SoWal Scene - South Walton County, Florida Blog

What neighborhoods are selling on 30A?

Posted by contributing Real Estate Blogger, Bert Summerville-Kain

I think everyone keeps hearing the negative about the economy, but I want my readers to know about the positive things that are happening in our little spot.

The hot, hot neighborhood that has a total of 47 sold homes since January 1, 2008 is WaterColor!  The price ranges of the homes were starting at $695,000 and the highest sale was $3.8 million.  The average square foot price in WaterColor this year is $488/sq.ft. 

The second hottest neighborhood selling is Rosemary Beach with a total of 7 homes and the average price per sq. foot is $710.

The third hottest neighborhood selling is Seaside, coming in with 5 sales and an average price per sq.foot at $903. 

And the fourth spot coming in with a total of 5 sold homes is Cypress Dunes with an average price per sq.foot of $403.  All figures have been taken from our Emerald Coast Association of Realtors multiple listing service.

Okay, okay, if you are not a numbers person, your eyes are probably already glazed over and you are waiting for someone to decipher this code right? 

Bottom line, we have had over 65 homes selling this year in the four mentioned neighborhoods, with a sq.footage cost of well over $600 .  Interestingly, Seaside has held it's value very well inspite of the fact that it is a much older neighborhood than the others.   

Although it might not be a great time to sell, we are not dead in the water either, the wind is still blowing and pushing those sailboats onward. 

Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

Remember the Clamato!

Posted by contributing Real Estate Blogger, Bert Summerville-Kain

How do I get my house to sell? This is a question that has been nagging home owners for years, and particularly in today’s challenging market.

We are seeing some crazy, creative and unconditional marketing techniques spring up.   For instance, there was a single mother in South Florida who offered herself in marriage to some “lucky” homebuyer, (not sure if I call that "lucky") and a couple in Pennsylvania who offered to will their house’s selling price back to the buyer, upon their death!  Now, I don't know about you, but the only thing that kind of sales pitch would do for me is make me uneasy.

But, what about this?  How many times have you gone to the grocery store never intending to purchase a surplus of goods, and when you get to the checkout, there you are….four boxes of cereal, 6 jars of orange marmalade, and two bottles of Clamato juice ( and I don’t even like the stuff).  But there was a large sign, TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE, which I couldn't refuse!

We are all driven by price, even if we don’t want to admit it. We will purchase something we really don’t need if we perceive that it is a bargain!   

Real estate isn't much different, especially in our area.  A large portion of our home owners are not full time residents.  Simply put, they really don't NEED this home, but instead, they made a decision to purchase for a lot of reasons other than necessity.   It is important and almost crucial in our market for a seller to realize that this is almost an "impulse buying" market.  The value must be distinct in order for the buyer to sort through all of the existing inventory. 

As my Broker keeps saying....."it is a beauty contest and a price war" and I would like to leave you with my advice.................."Remember the Clamato!"

Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

South Walton Real Estate Sales Stats. June 17 - July 19, 2008

Posted with permission from Coastal Persuasion - A Real Estate Blog From Grayton Coast Properties

By Miriam W. Dillion, Broker

It's no surprise that the 30-A area is posting higher sales than the "off the beach" areas. In our current buyer's market, there are great deals along the beach!  Smart buyers are jumping back into the market now in hopes of enjoying greater appreciation when the market turns around.

This graph represents a 32 day period:

• The average sales price of homes in 30-A East (includes Watercolor, Seaside, WaterSound, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach) during this period was $1,150,458.
• The average sales price of homes in 30-A West was $702,000.
• N. Santa Rosa Beach saw the average sales price of homes at $187,185.

The graph above breaks sales down by major development. Note that all of these developments are in area 30-A East. 

From June 17 to July 19, 2008 the average sales prices were as follows:

• WaterColor - $1,440,000
• Seaside - $0
• WaterSound - $1,750,000
• Alys Beach - $2,100,000
• Rosemary Beach - $1,667,000

Prices are fantastic for buyers right now. Can you get a house with gulf views for under $1,000,000? YES! Call or email to see what you can get for your money right now: 877-231-9888; miriam@graytoncoastproperties.com.

