Driving around the pastoral southwest part of Vero is an experience in county history and growth. These days, there are gated communities where citrus groves and cows prevailed until only a few years ago. One of those communities, Diamond Lake, is where this week’s featured home is located. Diamond Lake is a gated, deed-restricted community with a homeowners’ association that supports the community pool, clubhouse and common area landscaping and maintenance.
Located at 1045 Ruby Avenue, SW, the freshly-painted Tuscan green concrete block/stucco house has four bedrooms and three baths, and is currently home to an active family of six with four college students, including dad, Steve, who is working toward a post graduate degree.
Listed for $329,000 by Craig Von Kohorn of Alex MacWilliam, the house has a smoothly flowing floor plan, crown molding, and other upscale touches such as a large kitchen full of custom cabinets, quality appliances and a center island that divides the room between the utilitarian cooking and storage areas and the relaxed, a comfortable family room. It is the perfect spot for a movie marathon on a Saturday afternoon, or for studying, which is what it’s mostly used for in this family of serious scholars.
Steve, a self-described researcher, did the hard work prior to renovating the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms, reading tons of reviews about all the appliances that ultimately made their way into this home. The kitchen was refurbished in 2013, and is equipped with solid dark wood custom cabinets, granite counters, soft close doors with pull outs, and highly-rated stainless steel appliances.
The backyard is where the fun begins. Steve built the large, well-equipped outdoor kitchen. Close to the inside kitchen, it is equipped with a propane grill and a small refrigerator. And it overlooks the screened in-ground swimming pool, added in 2013, so it is guaranteed to be the entertainment center for all ages – a hangout for teenagers or a place for poolside dinner and drinks for the grown-ups. The backyard is filled with fruit trees, including tangerine, mango and guava.
The split floor plan, which is all about privacy, makes this the perfect house for a family, or for an older couple who have visiting relatives or who need a live-in caregiver.
In one wing is the master bedroom suite, with two large closets, as well as a bathroom with an inviting jetted tub and walk-in shower stall. The large bedroom itself is accessed through a short hallway, for even more privacy. High ceilings, dark wood floors, and a ceiling fan are reminiscent of an island retreat.
There is also a large second bedroom in this wing, with its own bathroom.
On the other side of the dining room, are two more bedrooms and a bathroom, along with a laundry room equipped with an energy saving washer/dryer and a utility sink. The garage, which has space for three cars, or for two cars and a work area with cabinets, as it is set up now, opens into the hallway that leads to these two bedrooms, and down the hall to the kitchen.
The owners love Diamond Lakes. Built by Lennar and US Homes, the community has a diverse demographic.
“It is a great neighborhood,” said Steve, “There is a great mix of old people and young people.”
There are two lakes in the community, which is located in the up-and-coming southwest Vero corridor, east of 58th Avenue. Shopping and recreation are close at hand, with a Publix and Winn Dixie nearby and the Indian River Mall with numerous restaurants and a 24-screen multiplex just 3 miles away. Quaint downtown Vero Beach, with art galleries, restaurants and a museum is a 10-minute drive, and the Atlantic Ocean beaches on the Barrier Island are less than 20 minutes away. For the academically inclined, Indian River State College is 2 ½ miles away.
