About Key West's Old Town

I have not been inside 524 White Street since it was just listed as a short sale. I disclose this because 524 White Street was previously listed by Preferred Properties in January 2007 at the asking price of $1,150,000. CLICK HERE to view that mls listing info and photos of the "then" condition. The 2007 listing described 524 White Street this way: "This is a comfortable Historic house with large, bright rooms, crown molding, 9' ceilings and Dade pine floors. The kitchen features glass faced cabinets, stainless appliances including 2 wine coolers, porcelain farm sink and a gorgeous subway tile backsplash. The downstairs bedroom is currently set up as a library and offers a wall of built-in Poplar wood cabinets with hookups for computer and television. Beautiful French doors lead from this room to the back deck with a very deep heated cistern pool. The downstairs bath has Brazilian slate tiled floors and shower. Up the original wood staircase are 2 bedrooms and a full bath with clawfoot tub. Offering 2 zone central air and offstreet parking...this is a wonderful house."

Two and one-half years later things on the inside and the outside could look differently.

The current listing Realtor describes this property this way: "This is a potential short sale. Beautiful home, remodeled, large space with small pool. Off street parking, too!" CLICK HERE for more current listing information and current photos. I drove by the house Friday afternoon to take a couple of exterior photos. The architecture is so attractive and somewhat a-typical as compared to many Old Town Key West homes. The landscaping in the front is a tiny bit overgrown and the house could use a new coat of paint. But those are the things new homeowners usually like to do on any house-no matter how "au courant" it is.

524 White Street is a short sale and it is offered at $525,000 or $311 per sq ft. I am a firm believer in comparison shopping so I created a list CLICK HERE of other homes in the Old Town, the Meadows, and the Casa Marina areas now offered at $525,000 or lower.

While you are doing the comparison shopping take a look at this house just around the corner down Curry Lane CLICK HERE. Curry Lane is private and cute and all the things I write about life on the slow lanes of Key West. But the houses' sizes and features are fairly similar. Except for the over $500,000 price difference. (I am not disparaging Curry Lane. I am saying that 524 White Street might be a buying opportunity for the right buyer.)

If you are interested in buying a nice sized home in Old Town with a pool and off street parking, 524 White Street might just meet your or exceed your expectations for the price. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule a showing. This place is tenant occupied and requires a 24 hour notice to show. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls on our Association of Realtors website. The info on the Association's website is in real time as opposed to other sites that may offer stale listing info or that may attach trackers to your computer.

Here is another real deal. The problem is you need to be kind of rich to afford it. But there are still lots of rich folks in America and some of them are looking for homes in Key West. If you are among that lucky bunch, you might want to consider 631 Southard Street that was just listed for sale at $1,995,000 or $785 per sq. ft. The listing Realtor describes the property this way:

"Elegant, Sophisticated, and Luxurious Historic Home on Solares Hill in the Heart of Old Town Key West. Fully renovated and restored with an eye for perfection and quality. Beautiful kitchen with Jenn-air and Fisher & Paykel stainless steel appliances. High ceilings, hardwood floors, bedrooms with bath ensuite,laundry room, and open floor plan with finest details throughout. Huge tropical lot with lush vegetation, heated pool, spa and outdoor living room with privacy galore. Newly renovated guest cottage CLICK HERE offers glass tile shower room, open floor plan for easy tropical living. Off-street parking, full house generator, wrap-around porches and custom made Ipe' shutters. A Luxurious Residence in the Heart of Historic Old Town Key West."

This house is such a charm to show. The downstairs combined living-dining areas work so well for the relaxed Key West lifestyle. The French doors look out onto the gardens and pool. And unlike a lot of older Key West homes, the view is bright and cheerful on all sides. That corner location provides nice morning light on the east and the extra large yard provides sun for the pool and gardens. CLICK HERE for more details and some great photos of this special property.

631 Southard Street is located at the corner of Southard and Elizabeth Streets--just two blocks from Duval but only one block from 5 Brothers CLICK HERE to the east or Sarabeth's CLICK HERE and Nancy's Secret Garden that is hidden at the rear of Free School Lane CLICK HERE. Fausto's Food Palace CLICK HERE is a two block walk and the Key West Cinema CLICK HERE and The Red Barn Theater CLICK HERE are about three minutes away by foot. (The Waterfront Playhouse CLICK HERE to see a "chick play" is about a ten minute walk because you have to walk through hordes of tourists!) The Historic Key West Seaport CLICK HERE is five minutes by foot. So you see you cannot beat the location. The house is near everything important.

