Key West Real Estate Throwback Thursday No.6

From October 2, 2015

The Metallic Man and the Clicker

How in the world could something so innocent as a tiny little metal clicker have to do with buying a house in Key West? How, indeed!

The above photo shows Judge Joseph P. Lewis, Betty the division clerk, Velma the court reporter (stenographer), and me. The photo was taken 43 years ago. I was Judge Lewis' legal staff assistant. I had recently graduated from the University of Denver College of Law when the photo was taken. I had passed the bar and was looking for a job as an attorney. I was 25 at that time. I stood 5'8" tall and probably weighed 135 pounds.  Look at the pic. I don't look very intimidating, and I certainly never lived up to the nickname my dad gave me as a child - Butch. What happened one day at the Jefferson County Hall of Justice in Golden Colorado (that's where Coor's Beer is made) may help you understand the importance of the clicker and how it relates to me as a Realtor 43 years later.

Former Jefferson County Hall of Justice

Walkway from former Hall of Justice to Clerk's Office and County Jail

 Judge Lewis' courtroom was on the forth floor (top floor) of the building pictured above right. The county jail was located about 150 feet away in a separate building.  The county clerk's office was situated between the two. The interior of the Hall of Justice was open from the ground floor to the ceiling of the forth floor with courtrooms or administrative rooms situated on all four sides of the building. Interior walls were blond brick. Noise of any sort sounded throughout the building and even filtered into the courtrooms.

One afternoon I was in the hallway outside our courtroom talking to two Deputy District Attorneys.  A man in his 40's or early 50's exited the clerk's office and began clicking a clicker in rapid succession as he walked the hallway heading toward the elevators.  Back then we did not have police or sheriff's officers in the courtrooms or hallways. Nobody had to pass through a metal detector at the entrance to the courthouse.  We had not yet become a society that was afraid of everything and everyone. So there was nobody to stop this metallic madman from disturbing the solemnity of the courthouse.

I left the Deputy D.A.s and moved quickly to the elevator hall where I grabbed the elevator door and braced my right arm against the door to prevent it from closing. I yelled "Ralph, call the Sheriff!"  Ralph was a older man, probably in his sixties, whose office was located just off the elevator lobby. The clicker man was alarmed when I prevented his exit. He began chopping at my arm with his arm, trying to break my hold. He hit me repeatedly. And it hurt like hell.

Steve Worrell, a fellow classmate from law school, came out of his courtroom into the hall to see what was going on. Steve played football in high school and even though he wasn't much taller than me, he was definitely bigger in size and stature, and surely he wasn't the sort of guy you would want to pick a fight with. I wouldn't call myself a wimp, but I was. Oops I just outed myself as a wimp!

Steve reached past my arm and grabbed clicker man by the shirt and quickly waltzed him straight across the hallway into the marble wall.  I think Steve was about ready to punch the man, but someone either grabbed the man or Steve to prevent things from getting more difficult. Within a couple of minutes a couple of deputy sheriffs arrived. I told them what had happened. They put the man in handcuffs and took him next door to the county jail.

Later that afternoon I got a phone call from the Captain in charge at the jail that day. He asked me to come over and sign the complaint under which the man had been arrested. When I got there the captain made me an offer. He said I could go inside the holding cell and hit the guy. He even offered to have some guards hold him for me so that I could beat the hell out of him. I am as serious as I can be. I don't lie, and I don't make stuff like this up. I told him no and that was the end of that.

The next day the man was arraigned in the courtroom of Judge C. F. Johnson. The Judge had me sworn in, and I related what had happened in the hallway the day before. My recollection is that the man admitted what I said was accurate. He was taken away on a mental health hold for three days. I don't recall anything further ever happening in this regard.  But I will never forget the Captain's offer to let me beat up the guy who had hit me.

Many locals in Key West visit the Monroe County Sheriff's web page CLICK HERE several times a week where we can see who has been arrested and on what charge.  It's not uncommon to see someone we know get picked up for driving under the influence or some other infraction.  Sometimes I see images of people that disturb me.

