Price Reduced - 1209 Margaret Street, Key West

The asking price on 1209 Margaret Street located in Old Town Key West was recently reduced to $649,950. The listing Realtor describes this property this way:

"This little jewel box of a house has just been completely and beautifully renovated with brand new kitchen and bathrooms. The historic old town cottage is in the x-zone and has three bedrooms and two full baths. It is graced by vaulted ceilings, an extra deep front porch and and a spacious and sunny rear deck. It is a wonderful property at a great price."

I found a photo of 1209 Margaret Street taken fifty years ago. You'll quickly notice the house then does not look anything then like it does today. That's the point of a renovation. The most obvious visible change visible from the street is the large welcoming front porch and the addition of more living space to the left side of the original house. The tree located adjacent to the driveway is also gone. So is the right to use the driveway. That space is now owned by the cottage to the rear which belongs to a different owner.

The front entry leads past two of the three bedrooms in this home to the new great room and kitchen area. What a bright and cheerful this space is. The cabinets and custom counters blend together to create a most welcoming place to live the relaxed Key West life style. Dual sets of French doors open out to the deck that extends the living area to the outdoors.

The master bedroom with en-suite bath is located at the rear adjacent to the great room. Ambient light from the backyard filters into this cozy space.

There are two more bedrooms located on opposite sides of the front entry. Pocket doors on the south room reveal a vaulted ceiling with window that provides additional light into the already semi-sunny space which could easily become a home office, den, or study. The second bedroom is located opposite as is the guest bath. CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this inviting home.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on 1209 Margaret Street which is now offered for sale as $649,950. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a private showing of this great little house. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. If you saw this home before it was renovated you will gasp the way I did when I saw the dramatic changes. This home is well worth looking at.

816 Eaton Street, Key West - Quintessential Eyebrow House

In his book The Houses of Key West  Alex Cammerer wrote about his first visit to Key West which turned into a love affair with the architecture of Old Town. He referred to eyebrow houses simply stating "with their front porch roofs extending demurely over the second-story windows, hence the term eyebrows. I have discovered that they are unique to Key West and are not found anywhere else in the country."

816 Eaton Street, Key West

Cammerer then compared the eyebrow style to a salt box laid on its side with the roof line extended downwards to rest upon columns which creates a permanent awning that spans the entire width of the house sheltering the second floor windows from light, rain, and wind. Back in real old days  - the time before air conditioning and even before electricity - houses were cooled naturally using window placement for cross ventilation, shutters, awnings, scuttles, and trees. The eyebrow house provided a different manner to provide air circulation. And it did so with great style.

A few months back I wrote a blog about the very small eyebrow house at 628 Frances Street. It was such a cute little house of only 1017 square feet situated on a 2366 square foot lot. Today's featured home located at 816 Eaton Street is more than twice the size at 2352 square feet and sits on a 4285 square foot lot. Some eyebrow homes are small; some are large; they are all unique. Let me share with you the features of this newly renovated home which the listing Realtor describes as:

"This award-winning, Circa 1872 'Eyebrow' in Old Town can be offered fully furnished. No expense was spared in renovating and furnishing the property. Each of the four bedrooms have bathrooms en suite. Two bedrooms are located downstairs. A free-standing staircase leads to the other very private guest bedrooms upstairs, one with it's own spectacular balcony. An inviting walkway leads up to a grand covered front porch, a gracious entrance to this elegant home. The welcoming living room with warm Dade County pine walls gracefully leads the eye past the gourmet eat-in kitchen and dining area out to the pool with waterfall and lush tropical gardens. Also outdoors are comfortable and elegant living and dining areas. Special features include ductless central air through out, gourmet kitchen with adjoining laundry and pantry, covered outdoor entertainment area with widescreen television, off-street parking, and so much more. This home has everything you are looking for in a Key West property."

First floor front bedroom and bath

I have been inside a lot of the eyebrow houses in Key West over the years. The houses were built with a center hall on the first floor with a stairway at the rear that led to the second floor landing at the front of the house which would have bedrooms on either side of the landing. The main floor typically had two boxed-in rooms on either side of the entry hall. The interior walls were constructed with Dade County Pine. If you look at the first photo above you will see a doorway entrance to a main floor bedroom located to the right of the front door. But the space to the left side is open into the living room. Someone removed the wall that used to be located there. Note also the large opening at the rear of the stairs that leads into the kitchen. The kitchen appears to be a modern addition to the old house and even more recently updated by this current owner. There is an adjacent pantry which also includes the laundry and lots of storage.

