OCEANFRONT ESTATE FEATURES 360-DEGREE OCEAN AND RIVER VIEWS 4600 N. Hwy. A1A in North Hutchinson Island: 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath, 4,840-square-foot, three-story, oceanfront home offered for $4,595,000 by Michael Thorpe, broker associate ONE Sotheby’s International Realty: 772-532-0449
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REAL ESTATE
Oceanfront estate features 360-degree ocean and river views The gorgeous, three-story, oceanfront home at 4600 N. Hwy. A1A in North Hutchinson Island has views that extend far beyond the expansive
tom home with terra-cotta tile roof was built for the owners, shares Thorpe, noting architecture that exudes Florida’s relaxed, elegant essence with coastal interiors in shades of the ocean and sky that complement stunning water views.
you can see all the way down to Vero.” Another bonus, adds Thorpe, is that the home takes advantage of the Florida sunshine as more than something to bask in. The house is solarpowered, which is both economically and ecologically advantageous.
elevator up to the living area or enter through the custom front door at the top of a staircase that manages to be both welcoming and grand at the same time. The front door opens into a room with soaring ceilings. This space is
150 feet of direct ocean frontage on a private beach. “It’s rare to have such a well-built, custom home on such a wide piece of property,” notes Michael Thorpe, One Sotheby’s International Realty broker associate. “It doesn’t have any deed restrictions so you can do your own thing.” The Mediterranean-inspired cus-
Indoor luxury seamlessly blends with the comfort of outdoor oceanfront living – the best of a quiet luxury lifestyle along this infrequently traveled section of the beach. “The beach is accreting along here,” says Thorpe, explaining that the beach the home overlooks is becoming wider due to the deposit of sand onshore. “The coast seems like it bends, and
The home is walled and gated along A1A with mature seagrapes providing buffers on the remaining three sides, ensuring privacy and maintaining the sanctity of this intimate family getaway. Brick pavers and a substantial parking area lead to the side-entry, five-car garage. Guests can enter through a covered doorway near the garage and take either stairs or the
filled with natural light streaming in through two-story, floor-to-ceiling windows by day, and the glow of the spectacular chandelier hung high above the room at night. High attention to detail and fine finishes – millwork, tray and coffered ceilings – enhance the architectural details found inside and out to create a soothing, elegant, easy-living
BY STEPHANIE LABAFF Staff Writer
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REAL ESTATE
Reynolds Team goes in successful new direction with Compass BY STEVEN M. THOMAS Staff Writer
Well known island realtor Scott Reynolds has moved his 21-person team to Compass, a nationwide real estate powerhouse founded by veterans of Goldman Sachs and the biggest tech companies in Silicon Valley that The Real Deal says is the second-largest brokerage in the U.S. Reynolds, who started his career in telecom engineering, says he decided to make the move from ONE Sotheby’s when Compass recruited him because of the company’s integrated, “end-toend” technology platform. The platform simplifies complex tasks such as preparing market reports for sellers and keeping track of closing details, freeing agents to spend more time seeking and interacting with homebuyers and sellers, according to Reynolds. “Our purpose is to replace the complex, antiquated, paper-driven workflow [of traditional real estate transactions] with a seamless, end to end, all-digital platform that empowers real estate agents ... who are the most inspiring group of entrepreneurs in the world,” says company co-founder and CEO Robert Reffkin, 41, a former Goldman Sachs VP and White House Fellow who worked in the Treasury Department during the George W. Bush Administration. That effort is backed up by an impressive group of executives that includes co-founder and Chief Strategist Ori Allon, former director of engineering at Twitter, and Chief Technology Officer Joseph Sirosh, who managed Amazon’s Global Inventory Platform before serving as chief technology officer for AI – artificial intelligence – at Microsoft. All real estate agents and brokers use online tools at this point, and many brokers have sophisticated content management software, but the systems often have been pieced together over time, instead of purpose built from the ground up. And few if any brokers can match the technological muscle of Compass, which employs more than 1,000 engineers, according to Mercedes Saewitz, principle broker for Compass in Florida. Those engineers are continually getting feedback from Compass agents and using that information to refine and expand the online platform, according to Reffkin, speaking in a video presentation provided by Reynolds. Agent-friendly features Reynolds highlighted include automatic commission payments, where money shows up in agent’s account within 24 hours after closing without any action on the agent’s part; a simple, online spreadsheet that
Scott and Janice Reynolds. PHOTO BY BRENDA AHEARN
