It’s Wendy… It’s Sold!Emerald Grande condo W226, 10 Harbor Blvd., Destin, Florida 32541This Emerald Grande four bedroom condo in the corner stack had a tremendous view of Destin Harbor, the Choctawhatchee Bay, Crab Island, and the Gulf of Mexico.  Although the floor number is “2”, this condo was actually seven floors above ground level, so not too high, and not too low, offering a view that’s “just right”.  Soothingly updated with new furnishings, and well maintained, this Emerald Grande unit garnered a lot of attention during the Destin, Florida selling season.  A few years ago, Emerald Grande did not generate many sales, but this year was different.Sales Factors for Emerald Grande W226:This Destin luxury condo was listed for $925,000.The buyer offered full price.Surprisingly, the sell... 10/05/2021

I always said that in another life I would be a detective. Well, sometimes being a real estate agent is like being a detective.  To help different types of buyers in Destin, Florida requires varying degrees of investigative work.  Here are some examples of recent “cases”.Cold Case – Buyer #1   He lives out of state, doesn’t know the Emerald Coast, and sends me an email: “Are homes going over or under list price?  I am starting to look at the area.”  I ask, “What area?”  There are dozens of markets around Destin, Florida. “What type of property? House or condo? What price range?”  This general buyer just starting to look doesn’t know what he wants.  He’s a harder puzzle to solve. He’s not ready to buy. I ask questions, but this file goes into the cold case folder until I get answers.Hot ... 08/25/2021

They are everywhere! The roads, the beaches, the stores! Tourists! Living and working in Destin, Florida brings its challenges.  Locals gather at the workplace lamenting about traffic on Highway 98, Scenic Gulf Drive and 30A, and how much more the roads can bear. Vacationers seem to have found a permanent home in our environs on the Emerald Coast.  It used to be just high season from the Spring to Fall, but in the past year, there are more people in town than I’ve ever seen.Getting from the Mid-Bay Bridge to Sandestin used to be an easy 15 minutes on Highway 98. Now, there are bottlenecks due to construction and it’s more like 30.  Try for a shortcut on Scenic Highway 98, and it’s not any better.  Try getting to the beach from Driftwood Road, where my real estate office is, and you’ll h... 08/02/2021

I’ve been learning to cook for 18 years. Ever since I gave my husband, new boyfriend at the time, the years-frozen shrimp appetizer. After he bit into it, the look on his face was frozen. I had some learning to do. Fast forward 18 years. I am still learning to cook, but sometimes my dishes come out good. We love fish. Living in Destin, Florida aka,  “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village”, we have lots of delicious local seafood options that are brought in from the fishing fleet at Destin Harbor, the largest commercial fishing fleet in the nation. One of my favorite catches is grouper. We hadn’t had it in quite a while, and my husband was hinting that it would be a good treat. We weren’t going out. I was going to make it. Grouper is not cheap.  At $32.99 a pound,  I almost had them put ... 07/12/2021

I turned away two Destin Florida real estate buyers this week. Not intentionally. But I told them the truth. Each was an out-of-state purchaser looking to get a “deal”. One wanted to expand his rental holdings and another wanted to buy a tear down.I told them they would not get a deal. There are no deals. Almost every real estate sale along the Emerald Coast of Florida is for full price and higher, with multiple bidders.  Properties sell within hours, or a few days at the most. In all price ranges, from $200,000 to $10,000,000.  Properties sell “as is”.  Some buyers waive inspections, some pay the difference if a property does not appraise at purchase price if they are getting a mortgage. Successful buyers purchase houses and condos without seeing them in person. They allow sellers to s... 07/02/2021

If you are looking for a mortgage to buy an Emerald Grande condo in Destin Florida, you may have a bit of difficulty.  You cannot go to any lender and get a loan for a unit in the Emerald Grande condominium complex.   Mortgage lenders who are not restricted to selling their loans to Fannie Mae (FNMA) in the secondary mortgage market are your best bet.  Why so? FNMA guidelines exclude purchases of condo mortgages for projects that have hotel-like amenities and also “time share” type activity. Emerald Grande, which has fabulous hotel-like offerings on-site, like multiple pools, restaurants, and full-service spa, also has dozens of “fractional ownership” units. Fractional interest is owning a “share” of  real property, for example, six weeks of usage per year.Fannie Mae’s “Ineligible Proje... 07/01/2021

Veteran’s Home Loans for Destin FloridaIf you are reading this, you or a family member have likely served in our military.  First off, we would like to say a sincere “Thank You” for your service!  We recognize that not only do our Veterans sacrifice by serving, but their families do as well-, and we owe you all a debt of gratitude!One of the best benefits Veterans and their families receive due to their service to our great country is the VA home loan benefits.  We are going to outline just a few of these significant benefits in this article for you. Here are some of the major benefits you may receive by using your VA home loan benefits:*100% financing available- one of the very few loans available with no down payment!*Lower rates available than most loan programs- which saves you mone... 05/12/2021