Grayton Coast Properties
www.graytoncoastproperties.com
133 DeFuniak Street,  Grayton Beach, FL 32459
850.231.2886 | Toll Free: 877.231.9888
Email: gcpinfo@mchsi.com

They carry their homes on their backs.

Posted by contributing Real Estate Blogger, Bert Summerville-Kain

A one man kayak priced at $500, a house in Seaside, Florida priced at $2 million, playing with the giant Loggerhead Turtles..........PRICELESS.

Am I lucky or what?  Yesterday, Sunday, July 20, 2008, I had the pleasure of watching a creature, which weighs about 200 to 300 lbs, gracefully navigate the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  At first, as I was kayaking toward Grayton State Park from my home in Seaside, I thought it was a person swimming, but after a few minutes, the large (and I mean LARGE) head looked a little too strange to be of a human.  My petite arms and muscles started working at full speed as I tried to catch this endangered creature.  Hundreds of fish were jumping around the kayak, and for several minutes, the feeling was better than a couple of glasses of a good Shiraz. 

Over 40 years ago, I met the ocean, and at that point in time, I made a decision that was where I ultimately wanted to live. 

What does this have to do with real estate?  Everything, I say!  As the Loggerheads return every year to lay their eggs on these beautiful beaches, I have also returned to the place in my dreams.  I have been fortunate to own property and help others achieve their desires of also owning a place near the warm Gulf. 

Perhaps you have been dreaming the same dream.  You should go for it, there is no better time than now.  The creatures who carry their homes on their backs also feel this is a special spot.

Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

Who says there are NO BUYERS?

Posted by contributing Real Estate Blogger, Bert Summerville-Kain

Today is July 13, 2008 a beautiful Sunday morning on the Emerald Coast of Florida.  We have had a gorgeous summer, so far, with hopes of it continuing. 

I decided to inform our readers about the sales taking place on our little strip of land called Scenic 30A.  These statistics, which are taken from my Emerald Coast Multiple Listing Service, are going to surprise most of the cynics and even the Pollyannas. 

Since January 1, 2008, we have 14 single family homes that are pending.  The price ranges begin at $375,000 and the most expensive waiting to close is $1,699,000.   

More surprising is that there are also 23 contingent sales (these sales are waiting for either financing, inspections, or some small reason that the property cannot be put into the final landing pattern of pending until all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed.)  Those 23 single family homes range in price from $149,900 to a whopping $13,750,000!

Now folks, this is just on the stretch of land we know as 30A!   We are seeing some great MOVEMENT....and the movement is not all foreclosures or auctions.....but real traditional buyers wanting our area and seeing the value of the property and Scenic 30A.  What brings you to 30A?
 
Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

Pigs and Hogs - An Old Southern Saying

Posted by contributing Real Estate Blogger, Bert Summerville-Kain

Everyone, from the" Butcher, the Baker and the Candlestick Maker" are curious and hopeful about our real estate market on Scenic 30A.  It seems that during the heat of the real estate run, everyone jumped into the game, and why not, as long as you didn't become a hog!  The old Southern saying, "Pigs get fat but Hogs get slaughtered" also works for those who purchased real estate and want to see some return on their investment. 

I have the latest statistics for our 30A corridor of sales:  I will be comparing our first two quarters of 2008 to the first two quarters of 2007 as follows:

• Single family homes on the 30A corridor:  The sales have increased by 22% compared to the first two quarters of 2007.  The days on the market has decreased by 2%.   

• Condos on the 30A corridor:  The sales have increased 40% and the days on the market has decreased by 34% compared to the first two quarters of 2007. 

• Attached units (townhomes):  The sales have decreased by 80% and the days on the market have increased by 7% compared to the first two quarters of 2007.

• Raw Land sales on 30A:  The sales have decreased by 22% and the days on the market has increased by 13% compared to the first two quarters of 2007.

All of the above figures were derived from information taken from our Emerald Coast Association of Realtors MLS comparing 1/1/07-6/1/2007 to 1/1/2008-6/1/2008. 

