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Life On Virginia Street

Life On Virginia Street

DIY . Home Decor . Travel . Style . Life

We Bought A House…In Florida!

Decorating Ideas, Tips and Trends, Rental Properties, Room Makeovers + Design Plans, Travel

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How’s that for an attention-grabbing headline?!? I’m excited to share our latest “project” with you today. We recently bought a house in Florida! Today also marks the 14 year anniversary of my blog (!!) which seemed like a fun day to share this news! Over Halloween weekend, Kurtis and I closed on a home near the beach in Florida and I’m sharing all the details with you today.

Hola Beaches 30A exterior, a beautiful vacation rental home on 30A in the Florida panhandle.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

A Little Backstory

First, a little back story.

As many of you know, Kurtis and I have several long-term rental homes in the Omaha area. Kurtis loves the actual rental business side of things, and I loved the idea that I may have more houses to decorate and design along the way! But, the truth of the matter is, to run a profitable business, you can’t necessarily design them how I would want to. The goal is more to have a somewhat universally appealing base, on a budget, so that it appeals to the widest variety of potential tenants!

With that, I set a goal several years ago to have a Life On Virginia Street VRBO. My dream was to have it somewhere near the ocean and really play up all my coastal decorating dreams! But, I knew I’d need to start small. If you’ve read here for a while you may remember, in early 2020, we  made an offer on this house to use as a short-term rental. Omaha actually has a fairly strong short-term rental market (particularly in the area of the house), thanks in part to things like the College World Series, the Olympic Swim Trials, the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, and the med center a few blocks away. We closed literally the week the country essentially shut down. We knew we had to quickly reevaluate our initial plans, and despite months of making those plans, we ultimately decided it made more sense to make the home a long-term rental. Womp, womp. The initial tenants have continued to renew the lease, so we are permanently considering it a long-term rental and are no longer considering using it as a short-term rental.

Our joint goal for our real estate investment company has been to add one rental house a year to our portfolio, but with the way the Omaha market (and much of the country) has been the past two years, the numbers just wouldn’t work on virtually any house we found. So, starting in mid-2020, Kurtis and I had serious discussions about needing to pivot or find a new market. In 2019, we saw the writing on the wall, and you may remember we even explored some properties in Chattanooga, TN since the market there was still relatively decent. Once 2020 rolled around, we determined we really needed to explore as many options as possible.

By that time, Kurtis found out he’d be working his day job remotely (likely permanently), and we really started to question – why Omaha? We really enjoy living here with the exception of the winter, which we absolutely despise. We also have serious issues with the property taxes and income taxes. Which were tolerable when housing was so much more affordable. Now, not so much! But, we also know we’re not ready to fully uproot our lives here at this point in time. But, we quickly realized it didn’t mean we couldn’t move our focus for other purposes!

Fast forward to September of 2021. I mentioned in a Weekend Recap post that Kurtis and I had planned a mini-escape to the 30A area in Florida. It was our first time visiting the area, but I’ve known for years, it would be somewhere we’d love. We went with the intent of a little R&R but also to start scoping properties. We stayed at my friend Rachel’s (from Pinteresting Plans) rental home. The second we walked in we fell in love, and it kind of set the bar for what we wanted (and what we didn’t). Rachel, and her realtor husband Chris, showed us a number of properties during our stay. We found one we fell in love with, but it was out of our budget.

Once we got home, Chris felt we could make an offer on the home at a price that was much more palatable since it had been on the market for so long. So that was our plan. But then, they threw us a curveball. On the call, they shared that they had actually found their dream home over the weekend, and asked if we would be interested in buying the rental we stayed at instead of the other property. It was a pretty significant savings from the other property we considered (especially as an off-market sale), and we already knew we loved their home so much! Long story short, we came to an agreement on price, and the rest is history! Not only did we get the house, but we now have new friends we text almost daily! The four of us all get along so well and it’s been a major bonus of this whole process! Several stealthy people on Instagram (that follow both Rachel and me) actually could tell back in November that we were the buyers once Rachel mentioned they sold the house. It was funny to get those messages, but it was fun to share the news with a few people back then once they made the discovery!

