Watercolor
Watercolor is a master planned, mixed use community located adjacent to and just west of Seaside on CR-30A. The St. Joe Company had owned the land since 1927 before they started development of this 499 acres several years ago.
Watercolor homes are based on the Florida Vernacular look that incorporates Southern wood homes that feature large wraparound (oftentimes screened) porches, wood columns and metal roofs with deep overhangs. The grounds of Watercolor include a wonderful, heated Olympic size pool overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, several restaurants (including the upscale Fish Out of Water), a workout studio, shops and much more. It also features the 60 room Watercolor Inn rated the only four diamond hotel in Northwest Florida.
Watercolor Rentals
August 16th, 2010 Categories: Real Estate News, Seaside Living, South Walton Living, Watercolor Living
If you are considering a vacation to Destin and/or CR-30A, then Watercolor Rentals is certainly an option that you should consider. The Watercolor property sits on 499 acres and 1400 feet of sugar white beach front. Nearly 50% of the space is devoted to open space and preservation areas which helps make Watercolor Rentals a unique experience.
Watercolor Rentals also makes sense from an architectural and community feel standpoint. The homes in Watercolor have a classic, Southern architectural feel to them with use of natural landscape accentuated. Watercolor has received the Award of Excellence from the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit education and research institute with focus on the use of land in order to enhance the total environment.
Another fun aspect for those who chose Watercolor Rentals is the option to participate in outdoor activities while staying on the grounds of Watercolor – there is kayaking, canoeing, sailing and biking. The water sports are compliments of Western Lake, a 220 coastal dune lake, that borders the property.
Another relatively new addition to the Watercolor experience that make Watercolor Rentals worth considering is the addition of Chan’s Wine World to the commercial mix of tenants. Conveniently located at the corner of CR-30A and Watercolor Boulevard, Chan’s offers a retail wine and cheese shop along with pizzas in its front room but opens to a full dining experience in the adjoining room. Outside dining rounds out a unique experience for those who chose Watercolor Rentals.
There is so much more to add as to why you should consider Watercolor Rentals – like the outstanding Fish Out of Water Restaurant overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the Watercolor Workout Studio, the Olympic size heated pool overlooking the gulf and so much more. I will post more in depth information at a later date such that I think you will agree Watercolor Rentals will be at the top of your consideration for beach vacation rentals. (Click on all pictures to enlarge).
| Discussion: Comments Off on Watercolor Rentals
Watercolor Homes for Sale – November
December 10th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Watercolor Living
There were three homes sold in Watercolor in November. The first is a 2833 square foot home on Silver Laurel Way that sold for $1.6 million. The second is a 3103 square foot home on Western Lake Drive that sold for $1.925 million. And the third Watercolor home sold in November is a 3318 square foot home on Blackwater Street that sold for $1.95 million.
Watercolor is getting a good bit of activity as some prices have fallen pretty dramatically. A further indicator of the activity is that there are currently eight homes pending for sale in Watercolor.
There are 135 Watercolor homes for sale in December. These range from a four bedroom, five bath home with 2190 square feet priced at $739,000 to a four bedroom, five bath home, 2538 square foot home fronting the gulf for $4.995 million.
Watercolor Homes for Sale – December
Total # of Listings 135
Lowest Price Listing $739,000
Highest Price Listing $4,995,000
Average Price $1,760,469
Avg. Price/SqFt $647
Avg. Days on Market 257
(Click on Graph Above to Enlarge).
| Discussion: Comments Off on Watercolor Homes for Sale – November
Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Watercolor – October
November 9th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Watercolor Living
October was a particularly bad month, as no homes sold in Watercolor for the month.
There are currently 141 homes for sale in Watercolor. The entry level home is a four bedroom, five bath home, 2190 square foot home priced at $739,000. I typically mention the highest price home as being $4.995 million, and that still is the case. But to mix it up a little bit this month, there is a home that is priced closely behind at $4.9 million. This home is in Phase One, has six bedroom, eight baths, 5400 square feet and a tower with views of the lake and the gulf.
