The dwindling inventory of existing homes for sale in the Sebastian area can mean settling for a large house in need of lots of repairs, or a big back yard but not the floor plan you hoped for – but with the home at 1073 Carnation Drive there’s no catch, no tradeoff.
With 1,872 square feet under air plus a large garage, screened front and back porches, a large, landscaped lot graced with mature palm trees, a well-designed split-floor plan on a quiet, desirable street with friendly neighbors, this house just might have it all. And there’s not much left to compare with this total package at the $169,000 price point in the Sebastian Highlands.
Nathan and Ellie Adams have loved the home, and lovingly maintained it since moving to Sebastian in 1998. Both retired educators, they’ve enjoyed their little bit of paradise after decades in the classroom, but it’s time to move closer to their four grandchildren in Tallahassee.
“I’m really going to miss this house,” Nathan Adams said. “It’s not a fancy home, but it’s always been a real cozy one.”
He said what first caught his eye when they started house-shopping was the cathedral ceilings and the open, welcoming feel of the home. The high ceilings allow for shelving above the kitchen and family room, the perfect space for collectibles or for plants.
The stone fireplace in the family room makes it a great, informal gathering spot for watching the big game on television or for hanging out with friends and relatives. The tiered, Corian kitchen island offers a casual place to have a quick meal, to sift through the mail or to do homework.
In addition to this great room, the home also offers a formal living room, which the Adams have made into a music room, and a formal dining room with a large bay window creating a bright and cheery atmosphere for special occasions, holiday meals and Sunday family dinners.
The back screened-in porch with its southern exposure is a nice place to sip morning coffee and listen to the chirping of the birds, especially in the springtime as the multitude of species of migratory birds pass through Sebastian en route back to northern climes. On the opposite side of the house, the tiled, covered entry porch is also screened, so the front door can be opened to let in the breeze.
Inside the foyer to the left, adjacent to the kitchen, is a large utility room. The garage also leads into this utility room with washer, dryer and overhead storage, making it a convenient stop with groceries, detergent or cleaning supplies that don’t have to be toted through the whole house.
The two guest bedrooms – one with the same large bay window as the formal dining room – and the full bath with shower/tub combination lie near the great room and the center of the home, while the master suite is set apart on its own side of the house. Beyond a room-sized walk-in closet is the master bedroom with a view of the back yard, and the master bath with his and hers vanities, a walk-in shower and private commode.
Listing agent Susan Maitner, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Paradise Ed Schlitt Realtors, said her favorite selling points of this property are the “garden setting, peaceful serene back yard” and that it’s “immaculate” inside and out.
“Buyers always feel the warmth and appreciate how well cared-for this home is,” Maitner said.
About the well-established area of the Sebastian Highlands where the home is located, Maitner added that “Carnation Drive is as pretty as its name.”
The home next door is built on a double lot, which puts a nice distance and more green space between the home and its neighbors.
Carnation Drive is just off Melrose in the section of “flower streets” developed in the 1980s and 1990s and many of those original residents still live in this neighborhood because it’s close to shopping, to parks and to the city’s riverfront dining and entertainment district. Just minutes from either great elementary schools or the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course and the city’s tennis courts and community centers, the neighborhood is equally favored by young families and by retirees alike.