204 - 1 Southard Street - Shipyard Condos - Truman Annex - Key West

A lot of potential buyers of second homes in Key West have a wish list of items they desire which typically includes two bedrooms, two baths, off street parking, a pool, and an ability to rent the place from time to time in order to help make the purchase more affordable. Almost everybody wants a convenient location close to all of the fun things to do in Old Town. Unfortunately for most buyers, there are more buyers than properties and prices are for available properties are priced beyond the comfort level of many.


Every once in a while a property becomes available that has the key features that attracts a large universe of potential buyers. The Shipyard Condo at 204-1 Southard Street is just such a property. The listing Realtor describes this unit as follows:

"One of only three Cottages on the Shipyard Park, this end unit, two story condominium is loaded. It features a huge rear courtyard w/ awning and new entertaining deck. It is located across from the swimming pool and is only a short walk to its parking space. The home has a brand new kitchen with granite counter tops, there are storm shutters on all openings, plantation shutters inside, tile floors down and carpeting up. There is a bedroom on the main level with full bath and two bedrooms (one is small) with one more bath on the second. Shipyard is a condominium assoc. in the Truman Annex Gated Community which is located just beyond MM 0 in Oldtown and at the entry to Ft. Zach Taylor Beach. This unit comes with Transient Rental License."

204-1 Southard Street viewed from afar - but not too far

This two story unit has 1100 sq ft of living space, three bedrooms, two baths, a large indoor living area, and a pleasant rear deck. The place is so inviting from the outside that your friends and potential vacation renters will fall for it at first sight. You cannot beat the location on Shipyard Park. The views are just capitivating. The setting is picture perfect. Guests will dream of the cute little house and quiet location and probably plan to return again just to stay in this special little house. And that means you should keep this transient rental licensed unit rented throughout the year when you or your family are not using it (subject to licensing restrictions).

The unit is laid out with the dining and kitchen located at front left and a bedroom at front right. The living room is at the rear which has two sets of French doors that open onto the rear deck. The master bedroom and a third bedroom are located on the second floor. The rear deck provides additional outdoor living space where one can wine and dine in style. The pool is across the park within a 90 second walk.

The dining area and kitchen are located up front

Living area opens out to the deck

Master bedroom is on the second floor

204-1 Southard Street is offered at $795,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property. And CLICK HERE to view a slide show of photos I took of this property. The monthly condo fees on this unit are $505 and include exterior building maintenance, building insurance, common area and pool maintenance, security, cable tv, and management.

The Pool is just a 90 second walk from the house across the park

Ft. Zach Taylor State Park and Beach is around the corner - a ten minute walk

Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange to see this unit or any other active listing in Key West. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

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4 Pinder Lane - Key West - A Singular Sensation

4 Pinder Lane built in 1859

This Key West property is a singular sensation because of its unique history, architecture, location, and usage. The original home was built in 1859 . It was updated and expanded with contemporary additions in the 1970s.

Sophisticated and understated contemporary addition to 4 Pinder Lane

I first saw this property about four years ago when it was listed (with an adjacent cottage that has since been sold) at the then asking price of $4.5 million. My buyers were so taken by this property that we required a second visit that night to see how wonderful this place shines under the Key West moonlight. This home is simply unforgettable and very romantic in the evening! The property is now listed, but not by me, at the reduced asking price of $2,695,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos.

I remember entering the front door of the original seemingly 'normal' old Key West house only to find the 'old' seemed more like the rest of the house which was contemporary addition built in the 1970s. For example, the master bedroom's ceiling was vaulted and Romeo and Juliet balconies were added overlooking the new 1970's livingroom to the north and the new kitchen addition to the east. (See photos below.) Old houses just didn't do those sorts of tricks back then. But this place is unlike any other house I have seen in Key West. And I have been inside of a lot of houses.

You know how so many Key West houses are referred to as 'quintessential Key West cottages'. This place isn't one of those. It is the opposite. It is big and sophisticated, but at the same time it is intimate and inviting. This house is a 'party house' that was designed to entertain friends.There is just one problem: there are only two bedroom so your guests must go home at night. No sleepovers. (Plans were drawn to construct a new guest suite over the existing pool bath-see photos below.)

View from Romeo & Juliet balcony off master bedroom

Seamless transition from livingroom to pool area

The main living area has an 18' vaulted ceiling with a glass wall of windows and doors that frame the entire room and that look out to the even larger pool and gardens. The design is so comfortable and informal that you immediately feel welcome in this wonderful living space. The brick floors of the livingroom make a seamless transition to the pool area which also has brick pavers. It is as if the outdoors is part of the indoors - only the outdoors 'ceiling' is boundless. The pool area and gardens at night just screamed to host a really swank cocktail party with a hundred of one's closest friends.

