E. Everett Huskey, known as 'Mr. Real Estate,' dies

E. Everett Huskey, a Lake County farm boy who changed the face of Central Florida as a developer and real estate magnate, died late Wednesday at his home in Longwood.

[Greg _Janet K]

Mr. Huskey was one of the first people we met when we moved to Florida 11 years ago. We bought our home through him in Sweetwater Oaks - he lived down the street. He would sometimes drop a basket of oranges on the porch, or have a horse-drawn carrige take the neighborhood kids around the block during the holiday. Always friendly and easy to talk with, he was someone we stopped and chatted with whenever we saw each other. He will truly be missed. Many blessings to his wife and family.

[The PR Guy J M Lenninger]

I met Mr. Huskey when I was real estate editor of the Orlando magazine in the '80s. He always made it a point to explain how to spell his name. "That's Ev-er-ett-E - with an "e" on the end, pronounced like the battery" he would say. Such a showman, too. Like the time he was developing Sanlando Springs and hired two girls in bathing suits to swim across the water in the middle of winter during a press conference.(They were dressed in trench coats as a cover-up.) As soon as I saw the headline in the online edition, I knew who had passed away...and knew immediately that they had spelled his middle name wrong!

[JoBbDnBkr]

RIP. What a great guy, always admired him.
Some of his ideas proposed way back, are still unused and excellent, like a general real estate transfer fee instead of impact fees for new homes.
Everyone would pay their fair share rather than new home buyers being unfairly discriminated against.
Going to miss him.
JoeBobDonBaker

[Joan Derson]

We can only wish developers were like Mr. Huskey. May all developments look like Sweetwater Oaks when they are developed. It is the big name developers that ruin it for all of them!!!

[Kelly Greene]

Very impressive gentleman. He came by my home a few months after we had purchased it and dropped of some nice photos that had been taken of it for the listing. He thought I might be interested in them and I was but even more interested in the stories that he told me about the communities he developed.
My best to his family. He will be missed.

[the orlando slanteniel]

And how old was he? And when was he born? This so called "newspaper" is only worth reading online. They even get a persons death right.

[Bill Beaty]

Mr. Huskey was (is) one of my personal mentors. As a young college gradute in the early 70's I learned and to this day carry with me many of his visionary ideals. What many tend to forget, Mr. Huskey began developing Sweetwater Oaks (in the middle of nowhere) during one of the worst real estate slumps in U.S. history. With interest rates in the 18% range his salesmanship, passion, vision, work ethic and not accepting anything but the best from his team of dedicated profesionals earned him the title of Mr. Real Estate. He loved his family, he loved life, he personified the meaning of Gentleman. Here is a cold ice tea, God rest your sole.

[Save Sandpiper]

And Huskey brokered a deal about 2 years ago that sold 50 acres along Sandpiper Rd in Apopka to developers who want to bulldoze all of the mature trees and put up crappy homes.
It sold for 4.7M and he got his standard commission. Thanks a lot for the overdevelopment of Apopka as well.

[WekivaAirportBS]

May he RIP...but wasn't he instrumental in a failed effort to have OIA relocated to the Area that is now Wekiva Springs st park?
And isn't that old "bridge to nowhere"located at the park entrance on the River evidence of that effort?
Just curious.

[Plum]

Only in Florida would a LAND DEVELOPER get a front-page obituary.
May every young girl and boy aspire to develop subdivisions. Jesus Christ, what a legacy.

[Orlando321]

Mr. Huskey was far more than a "land developer". The last few posts don't realize he was "THE" central Florida community spirit since the 1970's...Mr. Huskey put central Florida on the map for schools, employers, employees and far more. God Bless him.

[One Less]

One Less Developer screwing up Florida.

[Truth]

I can't help but consider the irony of the negative postings made by people who no doubt live in homes built by builders in communities created by "land developers." Unless you live in tent in the middle of the woods, you've no right to make such ridiculous statements. If you really feel it's a problem, then look in the mirror and consider yourself a contributor. Better yet, please stop being a hypocrite and pack up and move out of the area. Disparaging the departed in this way is merely a reflection of how incredibly pathetic your lives must be. May he rest in peace.

[One Less]

Truth wrote:

I can't help but consider the irony of the negative postings made by people who no doubt live in homes built by builders in communities created by "land developers." Unless you live in tent in the middle of the woods, you've no right to make such ridiculous statements. If you really feel it's a problem, then look in the mirror and consider yourself a contributor. Better yet, please stop being a hypocrite and pack up and move out of the area. Disparaging the departed in this way is merely a reflection of how incredibly pathetic your lives must be. May he rest in peace.

Look around. Clear cutting trees, track homes, more crime. I've lived here almost 40 years, in only 3 houses that already existed and I don't need to pack up and leave. The developers along with the politicians have screwed up this once beautiful South. Look in New England CT. Nothing like this exists there and there has been a lot more people there than here.

They've runied this state. One less, a few more would be better.

[Rosalie Feinen]

I met Mr Huskey on a cold January morning. He invited me into his office to chat. He had just lit the fireplace and invited me to warm my hands. We then sat down and he asked me about myself. He was so interested in what I was saying and I never have met a warmer and kinder person, ever! I will miss him for he welcomed me into the Coldwell Banker
Office and encouraged me throughtout the year to keep faith and not to give up.

[jane doe]

He was a great man

[Jackie Crispell]

I met Mr. Huskey when I was working at Sweetwater Country Club in the summer of 2000. I had just finished my freshman year at Yale, and was home for the summer trying to save up some money. Mr. Huskey took a great interest in my education and became a mentor to me. Every spring I would come down to Orlando with the Yale Softball team and play against his alma mater Stetson - and he was always there to cheer me on. I recently moved back to Orlando and had several phone conversations with Mr. Huskey as I was job-hunting, after so many years he remembered me and was happy to write me a glowing recommendation letter. I only regret that I wasn't able to thank him in person before he passed away. My blessings to his loved ones - he had such a kind heart and will be remembered fondly.

[Wonder about One Less]

One Less is the defintion of an non-caring idiot with no sense.

One Less wrote:

<quoted text>
Look around. Clear cutting trees, track homes, more crime. I've lived here almost 40 years, in only 3 houses that already existed and I don't need to pack up and leave. The developers along with the politicians have screwed up this once beautiful South. Look in New England CT. Nothing like this exists there and there has been a lot more people there than here.
They've runied this state. One less, a few more would be better.