912 Truman Avenue - Old Town - Key West

Photo circa 1890 from Monroe County Library showing horse drawn trolley on Division Street (now Truman Avenue) at the corner of Francis Street a couple of blocks east of 912 Truman.

I dug around in the famous old shoebox and found a photo of 912 Truman Avenue 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. Also, note the extra long posts that support the roof overhang and the 'missing' second floor porch floor. Checkout the extra tall roof with gables facing north, east, and west which will be discussed below.

912 Truman Avenue as it appeared in 1965

912 Truman Avenue - 2012

Today 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 grand homes that once lined Truman Avenue that remain a single family home. 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 with its formal parlor in front and more informal living space at the rear (that opens out to the new pool). On the left side you will see the formal dining room at the front and the country kitchen at the rear.

 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 Dade County Pine wood ceilings. Note as well the ancient windows with glass that ripples.

The formal dining room obviously hearkens back to another era. 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 Callender's you might actually use your recipes from the Food Network and begin to cook  real meals.

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.

I think this property would make an excellent vacation rental. It has a optimal location for vacationers who want a large house (remember it has four bedrooms and three bath), a pool, parking, character, and lots of charm. This place will end up photo albums across the world as vacationers celebrate their great Key West vacations here.
 

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.

Bank Owned - 1221 20th St - Key West

Attention Key West bargain hunters, this is your second chance at this Bank Owned house that just went back on the market on August 8th. It went under contract right after it was listed a couple of weeks ago. For whatever reason, the house is now available a second time. I took a quick peek this morning, snapped some pics, and I am here to report that I think this is a good deal. (Not that my opinion means that much.)

1221 20th Street is located on the east end of the island of Key West. It sits on a large lot (6,900 sq ft  (69' x 100') at the corner of Donald Avenue and 20th Street. This is a family area of Key West where most of the homes, like this one, are ranch style homes. This home was built in 1965. The Monroe County Property Appraiser shows this house as having 1,646 sq ft of living space under air. I suspect the living space is actually larger than that as a former carport appears to have been enclosed to create a mother in law apartment and a back porch may have also been enclosed to create the more recent laundry room.

The main house appears to have been recently painted and updated with new carpet in the master bedroom and a second bedroom. The main living area and kitchen have Salitllo tile floors.  The kitchen appears to have been remodeled and updated in the past few years. A nice pantry sits just off the kitchen. The house appeared to me to be in move in condition.

Mother in Law unit

The mother in law apartment has a living area, mini kitchen, bath, and bedroom. That would be a great place for a teenager who wants his or her own space and would add a fourth bedroom and an additional bath to the property as a whole. CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet on this Bank Owned house that is offered at $389,900. If I am correct about the mother in law and laundry area not being included in the Appraiser's database, the square footage would probably increase by about 400 sq ft.

I think the really attractive feature of this home is the large backyard and pool area. There is a lot of space, a nice pool in place, and lots of room to create a really wonderful outdoor living area.  A lot has already been done, but it is not perfect-yet.  But it could be. See the photos below and imagine how you could embellish this property and make it your own.

The rear and south side of the property have a lot of potential for a new home owner with a green thumb. The area is ready for some TLC, some creativity, add a few extra bucks to complete the landscaping of this really pretty pool and garden area.  CLICK HERE to view photos I took today of the house and garden area.

If you would like to see this home or any other property for sale it the Key West area please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

Price Reduction - 517 Petronia Street - Old Town - Key West

517 Petronia Street - Old Town - Key West

517 Petronia Street - Both bedrooms open onto the walled front garden and deck

The listing broker describes the 1200 sq ft two bedroom two bath home located at 517 Petronia Street, just steps off Duval Street, this way:

"Location is only the start for this charming Old Town home. Walled for privacy featuring 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with a generous pool and deck. Only a half block off Duval Street this private home is full of light with an open floor plan and a wall of glass overlooking the solar heated pool and deck with outdoor shower. Both spacious bedrooms open through French doors to a walled garden and deck perfect for relaxing. Enjoy nights out.just steps from the Duval crawl."

Duval Street is about 200 feet west of 517 Petronia Street
Photo taken 10-21-2011 as Goombay Festival began in Key West

This property would make a great entry level purchase for a buyer who wants to purchase a nice house that can be easily rented as a vacation rental property on a year round basis. 517 Petronia Street is located midway between Duval Street and Simonton Street. Petronia is a one lane and one way street with off street parking on one side. (This house does not offer off street parking, so you will need to park in front of the house.)