So, are you ready to see the house?!

Details on the House We Bought

First and foremost, although we plan to personally use the house, we are also renting it out! You can see the details, tons more photos, book a stay, and check availability here. I’d also love for you to follow us here on Instagram! I’ll be sharing details on the house but also tips and recommendations for the entire 30A area, including gorgeous architecture and home decor! Needless to say, we’ve been hard at work in the background here for the last few months, prior to making the announcement.

The home is a 4 bedroom (plus bunk room), 5 bathroom home situated about halfway between Rosemary Beach and Seaside on the south side of 30A! It’s in an area called Prominence, surrounding The Hub in WaterSound Beach, FL. We quickly fell in love with the area and all the amenities that are a two minute walk from our front door! There’s restaurants, bars, shops, bike rentals, and a huge common space where they do things like yoga, NFL football nights, movie nights, live music and more! Plus, the rental includes access to the community’s two resort style pools, fitness center and more! It’s just as perfect for families as it is adults-only trips! And beach access will be just a short golf cart, bicycle ride, or free shuttle ride away when the newly renovated Deer Lake State Park beach access opens this spring! But there are many other nearby public beach access points, as well.

One of the two gorgeous resort style pools at Prominence on 30A.

We’re using a property manager for the home, which is essential since we live so far away. We’re actually using the same one Rachel & Chris used, because they were so happy with them, so the process has been fairly turnkey. They are experts in the area and have a full staff we can utilize for emergency repairs, cleaning, reservations, etc. The team also helped us right before Thanksgiving when the washing machine fully broke, and were able to meet the delivery team on the new unit for setup. They also set the nightly rate for us based on seasonal demand and market conditions which is wonderful, since we’re still learning so much! So far, it’s been a great experience!

Welcome to our Florida house, Hola Beaches (formerly Dunes for Days)! Our property manager suggested we pick a name that is catchy and people easily remember. We wanted to release the Dunes for Days name back to Chris and Rachel if they ever wanted to use it. They have a lot of connection to the name, including their sweet pup Dune! So, Kurtis and I spent a few nights brainstorming catchy names (and having to check they weren’t already used in the area). When Kurtis said “Hola Beaches” in a goofy voice, we couldn’t stop laughing. But then, we started saying it over and over for several days following. We didn’t think we’d actually use it, but here we are! And we love the name!

Because most of the homes in the area are vacation rentals, they typically come fully furnished and even include items like golf carts. Here’s a quick peek at the main living area! It’s already so beautiful and much of the furniture is still in really good shape. BUT, I definitely have replacements for a few things in mind (including the lighting). I think this is also going to be a great opportunity for me to cover durability on the blog! Short-term rentals take a lot of beatings so I’m excited to put everything from fabrics to furniture brands to even paint to the test to see which performs best long-term and then share it all here on the blog! And you know I’ll be adding some blues and greens in here.

Here’s a look at one of the upstairs bedrooms. It’s essentially a second master suite with a full en suite bathroom which makes the home perfect for multiple families!

This particular bedroom also has a daybed with a trundle on the opposite wall, along with an en-suite bathroom. All of the bedrooms are nicely equipped, but again, I want to put my own little decor spin on it. Possibly even having some fun with paint or wall treatments.

It has the cutest front porch that is perfect for a morning cup of coffee!

Fun fact: Kurtis made a goal in 2021 to buy a golf cart with the income he made from a little side-hustle he was doing. Turns out, his goal came to fruition. He just didn’t realize it required buying a house too 😉 This was him back in September, before we actually even considered buying the house! He was just a happy renter with the brand new golf cart!

Once I officially finalize some of the design plans, I’ll be sure to share them. As I mentioned, the home is already so beautiful, we’re just looking to do a few minor upgrades and “Life On Virginia Street”-ify all of the decor! We’re planning to head down late this winter or early spring for a few weeks to do some maintenance like adding some fresh paint, doing a few minor repairs, and replacing some of the furniture. Since we still love Omaha in the warmer months, we plan to personally use the house (and use the time for updates) only in the off-season. It’s the best of both worlds!

