912 Truman Avenue - Old Town - Key West

Photo from Monroe County Library showing horse drawn trolley on Division Street (now Truman Avenue) at the corner of Francis Street C 1890.

Just listed by Preferred Properties Key West a truly interesting bit of Old Key West located at 912 Truman Avenue. I dug around in the famous old shoebox and found a photo of the property taken back in 1965.  If you study the old black and white pic you will see an almost ancient chain link fence that surrounds the corner lot. Note the extra long posts that support the roof overhang and the 'missing' second floor porch floor. Also see quite tall high pitched roof with gables facing front and sides which will be discussed below.

912 Truman Avenue as it appeared in 1965

912 Truman Avenue - June 2012

Fast forward to June, 2012 and view the front porch of 912 Truman Avenue that sits back off the busy street behind a white picket fence and spacious front yard populated with lush palms.  This is one of the few surviving homes on Truman Avenue that remain a single family home. And when you step inside, you will find a property that is reminiscent of olden days.  This home retains the functionality and character of the original home. Some new fangled features such as nearly gourmet kitchen, updated baths, and central air conditioning have been added. But the old style rooms with all of their charm and character (flaws and all) remain in tact.

As you enter the front entry you are greeted by a wonderful staircase and central hallway that divides the house in two. On the right side you will find the living room on the right side and the dining room and kitchen behind.

 Front door with living room located on the right

The dining room is located to the left. Note the crown molding and high baseboards.

The beautiful staircase leads to the bedrooms on the second and third floors

The living room (above) is divided into two sections.  Note the rich Dade County Pine walls, the rich and very real wood floors (not the kind of manufactured floors we see in modern homes which you just know are fake), and the old school wood ceilings. Note as well the ancient windows with glass that ripples.

The dining room obviously hearkens back to another era. But what a wonderful space to dine with family and friends. So what if it is formal. Instead of buying take-out or nuking Healthy Choice or Marie Callander's you might actually cook a real meal.

My dear old grandmother had the same octagonal tile in her bathroom. I love the look and feel of this place. It evokes a feeling continuity over generations of people that lived here. The house has the necessities, but it is not consumed by modernity. It retained its soul.

The master bedroom and bath occupy the west side of the second floor. Two more bedrooms plus a shared bath are on the east side.

The two second floor bedrooms are shown above. One is now used as a sitting room. Note the old newspapers glued to the ceiling. The papers were originally used as insulation and where retained when the home was renovated.

A door in the hallway opens to the second floor front balcony that spans the breadth of the home. 

The second floor hallway divides the spaces by function and use. The master bedroom is located to the right and it's bath is located to the right rear. The second bath is located at the far rear and it is used by the occupants in either of the bedrooms on the left. Note the staircase at the rear. It goes goes down to the area just off the kitchen. The main staircase provides access from the main floor (at front). And the staircase rising on the left leads to the third floor bed and bath.

The third floor space is actually quite large. Unfortunately I took lousy pics.

The listing Realtor describes 912 Truman Avenue this way:

"This elegant historic three-story home has been carefully restored with stainless steel and granite in the kitchen and three and half modern but charming bathrooms. The double front porches are 38 feet long, there is a sparkling swimming pool in back and off street parking. This a great price per square foot for a renovated home."

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls data sheet and to view listing photos. And CLICK HERE to look at photos I took. 912 Truman Avenue is offered at just $795,000 or $227 per sq ft for this gracious 3494 sq ft historic home.

If you are a buyer who wants a real "old house" and not an imitation of one, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this property.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This home offers a lot of value at the asking price. I am confident it will go under contract quickly. Don't wait.

701 Washington Street- Casa Marina Area - Key West

Preferred Properties Key West just listed the spanish style home at 701 Washington Street in the premier Casa Marina Area for $2,195,000. The original home was built in 1959. The home was totally renovated over a two year period and was completed in 2009.