The front garden provides some nice outdoor space for both bedrooms which are located at the front of the house. The kitchen is located midway and the living area or great room is at the rear. Sliders at the rear open onto the sunny pool at the back.of the property.

One of two bedrooms that open either onto the front deck or the great room

The kitchen opens into the great room

Great room is at the rear and opens out onto the sunny pool

The sunny pool

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of 517 Petronia Street which is now offered at $675,000. This house will appeal to the buyer who wants proximity to all the the attractions restaurants, clubs, shops, and attractions located on nearby Duval Street and other Old Town areas. Remember, vacation renters want a place with a pool and proximity to fun. This place has both.

If you would like to see this property please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West.

1501 White Street - Key West - Casa Marina Area

1501 White Street in the Casa Marina Area of Key West is located two blocks north of Higg's Beach and the great Atlantic Ocean.

The listing broker at Preferred Properties (that's where I work but this is not my listing) describes this property like this:

"Major Price Reduction! This charming 2/1 home plus detached guest cottage is completely walled and gated for privacy. Features include a formal living room with vaulted ceiling and built-in cabinetry, new kitchen with granite countertops & new appliances, dining room with multiple French doors opening onto the beautiful private pool and patio. Off-street parking for two cars. This property has a compound like feel and offers enormous potential to become a real show piece."

The house is located at the corner of White Street and Flagler Avenue. This location will turn off some potential buyers just because of the location. So be it. There are two houses located at the same corner intersection that recently sold over $2,000,000 each. Don't let the location dissuade you from looking. You might just fall in love with this very private home that is hidden behind the privacy wall and towering palms. Click GOOGLE MAP for an aerial view of the property and then use the toggle switch for a street view.

The updated main house with its lush garden and sunny pool sit behind a tall privacy wall surrounded by large palms and specimen trees. An electric gate opens to covered off street parking. A caretaker's cottage sits at the back of the property. The lot is quite large by Key West standards (60' x 120' or 7,369 sq ft).

The main house was built in 1958 and was updated around 1995 with additional improvements after that. The house has 1380 sq ft of living space consisting of the living room, kitchen, master bedroom and bath plus a second bedroom and bath. The living room is extra large in size and volume. The north wall in the living room has built-in cabinetry. Cuban tiles give this space (and the bedroom areas) a rich and sophisticated feel. (The caretaker's cottage is a separate building with 283 sq ft of living space. This space could make a great guest suite.)

During a recent showing my prospective buyer opined that he might remove remove the current single panel door in the living room (above) and replace it with French doors that look out to the pool and garden.  I immediately appreciated the dramatic change that would bring to this already incredible property. Note the large Cuban tile floors as well.

Covered off street parking to left and caretaker's cottage at the rear

The master bedroom and bath are configured for adult living. The bedroom has French doors that open out to the large private garden terrace that includes an outdoor shower for two. Another door leads from the bedroom out to the canvas covered outdoor bathroom with a spa bathtub. The space is first class in all respects. The asking price was reduced from $789,000 to $695,000 or $418 per sq ft.

Doors lead to the covered outdoor bath and spa

Two person outdoor shower with the outdoor bath and spa to the right

The kitchen has a bank of French doors that open out to the pool on one side and an adjacent wall of windows that allow filtered sun light in from the south. The kitchen has been updated with new cabinets, appliances, and light fixtures. When I looked at the space I thought to myself this home is really cool. What a great place for a party. The living room kitchen and dining area are large spaces with subtle architectural embellishments. The bedrooms are cozy and comfortable. CLICK HERE to view a slide show of photos of this property.

Parking and the caretaker's cottage are located beyond the fence to right

The pool area gets sunshine most of the day so you. Your guests won't have to go to the beach for a tan. But the beach is only a short two block walk in case you feel the need to get sand in your toes. Locals meet up at the city park across from teh beach every morning while walking their dogs.

White Street Pier is just two blocks south

So is the beach!

CLICK HERE to checkout the Key West mls datasheet and to view listing photos of 1501 White Street. If you would like to see this unique Key West 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 Realty, Inc. in Key West.

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