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Houses Selling In Destin

July 19, 2010 Leave a Comment

This home in Destiny By The Sea sold for $2,225,000.

Signs of Life for Destin Real Estate

The oil spill has not had too large an effect on Destin Homes For Sale over the last 30 days.  There were 21 single family homes sold and here are how the numbers breakout.

  • Most expensive Destin home sold was in Destiny By The Sea and sold for $2,225,000.   Interestingly enough it was a cash sale.
  • Least expensive Destin home sold was in the Quiet Wood subdivsion and it sold for $100,000.
  • The average sale price per sq.ft. was $175,000

All in all I think it’s safe to say that we all wish there were more Destin homes selling but having 21 homes sell even with all the negative news the area has seen over the last five years is good news and bodes well for future Destin home sellers.

If you would like more information about Destin Homes For Sale go to At The Beach Destin.  You can also call or text John Moran at 850-217-7618.

How About Panama City Foreclosures?

If you are interested in Panama City Beach Real Estate including Panama City Beach Condo Foreclosures and Panama City Beach Home Foreclosures simply click on the links or go to Panama City Beach Real Estate News.

Filed Under: Featured, Investing

5 Deadly Mistakes Most Destin Home and Condo Sellers Make

July 5, 2010 Leave a Comment

There are 5 deadly mistakes most Destin home and condo sellers make that cost them thousands of dollars – I don’t want you to make the same ones:

1.  Failing to analyze why they are selling.

2.  Not preparing their home for the buyer’s eye.

3.  Pricing their homes incorrectly.

Click here for a FREE Market Analysis for your home or condo.

4.  Making it difficult for buyers to get information on their homes.

5.  Hiring a realtor that doesn’t have a specific marketing plan.

Keller Williams Realty’s At The Beach Team sells more Destin Real Estate than most agents in our MLS – Call today to see how we can Get Your House or Condo Sold Fast and For Top Dollar. 

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What Happens If Oil Hits The Destin Area Beaches?

May 3, 2010 1 Comment

Worry Abounds

Everyone who owns or lives in the Destin area along with those who visit our wonderful beaches is worried about the oil spill and what the effects will be.  As of today I can tell you there is NO OIL on our beaches yet but by all accounts there will be in the days and weeks to come. 

What Next?

Merlin Law Group will be hosting an educational town hall meeting, along with Keefe, Anchors, Gordon and Moyle, P.A (KAGM). to help those who may be affected from what is being described as the worst environmental calamity in US history, in understanding what they need to know about the oil spill and how it may affect their bottom-line. Gulf Coast Oil Spill Catastrophe: An Educational Town Hall Meeting is expected to be heavily attended by those unsure as to what this catastrophe can mean to their lives, will be held on Tuesday, May 4th at 1:00 PM in the Emerald Ballroom at the Hilton at Sandestin, 4400 South Sandestin Boulevard, Destin, Florida 32550.

I will attend and hopefully learn what property and business owners need to do now in order to prepare their property against damage and in the unfortunate event that a claim will have to be filed. Apparently they will address concerns from condominium associations, restaurants and hotels anticipating and already experiencing major interruption in their business as people who had considered vacationing in along the Gulf Coast and Florida are cancelling plans in face of the real possibility of the destruction of beaches by the spill. Also of great concern is possible evacuation should the oil cause the presence of toxins in the air and in the water.

Check back tomorrow to see the results of this meeting. 

Wondering About Your Destin Real Estate?

If you own Destin Real Estate and would like to know what you could expect if you were to sell it in today’s market conditions simply call or text John Moran at 850-217-7618 or send send me an email at JohnMoran@AtTheBeachTeam.com

Filed Under: Destin Beach Lifestyle, Destin Beach Lifestyle and Real Estate Tips Tagged With:

Villa Coyaba Condo is Exquisit Luxury At The Beach

February 7, 2010 Leave a Comment

Villa Coyaba Brings New Luxury to the Beach

This Villa Coyaba Condo ushers in a new era of luxurious beachside living in Destin. Nestled in the charming seaside community of Crystal Beach on famed Scenic Highway 98. The riveting penthouse views are framed by gorgeous interiors by a professional interior designer – everyone prefers this 4th/top floor location!

Villa Coyaba is the most impressive short term rental capable unit on the beach! Amenities include: movie theatre with kitchen, Gulf front fitness center with top of the line equipment and an infinity edge Gulf front pool with huge brick paved pool deck with gated access to the gorgeous beaches! Villa Coyaba – unrivaled quality and beauty in design, construction and amenities.

