk in the Jefferson County Colorado court system while I was attending law school in the early 1970s. Judge Joseph P. Lewis was one of the judges I worked for. One day shortly after a criminal trial had begun, the judge gestured to me to approach the bench. When I got up there, the judge put his hand over the microphone and instructed me to call the Colorado Supreme Court to verify that the young attorney representing the defendant in the criminal proceeding was actually a lawyer. I will call that lawyer "Odd Bob".

I had never been asked to verify that any other lawyer was in fact licensed to practice law. This was a first! I made the call and learned Odd Bob was a licensed attorney. I went back inside the courtroom and told the judge Odd Bob was legit. The trial proceeded without anyone knowing the judge's concern about Odd Bob's competence. A short time later I told the story to two of my fellow law school classmates who clerked for other judges. I can't remember exactly how it came to pass, but each time Odd Bob appeared in court we all assembled to watch him.

Before I started to write today's blog, I went online and checked out Odd Bob's attorney status. The Colorado Supreme Court suspended him from practice in 1980. The court order stated "At no time during his representation of the (__name of client represented__) or during the pendency of this matter has Respondent (Odd Bob) recognized the errors enumerated above nor the inappropriateness of his action on behalf of his clients." In other words, Odd Bob was clueless as to why his professional conduct brought him before the Supreme Court for potential disciplinary action.

We all recognize the figure at the top of today's blog: he is Inspector Gadget.  I have this theory that after Odd Bob's license to practice law was suspended, he moved to Key West, changed his name to Inspector Gadget, and took a course to become a home inspector. He traded in his suit and briefcase for a uniform and an electronic gizmo which could theoretically detect gremlins not visible to the naked eye. I've watched Inspector Gadget point his gizmo all around a house seeking out gremlins hidden under Dade County Pine, behind drywall, or in an attic. I have never seen a house that Inspector Gadget inspected that did not have hidden gremlins.

A year or so after a customer of mine purchased a house a house, the customer called me to discuss his frustration over Inspector Gadget failure to notice a leak under the house. The customer was updating a bathroom when his plumber discovered a leak in sewer pipe suspended under the the joists.  The plumber stated the damage had been going on for a prolonged period of time and should have been readily observable during a normal home inspection. Inspector Gadget found gremlins but missed a leak. The home owner called Inspector Gadget to complain. Gadget apologized and refunded the price of the home inspection. I normally give my buyers a list of three or more reputable home inspectors to call to arrange for a home inspection. Inspector Gadget is purposefully not on that list - ever. Some buyers prefer to search for an inspector on their own. Ultimately the choice is that of the buyer. 

Wikipedia says this of Inspector Gadget: "Gadget is very powerful and loyal ..., but he is also very dim-witted, clueless, incompetent, oblivious, and gullible." The description reminds me of how the Colorado Supreme Court referred to Odd Bob's lack of awareness of his errors or inappropriateness of his conduct. Wearing a business suit and having a law license did not make Odd Bob a good attorney nor did wearing a uniform and possessing a gadget capable of finding gremlins make Inspector Gadget a competent home inspector.  

Key West - In the Wee Hours

I wish I were a better photographer so that I could share with you the views I see when I wake-up way too early most mornings.

Unlike the house above, my house sits behind a privacy fence obscured by a lot of palm trees and tropical foliage. I have Plantation shutters in the bedroom which I sometimes shut to block out the street light or maybe the moon. My office adjoins the bedroom. It also has shutters. I have tried but can't seem to take pictures from the inside looking out to the palms and the sky. My area of town is quiet most of the day. But at night and the wee hours of the morning before even the birds and butterflies wake up, it is especially quiet and so damned pretty.

So this morning I took my Kodak out to the street, put it on a box, and held the button down long enough to take a couple of Kodak moments to share with you.

I sell houses in Key West. If you are looking to buy a place, give me a call.

1023 Johnson Street, Key West ~ an Indredible Transformation

Just Listed: 1023 Johnson Street, Key West, Florida ~ An Incredible Transformation

I first wrote about this circa 1938 Casa Marina Area home in December 2008 when it was offered for sale by its former long time owner. At that time the house had 2400 square feet of "potential" that sat upon a 7500 square foot lot (75' X100') on the most fashionable street in the Casa Marina Area. I even had a buyer who made a stab at buying the place back then. The owner was stubborn and demanded his price for his pride and joy. The former owner's inability to compromise let the house sit unsold until after his death. My buyer, on the other hand, bought a nearby landmark home and did a crackerjack job of restoring it. The Johnson Street home did not sell until 2014. Renovations began in 2015 and are now completed. The renovated home has undergone an incredible transformation and fits right into this three block stretch from White Street to the gates of the Casa Marina Hotel.

The black and white photos date back to the 1960s and the color picture was taken in 2014. Compare those to the twilight photo at the top of today's blog. The potential I wrote about nearly a decade ago has been achieved.

The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"Much sought after Casa Marina area. Re-designed and renovated in its entirety. Surrounded with a privacy fence and rolling gate. Consisting of 5 bedrooms 5.5 baths. You enter into an incredibly well thought out living/ entertaining area with sliding pocket doors leading to the outside pool and deck. Over sized kitchen with pantry, viking stove, wine refrigerator, beverage center, french door fridge, 2 sinks, dishwasher, microwave draw and large prep island. Downstairs en suite master opening to the pool, den/family room, and separate office. Upstairs 3 en-suite bedrooms and laundry room, custom closets throughout. Tropical landscaping and lighting."

I have an album full of before photos, progress pictures, and current listing photos buyers and readers of my blog may which to view - CLICK HERE. The house has been expanded to 3,307 square feet of quality living space on two floors plus the newly created guest cottage located off the new pool. The former densely overgrown back yard was cleared and now has a sunny pool and deck worthy of respect. The freshly transformed guest cottage may become the most sought after sleeping accommodation in this house.

The two photos above show the rear two story addition and former garage that was transformed into the poolside guest cottage. (Photo immediately above.) The second floor deck will be appear later as an appendage off the master bedroom on the second floor. 

The original house had a bunch of single purpose rooms, some of which were tiny and basically useless and others like the master bedroom which was too too big. The new owners ripped apart the house to the studs, replaced the all the old windows with modern and efficient impact glass windows and doors (save the front door which was painstakingly restored). The electric service and plumbing were replaced and upgraded. Chases were added during the re-framing to create the new coffered ceilings and to conceal the new air conditioning.

Coffered ceilings, crown moldings, high baseboards, and rich wood floors define and separate the former living areas once housed in separate rooms into a new spatial environment sans the old walls that separated living spaces by function. Today the living spaces are all open and free for multiple purposes.

The archaic den located to the left side of the front entry has been transformed into a stunning first floor den (with option to be a bedroom). This room employs the same coffered ceiling, down-lighting,and rich wood floors to distinguish this home from what one might expect to see in our one time fishing village of not so long ago.

The undisciplined chaos of the original second floor was destroyed when the old walls were torn down and the second floor re-framed and expanded just a big. New appropriately sized rooms were created. A deck was added of the master bedroom which provides a perfect perch to look down to the pool below or to watch sunset far from the madding crowds at Mallory Square. It's the same sunset but without the circus atmosphere.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet for 1023 Johnson Street and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, for a private showing of this freshly renovated Casa Marina home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. I am also a twenty-two year resident of the Casa Marina Area. I can share with you the joys of living in this neighborhood that is within easy walking distance to the beaches and near enough to everything Key West has to offer full time and part time owners. I'll get you to sit down inside this house and out by the pool. It won't take too long for you to imagine how great life could be if you lived here.