I represented some people that tried to buy this house back in 2004. My buyers offered $2.8 million cash and the then seller turned them down. The then seller eventually sold to the present owners for a lower price. Such is the fate of market timing. Greedy bastards sometimes lose even in an up market.

The present owner has put a lot of time and money improving this already superb home. If you are looking for a second home in Key West and want the lifestyle, the excellent location, and the amenities 631 Southard Street offers, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a showing. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc., an affiliate of Christie's Great Estates.

I have the best hair stylist. She's not the best just because she's talented. I like her. I love her! I have had 10 solid years of compliments on my hair to prove her value. She's been there by my side through broken hearts and job changes. We've sipped cocktails and been to baby showers. I went to her baby's baby shower! We have the same friends and I adore her, her daughter and her grand daughter.

My stylist is STELLAR! An old salon owner she worked with years ago let me come to a hair show with thousands of sylists in Orlando a few times. I pretended to be the receptionist. The smell of delicious hair products and 10 foot slick ads for hair products made me want everything that was there. There were stages with incredible hair stylists cutting hair. I raised my hand and volunteered to get a new do. I bought $18 bottles of conditioner at cost. I bought boxes of OPI nail polish at cost. I got a $120 hair flat iron at cost. It was SO exciting!

My wonderful stylist didn't hate me... she still kept making me gorgeous...

My husband would cut his own hair if I let him. I want him to have cool edgy hair so he goes to cool edgy hair guys. This cool guy did such an incredible job with my husband that I let him do my hair. It turned out beautiful. I felt like a Victoria's Secret super model for the first 8 weeks. I've gone to him a few times.

The last time I got my hair done I went to a salon that my same smart chic client friend gets her hair done at. Her hair is perfect. That's not easy to achieve in Key West's 90% humidity and 90 degree weather. I thought it must be her hair stylist that made her and her hair so pretty. After I got my hair done I did not suddenly have perfect frizz-free hair. My style was not suddenly super trendy. WHY? I don't get it! My hair is anti-trendy. It doesn't hold a cool style. It always goes back to where it started. It's thick and heavy. Even when they thin it it's THICK.

Now I'm fixated on this male sylist that the same same pretty, fun. smart friend recommended. I've seen him do his magic... It's not the first time I've been unfaithful to my lovely hair sylist. She has been there for me through thick and thin. After the euphoria fades the itch for something new and cool comes back. Later I go back to her and she gives me a new, dramatic, incredible sytle and I wonder why I ever went to anyone else.

For 2 weeks I've been picking up the phone and hanging it up. Yesteday I called Blown Away 2 times and got voice mail. I called the salon again today. MY stylist answered the phone. They have caller ID. I couldn't hang up. I had to tell her I was calling to make an appointment with Hays. She gave me an appointment on August 18th. That's a long time from now. I could hear her hurt on the other side of the phone. I didn't know what to say to make it better because there was simply nothing I could say... Will she take me back if Hays isn't everything my friend says he is?

Maya Thomas
Realtor®
Exit Realty Old Island Key West
1511 Truman Avenue
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 522-1398
MyRealPro@gmail.com
www.ShowcasePortfolioProperties.com

408 Amelia Street is NOT a short sale. But the new listing on this cute 1213 sq ft house on a 2864 sq ft lot is priced like one. The asking price is $429,000 or $354 per sq ft.

The listing Realtor describes the property this way: "This home is in Old Town Key West in the historic CATO district.The home has been well taken care of, originally built in 1943 but received an addition and updates in 1966.Very quiet residential neighborhood tucked away between Whitehead and Duval."

Other features include vaulted ceilings, beautiful built in hard wood bookcases, front porch, back yard with room for a small pool. An additional room off the Master Bedroom is perfect for a third bedroom, office, or storage room. The home is offered furnished. Bring your own toothbrush. CLICK HERE to see the mls listing page and interior photos provided by listing Realtor.