Homes for Sale in Watercolor – November 1st.
Total # of Listings 141
Lowest Price Listing $739,000
Highest Price Listing $4,995,000
Average Price $1,801,877
Avg. Price/SqFt $655
Avg. Days on Market 243
(Click on Graph Above to Enlarge).
| Discussion: Comments Off on Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Watercolor – October
Homes Sold & Homes For Sale in Watercolor – September
October 3rd, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Watercolor Living
Things were quiet in September for this St. Joe project, as only one home sold in Watercolor. The home is 2265 square feet with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and sold for $930,000. The home is located on Sandy Creek in Watercolor Phase III.
At the first of October there are 147 homes for sale in Watercolor. The price points vary from a four bedroom, four and a half bath 2190 square foot home listed at $739,000 to a four bedroom, four and a half bath 2538 square foot home that is gulf front listed at $4.995 million.
Homes for Sale in Watercolor – October 1st
Total # of Listings 147
Lowest Price Listing $739,000
Highest Price Listing $4,995,000
Average Price $1,827,936
Avg. Price/SqFt $665
Avg. Days on Mkt 221
(Click Graph to Enlarge).
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Watercolor – August
September 10th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Watercolor Living
August was a very good month for this community, as there were seven homes sold in Watercolor during that period. They ranged from a four bedroom, three and a half bath, 2067 square feet home for $835,000 to a four bedroom, four and a half bath, 2687 square foot home that sold for $1.795 million.
Homes Sold in Watercolor – August
Total # of Listings 7
Lowest Price Listing $835,000
Highest Price Listing $1,795,000
Average Price $1,295,429
Avg. Price/SqFt $493
Avg. Days on Market 301
(Click on the Graph Below to Enlarge)
At the beginning of September there are 154 homes for sale in Watercolor. They start at $824,900 for a two bedroom, two bath, 1262 square foot home on Lyonia Lane and range up to $4.995 million for a gulf front home with four bedrooms, four and a half baths and 2538 square feet in the home.
Homes for Sale in Watercolor – Start of September
Total # of Listings 154
Lowest Price Listing $824,900
Highest Price Listing $4,995,000
Average Price $1,808,543
Avg. Price/SqFt $670
Avg. Days on Market 231
(Click on the Graph Below to Enlarge)
| Discussion: Comments Off on Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Watercolor – August
Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Watercolor – July
August 14th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Watercolor Living
Watercolor had a good month of sales in July with six homes sold. They ranged from a four bedroom, four bath, 2376 square foot home for $1.25 million to a six bedroom, seven bath, 5100 square foot home that sold for $3.5 million. The latter home is nearing completion of construction and has views of Western Lake and to the gulf in the distance.
Homes Sold in Watercolor – July
Total # of Listings 6
Lowest Price Listing $1,125,000
Highest Price Listing $3,500,000
Average Price $1,695,833
Avg. Price/SqFt $546
Avg. Days on Mkt 296
(Click on the graph above to enlarge)
At the beginning of August there were 156 homes for sale in Watercolor. They range in price from $569,000 for a three bedroom, four bath, 1796 square foot home to $4.995 million for a four bedroom, five bath, 2538 square foot home that fronts the gulf. The homes that front the gulf in Watercolor still have a good deal of foliage between the house and the water, but there are board walks to lead you to the sand and water.
Homes for Sale in Watercolor – Beginning of August
Total # of Listings 156
Lowest Price Listing $569,000
Highest Price Listing $4,995,000
Average Price $1,808,305
Avg. Price/SqFt $673
Avg. Days on Market 212
(Click on graph below to enlarge)
The bad news for Sellers is all this translates to 26 months of inventory on hand (the 156 homes for sale in Watercolor divided by the six homes sold in Watercolor). On the positive side, the six homes sold in July mark the most homes sold in any given month (except for seven homes sold this March) in the past 27 months.
| Discussion: Comments Off on Homes Sold & Homes for Sale in Watercolor – July
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.
| Discussion: Comments Off on Homes Sold & Homes for Sale Watercolor – May & June
Criolla’s Restaurant in Grayton Beach – How Johny got Criolla’s Groove Back!
