About Monroe County, FL

As, a Venetian Shores Specialist, I enjoy keeping my clients up to date with the latest available properties and real estate news, as well as recently closed properties.

As one of Islamorada's most in demand communities, Venetian Shores is always tops on everyone's list. Only minutes from Miami, yet a world away.

412 Grinnell Street - Old Town - Key West

Roger Emmons at Truman & Company just listed an eyebrow house at 412 Grinnell Street an eyebrow house that has always been a favorite of mine. Roger describes the home this way:

"This quintessential Eyebrow style home is located in the heart of Old Town near restaurants, shops and the historic waterfront. The home has beautiful street appeal including a white picket fence, shady front porch and off street parking. There are 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths in the main house plus a large 1 bedroom and 1 bath guest cottage. The main level has an open floor plan with living, dining and kitchen and opens through multiple sets of folding French doors onto a large covered porch overlooking the rear garden and 30 ft. x 10 ft. pool and spa. Dade County pine floors and walls as well as other historic features are evident throughout this uniquely Key West home."

412 Grinnell Street built circa 1889

412 Grinnell Street as it appears in 2012

I dug into the old shoebox and found the above black and white photo of 412 Grinnell Street taken back in 1965. It says the house was built circa 1889. I looked in the Monroe County Property Appraiser's records and saw that numerous building permits were taken out in 1995 and 2003-2004 when substantial improvements were made to the property. The color photo was taken in 2012 in the same area as the black and white. The house is much larger now than when built: 1887 sq ft today. The windows, doors, and roof have been replaced. The home now has air conditioning and a new white picket fence. The original house was expanded and guest quarters built. The interiors have all been updated as well. A pool and spa were added and the driveway (and pool area) was bricked. The charm of this old eyebrow house is still in tact. And it looks prettier than ever.

Guest quarters and bricked driveway were added

Prettier than ever

412 Grinnell Street is located near so many of the places that makes Old Town so interesting. One of my favorite places to grab a pastry is the Old Town Bakery located steps away at the corner of Eaton and Grinnell Street. World Famous Finnegan's Wake is a block further to the north and just beyond that is the Historic Key West Seaport. Harpoon Harry's is located in that area as is the Half Shell Raw Bar, Turtle Kralls, and the A& B Lobster House. B.O.'s Fish Wagon is down there too. Up at the corner of Grinnell and Fleming Street you will find Azur Restaurant. One block south you can find a good (and cheap) Cuban Mix sandwich at 5 Brothers. Michael's is one block west and you can usually get a great steak there. The Cafe Marquesa is four blocks west at the corner of 600 Fleming Street - always one of my very favorite places in town. The Red Barn Theater and the Waterfront Playhouse are within walking distance as well.

Coffee and Baked Goodies!

Harpoon Harry's

A&B Lobster House in the background

Azur is just half a block to the south

Michael's Restaurant

Sophisticated without being stuffy!

If and when you buy your dream house in Key West and if it is located in Old Town, you will appreciate the ability to walk a block in the morning to get your morning coffee or being able to walk to the gym or yoga studio and not have to dodge traffic. You will love being able to walk to all kinds of great restaurants or to catch a play or listen to great live music and then be able to walk back home in a little town out in the middle of the ocean far away from the hoopla up north in America.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West Association of Realtors mls datasheet on this property. Better yet, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a showing of 412 Grinnell Street. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida.

Timmy Tuxedo welcoming passersby at 812 Fleming Street

I expect the newly listed top floor condo at 812 Fleming Street in the Seafoam Condo building will be under contract any day. First, you can't find a better location in Old Town: it is near everything full time residents want and part-time owners demand. Second, it is located on the top floor of an historic building and has commanding views of the nearby neighborhood from its 223 sq ft balcony. Third, the building's incredibly beautiful interiors can be customized to a new owner's desires without getting approval from any governmental bureau (the condo association may need to approve, however). Fourth, the building only has eight residential units plus two commercial units (including Key West landmark Timmy Tuxedo) with long term residential ownership. Fifth the rear side of the building has a wonderful pool and private garden area. And the asking price on this unit is only $299,900. The listing Realtor describes this unit this way:

"Wonderful & charming Old Town condominium with tall ceilings & Dade County pine walls and floors throughout. Rarely is there a unit on the market in this great historic building known as Seafoam Condominiums. Only eight condominiums and two commercial units are in this great piece of the Rock, it's private and feels like Key West. This third floor, one bedroom, one bath unit has 613sf of living space plus a 223sf balcony overlooking Fleming Street. It is in need of some renovation in the bathroom and kitchen but really is a great unit. In the back yard there is a pool and private grounds."

