1406 South Street, Key West - Just Listed

ATTENTION!  Just Listed, but not by me, 1406 South Street, Key West, Florida. This freshly updated house is now available just in time for Christmas.  The house is located in the Casa Marina east neighborhood near the beaches and within easy biking to all that goes on in the Duval Street and Old Town areas.

Like many of the homes in this neighborhood, 1406 South Street sits behind gated privacy fence with swaying palms beckoning passersby to wonder what kind of Key West magic might be beyond.  I had shown this house several years ago when it was owned by someone else. I was surprised to see the new front yard with a semi-circular walkway of carved coral rock which leads to either side of the home. The main entry is located mid-way on the west side of the property.

This 1967 sq ft contemporary home was built new in 1988.  It was designed with the main living area at the rear with numerous French doors that light the living areas by day and provide easy access to the large pool and spa beyond. The vaulted ceiling visually expands the already large space in the mind's eye. The light colored travertine marble floors work well to soften the feel of this large space. The home has been freshly painted throughout (inside and outside). New Viking appliances were recently added to the ample kitchen with multiple stations for food preparation and storage.

Not shown in the outdoor photos are storage closets on either side of the house where there is a place for everything. And in this house, everything is put away where it belongs. There is a pool bathroom located on the east side of the house near one of two storage closets. There is also a whole-house generator for those occasions we lose power from the mainland.

1406 South Street has three bedrooms, each with en-suite baths. The main floor guest bedroom is shown in the first photo directly above. The master suite is located at the front of the house. Part of this room has the same vaulted ceiling architecture which exists at the rear. The room is visually stunning when you enter. Plantation shutters provide filtered sunlight and privacy. However, nobody can see into the property from the street. The privacy thing is an issue many people bring with them from up north in America. Tall fences and tropical foliage usually provide all the privacy anyone needs in Key West. The master bath resembles something you might see in a suite at a Ritz Carlton.

Several years ago the Thompson Estate located directly across the street. Thompson was a friend of Ernest Hemingway. There was a giant head of a rhinoceros or some other huge dead beast brought back to Key West from Africa hanging on the wall. The grounds were huge but filled with palm trees to provide total privacy. As I reflect on this little part of the island, many of the lots, like 1406 South Street, had not been built upon before. Perhaps Papa Hemingway and Thompson stood on the grounds of 1406 South and practiced shooting a wild chicken or iguana. Who knows.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet on this home offered at $1,399,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

1403 Pine Street, Key West - Re-visited

I wrote about 1403 Pine Street, Key West, a few months ago just after it was listed for sale. To my surprise, this really interesting property has not sold. For first time readers and return loyal followers, let me share with you my thoughts about this place.

The property consists of the main house (visible front above) is a classic bungalow of 1283 sq ft which has two bedrooms and two baths. The house was updated with a new kitchen and baths several years ago. It works and functions fine. Buyers looking for a small project house that could be fun to renovate should definitely take a look at this place.

You can tell when you step up to the front porch that the people who live here love this home and this island. Tromp loi palm fronds adorn the arched porch that is set up like an outdoor living room. This is Key West casual living. I would point out that since this street is near the end of the Old Town and Meadows area, there is not a whole lot of commotion going on in this location.

There is a nice bricked rear and side yard for private outdoor living. There is a small shed being used as a potting shed and laundry combination. The yard wraps around the house and extends back to the large gated entry at the front of this 44.35' X 76..3' (3257 sq ft) lot. 

But that's not all. There is a two story guest cottage with about 460 sq ft of living space located at the right rear of the lot.  The ground consists of a living area and kitchen. The second floor is the bedroom and bathroom plus a large covered porch which overlooks the side yard.

 This place is as cute as all get-out.  I know some buyers want to re-do places and imprint their lifestyle into their home. While I am not a builder and have no particular knowledge as to structural condition or construction costs, I did not see any deterioration that requires repair. Rather the age of the amenities just dates the house a bit. CLICK HERE to view more photos of this home.

1403 Pine Street is offered for sale at $890,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS for more information. Then please call Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a showing of this home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.

414 William Street, Key West - Old But also New

 New to the Key West MLS is 414 William Street located in the Heart of Old Town. This is an historic Conch House which has been updated and given a bit of refinement that previously did not exit.  I dug into my old shoe box and found a black and white photo taken in 1965 which shows the house as it then existed. See below. The angle is somewhat similar in both photos and that may help you see some of the changes including replacement of jalousie windows (probably a recent update from the 1950s or early 1960s), addition of gingerbread on the columns, and moving the entry door from the center bay to the right bay.