Garden extends 15 feet beyond the lengthy pool

Add a second story above Pool bath house to create new guest bedroom

The kitchen and dining area are in a separate wing of the house which also has a separate vaulted ceiling. In most houses the kitchen is the 'gathering' where family and friends talk (and drink) while the chef cooks. The kitchen is extra large and designed for entertaining (read more later). The kitchen has French doors that open out to a separate and large garden area. CLICK HERE to view a slide show of photos of the house and grounds.

Kitchen was designed for entertaining

Rear deck overlooks the bricked courtyard on the east side of the property

Both the living room and kitchen have what I call Romeo & Juliet balconies that look down from the second floor core of the house where the two bedrooms are located. I can just see a Jules or Juliet up in the bedrooms running from balcony to balcony looking for Romeo amid all the people below attending some big party.

The listing Realtor describes 4 Pinder Lane like this way:

"Sensational Old Key West history at its best! Dramatic 18' ceilings & multiple glass doors lead to a huge heated pool & tropical gardens, entertaining area, poolside bath & dressing room. Beautiful brick & hardwood floors, a fireplace, dining room & enormous new kitchen that boasts stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, 2 Bosch ovens, 2 Bosch dishwashers, SubZero refrigerator, professional ice machine and 2 commercial sinks. Master suite upstairs includes a sitting room/office, a large dressing room opening to the sundeck. The 2nd bedroom and bath are on the 1st floor. Brick walkways & lush gardens surround the property. There is off-street parking for three cars & a separate storage cottage with vaulted ceiling & French door."

The phrase "Sensational Old Key West history at its best!" refers to the legendary writers, artists, actors, and Key Westers that frequented this one-of-a-kind property over the years. Sharon Well's author of "See Key West" wrote that the owner of 4 Pinder Lane "introduced Tallulah Bankhead to the island. Clad in flowery pedalpushers, she could sometimes be seen at Fausto’s Food Palace." Cary Grant, Leonard Bernstein, Burt Reynolds, Anne Jackson among many others were all guests at this home.

Pinder Lane is another slow lane in Key West located in the 500 block of William Street. It dead ends about 250 feet east of William Street where the lane ends at 4 Pinder Lane. Two other homes are located on Pinder Lane as well as a very fancy guest cottage which recently became an extension of the main house located on William Street. If you buy 4 Pinder Lane you will have some mighty fine neighbors.

If you would like to see this property, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. This place is sensational!

3 Nassau Lane - Old Town - Key West

3 Nassau Lane - Old Town Key West

The listing at 3 B Nassau Lane in Old Town Key West ought excite buyers who want an affordable single family house in a great location: the asking price is just $439,000. The listing broker describes the listing like this:

"A perfect 1BR/1BA cottage located on a beautiful lane in the heart of the historic District. Completely renovated in 2001 (but it looks like it was done yesterday)with cedar siding, solid oak flooring, new kitchen with granite countertops, new bath, double glazed Marvin windows with plantation shutters. French doors lead to a side deck. In 2010 new metal shingle roof. Walking distance to everything Key West has to offer."


This comfy cottage home would make a great second home for a single person or a couple that wants a getaway place in Key West that does not cost a lot of money. The cottage has been tweaked to near perfection. There is a welcoming front porch followed by the living area, the kitchen and then the bedroom. This place has all of the creature comforts buyers expect neatly tucked into a compact space. The outdoor area is just 20' x 48' (940 sq ft) which means there is just enough outdoor space to enjoy while you are here but not enough to cause you maintenance pains when you are back up north.


A few years ago I sold a bit larger one bedroom house located across Nassau Lane. The buyers fell in love with the lane and the house even before we walked in the front door. That house was the first and only place we looked at and the property was under contract in about an hour after our first and only visit. I mention this because small lanes offer second home owners something often not possible in Key West - affordability. Small places normally sell at a higher price per square foot but the price is also much less than a larger house on a bigger lot somewhere nearby.

3 Nassau Lane is 'done', so a new owner can move in and not worry about having to renovate or spend more money. I showed this house this past weekend. You could not tell the interior was redone ten years ago because everything inside and outside looks pristine.
Smaller homes are usually less expensive to maintain and insure than larger properties. If you anticipate lots of company, there is a nearby guesthouse at the corner of Fleming Street. If you think about it, it would be cheaper to put your friends and relatives up in a guesthouse for a week than it would be to spend an extra couple of hundred thousand dollars to buy a place with two bedrooms.

For the reader who wants a pool may I suggest that you consider the cost of actually owning even a small pool and then consider the option of using an alternative such as the pool at Dante's for those actual days you want to swim or layout. A typical pool service will cost $75 to $150 per month. Add the cost of chemicals, electricity and propane to run the pump and heat the pool, and you have a couple of thousand dollar expense added to your budget. Alternatively, you could spend the sun and swim days at a place like Dante's where you could have a few cocktails and a nice lunch each day. You would probably be ahead of the game by doing so. I think it is a viable alternative.

