Couple who owns Manasota Key vacation rentals welcomes first renters since Hurricanes Helene, Milton

After the Surge: Vacation rentals

Several months after the devastating 2024 hurricanes, vacation rental homes along the Gulf coast are just starting to welcome visitors again. FOX 13’s Russell Rhodes reports.

MANASOTA KEY, Fla. - Eddie Powers is putting the finishing touches on his two vacation rentals on Manasota Key. He and his wife, Jen, are about to welcome their first renters since the 2024 hurricanes.

"Most definitely, we have fixed them back up exactly the way they were when we first got them four years ago. So, we spared no expense," said Eddie.

READ: Hurricane Helene storm surge relocates dozens of Egmont Key tortoises to Fort De Soto

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They're relieved, but exhausted. It's been a long road to get here since Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through their two properties.

"You know, people can't really understand what we've been through unless they've been through it themselves," explained Jen.

Dig deeper:

Eddie, a retired airline pilot, completely drained his retirement account to make repairs. And although he's received an insurance check on one of the properties, he's still waiting on an adjuster to look at the second.

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"It's scary because now our whole retirement is wrapped up in these two buildings, everything," said Jen.

They said it's been six months of slowly checking projects off their to-do list, like handwashing 30 tons of contaminated rocks on both properties.

What's next:

And although they're happy to be welcoming guests back, they're unsure of their future on the island.

"We've decided we don't have another one of these in us. We just don't think we could do it again, you know," said Eddie.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with Eddie Powers and his wife, Jen, who own two vacation rentals impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

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