SoWal Scene - South Walton County, Florida Blog

SoWal Scene Q & A - Lauren Romano of Heartworks Kids

If there really are angels amongst us, local resident and one of my dearest friends, Lauren Romano, is one of them.  I caught up with Lauren recently online to ask her about her new venture called Heartworks Kids.  Read on, folks ... it truly is an amazing thing Lauren is creating in our community.

How long have you lived in South Walton?  Where did you move from?

Our family has been here for about 5 years now. After living in Boulder, Colorado for 17 years we decided to make the move to the beach.

Why South Walton?

We had heard about this area for a long time and planned a trip to travel from Panama City to Gulf Shores eight summers ago. When we came across South Walton...we fell in love.

A year later we came on vacation again with our first born. Before we left, we put a contract on a cute little Florida beach house. We were crying as we drove to the airport, our hearts were heavy, this place was really getting to us. My husband and I would find every excuse to come for a visit over the next two years.

Then in Aug of '03 we said, "That's it with the rat race!" and moved down in December. People thought we were crazy, but we didn't care. Florida had captured our souls and we never looked back. I think my husband would agree that it was the best decision we ever made.

Tell us all about Heartworks Kids. Where did the inspiration come from to start it?

SoWal Scene Q & A - Tom Losee of Sun Landscape and YOLO Boards

I recently caught up with local resident, outdoor enthusiast, and entrepreneur Mr. Tom Hottie ... um (blush blush)....I mean Mr. Tom Losee ... for a SoWal Scene Q & A.  Enjoy!

How long have you been in South Walton?  Where did you move from?

I moved here six years ago from Hattiesburg, MS.

Why South Walton?

Why not?!  My love for the water attracted me to South Walton.  I grew up in Long Island and as a result I was always surrounded by a diversity of water from the Atlantic Ocean to bays and harbors. 

When I first came here I immediately felt at home.  And the weather is amazing.  I think the best part of living in the southeast is the southern hospitality and the people.  There really is no other place like it.

You own a landscaping company AND a paddle board company – YOLO Boards.  You are a busy man!  Please tell us about both.

I opened my landscaping business, Sun Landscape, 10 years ago in Hattiesburg.  My main motivation for opening Sun Landscape was my natural love of the outdoors.  I have always aspired to be the kind of entrepreneur that has fun while making a living at the same time – to turn a hobby into one’s vocation. 

After a few years, our company started to secure jobs around the southeast and this is how I discovered South Walton.  We always joke that the consensus of the crews was that they loved digging in the sand as opposed to the red clay! 

YOLO Board is a hybrid-style stand-up paddle board (SUP) company that I co-founded two years ago with my business partner, Jeff Archer.  The roots of SUP have evolved over the years from a traditional surfing water sport to a more soulful and versatile recreational means so that all fitness levels can enjoy time on the water from an entirely new perspective – anywhere – anytime. 

Our company is currently experiencing a significant growth mode as a result of the international SUP movement.  Many magazines have touted stand-up paddling as the fastest growing water sport in the world.  We see great things on the horizon for YOLO and we couldn’t be more excited. 

Is your background in landscaping?

No, I actually grew up in an advertising and publishing family.  My father was at one time the publisher of Architectural Digest and my grandfather was a pioneer back in the early advertising days of New York City.  I received my B.A. in Art History from Duke University and after college started out working in the advertising industry in New York City. 

I caught the entrepreneurial bug at an early age and decided to open my first business called Hub City Coffee Company in 1994 and, after spending several years in the coffee business, I founded Sun Landscape in 1998.  Today we have over 20 employees and manage commercial and residential maintenance accounts between Pensacola and Panama City.

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.

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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?

SoWal Scene Q & A - Chris Sennett of Opici Import Company

Chris Sennett and his lovely wife, Lucy, are local South Walton esidents and busy professionals.  Chris works for Opici Import Company, a wine distributor based in New Jersey, and Lucy is a professional singer who performs all around the Emerald Coast.  I caught up with Chris for this week's SoWal Scene Q & A.

Thanks for doing this week’s SoWal Scene Q & A with me, Chris!  

You aren’t from South Walton originally – where did you move from and how long have you guys been here?

Grew up in France and have been coming to the Panhandle since I was 15. Lived in Pensacola just before moving to Walton County over 10 years ago.

Why did you choose South Walton?

It made sense for my work since this was a growing area so I wouldn’t have to burn so many miles to and from Pensacola. I also thought it was a very cool area, quiet and beautiful.

You and I share a similar interest – wine!  When and where did your passion for the grape start?

My family was actually in the business. My grandparents had vineyards in Algeria that was then a French possession. So wine has always been a tradition in the family. The not so serious explanation is that I fell in a barrel as a kid and so it has been in my blood ever since. :)

SoWal Scene Q & A - Romance/Erotica Author Michael Ferguson

Having lived in many cities around the country in my 37 years, I have had the pleasure of meeting people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, and from all different professions.  Recently, not in some big metropolitan city but here, in our little slice of paradise, I had the incredible fortune to cross paths with a gentleman who writes romance/erotica novels - now that was a first for me.  Cool!

