I have been waiting for a long time to see 522 Elizabeth Street, Key West listed for sale. The day has arrived. I got a chance to take a look earlier today. This is a project house - a major renovation. It will require a buyer with great imagination and deep pockets. The reward will be substantial. This will once again be a beautiful home in a great Old Town location.
I searched around in my old shoebox and found a photo of the same property that was taken nearly sixty-two years ago. The black and white photo shows the second floor front porch was partially enclosed even back then. If you look carefully you will see that the house was wider than deep. Later owners would extend the main floor toward the rear. Also note the sprig of a tree that would later engulf the house.
Today the trees overwhelm the house. I believe, but cannot guarantee, a new owner could remove the trees in front and rear of this property. That would make the other renovations both easier to accomplish and enhance the facade and allow for the creation of a rear garden and pool.
I looked around the inside of the house as best I could. The place does not have electricity and I decided not to venture into dark rooms. The MLS photos show most of the rooms. The listing shows the house has 3,259 Sq Ft of living space plus porches and decks. The lot measures 44'X 102' or 4,359 Sq Ft. The Monroe County Property Appraiser map shows the house as sitting on or over the south border of the adjacent property to the south. The listing agent told me a new survey is being completed and will be available to potential buyers for review. I have a suggestion:remove all trees; lift the house and move it to the north and place on new piers. This house is located in the X Flood Zone. The garage would probably go away but the property would have better street appeal if the driveway was bricked. I found a photo I took of this property in 2010. It looked better then.We all did. 
CLICK HERE to view more photos I took of this property. The rear yard is a mess. That is easy to clean up. When the trees are removed you will have a clean slate with which to create your own perfect garden and pool The house itself seems structurally sound which should allow for the removal of current non-load bearing walls and the restructuring of room sizes and usage. An interior staircase will need to be added. But there are multiple locations to choose from. (Staircase in photo goes to third floor loft bedroom.)
CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet for 522 Elizabeth Street, Key West, offered at $1,555,000. The please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642, to arrange a private site visit. Bring your contractor, architect, and money-manager to preview this home - one of the last remaining big old houses of Key West.
I drove by the house on Southard Street where Charlie Brown and the gang reigned supreme for the past several Christmas seasons. The house was sold this year and Charlie is nowhere to be seen. ALAS...
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