927 United Street, Key West, Florida - Just Listed

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West 927 United Street, Key West. This home was renovated and expanded a couple of years back and is now offered for sale at the asking price of $1,495,000.  It is a mix of old and new, charm and utility, pool and parking, and it looks great!

The listing Realtor, not me, describes this home this way:

"An exceptional property awaits you in Key West. Come experience an harmonious blend of historic craftsmanship and modern conveniences. Downstairs is a the master bedroom with luxurious en suite bath and two private covered porches. The gourmet kitchen is highly functional and designed for entertaining with style. Vaulted ceilings and an open floor plan of the living and dining areas are impressive. French doors lead to a covered porch with enclosed laundry room and views of tropical gardens and swimming pool. Upstairs are two beautiful bedrooms with a stylish shared bath. The grounds are lush, with mature Frangipani and champion Mango Trees. A bricked driveway provides an elegant entrance to the house, and parking for two cars."

I researched the historic Sanborn Fire Maps and could not locate this house on any of the four old maps available and could not find any indication that this house existed prior to 1912, but that does not mean it was not in existence but only that it was not cited on a map. I did, however, find a photo taken in 1965 that shows us what the house looked like before renovation. Then I found a photo I took right after the renovations were completed. The lower photos show the clean lines and classic look of both the old house and the new addition. You'll probably amazed at how large and how quickly the landscaping has grown compared to the current photos in today's blog.

The original house is now used entirely as the great room or open living area, dining space, and kitchen. The front door of the old house is now only an opening to the front porch where today
you can barely see thru to the street because the landscaping is so lush.

French doors off the dining area open out to a large covered rear veranda that looks out to the long pool and gardens. The garden area extends across the back of  property (which most houses do!) where there is a similar rear covered porch off the main floor master suite.

When you look at the photos I took (CLICK HERE) you will appreciate the quality of interior finishes and materials used. For example, the large master bedroom has a big closet which lights up when the doors are opened. A well thought-out closet organizer offers differing shelves and hanging possibilities that provides real utility to the owner. I tell buyers you do not need as many clothes down here as you do up north in America, but you need to be able to find the clothes you do have. Also look at the stainless steel door knows, the high sheen white paint job, the large baseboards and crown molding. These elements combine to provide a real classy look that is also relaxed.

There are two bedrooms on the second floor of the new addition. The multi-angle gables add lots of drama to this space.It has the feel of an old fashioned garret but the real modern day utility. Both bedrooms have separate doors that open into the shared Jack-and-Jill bath.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and listing photos. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing of this really clean and very interesting 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.

Buy a Piece of Old Key West

If you have been thinking about buying a small house in Key West but have decided you have been priced out of the market, you might consider buying a much smaller place like the one above built by  Ronny Bailey.  You can do so at the 30th Annual Arts and Crafts show this Friday and Saturday between 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Whitehead Street between Fleming and Caroline Streets. CLICK HERE for more information on the show.

Ronny Bailey dropped by my office last week to show this new piece which is one of three he will be showing the first time at this show. This piece is his recollection of the historic home that was actually located at 702 Thomas Street in the Bahama Village section of Key West. The original building no longer exists. Unfortunately, I could not find a photo of the old house.  I think Ronny told me it burned to the ground. (My history lesson on this building is totally deficient. The art makes up for my lack of attention to detail.)

Each piece was made by using pieces of wood removed from old homes in Key West. Ronny always includes three words on each piece he creates: love, joy, and peace. They are easy to see if you look in the right place.These are the watchwords that Ronny lives by. I don't think I have met a kinder man in Key West. He always has a big smile and kind tones when speaking with others. Love.Joy. Peace. Right!

526 Southard Street, Key West - Business For Sale

Okay, Dear Readers, you've toyed with the idea of leaving your hour long commutes to work and moving to Key West. You've wondered how you might make a living here that does not involve waiting tables, cleaning toilets in hotel rooms, ferrying tourists from Toledo around on Conch trains, or being a greeter at KMART or HOME DEPOT. Those are all good jobs and keep a lot of people here employed. Preferred Properties Key West just listed an alternative business that would be perfect for a single person to operate with the assistance of an occasional back-up staff person. That business is The Cottage located at 526 Southard Street in Key West.

The listing Realtor described the offering as a:

"Beloved retail business for sale with strong local customer base. Perfect for an owner/operator. Future expansion possibilities include a retail website, interior design consulting and a social media presence. Favorable lease terms. Business opportunity only, real estate not for sale. Inventory additional."

CLICK HERE to read the Key West mls datasheet on 526 Southard Street (business only, not real estate) which is offered for sale at $95,000. Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to show you this property and provide additional information. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise. 

1221 Grinnell Street Unit #A Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed by Preferred Properties Key West, that is where I work but this is not my listing, 1221 Grinnell Street Unit A. The listing Realtor describes this home thus:

"Bright spacious and clean! This rare three-bedroom, two and a half bath townhome in Grinnell Gardens has long windows on three walls for lots of sunlight. Both the front porch and second floor balcony overlook the shared swimming pool. French doors open from the dining room to the sunny private enclosed rear deck. The assigned parking space is right next to the rear deck gate which allows for private entry to the home. This well-maintained residence has just been freshened with new paint and new flooring upstairs."