We must remember that no one has a crystal ball, but chance favors the prepared mind.  We are definitely experiencing activity, which is a GOOD thing.  I will tell you that those sellers who are really interested in moving their property are realizing that if they are reasonable about  pricing, they might be able to get to next year without going to the slaughter house.

Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

South Walton on the 'Net - Editorial from the Anniston Star (in NE Alabama)

Related Post: NatureWalk at Seagrove

Editorial notebook: The wrong side of the road
In our opinion | 06-30-2008 | The Anniston Star Newspaper (NE Alabama)
*See Source Article Here*

SEAGROVE BEACH, Fla. — County Road 395 connects U.S. 98 to County Road 30-A, which local boosters designated "Scenic 30-A" and it is, mostly.

As beach developers pushed inland during the late, lamented housing boom, they built on both sides of CR 395. Today, the road divides success from failure and offers a good look at what has — and has not — happened to the Florida real-estate market.

Two developments, Watercolor on the west side and Nature Walk on the east, tell the tale.

Watercolor and the economy took off together. Financed from the deep pockets of what was once St. Joe Paper Co. (the largest private landowner in the state) and set down on property that its developers already owned, Watercolor was designed to attract people with the resources to build houses that were statements of achievement and affluence as well as investments. People did just that. In the years that followed, sounds of hammers, saws and Spanish filled the air.

There is less of that now, but despite the slowdown everything in Watercolor is still clean, green and dripping with prosperity.

Plastic, real estate and how they compute?

Posted by contributing Real Estate Blogger, Bert Summerville-Kain

When I was a young child, during a rainy day, I would sit on the hardwood floor of the cozy little kitchen we had, and set up the black and white dominoes like tiny soldiers in one continuous line.  Sometimes the line would be curvy and sometimes I would make it as straight as an arrow.  Then after I had put the last domino from the box at the end of the line, I would stand up, make a quick observation of my work of art, and slowly proceed to lightly tap the first domino.  The individual domino would begin to fall, catching the next in line and then that would tap the next and within seconds, a rhythmic chain of falling dominoes would delight my eyes.

Okay, I know you are all wondering what do dominoes, plastic and real estate have in common? 

Living on this beautiful piece of land with the Gulf of Mexico to the south and the Choctawhatchee Bay to the north is, in my estimation, a privilege.  Everyday, we have the ability to observe the natural beauty of this Earth and the added bonus is that our homes and land have a significant monetary value, far above many other parts of the World, which I am going to call my domino number THREE.  Daily, there are new groups of people visiting this area for the first time, and those mesmerized individuals, immediately fall in love with our spit of land.  Many visitors will purchase while they are here, and more come back to find their perfect spot, these are who I call my domino number TWO.

Please stay with me, because it really does come together...............I walk the beaches quite frequently from my home in Seaside to the Grayton State Park where many mornings I will find "treasures", such as  a Mermaid's Purse, a newly built turtles nest, or a glimpse of the dolphins playfully gliding through the water. 

However, more often, my eyes fall upon PLASTIC.  I call this my domino number ONE.  Plastic toys, plastic glasses, plastic bottles, and plastic bags which have all been lazily and carelessly discarded at the water's edge.  If you haven't given much thought about the consequences of misuse and the negligent disposal of this wonderful invention, please take a look at the following link:

http://www.acfnewsource.org/environment/plastic_plankton.html

It made me stop to realize that the various actions we take on this earth are like the motion set in place with the domino set that I used to place so carefully on the kitchen floor.  If we allow the PLASTIC to fall into our water, or overtake our beautiful beaches, it will then push the next domino to reject our area, and that pushes the value of our land, the last domino to tumble. 

I have been so upset about this that I have decided to try and make a difference.  Now, when I get up and walk the beaches every morning, I have a garbage bag in tow, and hope that I might be able to create a large space between the negative dominoes of the world.  I am challenging others to take notice, and be proactive.  WE all can make a difference in maintaining our earth and property values. 

Although I am not an environmentalist, I am a concerned Republican passenger on this spaceship called Earth. 

Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

Gas, real estate and What in the world is Happening?