Learn more about

Click on these links for 30A Real Estate News and Panama City Beach Real Estate News – and you will find information about condo foreclosures, condo short sales and much more.

Filed Under: Condos Tagged With: ,

Buying Real Estate In Your IRA

February 5, 2010 Leave a Comment

Because investing and Destin Real Estate go hand and hand I think it’s very important to be informed as possible on how to maximize your investing power.  With that in mind I came across this question and answer segment on Smart Money.com  that address IRA’s and real estate.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

Q. Can an IRA be invested in mortgages or real estate?
—Linda Bruyette, Ellington, Conn

Yes, some real estate (including commercial property, vacation rentals, raw land and mortgage notes) is permitted. At best, real estate provides steady income and long-term appreciation. Usually only special-purpose banks and trust companies offer these investments, as “self-directed IRAs.”

Potential risks are high. “Self dealing” is strictly prohibited—which means you can’t invest in something you or immediate family members use or benefit from. Otherwise your entire IRA balance is treated as a withdrawal and subject to relevant taxes plus a 10 percent penalty if you’re under age 59 1/2. Plus, there’s the liquidity issue: You need a big IRA to handle buying and maintaining property while also keeping a diversified portfolio. And if you need out quickly, you better hope for a robust real estate market. A good real estate mutual fund or exchange-traded fund is a simpler choice.

Click on the links to find Destin Foreclosures, Destin Short Sales, Destin Real Estate For Sale

Also check out Kelly Plantation Real Estate News, Regatta Bay Real Estate News,  Destin Condo News.

Filed Under: Destin Beach Lifestyle, Destin Beach Lifestyle and Real Estate Tips, Investing Tagged With:

Mortgage Rates Expected To Go Up For Destin Real Estate

February 2, 2010 Leave a Comment

I saw this press release in Florida Realtors magazine and thought the information would be helpful for folks considering Destin Real Estate For Sale.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Feb. 1, 2010 – According to Dr. Mark Dotzour, chief economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, mortgage interest rates are low right now but don’t expect that to last. When the government quits buying mortgage-backed securities, rates will head up and away.

Dotzour says that mortgage rates were low at the end of 2009 because “the global consensus among bondholders appeared to be that inflation will remain low in the United States for an extended period. This caused the ten-year U.S. Treasury rate to fall to between 3.2 and 3.6 percent for much of the second half of 2009.”

With extraordinary levels of federal deficit spending, Dotzour says it is unlikely that the low-inflation scenario will be popular when the economy starts to rebound. Consumers should expect mortgage rates to rise when signs of improvement appear.

A second factor contributing to the low mortgage rates is the Federal Reserve Bank’s unprecedented purchase of nearly all the mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2009, he adds. Totaling more than $1 trillion for the year, this program has been extended through the end of March 2010.

“The Fed has never done this before in its history,” says Dotzour. “They are doing this to stimulate the economy by keeping mortgage rates as low as possible. When the Fed stops buying these securities from Fannie and Freddie, mortgage rates are likely to increase, and possibly quite abruptly.”

How far will rates go up when the Fed terminates its buying program? Dotzour says that question is difficult to answer precisely because this has never been done before; but many experts think that rates could move up one-half to 1 percent.

“The combination of extraordinarily low mortgage rates and current price levels are making homes extremely affordable to American families. In fact, national and Texas housing affordability indices indicate that homes are more affordable than ever. But this will not last. When the economy recovers and the Fed stops purchasing mortgages, rates will rise.”

To read more on the subject, see Dotzour’s article “Rate Expectations” in the January 2010 issue of Tierra Grande magazine at http://recenter.tamu.edu/tgrande/.

For more information about real estate in the area check out Kelly Plantation Real Estate News or the 30A Real Estate News and the Panama City Beach Real Estate News.

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California vs. Florida Home Prices

January 20, 2010 Leave a Comment

Ever wonder what houses are selling for in other parts of the country?  I’ve heard for years that prices are extremely high in California so I thought I’d take a look and see how we compare and here is what I found. 

California First

 I was on Lenny LaRocca’s web site www.southbayhomeexpert.com – Lenny covers the Hermosa Beach area in California and I saw that this house in Torrence CA recently sold for $619,000.  It was built in 1954, has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 1,338 sq. ft.   

What About Florida?

By comparison this house in the gated community of Kelly Plantation in Destin Florida sold recently for $600,000.  It was built in 1998, has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and 3,350 sq.ft. 

Interesting isn’t it? 

For more information on Destin Homes For Sale or Destin Condos For Sale simply click on the links and let Keller Williams Realty’s At The Beach Team help you get your place at the beach – relatively cheap!

Filed Under: Featured