Fun House

Stephanee Wallace owned a few rental properties in Maryland and Southwest Florida.

But at the start of the year, the 50-year-old Baltimore transplant took a full plunge into Cape Coral real estate, when she bought the bulk of the remaining lots at a community in Cape Harbour with an unusual name: Funky Fish Houses.

Wallace acquired 13 of the original 18 lots for $1.3 million. She plans to set one aside for her own Funky Fish House — a dwelling concept that local artist and designer Steve Turner created to reflect Key West-style beach cottage ambiance. “What makes them fun is they can be as modern and comfortable inside as you want,” says Wallace, who adds that she also expects to build a second cottage on spec.