I checked the Historic Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine when this home was built. Since it is located on one of the more oldest and most prominent streets in Old Town, I had no problem finding it on the 1889 map. However, it was identified then as 127 William Street. It was not until the 1892 map was created that the street numeral was changed to 414 William Street. 

 I got a chance to see the inside of this home for the first time last week during Realtor caravan. (This is a time when agents from town go from house to house to see new listings. Agents are asked to provide comments on pricing and condition of each house to provide feedback to the owner.) This particular house is fairly large (three stories).  The interiors are about as fine as any I have seen in Key West. But they are also unconventional. Many of the houses in Old Town feature Dade County Pine walls and ceilings  A different type of clear coated pine was applied to the walls trimmed with brilliant white baseboards, crown molding, and door and window trim. The windows are outfitted with Plantation shutters that really dress each room. Marble tiles lead from the foyer rot the kitchen at the rear. The main floor master bedroom and bath is located between the front sitting room and the kitchen at the rear.

The kitchen is awesome. I stood at the stove and watched other agents buzzing around looking at different parts of the ground floor and at the pool at the rear. I looked closely at the burners. They had never been used. The listing agent told me the owner has several properties nearby and has never actually lived in this house.

The rear yard isn't huge which means there won't be all that much for a gardener to take care of. There is a small pool and a shaded rear deck. I looked over the fence to the north. The neighbor to the north owns one of the most famous houses in Old Town. There is no pool there - just a nice old fashioned Key West garden

The second floor spaces include a sitting room located between front and rear bedrooms plus a rear balcony which looks down to the pool. The listing agent announced the paladin windows on ground level were from St Mary's convent in Key West which burned to the ground half a century ago. I suspect the first floor arches and the bathroom window in the bedroom were created by craftsmen to replicated the delicate style of the old windows. 

This block of William Street is rich in architectural design and diversity. A former Methodist church is located on the corner at Southard Street. For now, it sits vacant and awaiting an inspiration on what it might become. There are a couple of Bahama houses floated over from the islands that sit on this block. There are a couple of large grand Conch houses located on the opposite side of the street, one of which was converted into a guest house. The Historic Key West Seaport is located two blocks to the north. Duval Street and all that goes on is just three blocks to the west. There are gyms, yoga  studios, art galleries, little shops, restaurants, all over the place, all within a few minutes walk of 414 William Street.

414 William Street is offered at $2,295,000. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS and then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to set up a private showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise. If you are a cash buyer, this could be your home buy Christmas this year.

1109 Petronia Street, Key West - Just Listed - Legal Duplex

Just Listed - 1109 Petronia Street, Key West, Florida. This is a sweet legal duplex located on a quiet little block just east of the Key West cemetery. Petronia Street at this location runs only two blocks from White Street to Frances Street where it appropriately dead-ends at the cemetery.  A full time owner and/or tenants will love the location because it is near all the attractions around Duval Street and the historic seaport (it's within easy walking or biking distance to both), but it is far enough away not be a part of the hub-bub. I looked in my old shoebox and found a photo of this same property taken in 1965. See immediately below.  This home is one of six double gable homes in Key West. CLICK HERE to see the other properties as well as more photos of the interior and exterior of this listing.

I point out the historic architectural reference to this house for good reason - I think this house is absolutely charming and deserving of a sweet restoration if the right buyer who is looking for a little project house were to buy the place.

The building is approximately 1,000 sq ft divided between the first and second floor units. The downstairs unit is a bit larger than the upstairs due to the small side addition where its' kitchen is located. The side yard is currently used for bike and scooter storage but could become so much more if the stairway were removed and relocated into the interior. I think but cannot confirm there might be room for a dip pool in the side yard if appropriate variances could be obtained.

The main level apartment is a bit larger and has a separate door which opens out to the garden.  This unit my work well for an owner/landlord who wants a place in Key West which he or she could used as a little Key West getaway cottage and still earn income all year long by renting out the second floor unit.  I have had two buyers who purchased duplexes and this process worked for them.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and then please call either me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, or Dan Skahen, 305-923-6524, to set up a showing. We are both full time Realtors at Preferred Properties Key West. Both units are tenant occupied. We and they request 24 hour advance showing request. Both units are on annual lease and each is subject to a 60 day kick-out clause which would give the new owner the right to take possession of the unit upon vacation by the tenant.