1014 Varela Street #4 - Key West - Bank Owned Condominium

Just Listed, but not by me, 1014 Varela Street #4, Key West, Florida.  This is a Bank Owned property in Old Town Key West. This unit is the second floor rear condominium in a small compound of older cottage style homes that were converted into condominiums several years ago. The listing Realtor describes this property as:

"Key West Central Location With Open Living Area/ Kitchen With 2 Bedrooms And 1 Bath Condo With Outside Private Deck To Enjoy The Beautiful Key West Sunshine. This Unit Needs Some Tlc And Personal Touches."

I actually went over to the property early this morning to take photos of this unit. The sun had been up maybe an hour or so. The condo sits behind another house that I wrote about a few years ago in this blog.  When I got back to my office I dug into my old shoebox and found photos of the front and rear properties as they looked before and how they look today.

As is the case for many homes on our small island, 1014 Varela Street #4 is located to the rear of another house. The black and white photo shows how it looked in 1965.  Unit #4 is actually just the second floor unit. The entry is up the steps to the right. The living room is on the right side of the photo and the front bedroom is on the left side.

According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser Unit #4 is 810 sq ft. There are two bedrooms, one bath, a large living room, an updated kitchen, an usual entry plus laundry and a roof top deck.  See the photos below which are self explanatory.

I took more PHOTOS which you can view if you CLICK HERE. The photos show the gated entry to the unit; exterior photos show the unit from various angles; there are interior shots of each room; and photos of the rear deck.  1014 Varela Street #4 is offered for sale at $299,000 or $369 per sq ft.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this Bank Owned property.  But better than that, 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 Key West. 

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1717 Ashby St Key West - An Affordable Alternative to Old Town

 
 1719 Ashby Street is located near the beaches in Key West, Florida. This two bedroom three bath ranch style home has 1279 sq ft of living space, a lush tropical garden, and a pool which is offered at $759,000. Buyers who don't want to pay the high prices for Old Town houses ought to consider this affordable alternative. The listing agent describes the property this way:

"Secluded Oasis just one block off the Ocean and 5 minutes from downtown Key West. As you enter the home you immediately have that wonderful Key West feeling of bringing the indoor living to the outside. The living/dining area leads to the kitchen which opens to the pool and lanai. The master has its own bath and it too opens to the pool. The split floor plan allows you privacy from your guests. In the second bedroom there is also a laundry room. The backyard of this home is outstanding, with a very large pool and wonderful covered area, full bath and wet bar, surrounded by lush tropical landscaping complete with irrigation and great evening lighting. There is one off street parking space."

Like many of the homes in this part of Key West, the large lot (51' x 90') is surrounded by a privacy wall.  The pool area is quite expansive.  It has both sunny and shady areas. And there is a great covered lanai that functions as an extension of the living room.  Both the living room and master bedroom open out to the pool.

 When you feel like some beach action, you'll only need to walk a few blocks to Smathers' Beach where there is almost always something fun going on.

CLICK HERE  to view the Key West mls datasheet and to see more photos of 11719 Ashby Street Key West. Or, better than that, please give me, Gary Thomas, a call at 305-766-2642 and ask me to arrange a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

415 Frances Street Key West, Florida - A Classic Bahamian Eyebrow House

The recently listed house at 415 Frances Street in Old Town Key West is described by the listing Realtor, not me, as:

"This beautiful example of a classic Bahamian eyebrow style home has been totally renovated from top to bottom. The first floor of the main house includes a formal living room with exposed Dade Pine walls, study/den which could possibly be a 4th bedroom, full bath and gorgeous great room. The great room features a vaulted ceiling, built-in cabinetry, recessed lighting and granite countertops and stainless appliances in the kitchen. Upstairs are two large, sunny guest bedrooms. The separate cottage is a private master suite with vaulted ceiling and multiple sets of French doors opening onto the large deck and access through the bath to a private deck with outdoor shower. There is an inground pool, off-street parking and lots of outdoor space."

I have shown this home several times over the many years I have been selling homes in Key West.  It has always been a favorite of mine because of the classic lines of the main house, the inviting rear cottage, and the spacious and sunny pool that separates the two buildings. The first home I owned at 511 Eaton Street had the same style delicate French doors at the front entry. Those doors have been retained and create a gracious entrance into this beautiful home. The most recent update put this home in move-in condition for a new owner. Nothing needs to be done or fixed. The interiors glisten. The home has been freshly painted throughout. Side and rear windows and doors have been replaced by wind impact resistant windows. The roof on the main house was replaced. The effect of these updates will reduce the cost of windstorm insurance for the new owner.