2020 and 2021 are unique in the history of residential real estate with record low interest rates, unprecedented buyer demand, and remarkably low "for sale" inventory!The real estate market is expected to do very well in 2021, with mortgage rates that are hovering at historic lows and forecasted by experts to remain favorable throughout the year. One challenge to the housing industry, however, is the lack of homes available for sale today. Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their Existing Home Sales Report, which shows that the inventory of homes for sale is currently at an all-time low.The report explains:“Total housing inventory at the end of December totaled 1.07 million units, down 16.4% from November and down 23% from one year ago (1.39 million). Unsold ... 02/02/2021

Condos at Silver Shells in Destin Florida Silver Shells condo is a gated condo complex located in Destin Florida. This beachfront resort and spa offers luxury condos that are designated as either short-term rental buildings or rental restricted buildings. the resort is located in the center of Destin just off Highway 98.  To the east the property borders with Henderson Beach State Park. Ac ross the street is a Walmart and Beall's shopping center. Silver Shells condo buildings  St. Barth  St. Croix St. Kitts St. Lucia St. Thomas St. Maarten Condo amenities at Silver Shells Destin swimming pools beachfront playground hot tubs tennis courts sauna/steam room fitness center Final wordsAll the condos that make up this beachfront resort make for the option as either a great primary residence, ... 11/01/2020

854033  - Residential  Condominium - Active      $200,000   Office File #:   Address: 251 Mattie M Kelly Boulevard 304, Destin, FL 32541 County: Okaloosa Area: 14 - Destin Sub Area: 1403 - West Destin Project Name/Subdivision: OLD BAY VILLAGE CONDOMINIUM Zoning:   Parcel ID: 00-2S-22-1121-0000-0304 Elementary School: Destin Middle School: Destin High School: Fort Walton Beach Apx SqFt(Htd/Cooled): 1,100 Price/SqFt: $181.82 Bedrooms: 2 Total Baths: 2 Full Baths: 2 Half Baths:   Design: N/A # Stories:       Units Above Ground: 2 Stories in Building: 3 Stories In Unit: 1 Year Built: 2005         Construction Status: Construction Complete     SqFt Source: County PA Records Pool: No Pool Type: None   Directions: From the intersection of Highway 98 and Airport Road in Destin, travel North on... 08/31/2020

 Listing Details 99 Shirah Street Destin, FL 32541Price: $1,250,000MLS number: 848845Beds: 6Baths: 4.5Sq feet: 2,826 Call Courtney Moher (850) 608-0677 to see if this property is still available. TURNKEY BEACH HOUSE!Nestled in one of the most lush and coveted locations along scenic highway 98 in Crystal Beach, this turnkey beach house is what you've been waiting for! 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in the MAIN house and 2 bedrooms (plus loft) and 2 bathrooms in the GUEST cottage offer accommodations for all. Inviting, light-filled rooms welcome you, while the home's coastal chic ambiance suggests casually elegant living and entertaining in all seasons. You will find full kitchens in both homes, two sets of washer/dryers, and ample parking space on the extra long driveway which most homes d... 06/19/2020

 I was referred to a potential home buyer in Destin, Florida.  He was in the construction business and had just been working in our area for a few months, coming here from another state. I could tell that English was his second language, and I listened carefully.  He told me that he had never bought a home before, but had found one online in Destin that he wanted to see. I looked it up and it was already under contract. Then, I asked him if he had been pre-qualified for a mortgage.  There can be stricter loan requirements for self-employed persons, and I was concerned that his local work history may not be sufficient to get approved.  He told me he had money saved up, emergency funds that he could spend.  He mentioned the full amount could be used.  Giving me pause, I said without think... 05/08/2020

What will be the impact of the coronavirus on the U. S. and local real estate markets be?At present, this is unknown but here is what we currently know:The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused massive global uncertainty, including a U.S. stock market correction no one could have seen coming. While much of the news has been about the effect on various markets, let’s also acknowledge the true impact it continues to have on lives and families around the world.With all this uncertainty, how do you make powerful and confident decisions in regard to your real estate plans?The National Association of Realtors (NAR) anticipates:“At the very least, the coronavirus could cause some people to put home sales on hold.”While this is an understandable approach, it is important to balance that with how it... 03/09/2020