Posted by Bert Summerville-Kain

I had to make an unexpected trip to the North of Paradise, more specifically Virginia by way of Tennessee and this was what I experienced! 

Did you know that there are still people who are willing to pay 10 cents more per gallon to have their gas pumped for them?  Yessiree.........in Franklin Tennessee, I pulled into a gas station where there were two islands, one for full service and one for self.  While I was pumping my gas for $3.97 a gallon, there were three (3) cars in line waiting for the service attendant to pump their gas.  I asked the man how much more it was for that priviledge, and he happily quoted "10 cents more."  Wow!  Somehow this small bit of indulgence some folks were allowing themselves gave me a huge dose of hope.

We are all trying to figure out what is happening with our economy.  We hear "experts" say that we are headed in the wrong direction and some of those experts have scared the living daylights out of many of us.  I keep scratching my head because as a Realtor, I am fully aware of the sales that are taking place in our area.  Those are not all short sales, or sales out of desperation, but sales because the buyer wants to be here and is willing to pay to have a little piece of paradise. 

Based on my observations, I have to question the experts.  What has happened to common sense?  Do we all feel so insecure that we feel we must only listen to the "experts" and forget what we are actually seeing in our own lives.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am not a Pollyanna, but when I see people in line wating to have their gas pumped for them willing to pay extra and when I am full aware that there are many sales on 30A that are not a result of short sales or foreclosures, I have to ask the question "are the 'experts' always right? "

Bert Summerville-Kain is a Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Visit her website at www.beachhouseproperties.com.

SoWal Scene Q & A - Peter Stoddard on The State of The Market - Spring/Summer 2008

Peter Stoddard, Broker Associate, RSPS®, GRI® - Sunburst Group at Davis Properties, Seaside | www.sunburstgroup.com |  850-585-7332 (cell) - 850-231-0360 x 45 (office) | pete@sunburstgroup.com

Peter, how do you think the increase in gas prices may or may not affect this year's season for rentals and real estate sales?

We own a rental house in Seagrove and a condo in Destin.  Both are more heavily booked for summer and fall than in any previous year, and they each booked up further in advance than ever.  (Following the 2004-2005 storm years rental guests continued to come, but they tended to wait longer before reserving.  That no longer appears to be the norm.)  The agencies that manage our properties also advise that advance reservations for the 2008 season are at record high levels across the board.  Only time will tell if we see any cancellations due to prohibitively higher gas prices.

Two weeks ago I was trying to arrange for our family of 4 a short notice June "house swap" with a family in Chicago.  In our second day of discussions we re-checked airfares, only to find they had spiked by over $120 per ticket overnight.  We researched further to see if some advance booking deadline had lapsed, but the increased fares applied to travel in July & August as well, and they applied to all airlines serving any of our nearby airports.  Fuel prices obviously impact air travel too, and in this case we nixed our "non-budgeted" trip due to increased ticket costs.

I have heard things in the real estate market specifically are picking up - thoughts? 

SoWal Scene Q & A - John David Sullivan on The State of the Market-Spring/Summer 2008

I asked several of the top local Broker/Real Estate Associates to opine on the current real estate climate in South Walton and how they think the current state of the economy and gas prices may, or may not, affect our season this year.

● ● ●

John David Sullivan, Co-Owner/Realtor® of Beach Properties of Florida in Grayton Beach | www.beachpropertiesofflorida.com |  850-376-7778 (cell) - 850-534-3006 (office) | jd@beachpropertiesofflorida.com

John David, how do you think the increase in gas prices may or may not affect this year's season for rentals and real estate sales?

It is hard to believe gas prices are where they are today.  I filled up my Tahoe this morning (I know, not the most fuel efficient vehicle) and it cost me $90.00.  Are you serious?  But you know what, you deal with it.  What choice do I have?  Until I have my own personal gas well in my back yard at WaterColor, I am just going to have to deal with it.

When it comes to traveling this summer, how will that $90.00 tank of gas affect the road warriors?   One thought is that Americans will not give up their love affair for the road.  Three out of four adults say they plan on taking a road trip this year; however 66% of those people are likely to take a shorter trip than originally planned due to the gas situation.  Road travelers are used to traveling long days and experiencing many different locations along their way. 

