a day in the life of Matt and Kate...
We have been operating in the fix and flip space for a while now. We like to give quirky names to every house to have fun even with the ones that are passed over.
(Example: The Flea Flicker . . . Yes. Kate and Matthew were completely covered in fleas before they knew what was happening. Running out of the house . . . Looking Both Ways to make sure coast is clear . . . stripped and trashed the clothes in driveway . . . drove as fast as they could for a shower – Some resemblance to Opening Scene of Breaking Bad lol )
Another favorite we had was properties we nicknamed the “fraternal twins”, which were 2 waterfront properties for sale next door to each other on a popular lake. One was screaming for a 2nd story addition and rehab and the other one (poor peg leg) needed a top-to-bottom full rehab. They both required work on their the lake sides as well as there are some strange, potentially dangerous situations going on! The intention we had would be to help these sad cottages live up to their full potential and support a family occupying them year round instead of just seasonally.
These are the types of properties we gravitate towards in Michigan, cottages and bungalows that were built to use during the summer. But, in Michigan, we like to occupy the waterfront homes year round. So, we set out to transition these properties into full time living ready. Instead of knocking them down and building a brand-new expensive home, they like to fix the funk, solve the issues, and make them complete, all while keeping them more affordable when they are finished.
the meet cute...
Life itself IS the Greatest Adventure! Matthew & Kate have been together for 29 years! High School Sweethearts since 16 years old and Married at 20! Both different in many ways but share a mutual passion in Rehabbing and Lake Life! From learning to drive cars to investing all they have into passion projects they keep pushing the boundaries.
Kate and Matt met at a high school dance through a mutual friend. Kate agreed to go as friends and met a lot of interesting people. But, when Kate shook Matt’s hand that night, she knew they would end up together even though they didn’t go to the same school. It was varsity soccer and bit of a troublemaker in school guy meets varsity track/choir/straight- A girl. A couple of months later they started dating and have been together ever since! We share an appreciation of homes both historic and modern. Interestingly, the first fix and flip was the house Matt grew up in. Matt already had a lot of experience since he had been working on homes since his teen years, but designing rooms in this home made the world Kate’s oyster! Working on the house was a lot of fun, but Matt set the bar high by staying up all night to finish the kitchen floor while Kate was asleep!
Having a passion to restore and modernize homes while maintaining character to suit the needs of families is where our hearts lie in both design and renovation. Over the last couple of years, we’ve been blessed to renovate and repair nearly 70 homes for a Metro Detroit investor, which in turn provided that many homes to families! How amazing it feels to help families get the homes of their dreams!
why flicker house?
The Flicker House name comes from one of our most favorite and special renovations.
There was an old hunting cabin located on an island called Bird Island that had long needed renovations. It completely intrigued us! As it is Bird Island, all of the properties had bird names, and this one was named after the Northern Flicker. Through much blood, sweat, tears, work (more than we realized) and sacrifice our passion for homes was discovered as we finished the renovation. And the sad, little, long-abandoned cabin went from cardboard walls and an amazing view to a proper family home with an amazing view!
Okay, so who does what?
Kate:
Realtor, Designer, Property Hunter, Negotiator and Budget Hawk
She’s smart and the shark in the duo. Growing up in the house her dad built gave her an appreciation for DIY. In fact, her parents still live in that house and she visits them nearly every weekend. Kate has always been an achiever, and on the lookout for the next thing to master. As a pre-teen her parents let her design her own bedroom. Full of pink, peach, flowers, lace and ruffles, her dream bedroom came together and she was hooked on design and how powerful it is to transform a space. Recently, she had the honor of designing a new kitchen for her childhood home. It’s now the favorite hangout spot at family events. Besides designing and working on homes, Kate homeschools the kids, sells real estate and dabbles in acting. Whether filming commercials, movies, news, or user generated content for a European marketing, she loves being in front of the camera.
Matt:
Licensed Residential Builder, Floor Plan, Design Issue Resolution, Wild Card Ideas, Structural Changes or Repairs, Project Management and Team Cheerleader
Growing up in a community filled with lakes, his youth was spent fishing and joining other crazy adventures with friends. He began working with his father building and completing restoration work at an early age on residential projects, church repairs in places like Chicago or Condos in Destin, Fl. When his friends had normal, random summer jobs, Matt was hanging out of a Crane basket repairing a historic church steeple! Calloused hands since he was 10 years old, he’s an extreme optimist. When the going gets tough and the team gets a little lost, you can count on him singing, yes, always singing his catchy tune, “We make it up! We make it up as we go!” We all wish we could be a dreamer like Matthew with no sense of time where literally everything can be done in a day (cue Kate’s dramatic eye roll)!
