Archive for August, 2007
Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Sandestin – June
August 9th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Sandestin Living
Sandestin had an average month in homes sold (compared to the last couple of years average sales) with six homes closing. They ranged from a three bedroom, two bath, 1300 sf home in Linkside for $300,000 to a four bedroom, four bath, 3000 sf home for $1,126,500 in Genoa – a newer subdivision surrounded by The Raven and Baytowne golf courses.
Homes Sold in Sandestin – June
Total # of Listings 15
Lowest Price Listing $300,000
Highest Price Listing $2,100,000
Average Price $694,427
Avg. Price/SqFt $323
Avg. Days on Market 192
(Click on the graph below to enlarge)
At the beginning of July there were 190 homes for sale in Sandestin. This included an entry level, two bedroom, two bath, 1121 sf home in Linkside listed at $310,000.
The top end of the spectrum had a four bedroom, six bath, 5800 sf home in Burnt Pine being offered at $5.4 million. That’s a lot of dough, but it does include 112′ on the bay and a tropically landscaped 1.52 acres of land. This is the original lot of the developer of Sandestin Bay Estates.
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Homes Sold & Homes for Sale Watercolor – May & June
August 9th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Watercolor Living
Watercolor had very good activity as it relates to the overall market with four homes sold in June. On the low end a three bedroom, four bath, 2383 sf home sold for $1.1 million and on the high end a five bedroom, six bath, 3760 sf home sold for $1.995 million.
There were also two homes sold in Watercolor in May especially of note a five bedroom, six bath, 5100 sf home sold for $2.7 million.
Homes Sold in Watercolor – May and June
Total # of Listings 6
Lowest Price Listing $800,000
Highest Price Listing $2,700,000
Average Price $1,504,958
Avg. Price/SqFt $508
Avg. Days on Mkt 274
(Click on the graph below to enlarge)
At the beginning of July there were 153 homes for sale in Watercolor. This is a large inventory and unfortunately for Sellers and fortunately for Buyers this puts the Buyer in a stronger position.
There are some good buys out there for the Buyer amongst all the homes for sale in Watercolor. The successful Seller will have to come in at an aggressive price point and/or have a really unique home and/or location within the development.
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Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Rosemary Beach – May & June
August 9th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Rosemary Beach Living
June was a very good month for homes sold in Rosemary Beach. There were only three, but the dollars fetched for a couple of them really catch your eye. Those two were a five bedroom, six bath, 4297 sf home that sold for $4.16 million and a seven bedroom, seven bath, 4500 sf home that sold for a casual $7.88 million.
Two homes in Rosemary Beach were also sold in May for $2.5 million and $3.25 million. These sales (and the price points) underscore the firepower and appeal of Rosemary Beach.
Homes Sold in Rosemary Beach – May & June
Total # of Listings 5
Lowest Price Listing $2,143,000
Highest Price Listing $7,880,000
Average Price $3,986,600
Avg. Price/SqFt $1,064
Avg. Days on Mkt. 277
(Click on graph below to enlarge)
At the beginning of July there were 84 homes for sale in Rosemary Beach. The least expensive home is actually a carriage house with one bedroom, one bath and 599 sf for $899K. The home plans have been approved for a three bedroom, three and a half bath main home on a pretty large lot by Rosemary Beach standards.
The upper end of the spectrum in homes for sale in Rosemary Beach from that group include a six bedroom, six and a half bath, 4356 sf home listed at $5.495 million. This incorporates a 3872 sf main home with a 484 sf carriage house.
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Sold Homes & Homes for Sale in Destiny & Destiny by the Sea – July
August 6th, 2007 Categories: Destin Living, Real Estate News
There were four homes sold in Destiny and Destiny by the Sea during the month of July. They ranged in price from a 1900 sf three bedroom, three bath home on Papaya in Destiny that sold for $545,000 to a 5,946 sf seven bedroom, eight bath home in Destiny by the Sea that sold for $5,150,000.