The renovation included all new natural stone and hardwood floors (except where original Cuban Tile was retained). Each of the four en-suite baths plus guest bath feature marble, granite, or onyx and designer bath fixtures. Suntubes were introduced to provide natural lighting into many areas of the home. Custom made eight foot mahogany bi-fold doors were added to the new game room which opens out to the pool area. Mahogany doors and windows, iron gates, and custom lighting were added throughout the house. The result is a gracious Spanish style home with with 3488 sq feet of indoor living space that sits on a 10,600 square foot lot just one block from the Atlantic Ocean. The listing Realtor describes the property thus:

"This sprawling Mission-style home, located in the desirable Casa Marina Area, is walking distance to Louie's Back Yard, Dog Beach and upper Duval. Each bedroom suite has uniquely-styled bathrooms. The master suite has an adjoining sitting room and small office. The state-of-the-arts kitchen connects seamlessly with a butler's pantry and laundry room. In addition to a spacious living room and dining areas, there is a magnificent wing, slatted for billiards and entertainment, that overlooks the expansive salt-water pool. The grounds of the property feature specimen tropicals and Key West natives, including a prolific Mango. A spiral staircase leads to a roof top deck for sunning and observation. Simply put, a unique Casa Marina gem!"

There are several living areas including a formal living room, game room with vaulted ceiling, and a family room that is adjacent to the kitchen. The mahogany windows and doors in the living areas were custom made in Honduras and offer windstorm protection to to 155 mph.

Custom made mahogany windows and doors

The master bedroom suite is at the rear and includes a separate sitting room, office, bedroom and en-suite bath with sunken tub, shower, a regular closet and a cedar lined closet, and the necessities. The master suite is larger and much more plus than many condos near Old Town. A door opens from the master suite to a spa located just outside the door-the perfect spot for late night relaxation.

 Master Suite with sitting room

 One of the three guest bedrooms with en-suite bath

The house has a total of four bedrooms and five bathrooms. Each bedroom is large and unique in design. The bathrooms feature a variety of high bath fixtures, tiles, marble and other hard surface materials, and dramatic light fixtures.

The extra large and very sunny pool runs north and south and can be entered from the game room to the east, the family room to the west, or the master suite to the north. A spiral staircase provides access to the rooftop sundeck.

CLICK HERE to view a slideshow of photos of this wonderful Casa Marina home.

 Spa located off master suite

View from sundeck

 Vintage photo of Casa Marina Hotel

While they still may not putt on the grounds at the Casa Marina, the hotel is still an integral part of life in Key West. You can purchase a membership to the Casa Marina beach club and use the gym, spa, and beach as often as you want. I recently sold a home in the area to a doctor and his family who joined the club. They are delighted with the decision because it enhances the easy living lifestyle in the Casa Marina area.

If belonging to a club isn't your thing, nearby Higg's Beach is free. Doggie Beach and Louie's Backyard and the After Deck Bar one block away from 701 Washington Street. Salute` on the Beach is a much cheaper place to eat, and the views are always interesting. You can even walk over to Duval Street, it's just a couple of blocks to the west. Being able to go wherever you want whenever you want is priceless.

 Louie's Backyard and Doggie Beach

Higg's Beach

 Salute` on the Beach

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view lots of listing photos of this wonderful property. 701 Washington Street is offered at $2,495,000. If you would like to see this property please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Reality, Inc. I live in the Casa Marina area and know how easy living can be there. Take the time to find out for yourself.

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920 Terry Lane ` Old Town ` Key West

920 Terry Lane - Old Town - Key West

920 Terry Lane in Old Town Key West 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.



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

 Million Dollar View from the Front Porch

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 front bedroom could easily become a master suite. The kitchen area double functions as a core living area and as access to the stairway to the second floor where the master bedroom is located  and also to the lower level family room and 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

View from wrap around balcony off the master bedroom

If you would like to see 920 Terry Lane or any other house in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me a n email at kw1101v@aol.com. 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.