A Minute With...Brent Boyette Regional Senior Sales AssociateSeaside Villas

May 4, 2009
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Gulfport | Brent Boyette admits he lucked into his current position as a regional senior sales associate. The former flight attendant says hes found his niche and will stay in the apartment industry for the foreseeable future.

For more information on Seaside Villas, visit McKinley.com, or contact Boyette at BBoyette@McKinley.com or at 727-341-0186.

Boyette gave Watermark a tour of the 122-apartment, 3-building complex and answered some of our questions:

WATERMARK:

Gulfport is already well-known as an LGBT friendly place. Why focus on creating an

LGBT-centric apartment complex?

BRENT BOYETTE:

Id like to see urban professionals seeking a lifestyle, not just anapartment. Here we provide a better quality of living.

Ive seen apartment complexes that wont let two men lease an apartment if it only has one bedroom.

Gulfport is so welcoming and so artistic. Its a boutique community and LGBTs of all ages are still discovering the area.

So this could be an LGBT Melrose Place?

In a way. An apartment complex is a community. We have several community areas overlooking the bay and sunbathing decks around three pools.

The complex is still undergoing renovations. Does

anyone live here yet?

Right now there are only a few residents, but we have several more tenants moving in over the next few months. Were doing a lot to reach out to the

community, and I think well fi ll up fast.

Does this outreach have anything to do with your

Gay by the Bay campaign?

Yes. Were a major sponsor of St. Pete Pride this year and were looking to host LGBT events here throughout the year. We want to offer not only homes

to people, but a sense of belonging and community.

How large are your apartments?

We offer one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging from small studios to penthouses overlooking the water. Our leases start as low as $749 per month

and go up to $4,500.

What does the lease include?

Most of the apartments have washers and dryers inside. For those that dont, we have laundry facilities on-site. Residents also get free wireless internet

throughout the complex and access to all three pools. Some of our apartments are furnished, if thats what a resident wants, and we can lease by the

week, by the month or by the year. It really depends on what the resident wants.

Many LGBT people avoid apartments because of restrictions on pets. Can they bring their fourlegged kids?

We are very pet friendly. My dog Beamer lives here on site with me and we have our own dog walking area.

Are there any limitations on size?

There are no limits on size, but we do have limits on breeds. Each apartment can have two pets as long as they arent German Shepherds,

Rottweilers, Akitas or Pitt Bulls.

And what about kidsthe human kind?

Of course children are welcome. But we dont have a playground or anything like that. Some may view that as a positive thing. Our complex is really

geared toward couples without children and single professionals.

What happens when the complex is full? Will you stay here?

I hope to. I love Gulfport and St. Petersburg. McKinley is a big company and we have properties all along the I-4 corridor. I want to be the

guy that people can call and say, Look, Im moving to Orlando or Daytona Beach or Gulfport and I need an apartment. Can you help me? Thats the ultimate. I

really enjoy helping people find their new home.

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