Homes Sold in Destiny & Destiny by the Sea – July
Total # of Listings 4
Lowest Price Sold $545,000
Highest Price Sold $5,150,000
Average Price $1,843,500
Avg. Price/SqFt $463
Avg. Days on Mkt 204
(Click on the Graph > to Enlarge)
There are currently 53 homes for sale in Destiny, and there are 23 homes for sale in Destiny by the Sea. The Destiny by the Sea listings range from a 2503 sf four bedroom, three bath home with good rental income at $1,295,000 to a 5,696 sf gulf front seven bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms for $6.5 million.
Homes for Sale in Destiny & Destiny by the Sea – August
Total # of Listings 77
Lowest Price Listing $499,500
Highest Price Listing $6,500,000
Average Price $1,716,392
Avg. Price/SqFt $512
Avg. Days on Market 223
(Click on graph below to enlarge)
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Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Seaside – July
August 5th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Seaside Living
There were no homes sold in Seaside during the month of July. However, there are two homes pending with projected closings at the end of August on both homes.
This includes the home (pictured at left) that Vicki and I championed in last month’s post of Homes Sold and Homes for Sale in Seaside. The home is only 1925 square feet, but it is gulf front in Seaside on a large lot (by Seaside standards) and had plenty of non-buildable real estate around it. The home was listed for $4.75 million.
There are currently 35 homes for sale in Seaside. These range from an 1100 sf home with two bedrooms and two baths priced at $1.25 million to a 2094 sf home with three bedrooms and three baths that is gulf front and priced at $5.195 million.
To underscore how the value of Seaside real estate has skyrocketed the Walton County Property Appraiser records show that this lot on the $5.195 million listing was purchased in 1993 for $325,000! This was obviously a smart investment on the part of these owners, and they constructed their beautiful home on the property in 1999.
Homes for Sale in Seaside 
(Click on graph > to enlarge)
Total # of Listings 35
Lowest Price Listing $1,250,000
Highest Price Listing $5,195,000
Average Price $2,229,543
Avg. Price/SqFt $1,321
Avg. Days on Market 359
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Best Happy Hour in South Walton – Fonville Press in Alys Beach
August 4th, 2007 Categories: Restaurant Reviews, Rosemary Beach Living
One of the coolest, laid back places to go in our area on a Friday afternoon is the Fonville Press at the entrance to the homes in Alys Beach.Â
Fonville Press is a combination book store, coffee/pastry shop and wine bar – all packed in to 645 square feet under roof, but plenty of additional room to lounge both in the front and rear of the building. Fonville Press has the best happy hour buffet on Friday afternoons that I’ve experienced on the coast.
Alys Beach is a unique and very upscale 160 acre complex in its early stages of development. There is a ten year build out time that will eventually see 599 homes in Alys Beach and 90,000 square feet of commercial space interspersed amongst the residential components.Â
Alys Beach is designed in the same mode as Seaside and Rosemary Beach and is using the same architects who designed those outstanding developments. Alys Beach is just a short walk or bike road to the west of the homes in Rosemary Beach.Â
Fonville Press is owned by the development company, EBSCO of Birmingham, and managed by a very efficient and happy staff. The wines are somewhat limited, but well selected, and are laid out for everyone to see. Â
After drinks are ordered at the bar, help yourself to the buffet and again – it is creative and excellent. 
On a recent Friday visit my guest chose a split of Perrier Jouet Champagne and I had a Spanish Albarino. The buffet had several meats including salami, ham, a kind of beef jerky (the only item that wasn’t excellent) and a pate.Â
There was a tremendous selection of cheeses including crumbled goat cheese in olive oil, brie, muenster, a variety of bleu cheeses and more. 
Our favorite was a salad of roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes, olives and celery in a good olive oil. There were grapes, olives, carrots and real crisp seasoned croutons. Click picture > to enlarge and “backspace†to return to article.Â
 
We grabbed a cushion seat against the wall on the back deck and settled in for the Friday afternoon live music. Fonville has a rotating group of solo musicians who perform there, but on this recent Friday it was blues guitarist, Hans. I’ve heard Hans several times at Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin, and both Vicki and I really enjoy his music.Â
There are several homes for sale in Alys Beach, and the community is a work in progress. But we already highly recommend this unique little place whether it be for a cup of coffee, pastries, reading great books, magazines and newspapers from around the world – but most particularly you can’t beat Fonville Press for Happy Hour on Friday afternoon.Â
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