Hello friends!

Many of you who have been following me on Instagram know that we have had 3 vacation rental properties in Frederick, MD. In the spring of 2019, we decided to sell one of them, our Downtown Rowhouse property (the one we own with my brother). You may be wondering why we decided to sell it. Well, sometimes you just know it’s time and we felt in our hearts that it may be a good time to sell it because the market was good and the spring is always a good time to sell. AND….guess what? We had a contract on this home in 3 days after listing it! We know the Lord was leading us in this decision and the family who purchased this home really love it and that makes us happy!

With investment properties, you have 45 days to secure another property or you will incur Capital Gains tax. We researched a site called AirDNA which reveals some of the best areas to own vacation rental properties in the US. One of the top ranked areas for rental properties is the Clearwater, FL area and so - after much prayer - we decided to check out that area for an investment.

We (my husband, brother and sister-in-law) traveled to Florida in July and after looking at many properties in a 2 day span - some which needed a lot of work and some that were already in good shape - we agreed upon one home in the Dunedin, FL area - which is outside of Clearwater.

This property seemed perfect because it was completely renovated on the inside (just needed lots of landscaping) and it was also located in the unincorporated area of Dunedin - which allows short term rentals. (NOTE: This is one thing to keep in mind if you’re looking to purchase a short term rental property. Make sure that it is allowed in your area. Some areas don’t allow short term rentals so be aware of this.)

We traveled down to FL again in August to close on the property and we stayed for 10 days fixing it up. The guys (my husband and brother) worked during the day with their full-time jobs and I did a lot of painting, shopping and staging during that time and we all worked on projects in the evenings and weekends. It was a lot of work - but so rewarding to see this little house come into it’s full potential!

Would you like to see some before and after pictures? Okay, well…here you go!

Welcome to our Modern Coastal Cottage - a 3 bedroom home with 2 baths and an inground pool and the best part is that it is only 10 min. to Clearwater beaches and a gorgeous state park called, Honeymoon Island beach.

Before - Living Room / Entryway:

The floors are a gray vinyl and run throughout the house. The walls are all neutral and the trim is white in every room. A perfect blank slate to decorate!

After - Living Room / Entryway:

Transformation: Added a navy sofa, coffee table, and vintage rug. Hung beach hats in foyer. Painted back wall of Dining Room (Sherwin Williams - Iron Ore) and added accessories…pillows, throws, dough bowl, pictures, lamps, blanket ladder, etc. to give it a cozy feel.

Before - Kitchen

Before - Kitchen:

After - Kitchen:

Before - Kitchen:

After - Kitchen:

Transformation: Added rugs, a high top table, barstools - this cognac leather color helps to accent the gray cabinets. The accessories and greenery also provides color and texture. At the coffee bar, the navy Keurig coffee maker helps to tie in the navy tones in this home. We hung a coffee rack with mugs to make it easy for guests to make their morning joe.

Before - Master Bedroom:

After - Master Bedroom:

Transformation: Painted an accent wall (SW Iron Ore), hung wicker pendant lights (similar one here), added a rattan bed and wicker chair and dresser. Added a fuzzy throw rug that can be easily moved to various spots in this space.

After - Other Bedrooms:

Added a blue linen bed frame, coastal pictures and touches of light rattan. (Mirror over bed)(Table lamp)

Links: Twin Beds (similar look), nightstand, black table light.

Before - Screened In Porch:

After - Screened In Porch:

Transformation: Added furniture, rug (similar choice), greenery, accessories with navy accents. Also hung lights to give pretty nighttime ambiance.

Before -Outside of House:

After - Outside of house:

Before - Outside of house:

After - Outside of house:

Wooden Planter Box adds texture in front of the black painted railings and white house.

Before - Front Porch:

After - Front Porch:

Added a small table and chairs with a rug to create a sitting area and layered rugs in front of the door and added a wreath. Also painted front door SW Iron Ore.

Before - Pool area:

After - Pool area:

Added a privacy fence in the back of the property and planted palm trees and other greenery. Placed lounge chairs around the pool for our guests to enjoy this private oasis!

Friends, thanks so much for all of your encouragement with this project. You are amazing! I so appreciate you and thanks for stopping by to see our newest venture!

To book this home or check availability…click here.

Sending Hugs from Afar-