Michael Ferguson, author of My Space Her Space - Love Found on The Pages of MySpace, is a recent transplant to the Beaches of South Walton.  A few years ago, life offered him a bitter pill.  As he shares on his website, his wife of almost 20 years pursued, and was granted, a divorce he did not want.  Instead of  letting the devastating experience stop him cold in his tracks, he somehow found clarity and courageously channeled his emotions into a passionate, steamy novel which he recently had published.  WOW ... a very inspiring story to say the least.  His book is now on sale at Sundog Books in Seaside, Barnes and Noble Online and Amazon.com.  Attention ladies ... this is a great beach read! 

I caught up with Michael online for this week's SoWal Scene Q &A.  Welcome to paradise, Michael!

You are a recent transplant to South Walton – where did you move from and when?

I moved to Seagrove Florida in January of this year from South Louisiana.

SoWal Scene Q & A - Kelli Arnold, Events Coordinator at Alys Beach

Wow, what a job - organizing events for an affluent, exclusive beach resort community.  That is exactly what Kelli Arnold does as Events Coordinator for Alys Beach.  It's gotta be exciting, especially considering Alys Beach is garnering much deserved national acclaim which, I'm sure, will position them to attract some big time talent and to host some incredible events.  I caught up with Kelli online for this week's SoWal Scene Q and A.  Enjoy!

Thanks for doing the Q & A, Kelli!  Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself – how long have you been in the area, where are you from, that kind of thing.

I lived in southern California until I was twelve.  Then, moved to Hoover , AL and on to Tuscaloosa , AL where I graduated from the University of Alabama .  I moved to the area six years ago next month!

You work at Alys Beach – what do you do?

I am lucky enough to coordinate the events on property.

How long have you been with them?

I just celebrated two years with Alys Beach!

Do you expect a busy season at Alys this season? 

Spring has already sprung!  Alys Beach has all sorts of fun activities going on this year – from an Earth Day Celebration to a classic style beach party to sandcastle building lessons, a visual arts festival…the list just goes on!

SoWal Scene Q & A - Scott Cobine

Scott Cobine is a Realtor® with Beach Group Properties on 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.  Scott is not only the most knowledgeable real estate professional in South Walton, but he has consistently ranked as one of the area's top sales associates over the past 8 years. 

I caught up with Scott online recently for this week's SoWal Scene Q & A:

You guys have been in South Walton quite a long time.  How long – and where did you move from?

Cindi & I moved here in January of 1996 from Marina Del Rey, California, just outside of Los Angeles.

SoWal Scene Q & A - Jennifer Steele-Saunders

I caught up with Jennifer Steele-Saunders, co-founder of the Seaside Repertory Theatre and woman extraordinaire, for this week's SoWal Scene Q & A.

You are a founding member of the Seaside Repertory Theatre.  When and how did it all begin?

Craige Hoover and I both had family homes in the area, his in Seaside and mine in Grayton Beach.  We had never met, which was odd, but being a theatre “person,” I had several mutual friends who kept telling me I needed to meet this guy who wanted to start a theatre in Seaside.  We finally met early in 2000 after he had already laid some of the groundwork with Robert Davis and started to form a Board.  I did not want to miss out on the chance to start a professional theatre in the place I had always wanted to live.  So I resigned from my job at a theatre in Atlanta and moved down later that year, and we began raising money.  Our first show was in May 2001, and now the Rep is beginning its 8th season.

Why Seaside?

We needed the stability of Seaside, which had already established itself as a cultural center. Although we had a lot of support from residents and businesses in Seaside, it took a long time for the whole community to really understand that we were a non-profit organization and a separate entity from any Seaside corporation.  Seaside has been kind to us, and I don’t think at the time we could have survived, let alone grown, anywhere else.

The Rep has grown into an incredibly successful community theatre, attracting talent from all around the country.  How did you guys nurture it to being what it is today?

I think for several years we were just in survival mode.  We were young and had a lot of passion and energy.  The community put so much faith in us through their financial and moral support, and I’ll be forever grateful.  We have been blessed with directors and actors who continually return to work with us, but it might just be the beach!

SoWal Scene Q & A - JD Johnson of Beach To Bayou Property Inspections, Seacrest

Not only are JD Johnson and his wife, Kate, fabulous, honest, lovely people, but they own and operate the most professional, and I believe most successful, Property Inspection business on the Emerald Coast, Beach To Bayou Property Inspections.

I recently caught up with JD online for this week's SoWal Scene Q & A.

When I was in the real estate biz a few years ago, you had just moved to South Walton to open Beach To Bayou Property Inspections.  I think it was around 2003?   Where did you move from and why South Walton?