The Grinnell Gardens compound was built new in 1990. The architectural style of the town homes is reminiscent of the grand conch houses in Old Town except they were built new and have many conveniences built in as opposed to cobbled together - you know what I mean, conveniences like real closets, bathrooms, spacious kitchens, air conditioning that is "out of sight" and not hanging on a wall. The town homes share a community pool and gardens. I know a lot of potential buyers want a place of their own and have never thought of living in a compound. I "get" the resistance argument. But there is also a group of potential buyers that do not mind having nearby neighbors that live in close proximity who will keep an eye on the place when the owners are not in residence. Compound living may not be for everyone, but it is easy peasy with others. 

This home is located at the southwest corner of the compound. The porch provides a cool resting space just off the living room. When you enter the home you'll see a built-in bookcase. The downstairs guest bath is tucked away nearby.

Like many other homes in Old Town, doors to this home open out to the front porch and rear deck which expands the living area immensely. You'll find doors open in January to bright sunny skies while your friends and relatives up north in America are often driving through slushy snow or on streets with black ice. Here, you can sit on the rear deck and drink your morning coffee in your skivvies and have a cocktail on the front porch at sunset with your sweetie.

There are three bedrooms located on the second floor. The master suite is at the front of the home. It has French doors that open out to the front porch that has semi-secluded views of the pool (you can see out but because of the height of the house and the palm trees, people at the pool can't see you).  The porch runs the length of the home and provides plenty of space to really enjoy the deck area. The bedroom is extra large as well.

Bedrooms numbers two and three are located at the backside of the house. A prior owner divided the space into two separate rooms. One is larger than the other. The larger room has a queen bed and chest. Windows on two sides give this room a cheery feel. The bit smaller room has been outfitted with bunk beds that work just fine for visiting grand kids or nieces and nephews or brothers-in-law that you want to enjoy your home no longer than three days.

The community pool is bright and sunny most of the day. A couple of other units have private pools. In all the years I have shown these homes I can only recall a couple of times actually seeing anybody laying by the pool. But it sure is a nice amenity to have. CLICK HERE to view more PHOTOS I took.

CLICK MAP to see 1221 Grinnell Street. This property is located just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and only five blocks to upper Duval Street. The shops, gyms, yoga studios, and the World Famous Faustos Grocery are located a couple of blocks east on White Street.

CLICK HERE to see the mls listing info and view more photos. 1221 Grinnell Street which is offered at $795,000 or $586 per sq ft for this 1360 sq ft home. The home sits on a fee simple lot of 1769 sq ft. The lot includes a spacious and sunny rear deck with gate that opens out to the parking space for this unit. Pets are permitted.

If you would like to schedule a visit to see this terrific home, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

221 Petronia Street, Key West, Florida - Bank Owned Buying Opportunity

I'll bet you have walked or driven by the new Bank Owned listing at 221 Petronia Street in Key West and thought something like "that could really be something if they fixed it up".  Well now is your opportunity to be the one that does the "fixing". This property is all sealed up and cannot be viewed because it has fire damage. If you look at the last two photos above you will see fire damage at the rear on both the first and second floors.

I checked the historic Sanborn Fire Maps and learned that 221 Petronia Street (previously identified as 408 Petronia Street) existed as early as 1889. The adjacent lot, now empty, had a small grocery back in the day. The lot is mostly vacant now except for a bunch of trees.  CLICK HERE to view more photos I took.

The lot and existing structure are zoned HNC-3. This zoning is specifically includes the Bahama Village area and has the stated purpose of  identifying the area as "a City target for redevelopment and revitalization".  The neighbor to the east on Petronia Street is a two story restaurant that was teeming with patrons on Monday when I took photos. Petronia Street has several notable restaurants including Blue Heaven, La Crêperie Key West, and Santiago's Bodega one block to the west. Various small shops related to tourist trade line this street. The neighbor around the corner on Chapman Lane is a single family house.This is the mix of Bahama Village. Since 221 Petronia Street faces the business side, I would assume the City would permit redevelopment of this building (if it can be saved) into a commercial enterprise as oppose to requiring it to be used for residential purposes. That makes sense to me. Of course, I am no 'devloper' and I do not pretend to know what the City would actually do or require. Since buyers are specifically not permitted to enter the property before making an offer, it is difficult to determine the amount of fire damage the building has received. The 1965 black and white photo (below) shows a pretty interesting building. The fate of this building will probably be determined by the extent of structural damage as opposed to smoke and surface damage. It would be a shame to lose a building this interesting.  The color photos above show uninteresting additions at the rear and west side plus an exterior staircase. The mix of the interesting old building, the ugly additions, fire damage, and big lot give this property a lot of possibilities.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this property. I understand multiple offers have already been received. Now is the time to act. Please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 if you would like to submit an offer. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. This really is a buying opportunity!