Living the Key West dream: Remodeled duplex offers a way

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1 Living the Key West dream: Remodeled duplex offers a way by TERRY SCHMIDA KONK LIFE REAL ESTATE WRITER It s no secret that Key West like the rest of the Keys is in the midst of a housing crunch. The already low inventory of single family homes and condos for sale in the Southernmost City has been exacerbated by Hurricane Irma, and both renters and prospective homebuyers are feeling the pinch. In this climate solutions are welcome, and one local Realtor has a interesting one to offer: A two-unit duplex located at 2229 Seidenberg Ave. What we have here are two homes on a 5,000 squarefoot, mid-town lot, divided into The front house, like the rear unit, has recently been upgraded in both function and decor. two separate outdoor living areas... Much like one finds in a villa community environment, said Listing Agent ChelleBe Blades, the owner/broker of Realty Executives, in Key West. Looking at Property in Key West, it s about impossible to find anything under $400,000 to purchase that does not need massive repairs and renovation. With a List Price of $739,000, for two homes (zoned as a duplex,) these are an affordable and practical solution to reasonable living costs and a solid investment return from property rental. Best yet, they have both undergone recent upgrades, in both function and decor. Located at the front of the lot the original house is a two-bedroom/one-bath concrete structure which sits behind bamboo privacy fencing, with private front and back yards, and a car port. This residence was built for a

2 The front house has a fenced-in private yard. local family, the only owners prior to the current seller, who has upgraded the original interior to it s current Tropical Modern finish. This unit offers new central air conditioning, hurricane doors and windows, driftwood style tile flooring, and in the kitchen, hardwood white shaker style cabinets, stainless appliances including wine cooler, a sea glass backsplash and knobs. The bathroom expands on the seaglass theme with seaglass and stone trim tile surrounding the shower stall. High 9 1/2-foot ceilings have been enhanced with tall mirrors and eight-foot doors on closets to maximize the use and access of storage space. Every square foot is utilized to make a small home live big, Blades said. The second unit is a 2004-built modular home, on the back half of the lot, with it s own off-street parking, and a great, fully fenced-in lawn area. This home also features two- The living room of the front house features a walnut dining bar with a wine cooler. The unit also features a new kitchen with seaglass accents. bedrooms and one bathroom, with a vaulted ceiling to provide a feeling of openness and space. Light and bright, with newly upgraded kitchen appliances and distressed white cabinetry, this home looks anything but modular, Blades said. A modern edge with beach-y feel, the backsplash is ultrathin glass with the The rear house also offers a large, private, fenced-in yard. feeling of sea shells and a bamboo trim to soften the modern concrete-look OK, let s do the math, Blades bar counter. said. The front unit is currently To maximize space and efficiency, leased, so a buyer could occupy the a European-style all in one back unit and his or her mortgage washer/dryer combo is extra large cost, after receiving rent for the front, for full-sized loads that wash, then would be approximately $1,600 per dry, activated by a switch hidden month. That s with 20 percent down. inside a bar cabinet. And way below what a two-bedroom The upgraded bathroom of the front house is decorated with driftwoodstyle tile, and seaglass accents. home rents for these days. The sale of this tastefully appointed duplex won t solve Key West s current housing crisis. But it s certainly a step in the right direction and perhaps the way our real estate market will go in the future. Continued on next page.

3 1 2 Living the Key West dream: Remodeled duplex offers a way The rear unit features a new bathroom vanity, and fixtures. The duplex at 2229 Seidenberg Ave. is being offered at $739,000. To set up a showing, or for more information, call Listing The back house living room, dining bar, and bar counter, over the new washer/dryer. Agent ChelleBe Blades at , blades@ RealtyExecutives.com or visit KeyWest.com Continued The new washer/dryer is hidden under the wine bar. Konk Life welcomes subjects for other articles about Keys homes currently for sale. Contact Guy deboer at (305) , (305) , or guydeboer@konknet.com.