My wife, Kate and I moved to SoWal in October of 2002 after each doing about 10 years in the Atlanta metro area.   We were married on April 28, 2001 and five months later 9/11 changed everything.  Like most folks who live in the southeast (I lived 5 years in BHM, before being sentenced to ATL), I had vacationed along the Emerald Coast and dreamed of living in paradise – but just couldn’t figure how to balance the ying and yang of work in the corporate world and living at the beach.  Kate and I were attending a wedding in Destin the weekend after 9/11 and the re-evaluation of our priorities allowed us to embrace the dream of relocating to “The Beach”.

 

SoWal Scene Q & A - Curtis Weatherall of Weatherall Fine Art on 30A

I had the pleasure of meeting Curtis Weatherall of Weatherall Fine Art recently.  His gallery is located at 3730 Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach in an adorable 2-story Florida beach cottage which Curtis and his wife, Heather, built.

What an incredibly nice guy and talented artist Curtis is!  You must stop by his gallery if you are looking for that perfect piece of unique and original artwork for your home or office.  All of Curtis' work is beautiful in it's simplicity - simple sophistication is what comes to mind when I am in his gallery.  He will do well in SoWal.

I caught up with Curtis online for this week's SoWal Scene Q & A.

You are fairly new to SoWal - where did you move from?

My wife, Heather, and I along with our son Jackson moved here from Sarasota, Fl in 2005.  Sarasota was very nice, but nothing compares to the natural beauty and beaches of South Walton.  It always felt like home every time we visited, we are glad to have finally settled here.

Why SoWal?

After completing my M.F.A I worked and exhibited in Washington, D.C .  While there I became friends with an artist who owned his own gallery and this experience pushed me to start thinking about doing the same. I began to look for a place to open my gallery. While on a vacation in SoWal, Heather and I said “This is the place.” Being from Jackson, MS we had visited the area all of our lives, so SoWal felt like home.  The opportunity to move here and start the process of opening the gallery presented itself in 2005. We opened Weatherall Fine Art in 2007 and the support of a community that embraces creative endeavors has made it an easy transition.

SoWal Scene Q&A with Josh McLean - '08 real estate market forecast

I recently caught up with local Realtor® Josh McLean of Clay & Company, LLC for his opinion on the real estate market this year.  Thanks Josh!

The Real Estate market has been on a wild ride over the past several years. With the huge gains that were experienced for several years it is only natural that the market has now readjusted. Although the readjustment has not been kind to many people, it will be an important factor in the future health of our Real Estate market. In 2006 we had a 45% decrease in sales compared to 2005. Many of the so called economists predicted that the sales would continue to slide for years to come. Not so fast, 2007 sales were up 7.5% over those of 2006. I can only see this as a positive sign of what is to come in 2008.

SoWal Scene Q&A - Bert Summerville-Kain, Destin Real Estate

I caught up with Bert Summerville-Kain, a SoWal resident and Realtor® with Destin Real Estate in Blue Mountain Beach, recently for this week's SoWal Scene Q&A to talk about her experience in the South Walton real estate market before the boom, her decision to join Destin Real Estate and her thoughts on the area's growth and future.

You have been selling real estate in the area for quite a few years now – when did you start?

I am one of the older timers....I have been selling Real Estate for over 22 years, but here on the Panhandle, specifically the 30A area, since 1998.

What was the market like at that time?

When I began my career here on 30A in 1998, the buyers were mostly "end" users...that is, they wanted something to use for themselves and their families as second homes.  We had a few people coming for permanent homes, and almost NO SPECULATORS.....there were some great values, because the area was still not discovered and even some of the Realtors who had been here for years had taken the area for granted, and did not see the value of the beach like I did or others who were coming from other places.  I remember putting an offer on a gulf front townhome in SeaHaunts, and one of the "established" Realtors at the time asked me why I wanted to buy it, because it was run down and needed work.  I scratched my head and thought, "well......location , location , location. "  I purchased the unit, proceeded to renovate and sold it in a year and a half and made what I thought was a nice profit.  The market was not in a frenzy, but I took something that needed a facelift, got it at a good value, and passed on that renovated value to another purchaser who wanted a second home.

A SoWal Hidden Gem - Kitchen Garden Books & Antiques

Attention bibliophiles!  Kitchen Garden Books & Antiques, a specialty bookstore tucked away in a beautiful pine flat wood forest on Highway 331 in Santa Rosa Beach, is a SoWal hidden gem.  Proprietor Lynn Nelson has assembled a vast collection of rare, antiquarian & out of print books on cuisine and horticulture and is a highly regarded leader and specialist in her industry. 

A voracious reader and walking encyclopedia of culinary knowledge and history, Lynn has been involved in the culinary world in one way or another since the late '70s and is an avid and passionate gardener as well.  She has some really neat antiques for sale in the shop as well, many of which, not surprisingly, are culinary in nature.

Most of Lynn's sales are done online although she does keep regular hours for local and visiting customers on Tuesday - Saturday, 10 AM - 4 PM.  Located at 24357 US HWY 331 S in Santa Rosa Beach (phone 850.622.1077) receive a 10% discount on your next visit when you mention "SoWal Scene"!