Unit #5 is top floor left side

I have not been inside this building since at least 2005 when the last unit was listed and sold at a significantly higher price. The fact is there have been few units listed or sold. So not many people know about this Key West treasure. The front entry has an electronic keyed entrance. You walk into the entry hall and immediately see the dramatic open three story staircase illuminated by rooftop skylights. The geometry of the place is just awesome.

Unit #5 is less than awesome, however. Some lamebrain tenant who thought he was an artist lived in this space and decided to leave his artistic marks in the kitchen and bathroom. Both spaces need remodeled, but many owners do that nowadays anyway. Everything functions so there is no need to do anything right away, but I'd probably do it immediately myself.

lamebrain art

I would ditch the old bathtub and install a beautiful new shower and sleek vanity in the bathroom. The kitchen would get demolished and replaced with new cabinets and probably higher quality stainless steel appliances. The space is small but not tiny. You can afford to go grand when you don't have to redo a huge space. The end result could be just amazing. I would probably move some the non-load bearing interior walls and rearrange the space to give this unit a more elegant pied-à-terre feel. And finally I would create a wonderful outdoor living room on that balcony. Monthly condo fees are $415 and include building maintenance, pool maintenance, building insurance, water and cable. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet.


I forgot to mention that this building is located on the gayest block in Key West. Four all male guest houses are located in this block including Equator, Coral Tree Inn, Coconut Grove, and the Oasis Guesthouse. Alexanders and The Island House are located in the 1100 block of Fleming Street and the guys normally pass by 812 Fleming Street once or twice each day. You don't have to be gay to buy in a place like this, but if you are gay, this is surely one hot property! CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this property.

The Gayest Block in Key West

If you would like to see this place before it is gone, 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. This One Hot Property will not last long.

407-409 Petronia Street - Old Town - Key West

Just listed, but not by me, 407-409 Petronia Street in Old Town Key West. This listing will surely attract a lot of potential buyers because it has many of the items on most potential buyers' wish list including: Old Town Location; Valuable Transient License, a Pool, Off Street Parking (for 2 cars), and it is a Short Sale Priced to Sell Quickly. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Key Lime Calypso is the name of this income producing (transient licensed) 2/1 Conch Cottage with over 13 Ft. high ceilings! The combined LR, DR, & kitchen have french doors leading to the huge private/fenced lot with oversized swimming pool. The house is on one lot (409 Petronia St.) with gated off street parking for 2+ cars and the lot (407 Petronia St.) extends beyond the privacy fences to make up a total of 6,229 sq. ft. of land which backs up to The Bourbon St.Complex. Extensive brick patios and walkways all around the huge pool makes this a hidden secret. This is a short-sale and requires 48 hour notice to show."

The two bedroom/one bath cottage has 761 square feet of living space that sits behind a white picket fence with gated driveway just steps from Duval Street. The lot backs onto the Bourbon Street Pub complex which fronts on Duval Street. The 400 block of Petronia Street is a mix of mostly commercial businesses and some small condos. Neither you nor your friends or guests will ever have a hard time finding the place, just tell them that it is located next door to Better Than Sex and they can find their way home.

Better Than Sex is located next door...

I mentioned 407-409 Petronia Street has a pool. Well, it's not one of those tiny little pretend pools that some rentals have: it is a real pool bathed in sun and by tropical foliage with brick pavers and decking. Guests want to go back home with a Key West tan and they can get one here.

Day or Night, the location is near where returning guests want to be

Guests will love the location because it is convenient to just about everything tourists and seasoned returning guests want to see or do. Ft. Zach Taylor Beach is an easy hike. Mallory Square, where most first time visitors and returning guests celebrate sunset, is a convenient walk. Many of the attractions first time sightseers visit are located within a few blocks of the property. And, of course, the great restaurants and nightspots are nearby.

407-409 Petronia Street is offered at the short sale asking price of $640,000. The house was built new in 1982. The prior building at this location was the Hi-Hat Cafe. If you would like to see this house or any other property in Key West, 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.