In my opinion these are the trips that will be most affected.  The family that loads everyone up in the family truckster (including grandma) and heads out west to see the glory land, may still do that but instead of ten days it is five days and instead of making it to Colorado they make it to Iowa.

People are also more hesitant today to take advantage of the friendly skies, basically because they are not friendly anymore (were they ever really friendly?  I remember stories of beautiful flight attendants and actual sandwiches on planes, now you are lucky to get a bag of peanuts from a service woman not too happy about being there.)  Growing concerns about the airline industry will drive travelers to take to the road again this year.

So there will be people on the road this year, probably more than in the past, but they are more aware of the costs today and will be frugal when deciding where to go and for how long.

SoWal Scene Q & A - Bert Summerville-Kain on The State of the Market-Spring/Summer 2008

I asked several of the top local Broker/Real Estate Associates to opine on the current real estate climate in South Walton and how they think the current state of the economy and gas prices may, or may not, affect our season this year.  I will be posting their thoughts throughout the week.  Enjoy!

Bert Summerville-Kain, Realtor® with Destin Real Estate Company on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach | www.beachhouseproperties.com | 850.974.8731

Bert, how do you think the increase in gas prices may or may not affect this year's season for rentals and real estate sales? 

I have found an interesting situation occurring this spring and summer season in regards to rentals.  I would have thought that the increase in gas prices would slow down our rental market, but it appears that people wanting to visit the beach are increasing instead of decreasing. 

I am fortunate to have several rental properties that I own personally, and I also manage a few for some of my clients.  The bookings are definitely up and I have something that I have not had in the past.....a wait list for folks who want to be in certain rentals and specific rental areas.  They are hoping that I will come up with a cancellation. 

Giving this some thought, it sorta makes sense.  People used to fly to various exotic destinations and to Europe, but with the dollar being so low and the price of airfare high, we are probably seeing the results in an increase in domestic travel and more specifically driving distance.  And yes, gas is higher, but if you really look at the increase, it may cost a vacationer coming from Tennessee or Georgia an extra $40 to $50 for their gas.  In the scheme of things, $50 isn't that much compared to several hundred dollars in airfare for just one person.

I have been hearing a lot of buzz around South Walton that real estate sales are on the rise.  Is there truth to this?  How is the real estate market performing right now?

Johnny Earles does it again - 30A Resorts

A few months ago, a rumor began circulating around South Walton that changes were coming to Criolla's in Grayton Beach, one of Scenic 30As longest standing and most acclaimed restaurants owned by chef/owner Johnny Earles.  I even blogged about it (read that post here). 

Alas, all rumors were put to rest last Thursday evening when Mr. Earles and his business partners hosted an absolutely fabulous event to announce their new venture - 30A Resorts.  What a soiree it was - Criolla's talented and jovial Executive Chef, Shayne Vaughan, and his crew served up all kinds of tapas and wines from Napa Valley flowed freely. 

The movers and shakers of South Walton were in attendance - Lisa Marie and Jerry Burwell (owners of Cornerstone Marketing & Advertising), Lisa Comeau (Vice President of Account Services, Cornerstone Marketing & Advertising), Bob Brown (Executive Vice President of Creative Services, Cornerstone Marketing & Advertising), Jennifer Steele- (Seaside Rep/CAA) and Balder Saunders (Dread Clampitt), Mike and Angela Ragsdale (Alys Beach/30a.com), Ceri Givens (Regal Properties of NW Florida) and Craige Hoover (Seaside Rep), Ed Berry and Rachel Morgan (For The Health Of It), Karen Terrell (Alys Beach), Karen Otten (Alys Beach), Tom Rymer (H20 Properties), Tommy Crow (Tommy Crow Photography), Stuart Slicis (H20 Properties) Garner Chandler (Beach Properties of Florida), and Buz and Susan Livingston (Livingston Financial Planning/Walton Sun columnist), just to name a few. 

From a press release posted on the 30A Resorts website,

Dune Allen Realty :: On Scenic 30A

Custom Building ● Santa Rosa Beach