Recently seen on Hwy 331

[goofer]

The "market" always corrects excesses and also creates opportunities. In Walton county the "market" is working its will.

 

[SHELLY]

Why do prices have to drop so low to expect a certain level of service or value for your dollar . Practically no one that owns property in SoWal paid anywhere near 100k . There are still plenty of people with $$$ to spend .
I more was making a blanket statement about the area , not this specific instance .

Atl Bo,
I think what SJ was getting at was that the rapid increase in housing prices in the area obliterated the chances for anyone pulling a median-or-below wage to rent or buy a home within reasonable commuting distance to SoWal.

With big box stores, retails malls, fast food joints and restaurants popping up overnight like mushrooms, in areas surrounding SoWal (and closer to more "reasonably" priced housing), service-sector employees are not willing to make the extra 2+hour horrendous commute into SoWal--at $2.75 per gallon--when they can roll out of bed and find a job a few blocks from their "affordable" apartment or Mom's house.

Not so very long ago, folks of modest means lived in SoWal and took jobs in the few shops and stores that dotted the coast--so it wasn't a problem.

The recent real estate money-grab and the "gentrification" of SoWal that mowed down the modest homes and trailer parks was cheered by many who welcomed the new "upscale" lifestyle. Now they're surprised how hard it is to find folks willing to bus dishes, serve coffee or repair a flat tire for $12.50 per hour--and they wonder why. (Hint: $12.50 doesn't go a long way in SoWal to pay for housing, taxes, insurance, car payments, buying groceries, paying utilities and maybe renting a movie once a week to entertain the kids.)

Until they build "guest worker housing" and open up the tap of migrant workers to flow into SoWal, folks living in this area will have to get used to paying a higher premium for labor or start getting used to accepting a reduced level of service. The "affordable housing" ship has sailed for SoWal--and the community may very well have to be run much like a cruise ship with a staff of migrant workers who live on board.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Atl Bo,
I think what SJ was getting at was that the rapid increase in housing prices in the area obliterated the chances for anyone pulling a median-or-below wage to rent or buy a home within reasonable commuting distance to SoWal.

With big box stores, retails malls, fast food joints and restaurants popping up overnight like mushrooms, in areas surrounding SoWal (and closer to more "reasonably" priced housing), service-sector employees are not willing to make the extra 2+hour horrendous commute into SoWal--at $2.75 per gallon--when they can roll out of bed and find a job a few blocks from their "affordable" apartment or Mom's house.

Not so very long ago, folks of modest means lived in SoWal and took jobs in the few shops and stores that dotted the coast--so it wasn't a problem.

The recent real estate money-grab and the "gentrification" of SoWal that mowed down the modest homes and trailer parks was cheered by many who welcomed the new "upscale" lifestyle. Now they're surprised how hard it is to find folks willing to bus dishes, serve coffee or repair a flat tire for $12.50 per hour--and they wonder why. (Hint: $12.50 doesn't go a long way in SoWal to pay for housing, taxes, insurance, car payments, buying groceries, paying utilities and maybe renting a movie once a week to entertain the kids.)

Until they build "guest worker housing" and open up the tap of migrant workers to flow into SoWal, folks living in this area will have to get used to paying a higher premium for labor or start getting used to accepting a reduced level of service. The "affordable housing" ship has sailed for SoWal--and the community may very wll have to be run much like a cruise ship with a staff of migrant workers who live on board.

Well said, Shelly. :clap_1:

 

[kathydwells]

Well said, Shelly. :clap_1:

I agree completely. :clap_1:

 

[Miss Kitty]

pigs are flying and there's free ice in Hell!!!

 

[yippie]

David Thomas is an Attorney in Defuniak Springs. I wonder what happened.....

 

[Jennifer Steele]

Well said, Shelly. :clap_1:

Ditto.

 

[Jim Tucker]

David Thomas is an Attorney in Defuniak Springs. I wonder what happened.....

Curious also. He must have got b*tch slapped.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Are you sure he is an attorney in Defuniak and not the founder of Wendy's? Maybe he was trying to build a Wendy's. :funn:

 

[lindatat]

Are you sure he is an attorney in Defuniak and not the founder of Wendy's? Maybe he was trying to build a Wendy's. :funn:

That David Thomas is DEAD, isn't he?