48 years old when arrested. Disabled and held on municipal ordinance violation

68 years old when arrested for failure to appear

58 years old when arrested for failure to appear

Barbara was 62 years old when arrested for a municipal ordinance violation

None of the offenses would explain how these people got the bruises and lacerations pictured above. There is no justification in my mind that could possibly permit someone in authority to hurt these people.  These pictures are just examples of what you can and will see on a regular basis of people who are processed through the Monroe County Jail. I'm not saying the Sheriff's officers did this and I am not saying a city policeman hit these people.  Somebody did.  

I moved to Key West in December 1993 and have been selling homes since December 1996. I love living in Key West, Florida. I encourage people to move here and fulfill their dream of living in Paradise. I encourage would-be buyers to checkout the Monroe County Sheriff's website on a regular basis - not to see photos of the abused but to see where the defendants live, where they were arrested, and the charges against them. This personal search is a sure fire way to determine for oneself areas of town that a buyer may determine are better than others. Key West is a very safe place to live. Most of our person on person crime occurs between spouses, partners, roommates or people living together. Stranger on stranger crimes are normally bar fights.  

I will never regret not punching the man with the clicker. Never!

The Smartest Guy in the Room

A couple of recent listings and sales recently got my attention. 

Yesterday I wrote about 1218 Varela Street in Key West where I pointed out it had sold several times over the past twenty years. We just cannot build new houses on the Island of Key West because we do not have land and we have state imposed limits on all new construction. Also, we have height restrictions which prevents building up into the sky like they do on either Florida coast. So repeated sales of the same property is to be expected.

There is one particular property that seems to get purchased by novice buyers who own it for a year or so and then re-sell it. Oddly, the same agent continues to be the listing and buying agent on this house. I had buyers who looked at it ten years ago or so. I warned them to drive by the place many times at night and daytime before they made an offer. They did not make an offer and moved on to look at other properties. The property is located to an offensive neighbor. And no it is not the one that had a hog on the front porch (for real). It was and is worse than that. That is all I will say.

A couple years ago I showed a buyer a very nice but dated property in a great location offered over $2,000,000. My buyer made a good cash offer on the property discounted by the amount buyer would have to spend to bring the property up to today's standards (about $200,000 less). The seller said no way and my buyer walked away. I called around and found a neighboring property not listed on the same block. We got a deal put together and closed for cash a month later. Two things happened. The listing agent called me a couple of days after the seller said no to my buyer's offer. I told the agent about the deal I put together. Agent was shocked then blamed the seller for being so greedy. I am  not so sure about that. I deal with agents all the time that think they should be on one of the Million Dollar Listing shows - they are that smart. After that house did not sell, the seller hired a new agent who listed it at the price my buyer paid for a similar totally renovated on the same block. The property lingered in the MLS for about two years and finally sold for $500,000 less than my buyer offered. I love when that happens.

1218 Varela Street, Key West - Just Listed

Just Listed - 1218 Varela Street, Key West. This historic home is located in Old Town on the south side of Truman Avenue and about a good ten minute walk to Higgs Beach and Atlantic Ocean. And a five minute or so walk to legendary Duval Street.

Soon after I started to sell houses in Key West I asked a fellow agent how she knew so much about a house that had just been listed. She told me that there are only so many houses in Old Town and that those houses keep getting sold and re-sold. 1218 Varela Street is a prime example. I remember going to a party there in the early 1990s. It was a big house with a fantastic pool. Then in March 2011 a customer I had been working with saw the Varela house pop up in the MLS. We went over that afternoon and submitted an offer either that day or the next. My buyer got the property and made a lot of improvements to the house. The buyer contacted me to list the property a year later. It sold soon thereafter. It sold twice after that and is now available once again.