shows all of an agent’s deals categorized by the stage they are at, with deal icons that open up to all the details to date; an AI function that identifies people in the community who are likely to be selling their homes in the near future; and a dedicated back-office team of specialists on call to meet a wide range of agent needs at the click of a mouse – from setting up headshot photoshoots to setting up new devices. Consumer-friendly features include prepaid credit cards sellers can apply for to do up to $75,000 in home improvements, such as painting, new flooring or landscaping prior to listing. “All the statistics show that a house in top condition nets more for the seller,” says Reynolds, who runs his team in partnership with his wife Janice. “So, this is a big help to sellers.” Compass also provides easy-to access bridge loans that are a great tool for sellers in the current market. If they qualify for the program, a seller who sees a house they want doesn’t have to wait to close on the sale of their own home before snapping it up. Compass’ foundational focus on technology and access to capital have paid off in rapid increases in market share and revenue. According to Compass’ S-1 form, filed in March prior to a public offering in April, the company’s revenues have grown more than tenfold since 2017. Reffkin says the company’s 20,000plus agents operating in hundreds of cities handled 145,000 transactions worth $150 billion in 2020, generating $3.7 billion in operating revenue, up from $370 million in 2017. So far, Compass’ custom-built technology seems to be paying off for the Reynolds Team, too, which has sold 135 homes worth $50.5 million since joining the company in April. Year-to-date, the Reynolds Team has closed 223 deals worth $84.3 million, up from $72.8 million in business in all of 2020, according to figures provided by the company. Scott Reynolds has been selling real estate since 2002, when he became an agent in Cleveland, Ohio. After following Janice’s parents to Vero in the
mid-2000s, he worked first for Coldwell Banker and then the old Norris & Company. He later moved to Dale Sorensen Real Estate, and then ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, building his team along the way. Today, he, his 13 agents and eight other staffers occupy a 3,000-square-foot suite of offices in the Transocean building on the island – just one of a fast-growing contingent of Compass offices in Florida.
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home. The layout flows perfectly with the common areas connecting to one another, making for ideal entertaining. This grand space overlooks the ocean with doors opening onto a balcony with clear railings that don’t impede the spectacular view. The second floor serves as the main living area, with the owner’s suite in the southern wing. The owner’s suite, with patio access, takes in glorious ocean views. Two walk-in closets dual sinks, a jetted tub, walk-in shower and water closet finish off the elegant space.
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REAL ESTATE The kitchen, dining, laundry and powder room are located in the northern wing of the main level. One level up, on the third floor, three spacious, en suite guest bedrooms await along with a cozy loft area that provides guests with a private gathering space so as not to disturb their hosts on the second floor. The custom-designed kitchen is an epicurean’s delight with elegant and functional touches, from the farmhouse sink and high-end appliances to the walk-in pantry and soft-close cabinetry with under-cabinet lighting that glistens off the marble countertops and backsplash. The marble island serves as a buffer between the kitchen and dining area with the added benefit of the wrap-around breakfast bar. Floor-to-ceiling windows open the kitchen to sweeping ocean vistas, the perfect backdrop for morning coffee or a glass of wine in the evening. The dining room opens onto the balcony
with an exterior staircase that leads down to the pool and dune crossover. From the rooftop observation deck, you can take in breathtaking sunrises and jaw-dropping sunsets while soaking up 360-degree panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and glimpses of the Indian River Lagoon to the west. On the ground level, a large space for storage could be converted into a game room with a bar area, a mother-
in-law suite, an office, a fitness room or an art studio. The space is large enough to comfortably fit several of these options depending on your needs. Outside, a heated pool and spa are positioned so you can float in the pool under shade during the hottest part of the day. The fenced pool deck is completely hidden from the prying eyes of passersby as they stroll along the beach.
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Located just south of Queens Island Preserve in North Hutchinson Island, the home is well worth the short drive from Vero, says Thorpe. “If this home were in Vero, it would cost one-third more at least. A lot of people wouldn’t mind driving three or four miles to get this type of a lifestyle,” he says of the scenic drive down A1A. The home is just a few miles south of Saint Edward’s School. Round, Jack and Queen Island parks are just a stone’s throw away, with hiking and river access for kayaking. Surfers delight in the proximity to Pepper Beach, Avalon State Park and the Fort Pierce Inlet – all great places to catch a wave. Waterfront shopping and dining are just a short drive away, a few miles north to Vero or south to Fort Pierce.
VITAL STATISTICS 4600 N. HWY. A1A
Neighborhood: North Hutchinson Island Year built: 2014 Construction: Concrete block, with stucco Home size: 4,840 square-feet Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4 full baths and 1 half-bath Views: Ocean and river vistas Ocean frontage: 150 linear feet Pool: Heated swimming pool and spa Additional features: Privacy gate; ceramic marble tile; pantry; automatic window shades; loft; elevator; volume ceilings; main-level owner’s suite; wine cooler; walk-in closets; sunrise balcony; rooftop terrace; fivecar garage; bonus room; wholehouse solar power; impact windows and doors; outdoor shower and beach access Listing agency: ONE Sotheby’s International Realty Listing agent: Broker associate Michael Thorpe, 772-532-0449 Listing price: $4,595,000
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