July 20th, 2007 Categories: Restaurant Reviews, Seaside Living, South Walton Living, Watercolor Living
You know I’d been feeling a little melancholy about Criolla’s in the past year or so.
Johny Earles landmark restaurant seemed to have lost a little of the panache that it had held for so long – since 1989 to be exact -although I felt the food was always very good and the most creative on the coast. I could easily digress back to the 1980s when I used to visit the area just to eat at the wonderful Paradise Cafe in the site where the now legendary Red Bar resides in Grayton Beach. Johny was co-owner of Paradise, met his wife to be Debbie there and then moved on to Criolla’s.
Things took off from there and Criolla’s has been named “One of Florida’s Top Twenty Restaurants” since 1991 by Florida Trends Magazine. Still it needed a little something, something as things were a little too quiet and the crowd was almost too well behaved . I’m happy to say Criolla’s has gotten the shot in the arm that it needed with the complete rework of the bar area (formerly four seats and several tables) that now allows about a dozen diners to sit at an elevated bar and watch many of the dishes prepared in the center section – oftentimes by Johny himself. In addition, the music has been turned up a few decibels such that there now is a vibe in the place which seems to feed over in to the dining rooms as well.
On a recent outing my guest and I were joined by Richard and Dee McNeese (McNeese Title – www.mcneesetitle.com) for an excellent Criolla’s experience that made me have the same feel good feeling that I’ve enjoyed many times there over the years.
My guest and I always share the excellent Barbecue Shrimp with Tasso Cornbread appetizer – an absolutely excellent dish that will be gone without a bite for me if I talk too much. This dish is really good with chardonnay, and we had a glass of Mer Soleil Silver (unoaked) and Dee ordered a bottle of Martinelli – I know that seems like a lot, but she was thirsty.
We all shared the Hummus and Guacamole Dip with Tropical Root Chips and then the Marinated Olives and Goat Cheese with Toasted Portuges Baguette.
As with all the dishes, the presentation is excellent at Criolla’s. Richard is a cabernet sauvignon guy, so he scored a bottle of Dalla Valle Napa Valley and pinot noir being my thing I selected a bottle of Merry Edwards for Vicki and me.
Things were starting to get a little hazy in keeping up with the McNeese’s dishes, but I know my guest always wants dessert so we shared the Pan Seared Ribeye Steak and Butter Poached Lobster Tail with Wild Mushrooms, Truffle Butter and Cabernet reduction. My guest likes lobster, I like steak and we both like mushrooms and pretty much everything goes with pinor noir (although I think I remember Dee slipping a little chardonnay over to her at some point).
On to the favorite part of the meal – the dessert.
All of us had the excellent Criolla’s Coffee, but we had the Key Lime Cheesecake, Graham Cracker Crust, Chocolate Ganache with Lychee Sorbet.
The McNeeses finished off their cabernet by pairing it with the decadent Warm Chocolate Gateau with Peppermint Mocha ice cream (note the picture to the right as Richard is thinking of becoming a hand model if the title business goes south).
There are many other fabulous desserts and dessert wines available. My guest and I go to Criollas sometimes just for the desserts alone.
If you thought Criolla’s had lost a step, go again. There’s a better vibe and the food and wine list are as good as it gets in South Walton.
Johny has always been our number one celebrity chef in South Walton (the nod goes to Tim Creehan in Destin) and after years of cooking at events like the James Beard Foundation, the Sonoma Valley Wine Auction, the Napa Valley Wine Auction and many more – Johny has now gotten Criolla’s back as a must visit destination in Grayton Beach. Get more information on Criolla’s at www.criollas.com or call them at 8502671267.
| Discussion: 1 Comment »