Meet the Realtors: Golden State native ChelleBe Blades finds her niche in the Florida Keys

BY TERRY SCHMIDA
As a world traveler and investor, Lower Keys Realtor/Broker ChelleBe Blades of Realty Executives Key West could be in business anywhere. She chose the Florida Keys.
Blades grew up in Los Angeles, and while still in her 20s, founded a swimwear manufacturing and retail company which eventually grew to number 44 franchised stores nationally.
For 15 years she resided in Palm Beach County, from where she made numerous boating trips to the Keys. The lure of the ocean proved great, and she ultimately spent seven years boating around the world.
Certain that she wanted to live her life near the water, Blades considered several locales to settle down and buy property in. Ultimately she chose the Keys.
“I kind of completed the circle, and came back to where I started from,” Blades said. “I explored some investment opportunities in Mexico, but I decided to make the Keys my home.”
As a Keys resident, Blades’ extensive knowledge of the complex Key West and Florida Keys real estate investment market ensures her clients understand — and successfully negotiate — the environmental and historic guidelines that affect every real estate purchase. She knows and maintains strong relationships with the best vendors for financing, renovating, maintenance and contracting and she helps her clients make the right connections.
From her nationally recognized purchase and sale of the 12-acre oceanfront Patch Estate on Sugarloaf Key in 2004-05 to the opening in 2014 of The Boulevard Business Center in Key West, Blades brings extensive and varied experience to her clients’ needs.
When she’s not working, Blades still enjoys traveling, especially to such far-flung places at Monaco, in Europe, and the mountains of Arizona.
But real estate remains her passion, especially being able to help clients from all walks of life find and live their own dreams.
I enjoy working with first time homebuyers a lot,” Blades said. “I feel like I’m doing a small part to help alleviate the affordable housing crisis down here, and also the challenge of helping people figure out what they can afford, and how to make the numbers work. It’s kind of like an intriguing puzzle for me to work on, and a lot like a Monopoly board. But in my Monopoly game, no one loses.”
For more information on Blades listings, call her at 305-501-4229, or 05-394-4750, email [email protected] or visit http://www.realtyexecutives.com/office/florida-keys-keywest/agents/michelle-blades

 

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