Potential main floor master suite off the pool

I had not been inside this home before my recent visit. I looked at the old mls photos and saw a free form pool added in 1996. The current owner removed that oddity and replaced with the new pool and the unique covered outdoor living area. This space remarkable!  There is a second main floor bedroom located off the back side of the house. I would be tempted to use this bedroom as the master suite.

The second floor landing provides access to either of the bedrooms. I was surprised to see how large these bedrooms are. Like I said earlier, I have been inside a lot of eyebrow houses. These bedrooms are huge by comparison to most I have seen. And each bedroom has a real bath - large ones in fact. The master suite even has a private sundeck.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and more beautiful photos of this photogenic eyebrow house that is offered for sale a $2,195,000 by Preferred Properties Key West where I am a buyers agent. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. Let's take a look at all the details that have been incorporated into this beautiful home.

915 Washington Sreet, Key West - Sweet Casa Marina Area Cottage

Christmas is arriving early this year. But I must warn you, if you snooze, you'll lose. If you doubt this Mr. Thomas, you will be sorry. I know this to be a fact and not some Realtor mumbo-jumbo. The adorably sweet Casa Marina Cottage located at 915 Washington Street in Key West was just listed for sale.

The listing Realtor (not me) describes it best as she writes:

"Classic Conch Home in prestigious Casa Marina neighborhood. This three bedroom, 3.5 bath historic home has an expansive, large, comfortable front porch on beautifully landscaped corner lot in Casa Marina that whispers “Welcome to Paradise.” Soaring ceilings and light-filled windows in the open floor plan living room and kitchen connect through French doors to the secluded outdoor entertainment areas with pool, deck and private conversation spots. Corner lot ensures you enjoy every Key West breeze. Rare off-street, covered parking for you and your guests. Gleaming hardwood floors throughout are accented with custom tiles in the kitchen and master bath, bringing a touch of classic Old Key West to this home. Choose either of the two en-suite bedrooms for your master, third bedroom with bath plus a lock-out door is a perfect office or guest suite. This home in one of Key West's most desirable residential neighborhoods has been updated and lovingly maintained. Move-in ready for those desiring that special classic Key West look-and-feel with potential to add your personal touches."

It is such a joy to view a home that is truly loved and taken well care of. When you look at the exterior of this house for the first time you will instantaneously know it looks equally charming on the inside. It's like seeing a little boy or girl with a freshly scrubbed face, combed hair, big smile, and clean clothes. Precious is easy to recognize. You get one chance in life to make a good impression. This house wins that point! While there are only a few other cottage style homes in the Casa Marina Area, this is the only one with such a presence.

This 1211 square foot home sits on a 3600 square foot lot at the corner of Washington and Grinnell Streets. You just cannot ask for a better location in Key West. The streets are wide and the houses are well maintained. Many of the homes in this area are second homes, and most of the recent home sales were for properties priced well over one million dollars and several in this past year have topped three million dollars.

When you open the front door you enter into the great room with its vaulted ceiling that spans the east side of this home. Multiple sets of windows and French doors at the end provide ample muted light into this wonderful space. The color combination of the bright ceiling, colorful walls, and rich wood floors create a restful space for easy living. The French doors open out to the side garden where the pool is located. The pool is actually located just east of the front porch which faces south. That means you will have sun in the pool area most of the day.

The hallway leads to the three bedrooms located on the west side of the home.  There is a powder room located just on the other side of the kitchen wall. Each of the bedrooms has a bath.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet plus all listing photos of this lovely cottage style home located in the coveted Casa Marina neighborhood. 915 Washington Street is offered at just
$1,250,000. That is a deal!  And that is why I said "If you snooze, you'll lose. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule an appointment to see this sweet home with a precious countenance. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. While you won't be able to own this place in time for Christmas this year, it certainly could be your home for Christmas next year. But only if you act quickly.

updated 12-21-2017