I suspect this little doozy will sell quite quickly at this price. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet and to view listing photos of this property. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to set up a showing before this place is gone. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc.

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1307 Eliza Street - Key West

1307 Eliza Street - Key West

What images come into your mind when you read of hear the term "Key West Cottage"? Do you think of a cozy little house with small rooms and tropical foliage? The newly listed Key West cottage at 1307 Eliza Street has the tropical foliage, but the rooms (and living spaces) are not small by any means. This place is Key West chic! To the nines. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"Wonderful architect designed house that has lots of character and a great Key West feel. Open high ceilings in the living and dining room and an excellent floor plan. Multiple sets of French doors to the patio and plunge pool. Indoor and outdoor dining and a lovely orchid garden. 2 BR/2BA plus an office and parking for two cars off street."

The house has 1350 sq ft of living space under air plus porches and deck. The 3773 sq ft lot (46.17' x 81.75') lot is located a little over one block east of White Street in the area some locals call the Arts District. The largest and most familiar neighbor is Bayview Park which is located one block to the north. This home is typical of many others in the immediate area which have been updated and refined. I would say most of the homes in this area are owner occupied. There is a small mix of rentals in the area, and there is limited amount of commercial confined to White Street.

1307 Eliza Street was built circa 1920s

1307 Eliza Street as it appears in 2012

The house was substantially renovated from its original design. Windows and doors were obviously replaced. The main entry was relocated to the side of the house, typical of many Key West homes which use front rooms for alternate living purposes. In this house, the master bedroom and bath are located at the front and the old front porch is now a private outside area. The ceiling was vaulted and French doors were added as was the pool. The roof was replaced in 2008. The house sparkles from every direction.

Vaulted ceiling and open areas abound in this chic Key West Cottage

What a great kitchen - it even has a pantry!

Guest bedroom has an adjacent office

Master bedroom with en-suite bath

Private outdoor sitting area off master suite

It's a sad fact that many of the Key West cottages in old town sit on tiny lots and do not have the space for a pool, or parking, or luxuries like an orchid garden. But this Key West cottage has all three.

Pool

Orchid garden - all that is missing is you!

CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors datasheet and listing photos on 1307 Eliza Street that is offered at $659,000. I took more photos which you can see if you CLICK HERE. Better yet, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this lovely Key West Cottage. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. You will glad you took the time to see how much of a house you can get for the money.

920 Terry Lane - Old Town - Key West

920 Terry Lane - Old Town - Key West

Just listed by Preferred Properties (that's where I work, but this is not my listing) 920 Terry Lane in Old Town Key West. This house sits opposite the foot of the Historic Key West Lighthouse. I doubt that the view from 920 Terry Lane will change within the lifetime of anyone reading this blog. And that ought to mean long term neighborhood stability for any buyer of this property.

I found a photo of the property taken in 1965, above. Compare the facade in 1965 to the way the house looks today.


The listing Realtor describes 920 Terry Lane this way:

"A Million Dollar House with a Million Dollar view in one of the best locations of Old Town Key West. Just 1 block from the Hemingway House and 2 blocks from Duval,is this Historic three bedroom 3 bath home with a cocktail pool and off street parking. No expense was spared in this renovation. On the first level there are 2 bedrooms, one of which can be used as a master, vaulted ceilings, Brazilian Hardwood flooring, and a great open living/dining area. The kitchen has glazed maple cabinetry with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, large pantry with washer and dryer. Down a few steps is a great family room which opens to the pool. The master suite on the second level is the entire second floor with fabulous lighthouse views."

There 'stays' the neighborhood! This historic landmark isn't going away.

Great room

Large open kitchen towards the rear

The old house with an incredible location has been updated and expanded to meet the needs of modern day living. Gone are the small one-purpose rooms. Instead, the first floor has an open great room with soaring ceiling. The kitchen is a big open area with rich custom wood cabinets and large windows that let sun shine in to brighten the space. Off to the rear and down a step is the family room with a set of French doors that open out to the small garden and pool. Two large bedrooms complete the main floor. As the listing Realtor points out, one could use the down stairs bedroom as the master suite. Potential older buyers need to consider options like that. As we get older, stairs can become more challenging.

Great room

920 Terry Lane has 1807 sq ft of living space and sits on a 41'x79' (3212) sq ft lot. The living space is nicely divided by room function. The main living area provides access to the bedrooms on the main level. The kitchen area double functions as a core living area and as access to the stairway to the second floor and lower level family room or access to the pool. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet and to view listing photos on this property.

Pool with quick access from the adjacent family room

If you would like to see 920 Terry Lane or any other house in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. You will be pleasantly surprised by this lovely home.