Childhood friends Katherine Hill and Michele Pole have always had two passions: Florida Panhandle and Real Estate.
In the summer of 2020, friends -and their husbands -decided to go “all in” and build their own dream beach house on the Emerald coast, the 30A stage highway.
“It was always a special place for us,” says Poole, who married her husband there in 2002.
Although the women had taken a lot of vacation in Florida together – starting with spring high school holidays – they had still visited the “Hamptons of the South” together, though it remained a favorite area for each of them.
When Hill and her husband, Scott, visited in early 2020, the couple decided to start looking at the properties. Since Scott was a professional contractor and the pair had already built five houses, they wanted to buy a piece of wealth to build a dream home.
Hill and her family lived in Warner Robins, GA, while Pole and her husband live in Ponte Vedra, Fl. But Hill had its attention in the small seaside town of the Seagrove Old along 30a, the stage highway that thread along the crystalline waters of the Gulf.
“I called Michele and said, ‘I have this crazy idea. What do you think about building that dream house we have always talked about?'” Hill says.
“I said,” Yes, I’ll be there tomorrow, “says Poole.
Building a house together during the pandemia
They ended up paying $ 650,000 for an empty part at 69 E. Grove Ave – a block from the beach and between two beautiful, graceful houses. Each separated couple costs in the middle.
“It was a little scary,” Hill admits. “The pandemia was just getting up. We didn’t know what would happen with immovable property, but we were all very connected when we wanted to do so together. So we said, ‘Let’s jump from the edge. Let’s do it. ‘
The duo had a story of being adventurous together. Whether he was sailing around Greece or the Bahamas, or color skiing, they wanted to travel and find traces of trail to do together.
“We’ve always had an adventurous mentality,” says Poole. “Katherine and I are very spontaneous pants. We are relatives in that way. I can call it and say, “I’m going to New York City for this week, come join me.”
However, building a beach dream home is a great commitment, not just time and energy -wn, but financially. But everyone says they didn’t worry about the stress of building a dream of a dream of breaking their friendship.
“I think if we were to build Newbies, it would have been different,” Poole says.
The challenges along the way
The plasters had been experienced to hire contractors to oversee the construction of some houses, though not together. Their shared construction experience made the idea of collaboration in a 30th beach house a little less scary.
The plasters each set a 10% deposit and divided the 50-50 construction loan. Since Scott Hill was not licensed in Florida, the couples hired Borges Brooks builders as a contractor. (Scott later ended up working for the company as an independent builder.)
“It wasn’t much like to throw a building, as we all knew and we trusted each other,” Hill says.
Also very important was that both childhood friends shared a vision in terms of design.
“We both like a clear, beautiful design,” says Hill. “You don’t want a partner in modern midnight if you are on the classic coast. From what color to paint the walls on the fabric on the banquet to the tile in the back, we both wanted a very clear, coastal look.”
Although they had it a divergence in taste. Hill preferred a specified paper -spending paper for a small dust room. The total cost for the letter would have been $ 5,000 – enough to pay the fireplace they wanted for the backyard.
“Michele is the voice of reason,” says Hill. “She advised me by letting go on paper. It was like, ‘Do you love this beautiful lighting arrangement here that everyone will see, or paper -Muri in the dust room that no one will see?’
Given the shortcomings during the pandemic, finding furniture was another challenge. “I would call it and say,“ I’m at the end of my own. I can’t find furniture, ”“ says Hill. “We will work together and reject the decisions.”
At the end of the house, the couples moved in June 2022. Exactly two years had passed since the closing to move inside.
“Our children were so excited,” says Hill. “They went inside and were like”it Is our beach home? ‘”Poole has three daughters, and Hill has a daughter and a son.
It is not about finances
After enjoying the house for some time, couples begin to surround their future project and decided to try the market. They ranked five bedrooms, 5.5-banking, $ 4,262 square meters for $ 5,541,000 in April 2023. He failed to sell.
“We may have been a little proud of our child,” says Hill with laughing. “It was a little price on the top side.”
The average sales pricing in Santa Rosa is $ 937,500. In November, they withdrew it from the sale.
“We were not motivated to throw it at a low price,” Hill says. “We removed it from the market. It was fate.”
Now they rent the house for 25 weeks a year, letting couples enjoy the rest of the time.
The house drops to $ 12,000 a week in the high season, paying annual home expenses. “If you can build a property and rent it, it can definitely cover the costs,” Hill says.
Building a home with average $ 500 per square foot was also a better deal than buying one in the area, with a house in the area that were on average $ 900 per square foot.
Moreover, women were excited to not only get everything from drapes to the tile, but to talk time together.
“We can never spend plenty of time together,” says Poole. “And now we have so many memories of building this house.”
The duo say they are definitely open to selling the house in the near future, as they would need sale to cover expenses for another project.
If they do not sell, they are happy to rent, while also taking to enjoy the thanks at home.
Building the Dream House was such a positive experience that Hill and her husband decided to move to Santa Rosa and start their design and construction firm, called dwellings 30a.
“Building the house changed our lives,” says Hill. “It was a very good investment. And we are in a large position of net capital. But at the end of the day, it really has to do with so many memories and strengthen our friendships. “
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Image Source : nypost.com