Amelia Street is a one way that runs east from Whitehead toward Duval Street. that suggests to me that the accidental tourist traffic should be kept to a minimum. Yet, the property is within easy walking distance to all of the spectacular nightlife, restaurants, galleries,and attractions Key West has to offer. And the property is located mere blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and the many beaches of Key West.

Earlier this year I wrote about our listing directly across the street at 415 Amelia Street that is priced at $880,000. I took some photos of the neighboring homes to the west CLICK HERE and east CLICK HERE and street scenes CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE so readers can see for themselves what a nice block this is.

If you are looking for a nice property in a good location that does not need a lot of fixing and that has room for a small pool, 408 Amelia Street might meet your requirements. To schedule a showing, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or contact me by e-mail at kw1101v@aol.com.

Some fool killed the Golden Goose. And most of the famed Money Trees in Key West got wiped out. But three investment properties in Key West just got a lot more affordable yesterday. I wanted to share those potential buying opportunities with you before someone else beats me to the punch.

I don't have any insider information on these properties other than the units are part of an estate that is liquidating some of the remaining assets. These properties are not short sales. Each property is located in the Old Town area and currently provide "workforce" housing.

919-921 Southard Street has three legal units and sits on a very large (5075 sq ft) lot on a great Old Town block. The listing Realtor suggest the property "could easily be converted back to single family for the creation of a wonderful estate. In heart of Old Town and midst of multi-million dollar properties! House sits on one side of Double lot which provides room for expansion. In Bank Trust. Sold AS IS; Current incomes are month to month as follows: 1. 2/1 Rear down $1100 2. 1/1 down $900, 3. 1/1 up $850. Owner pays water sewer, and garbage." The location is killer! I'd keep the facade and tear down everything behind it. I showed this property a year ago. This place could be a spectacular renovations and expansion. CLICK HERE for more info. This property is now offered at $650,000.

Locals and some returning visitors may know where 1130 Elgin Lane is located, but for everyone else it sits on a small one way lane Just west of White Street between Eaton Street to the north, Fleming Street to the south. If you know where Blossom's Market is on White Street, 1130 Elgin Lane is not far away. CLICK HERE for a pic of Elgin Lane. The listing Realtor says this: "Located on Cute little lane within walking distance of old town and Amenities! 4 units and an extra 832 sq ft. building for storage. Tenants pay all utilities except electric for storage. Month to month rentals: A. 1/1 $850, B. 1/1 $850, C. 2/1 $1200, D. 2/1 $1200 E. Storage. Upstairs 2 bedroom units are two story with bedrooms on 2nd level of units. Charming appointment. Sale subject to Bank Approval and sold AS IS. This is not a short sale or forclosure. Priced right!" 1130 Elgin Lane is now offered at $450,000 or $146 per sq ft. CLICK HERE for more details and photos.

915 Pohlaski Lane is across the lane from the Coffee Mill Dance & Yoga Studio just off Truman near White Street and directly behind the Chevron Gas Station. 915 Pohlaski Lane is the least expensive of the three properties. It is offered at just $399,000 or only $121 per sq ft. The listing Realtor described Pohlaski this way: "Established 3 Unit 2 story building with extra fenced side yard on small Lane just off Truman. All Tenants month to month. Great Location for local old town residents. Just a bike ride to Duval. Sale subject to Bank approval. Rents are month to month as follows: Unit 1: 1/1 down $765 tenant pays all util, Unit 2: 2/1 down $1200 owner pays sew/garb, Unit 3: 2/1 up $1300 owner pays sew/garb. Unit 2 is a nice size 2 bedroom, fairly modernized, Unit 3 exra large with the 2 bedrooms being a combination of 2 rooms each and 2 loft areas to either side of living area, one currenty used as a bedroom. Units 2 & 3 both have washer/dryers. All come with refrigerator and stove as is. Some tlc needed. Good income producer possibilities!" CLICK HERE for more details and photos.

If you are looking to purchase an existing income producing property in the Old Town area of Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by e-mail at kw1101v@aol.com, to schedule a showing on any of these properties. Since the units are tenant occupied, we must scheduled showings 24 hours in advance. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty Inc. in Key West Florida.