I also plan to begin working on a 30A travel guide with all of our favorite spots. I’ll feel much more equipped to finalize it once we get down there again later this year! But know that it’s coming and I’ll have it ready before the busy season starts!

So, for all you Airbnb/VRBO/short-term rental pros out there, I’d love your advice on what you look for when renting a property. What are must-haves and nice-to-haves? For the most part, it’s already fully stocked, but I’d love to hear of any “extras” that make you want to rent from a home again. Give me all your thoughts!

And, if you’ve ever considered a trip to 30A, we’d love to host you! We’re excited to take you along with us on this journey!

More on Hola Beaches

  • Tour Hola Beaches and book a stay here.
  • Follow Hola Beaches on Instagram here.

If you would like to follow along on more of my home decor, DIY, lifestyle, travel and other posts, I’d love to have you follow me on the below platforms:

Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook | LTK

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January 11, 2022 · 27 Comments

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Comments

  1. Gaye says

    January 11, 2022 at 8:37 am

    Love the 30A area. We vacation every summer there with our OK friends. We live in VA so it’s a great place to meet & spend time together❤️

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      January 11, 2022 at 8:39 am

      How fun! It really is such a beautiful and special place!

      Reply
  2. Caroline L says

    January 11, 2022 at 8:42 am

    Congratulations Sarah! What a gorgeous place. It sounds like it all worked out perfectly! I love 30A so much and want to make it back there. I’ll definitely look at your property when we do! I can’t wait to see what else you do with it.

    Reply
  3. Aly says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:09 am

    Love The Hub area. We live in a town not far from 30A and go to ride bikes and play tourist all the time. If you ever look for bikes to buy for the home we LOVE Frankies bike shop right there. Welcome to Florida.

    Reply
  4. Joan says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:17 am

    Congratulations! I pieced the hints together and guessed you were the new owners! What a beautiful home. The 30a area is on my bucket list and I hope to make it there this year. Can’t wait to see your decorating ideas!

    Reply
  5. Krista says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:21 am

    Sarah! This is awesome – what a great house! So glad you reached that goal!

    Reply
  6. Deb Lindstrom says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:34 am

    Love. love, LOVE this house!! So very excited for you, Sarah! Hmmm, I might have to rent this from you someday.

    Reply
  7. Kim says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:37 am

    Congratulations and welcome to Florida! As a lifetime Floridian, I can’t wait to watch how you decorate the Floridian lifestyle! I will be anxiously looking forward to your Floridian decor! 😉 Such a great area! Congratulations, again!

    Reply
  8. Nancy says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:54 am

    So exciting Sarah! Staying there some day is on my wish list! So sorry about the flooding in your Omaha rental 😥

    Reply
  9. Lynn says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:59 am

    So exciting!! It’s beautiful, congratulations!

    Reply
  10. Lynne says

    January 11, 2022 at 10:02 am

    Welcome to 30A! We’re in Seagrove Beach, tucked right behind Seaside. You’ll love it!

    Reply
  11. karen sunday says

    January 11, 2022 at 10:09 am

    We LOVE it there!!! Super smart to buy that home! It is boom town there!! Best of luck not sure if you have been to Topsail state park it’s our fav!!! Amazing bike riding and food there also! Best of luck!! K Sunday p.s. I felt like it was 30A as soon as I saw the picture of the home lol

    Reply
  12. Judi says

    January 11, 2022 at 10:11 am

    Big congrats on your new beach house. I can’t wait to watch you transform it and put your special touches on it. What color paint is presently on the first floor walls?

    Reply
    • MarthaD says

      January 18, 2022 at 2:43 pm

      I’m curious to know how hard it was to find home insurance, what was the cost, and how many insurance companies were even writing policies there. That area gets a fair share of hurricanes. Insurance companies have been leaving FL in droves because of the costs of claims and it’s often hard to find an insurer other than the state insurer, Citizens, and the costs rise by a lot every year.

      Reply
  13. Victoria says

    January 11, 2022 at 10:34 am

    That pool is looking damn good from cold and damp London.