 It dawned on me today driving across the Mid-Bay Bridge that I end up in a reverie each time I drive it.  During my morning or evening commute from Bluewater Bay to Destin, I go through a similar mental routine.  First, my eyes gaze at the water of Choctawhatchee Bay. Is it dark and grey, like today, reflecting the cloud-laden sky, is it a deep blue, dotted with whitecaps during a choppy day, or is it a blue-green, with sailboats and speedboats zig-zagging about? After the water and the sky, I glance at the horizon. If it’s near sunset, such dazzling colors can appear, from a burnt-siena to fiery orange or violet and yellow, that it’s almost a hazard to driving. Who hasn’t tried to snap a photo of a dusky sky (as a passenger) crossing the Mid-Bay Bridge? On a rare occasion, at night, t... 02/26/2020

Happy Valentines Day to Everyone.  I am hopefully the first person to wish you this heart felt wish.   It just occurred to me after many years in this industry that I have been playing the part of Cupid over all these years.  We can go round and round about who and what is the key decision maker or factor when it comes to the time to buy or sell a home or property.   After the economic decision of how much can I afford, It does become a very emotional decision about finding and buying a home.  The economic decision is a very large part but does the emotional factor become a larger issue after we get that boring finance part out of the way.   In what other industry do we view the "curb appeal" as being a very important part of the marketing plan.  In what other industry do we even consid... 02/13/2020

How smart is your home?  Is it smarter that you?  Do you know what the term SMART means?  Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology.The first contemporary SMART home technology products became available to consumers between 1998 and the early 2000s. Smart home technology allows users to control and monitor their connected home devices from Smart home apps, And other networked devices. Users can remotely control connected home systems whether they are home or away. This allows for more efficient energy and electric use as well as ensuring your home is secure. Smart home technology contributes to health and well-being enhancement by accommodating people with special needs, especially older people SMART technology is changing on a daily basis and it does not all work as intended.  ... 01/30/2020

Chip Jervis is a family man, a boater, a real estate broker, a lover of coastal living and all things Destin and northwest Florida!  I remember well the years 2003 to 2008 when the real estate market, especially in resort areas, was wild and crazy! Flipping properties, boutique developers, million dollar mortgages and the only qualification was you could fog a mirrior with your breath. I also remember well the subsequent market crash and very little if any mortgage money available.......... No one knows for sure when the next recession will occur but what is known is that the upcoming economic slowdown will not be caused by a housing market crash, as was the case in 2008. There are those who disagree and are comparing today’s real estate market to the market in 2005-2006, which preceded... 10/23/2019

"REAL ESTATE MATTERS" in Destin, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Ft. Walton Beach and northwest Florida!Whether you are considering moving up, moving down or just moving out, ask yourself the following question:Should I Fix My Home Up or Sell Now?........With the fall season upon us, change is in the air. For many families, children are growing up and moving out of the house, maybe leaving for college or taking a jump into the working world. Parents are finding themselves as empty nesters for the first time. The question inevitably arises: is it finally time to downsize?If you’re pondering that thought, you may also be wondering if you should fix-up your house before you sell it, or go straight to the market as-is, allowing a potential buyer to do the updates and remodeling.... 09/30/2019

533 Norriego Road, Destin, FL Just Sold Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Print Reviews View More Listings Follow This Home OkaloosaIsland Search All Homes For Sale Gulf Place Vacation Homes Santa Rosa Beach Homes For Sale 30A condo deals Santa Rosa Beach Home Values Destin Homes For Sale Presented By: Peter Mohylsky Broker Associate Better Homes and Gardens Emerald Coast 850-517-7098 Licensed In: FL   Schedule a Showing/Request Info $ Click for current price5 BEDROOMS | 5 Baths (4 full, 1 half ) BATHROOMS | 3120 SqFt The most desired location on Holiday Isle. Spectacular balconies to allow watching of dolphin frolicking, winter sunning on the upper south deck, or outdoor dining. Remodeled immaculate 5 bedroom beach house only steps to deeded beach access. Perfect for entertainin... 04/12/2019

533 Norriego Road, Destin, FL Just Sold Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Print Brochure My Reviews Just Sold! Get the Info! OkaloosaIsland Search All Homes For Sale Gulf Place Vacation Homes Santa Rosa Beach Homes For Sale 30A condo deals Santa Rosa Beach Home Values Destin Homes For Sale Presented By: Peter Mohylsky Broker Associate Better Homes and Gardens Emerald Coast 850-517-7098 Licensed In: FL   Schedule a Showing/Request Info $ Click for current price5 BEDROOMS | 5 Baths (4 full, 1 half ) BATHROOMS | 3120 SqFt The most desired location on Holiday Isle. Spectacular balconies to allow watching of dolphin frolicking, winter sunning on the upper south deck, or outdoor dining. Remodeled immaculate 5 bedroom beach house only steps to deeded beach access. Perfect for entertaini... 03/29/2019