Moving down to the SoWal area

There are some small cottages in the Old Town Santa Rosa area north of 98. But they will not have pools. North of the bay you'll have a better selection that will be from 20+ minutes from your place.

Hello all, My wife and I own a house down on 30a near Elmo's.

My parents are interested in buying a house near that house, no more than 20 minutes away. They dont want to be on the coast, they want a safe area away from storm damage. they cant spend more than 300,000. They are retired on a fixed income. Any suggestions on a good place to look. They want a nice ranch with screened pool. The dont mind the north side of the bay but is that within 20 minutes of us?

Thanks for any suggestions.
jt

If you stay close to the Bay, the north side can be within 20 minutes from you, but you won't find a ranch style house with a screened pool for under $300. The older homes like the ranch style, are typically on large lots, so the value is in the land, and the prices are higher than the typical homes in this area.

Your requirement of being in a safe area, away from storm damage is one that will be almost impossible to find in this area. If the wind doesn't get you, the rising water may. The less expensive homes in the area are just under $300K, and they may be negotiable in this soft market which we are currently experiencing. These homes are Henco built homes, and are Cottage style, typically about 1450 sf. They are 3 beds and 2 baths, but the area they are in is the Old Town of Santa Rosa, north of Hwy 98 off of Hwy 393. The area is pretty cool, and has rapidly changed in the last 2 years, but that area is low elevation, and these homes are built on concrete slabs. I am uncertain of the elevation, but would guess for it to be close to 7 feet, maybe less. The typical lot size is 50'x125', and some are 30'x125', so any pool would have to be very small. The homes take up most of the lot and you have to keep setbacks in mind. Your parents may have to change their price range or their needs and wants. Even Freeport homes are starting around $275K, and that is without a screened pool.

Do keep in mind that presently, many sellers are somewhat flexible in their acceptance price.

If you stay close to the Bay, the north side can be within 20 minutes from you, but you won't find a ranch style house with a screened pool for under $300. The older homes like the ranch style, are typically on large lots, so the value is in the land, and the prices are higher than the typical homes in this area.

Your requirement of being in a safe area, away from storm damage is one that will be almost impossible to find in this area. If the wind doesn't get you, the rising water may. The less expensive homes in the area are just under $300K, and they may be negotiable in this soft market which we are currently experiencing. These homes are Henco built homes, and are Cottage style, typically about 1450 sf. They are 3 beds and 2 baths, but the area they are in is the Old Town of Santa Rosa, north of Hwy 98 off of Hwy 393. The area is pretty cool, and has rapidly changed in the last 2 years, but that area is low elevation, and these homes are built on concrete slabs. I am uncertain of the elevation, but would guess for it to be close to 7 feet, maybe less. The typical lot size is 50'x125', and some are 30'x125', so any pool would have to be very small. The homes take up most of the lot and you have to keep setbacks in mind. Your parents may have to change their price range or their needs and wants. Even Freeport homes are starting around $275K, and that is without a screened pool.

Do keep in mind that presently, many sellers are somewhat flexible in their acceptance price.

Thank you I very much, that helps. The pool thing is something they can add, I just want them to be comfortable and able to take care of the property. They just want to be close to us so we can see them more often. Right now they have a house in Jupiter Fla and are selling to move to the SOWAL area. They will be coming down from ATL to look in Jan or Feb. I want them to have some options on places to see. They realtor they are working with seems to be on the right track but I was kind of hoping you had some ideas also since you know the area so well.

Thank you again for your help.
jt

There are some small cottages in the Old Town Santa Rosa area north of 98. But they will not have pools. North of the bay you'll have a better selection that will be from 20+ minutes from your place.

Thank you, I was looking for everyones opinion so they would have some options when they come down to look.

Thank you,
jt

If they're willing to stretch it out to about half an hour away, $300K in east Niceville or Bluewater Bay gets you a 20-25 year old ranch that's in the 1500-1800sf range on a lot big enough for a pool and 30-50 feet above mean sea level. Maybe you could find something in Choctaw Beach, which is pretty high and dry if you aren't directly on FL 20.

If they're willing to stretch it out to about half an hour away, $300K in east Niceville or Bluewater Bay gets you a 20-25 year old ranch that's in the 1500-1800sf range on a lot big enough for a pool and 30-50 feet above mean sea level. Maybe you could find something in Choctaw Beach, which is pretty high and dry if you aren't directly on FL 20.

Thank you, thats also sounds like a great place to look. I will try to point them in that direction. Right now they are looking over in Defuniak. They like the area over the bay bridge. Im just not sure how close they will be if they go over there.

Thank you, thats also sounds like a great place to look. I will try to point them in that direction. Right now they are looking over in Defuniak. They like the area over the bay bridge. Im just not sure how close they will be if they go over there.

Anywhere north of the bay is going up in price and the drive isn't too bad from most places north.

Smiling Joe is a realtor and as many people know is one of the nicest and most knowledgeable anywhere. Send him a PM and he will take care of you. ;-)

The one thing I'd worry about in Defuniak at that age is access to health care. For a good specialist, you're probably talking about having to go into Panama City or Ft. Walton Beach, and possibly to Pensacola, and all of those three places are a good hike from NoWal.

The one thing I'd worry about in Defuniak at that age is access to health care. For a good specialist, you're probably talking about having to go into Panama City or Ft. Walton Beach, and possibly to Pensacola, and all of those three places are a good hike from NoWal.

Yeah, that's why we've decided not to retire in SoWal. Actuallly, it's top quality medical care and the hurricanes. We'll retire in 10 years, live near the ATL, and own a second home in SoWal until the beach loses its attraction for us.

The one thing I'd worry about in Defuniak at that age is access to health care. For a good specialist, you're probably talking about having to go into Panama City or Ft. Walton Beach, and possibly to Pensacola, and all of those three places are a good hike from NoWal.

Actually, Pensacola is a much easier and faster trip from Defuniak (about an hour, all interstate) and probably offers better and more diverse health care facilities than FWB or PC (just guessing). JT, check your PM's.

Actually, Pensacola is a much easier and faster trip from Defuniak (about an hour, all interstate) and probably offers better and more diverse health care facilities than FWB or PC (just guessing). JT, check your PM's.

I second that. There are good facilities in FWB and PC - not to mention our own Sacred Heart on the Emerald Coast - but from DeFuniak, most folks I know simply go to Pensacola. It's faster and easier, and that's where most of the sub-specialists are.

This will be a second home for them but they will be using it often. They dont want to go as far as pensacola. They want to be able to get to our house within about 20-25 minutes. Mom want to live next to us but we know thats not going to happen. What about the hospital that is on 98. would that be to far to go for them in defuniak?

I second that. There are good facilities in FWB and PC - not to mention our own Sacred Heart on the Emerald Coast - but from DeFuniak, most folks I know simply go to Pensacola. It's faster and easier, and that's where most of the sub-specialists are.