    Jenna Sue Design has short term rentals in Florida so you could check out her blog, and maybe get in touch. Young House Love are also Florida based, but I don’t know whether they’re anywhere near you.

    Reply
  14. Patty Erickson says

    January 11, 2022 at 11:13 am

    Congrats on your new adventure! Can’t wait to see what you do with your new rental! You have probably already thought of these items to have but include games, playing cards, puzzles, light reading books, and beach toys and chairs. Also we stayed at a place that had bicycles in the garage and my kids (older teens and early 20’s) absolutely loved it! We didn’t need it, but a bike trailer to carry the wee ones in would be appreciated by young parents. Oh yeah- beach towels too. Include anything that is especially big and too bulky for your guests to bring with them on their travels.

    Reply
  15. Suzanne says

    January 11, 2022 at 11:32 am

    My family frequently rents vacation homes using VRBO when we travel including once a year in FL. I love the idea of a colorful FL rental property since, even though I love coastal decor, I wouldn’t go all out in my own home. Give me all the turquoise blues and citrus colors if I’m only going to be in it for a week or two I love it otherwise it might be too much.

    Reply
  16. Debbee D says

    January 11, 2022 at 11:59 am

    Congrats on your blog anniversary and Florida adventures! The home and area is beautiful-we’re hoping to do the same in 2022 and enjoy some Florida sunshine during the cold Colorado months.
    Good times~D

    Reply
  17. Sue says

    January 11, 2022 at 12:40 pm

    Hi
    I love the new home in Florida, a great investment. As someone who is building a water view home on an island in the Seattle area and turning my previous home into a short term rental I will be closely following your progress. I have one question about the Florida home, do you where the living room furniture came from?
    Thank you and enjoy the journey,
    Sue

    Reply
  18. Linda says

    January 11, 2022 at 12:50 pm

    So excited for you!!!!! We love that area.
    This is perfect for you guys. It IS a beautiful home, but can’t wait to see how you put your spin on it! Wow! You own a home at the beach!!! Don’t you love the sound of that! 😊

    Reply
  19. Ruth says

    January 11, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    That’s so exciting! We love staying in Airbnbs when we travel. It’s really appealing to me when a rental also includes recreational equipment suited to the nearby area—paddle boards, kayaks, bikes, etc. That’s a huge convenience and savings when we don’t need to pack our own or bother with rental pickups and returns.

    Reply
  20. Anne Davis says

    January 11, 2022 at 3:58 pm

    30A area in Florida What is that?

    Reply
  21. Renee says

    January 12, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    A few things that we really enjoy when we stay in a vrbo. Hot tub, theater room, games, cornhole game if weather is nice, list of places to eat, or food to be delivered, local attractions, shopping, hiking areas, nearest hospital & urgent care (we just realized this is a must for several friends), a bathroom with ea. Bedroom, plenty of indoor & outdoor seating. A nice touch when 12 of us stayed in a vrbo chalet in Tahoe was they delivered a basket filled with wine, cheeses, crackers, chocolates, etc. it was that extra step that made the stay even more special. Hope this helps. Good luck with this new venture!

    Reply
  22. Lynette says

    January 14, 2022 at 9:44 am

    Congratulations! It is beautiful and hopefully, we will get to see it in person!!!

    Reply
  23. Anonymous says

    January 16, 2022 at 6:33 pm

    I love the house! So zen. I’m also i. Love with swing. Do you know where it’s from and any idea how they were able to hang it from the ceiling?

    Reply
  24. Mary Stephenson says

    January 16, 2022 at 7:37 pm

    Beautiful home, the outside alone sold me. Other than adding some much needed color to the inside, I’d say it’s perfect. I’m afraid once I got there, I wouldn’t want to leave.

    Reply
    • Christy says

      January 17, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      wow, what a GORGEOUS home! My hubby and I have had rental properties in IL for 20 years, but I’m desperately trying to get him to sell here and move south (I despise cold weather as well!) He’s just a little unsure about all the logistical stuff involved with having other people manage your property. It would be so helpful if you could touch on how that all works. What percentage do they take? What type of insurance is required, etc… Congrats on your new home!

      Reply

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