Destin & South Walton Real Estate Blog

Rated the No. 1 Fort Walton Beach attraction by Trip Advisor, Okaloosa Island is a quiet, family-friendly paradise tucked away between Fort Walton Beach and Destin on Florida’s scenic Gulf Coast. Okaloosa is where people go to relax, slow down, kick back and enjoy special times with family and friends. On Okaloosa Island, the soft, sugar-sand beaches are not crowded. The water is a glorious clear emerald green, and the frequent dolphin sightings are “amazing.”

Isolated from the mainland by the Gulf of Mexico, Choctawhatchee Bay and Intercostal Waterway, Okaloosa Island, which is actually part of Fort Walton Beach…

In America, we celebrate our diversity and value individual uniqueness; but in the Destin housing market, owning a home that is “different” from its neighbors usually puts you at a disadvantage when you go to sell your house. Homes that are significantly different from surrounding homes typically don’t sell as fast as homes that are more in-tune with their local neighborhood, say experienced Destin Realtors [http://www.gulfcoastrealestatesales.com/selling.php]. South Walton home buyers are less likely to purchase a home that is built in a radically different architectural style than its neighbors or that is significantly larger or smaller than other area homes or that lacks features that are standard in neighboring homes. Particularly when a…

Fifty years ago scientists envisioned a fully-automated home where a home owner’s every need and desire could be attended to with the push of a button. Of course, they also thought we’d be traveling by jetpack. Obviously, daily jetpack travel is still in the future, although Martin Aircraft did debut a personal jetpack [http://www.gizmag.com/first-commercially-available-jetpack/14423/] for public sale last year; but we’re much closer than you think to living in futuristic push-button homes. Using smartphone apps, Destin homeowners can already control a number of home systems and appliances (see our previous post). Within 5 to 10 years, scientists expect new developments in digital communication and electronic integration to completely change a…

The smartphone has not only revolutionized the communications industry, it is paving the way for the fully integrated home of the future. Several hundred apps are already available that allow Destin home owners to remote control various home systems and appliances. Using currently available smartphone apps, Destin home owners can already access their home computer network, turn lights and appliances on and off, turn down the heat or crank up the air conditioning, control sound and home entertainment systems, record and watch favorite television shows, lock and unlock doors, and monitor their home security system.

Researchers and IT engineers say that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In the not too distant future, you and your Destin…

This week, the average interest rate on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dropped back to its record low of 3.91%, falling from 3.95% the previous week. Interest rates on 15-year, fixed rate loans also remained low, averaging 3.23% nationwide, down very slightly from last week’s 3.24% rate. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has lowered interest rates to all-time lows and kept them there in an effort to strengthen the nation’s housing market. Bernanke has called recovery of the housing market essential to U.S. economic recovery.

“Restoring the health of the housing market is a necessary part of a broader strategy for economic recovery,” Bernanke said in a letter to the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees reported by Bloomberg…

In our previous post we noted the development of an interesting real estate trend in the Destin, Florida area. Entrepreneurs are flocking to the Florida Panhandle’s Gulf Coast in search of new business opportunities and a fresh start. Seeking to combine a lifestyle change with ready-made jobs, these new Destin transplants are as interested in escaping the economic gloom up north as they are the frigid weather.

Destin’s gorgeous white sand beaches, warm weather, and access to the Gulf of Mexico, coupled with its location close to major air, land and sea transportation routes have attracted real estate investors to this grown-up fishing village for decades. Beautiful South Walton vacation properties and beach homes often draw investment…

In our previous post we noted the development of an interesting real estate trend in the Destin, Florida area. Entrepreneurs are flocking to the Florida Panhandle’s Gulf Coast in search of new business opportunities and a fresh start. Seeking to combine a lifestyle change with ready-made jobs, these new Destin transplants are as interested in escaping the economic gloom up north as they are the frigid weather.

Destin’s gorgeous white sand beaches, warm weather, and access to the Gulf of Mexico, coupled with its location close to major air, land and sea transportation routes have attracted real estate investors to this grown-up fishing village for decades. Beautiful South Walton vacation properties and beach homes often draw investment…

According to the latest information from the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans are following the sun south and west with Florida’s scenic Gulf Coast attracting a fair number of the new Sunbelt transplants. Census figures show that Florida’s population is growing at a rate of approximately 560 new residents per day, surpassed only by Texas and California. Active retirees are leading the Gulf Coast’s rally, drawn to Destin and South Walton by the warm weather, comfortable lifestyle, beautiful beachfront properties and wealth of activities. But Baby Boomer retirees aren’t the only ones swelling Destin’s population. The Gulf Coast’s population boom is also attracting younger and middle-aged workers that, unable to find employment up north, are turning…

This week, the average interest rate on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dropped back to its record low of 3.91%, falling from 3.95% the previous week. Interest rates on 15-year, fixed rate loans also remained low, averaging 3.23% nationwide, down very slightly from last week’s 3.24% rate. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has lowered interest rates to all-time lows and kept them there in an effort to strengthen the nation’s housing market. Bernanke has called recovery of the housing market essential to U.S. economic recovery.

“Restoring the health of the housing market is a necessary part of a broader strategy for economic recovery,” Bernanke said in a letter to the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees reported by…

When buying a Destin, FL home , it’s important to keep your eyes open and shop smart. Florida’s Gulf Coast offers many excellent opportunities for both residential and investment home buyers, but even great deals require that the buyer do his due diligence. When buying a home in the Destin and South Walton area, follow these smart home buyer tips:

Choose a Destin Realtor  with long-term experience buying and selling homes on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Dealing with a real estate agent who is intimately familiar with the many specific neighborhoods that line the Gulf Coast will ensure that you spend your shopping time productively. A top Destin Realtor can immediately steer you to properties and communities that meet your personal preferences.

Personally…