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6 MEET THE REALTORS Midwesterner Daniel Skahen feels at home in Key West by TERRY SCHMIDA KONK LIFE REAL ESTATE WRITER 12 Like so many of his fellow Key Westers local Realtor Daniel Skahen was born in America s heartland, but really began to feel at home only after moving to the Southernmost City. Originally from Central Wisconsin Skahen relocated to Boca Raton in the early 1990s. But after a year on the mainland - and several trips to Key West - he realized that Cayo Hueso was where his destiny lay. And so in 1993 Skahen pulled up his stakes and moved home to Key West. I was really drawn by the environment, and the allure of the island, he said. From where I was coming from, living down here was a polar opposite. After a short spell managing guest houses Skahen decided to try his hand at real estate. Nearly a quarter century later he hasn t looked back. As a full-time agent at Preferred Properties CRI, 520 Southard St., Skahen has chalked up some impressive achievements over the course of his career. Chief among these would be his sale of the Lighthouse Court complex on Whitehead Street, for over $9 million. Skahen is also proud of his stints as the president of the Key West Association of Realtors, back in 2001, and the six years he has spent as a member of the Board of Directors of the Key West Business Guild. Lest anyone believe that Skahen is Key West-centric, however, he s quick to point out that Preferred Properties has a presence in Summerland Key. Typically I m selling Key West, but I ll sell you anything up to Big Pine Key, Skahen said. I can work out of our Middle Keys office. A driven businessman Skahen has helped grow Preferred Properties enormously, and remains its top-producing agent. He also owned the popular men s boutique Evolution, on Duval Street, for six years. In his personal life Skahen has also cared for more than 30 foster children, from 1999 to 2008, and was instrumental in having Florida s ban on adoptions by gay parents overturned. He remains a proud Dad to Alex and Joseph. When he s not working or seeing to his children s needs Skahen spends his time traveling, often to his second and third homes in Provincetown, Mass., and Fort Lauderdale. His hobbies include reading, brisk walks through Old Town, and indulging his passion as a movie buff. (At one time he even worked as a movie producer.) His greatest passion however remains bringing people together with the houses they were meant to own. I love meeting people, Skahen said. And helping them to achieve their dream. Most people who buy here these days have had that dream for a while so it s very gratifying to help them bring it about. For more information, or to view Skahen s listings, call , , danskahen@gmail.com or visit

7 Featured Home Locations Big Coppitt Key Key Haven 11 Stock Island Featured Homes Viewed by Appointment Map # Address #BR/BA Listing Agent Phone Number Seidenberg Ave., Key West 2BR/1BA ChelleBe Blades, Realty Executives Key West BR/1BA Paula Ave., Key West 3BR/2BA Bascom Grooms, Bascom Grooms Real Estate Little Sandy Keys 3 Islands Cindy Kaye, Century 21 Schwartz Realty Riviera Dr., Key West 3BR/2BA The Taporowski Team, Florida Keys Real Estate Co S. Roosevelt Blvd., #112N, Key West 2BR/2BA The Taporowski Team, Florida Keys Real Estate Co /720 Caroline St., Key West 2BR/2BA Frank Kirwin, Preferred Properties Key West BR/2BA Catholic Ln., Key West 2BR/2BA Jon Seibert, Century 21 Schwartz Realty Janine Seibert, Century 21 Schwartz Realty Northside Dr., Key West 3BR/2BA Jon Seibert, Century 21 Schwartz Realty Janine Seibert, Century 21 Schwartz Realty South St., #4, Key West 1BR/1BA Michael Spirnak, Richard Padron and Associates, Inc Golf Club Dr., Key West 2BR/1.5BA Michael Spirnak, Richard Padron and Associates, Inc Josephine St., Key West 2BR/2.5BA Derek Epperly, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Knight & Gardner Realty