1218 Varela Street is listed by Preferred Properties Key West, but not my listing. The listing agent describes the property this way:

" Each owner puts their stamp on their home and this redesigned property is no exception. They have created a 5 bedroom 5 and 1.2 bath house that is outstanding and fitting for Key West style living. On the main level there is a en suite bedroom and 1/2 bath, open kitchen, living room and dining area with French doors that reveal an incredible outdoor Lanai, 10 X 45 foot lap pool, Jacuzzi and one bedroom ensuite guest cottage. Up stairs in the main house there are 2 en suite bedrooms, one bedroom and bathroom has access to a private balcony. The en suite master has a sitting room and walk in closet. Covered off Street Parking for 2 cars."

The listing agent invited me to see the house last week so that I could see all the changes that the current owner made. I was surprised and impressed. If you are looking for a big house that is in tip tom move-in condition, take a look at the photos below.

 

When your friends walk in the front door the first thing will see are French doors that open out to the pool. They will turn green with envy from the get go. Then they will notice the little things like every where they look is perfect. The attention to detail is evident everywhere.

Your friends will probably pass on seeing the bedrooms and instead step out the French doors to the cover passage way to the covered parking and outdoor lounge. The lounge is out side but also closed to the elements on three sides. It has a bar and media center. But most important it provides a great place to appreciate the wonderful Key West weather.

The guest cottage is located at the far end of the pool. The cottage has also been updated. I prefer to exile brothers-in-law to inferior locations in houses. Don't send your brother-in-law here. He will never leave. It's private and close to the outdoor bar.

The current owners moved several walls on the first floor and relocated the stairway to create a first floor bedroom with private bath pictured below. The added a new guest bath under the new stairway. I am a fan of utility. They made this how much more efficient.

There are three bedrooms on the second floor. The front bedroom has access to the front balcony. One of the joys of owning a big house like this is sitting on the front porch and watching the world go by. This bedroom now has an en-suite.

The guest bedroom is located in between the front bedroom and master suite. Its bathroom is located across the hall.

The master bedroom and bath are both enormous compared to most older homes in Old Town. A tall man won't have to duck anywhere in this house and especially not in the shower. There is a large walk-in closet with built-ins.

1218 Vaerla Street, Key West is offered at $2,695,000 by Preferred Properties Key West. CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of this beautifully updated home. Furnishings are negotiable. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to schedule a private tour. I can even get you in at night for a second view. You can see for yourself how beautiful this home is. Imagine spending Christmas and New Years in this, your new home.

 

STRANGER THINGS in Key West

 

I clicked on a TWITTER link CLICK HERE showing strange things some Realtors have post in their MLS listings.  Below are photos of properties I have blogged about or photographed for customers.

The house below was a fixer to say the least. The least I say, the better. Pics talk for themselves.

Look Closely at the Cobweb Design

15 Years Old Daughter's Bedroom

Maid's Year Off

Pool

That place was renovated and won a prize. Not revealing the address.

The house below was foreclosed upon.

The former owner removed some structural beams causing major damage

I Can't Remember How the Listing Agent Described this Pool

The house below was a bank foreclosure. I remember showing it to a couple and their 15 year old son whose head reached the first floor ceiling. It wasn't that he was that tall. Instead, the ceiling was way too low. Oddly it had and outdoor shower and fully functional toilet in the back yard under the rear stairs.

Another bank owned home in The Meadows Area near Old Town proved equally unusual. It too had a functioning toilet located outside. Photo below. I say this is unusual but not solitary. I have seen similar toilets located outside houses. The comic characters were painted on an interior wall of that house. I have blogged about other houses in Old Town which had functioning toilets located in the back yard. And there was on house on Grinnell Street that was illegally made into three apartments. It had a functioning toilet in the main floor kitchen. I searched my photos but could not find it. Strange, yest. True, yes.

The house below became a short sale of sorts. The owner lived there until a deal could be put together. This was the interior of a former department head of the City of Key West. Former!

Robot maid locked in closet with her Hoover.

Oh, do I remember the fragrant aroma of cat piss in this apartment a mother and young daughter shared. They knew I was going to show the apartment building. This is real life for some people.

The above house was abandoned for years while trying to get the bank to accept a short sale offer. And this is what happened during the period of abandonment. Banks being unreasonable. Actually that's not strange.

I am Gary Thomas. I sell houses in Key West. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.