I dug into the old shoebox to see if I could find a photo of the house before any renovations were done. I did find a photo taken in 1965. Contrast that black and white photo with the color photo immediately below. Note the original "windows" were actually louvers - a metal shutter device used in many older Key West homes before electricity and way before air conditioning.  Note also the slant of the rear portion of the roof. You will see the angle is less pronounced than the front portion. This slant created additional head space on the second floor to allow for the two rooms to be used as bedrooms.  You will also see a shed addition that attaches to the rear of the main house. Anybody familiar with the house as it existed almost fifty years ago would be pleased with the sensitive transformation to the property it has become. I found 415 Frances Street on the 1889 Sanborn Fire Map for Key West. That means the original house was built before 1889.

The old louvers were replaced with impact windows and doors except the front windows. Bahamian style shutters cover the other windows for decorative purposes. The front porch was beefed up with substantial columns and a new banister added to create a wonderful porch for sitting and watching the world go by.  A white picket fence, off street parking spot, and a couple of palm trees and other tropical foliage complete the classic eyebrow house look.

Inside, you will see the original house was and is still divided into quadrants. Main floor left is the formal living area. Main floor right is a small bedroom or study. The main floor bath is located behind the front main floor bedroom or study.  There are two bedrooms located on the second floor.

The open family room, dining area, and kitchen are located in the addition to the rear of the main house.  It appears to me this space was created in two separate additions to the original house. Whatever the case, the new spaces look great and provide an inviting space to kick back and enjoy the this user friendly home.  During the winter the French doors open out to the sunny pool and newly rebuilt deck. During the summer the doors are most likely kept shut to keep the cool inside.

The cottage at the rear of the property was also recently updated. New impact doors were added. These doors open out to the sunny pool. Consider how many houses you may have looked at in Old Town that have "dip" or "cocktail" pools and lots of trees or tall neighboring houses that block sun.  Ain't gonna happen here. This home has a large pool, lots of sun, and no tall neighboring houses to diminish your privacy or take away your sun.

The interior of the master suite is so tastefully outfitted.  Plantation shutters provide privacy when needed and open to reveal the pool when desired. The huge double vanity and closet are located behind the bedroom area. The W/C is off by itself. There is both an indoor and outdoor shower ( a must-have in my opinion). And there is a wrap around the house deck that provides some private sunning space for an all over tan.

Buyers who want to purchase a home they can rent as a monthly vacation rental will be pleased to learn that this home has been rented this way for several years.  You won't need to create a market for renters to find this home. They already know about the great location near the seaport and the convenient walk to Duval Street which is near enough.

415 Frances Street is offered for sale at $1,425,000 for this four bedroom two bath home with a total of 1849 sq ft of living space.  CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for more information and more photos.

After you have view the facts, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a personal tour of this home.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you find your place in Paradise.  

1524 5th Street - Key West, Florida ~ A Place for Mom!

The newly listed 1968 era ranch style home located at 1524 5h Street in the MidTown area of Key West will appeal to cost conscious buyers who want space, value, new upgrades that will reduce windstorm insurance costs, and that does not need any new improvements to move in that is priced under $400,000.  That sounds like a lot of conditions, but this house can meet those.

According to the Monroe County Property Appraiser this 1468 sq ft home is a three bedroom, two bath house built on a 96' x 54' lot.  The records show the house benefited from recent Federal Aviation Administration $44,000 in grants in 2006 that provided for the installation of a new metal roof, new windows and doors, new Miami Dade code compliant shutters, new electrical update to operate the newly installed air conditioner, and new insulation.  The value of the upgrades will benefit this property for years as it will benefit the surrounding neighbors who received similar upgrades.
 It looks to me like the property just received some new updates that include new tile flooring throughout the main house and newly painted interior and exterior walls.  I might have picked a color other than brown for the interior wall, but the outside looks very clean.

There is a back door that opens from the master bedroom out to the back yard. A new owner might change the opening to a French door, build a small covered patio, and add a pool. The back yard is a barren slate right now.  It's hard to believe a house that is 46 years old has such an empty back yard. But this one does. A new owner can be very creative with a property like this. You save money by not having to remove decades of old growth and getting permits to make ugly trees go away. You'll still have to obey the rules for what you do create.

 This house comes with a place for mom - an accessory unit that has two exterior entrances on the south side of the house. Mom can come and go whenever she wants and not disturb you and the family.  She'll have her own separate mini-split A/C, bathroom, and a living area with cabinets.

1524 5th Street is offered for sale at just $399,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.  I took more photos which you can view if your CLICK HERE.

Better than looking at photos, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to see this home that has the extra value of having a place for mom including in a very attractive asking price.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.  Let me help you and mom find your place in Paradise.