8 Key West Association of REALTORS keywestrealtors.org Phone (305) Fax (305) Listing Office Selling Office Sold Date List Price Sold Price Street # Street Name Year Built Style Total Beds Wtrfrnt MM Key West Key West Luxury Real Estate Florida Keys Real Estate Co. 10/23/17 $675, $620, Jamaica Dr 1969 Single Fam 3 Yes 3 Keller Williams KW Compass Keller Williams KW Compass 10/26/17 $539, $505, Southard St, # Condo 1 No 1 Keys Commercial Real Estate Keys Commercial Real Estate 10/27/17 $650, $626, th Terr 1965 Single Fam 3 No 4 Sellstate Island Properties Anchor Line Realty 10/27/17 $415, $430, th St 2003 Single Fam 3 No 0 BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty 10/31/17 $6,350, $6,350, Eisenhower Dr 1958 Commercial 0 Yes 2 Truman & Co. Preferred Propertie 11/1/17 $449, $440, Flagler Ave 1958 Single Fam 3 No 4 Buy The Keys Royal Palms Realty 11/1/17 $899, $815, Flagler Ave 1966 Single Fam 3 No 1 RE/MAX Keys Connection RE/MAX Keys Connection 11/1/17 $26, $3,481, Duval St 1948 Commercial 0 No 1 Truman & Co. Truman & Co. 11/1/17 $539, $539, Eagle Ave 1982 Single Fam 2 No 4 Coastal Collection Century 21 All Keys 11/2/17 $249, $240, Harriet Ave 1986 Townhouse 2 No 4 Richard Padron And Assoc Keller Williams Key West Compass 11/3/17 $487, $465, Golf Club Dr 1996 Townhouse 3 No 4 Keller Williams Key West Compass BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty 11/3/17 $375, $375, Northside Dr, # Townhouse 3 No 3 Coldwell Banker Schmitt Coldwell Banker Schmitt 11/3/17 $330, $323, Petronia St 1928 Condo 1 No 1 Old Town Realty Truman & Co. 11/6/17 $569, $525, Fogarty Ave 1958 Single Fam 4 No 3 BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty Century 21 Schwartz Realty 11/8/17 $500, $450, Caroline, Slip #9 N/A Boat Slip 0 Yes 1 BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty Coastal Collection Real Estate 11/9/17 $899, $875, Eagle 1958 Single Fam 3 No 4 Coldwell Banker Schmitt Key West Luxury Real Estate 11/9/17 $409, $409, Golf Club 1996 Townhouse 2 No 4 Preferred Properties Preferred Properties 11/10/17 $769, $700, Eaton 1954 Single Fam 2 No 1 Keys Commercial Real Estate Key West Luxury Real Estate 11/14/17 $498, $480, Roosevelt 2002 Townhouse 2 No 2 Truman & Co. Keys Commercial Real Estate 11/14/17 $889, $843, Johnson 1958 Single Fam 3 No 1 Truman & Co. Century 21 Schwartz 11/14/17 $569, $565, Kestral Wy 1998 Single Fam 3 No 4 Coldwell Banker Schmitt Island and Resort Realty 11/15/17 $427, $397, Grinnell 1943 Condo 2 No 1 Truman & Co. Truman & Co. 11/15/17 $1,549, $1,500, Washington St 1960 Single Fam 3 No 1 Truman & Co. Outside Of MLS 11/16/17 $1,599, $1,500, Stump Ln 1925 Single Fam 3 No 1 Coldwell Banker Schmitt KeysLifestyle Real Estate 11/17/17 $459, $400, Fogarty Ave 1949 Single Fam 3 No 3 Royal Palms Realty BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty 11/20/17 $1,095, $1,050, Flagler Ave 2000 Single Fam 3 No 2 Keller Williams Key West Compass BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty 11/20/17 $650, $600, Packer St 1928 Single Fam 2 No 1 Based on information from the KWAR MLS for October 23, 2017 thru November 20, 2017