Your Sandestin, Destin and South Walton-30A Real Estate Resource. - Gena Bolton's Real Estate Blog

Baypine Cottages of Sandestin, Florida

7/27/2014

Baypine Cottages of Sandestin, Florida For Sale - Great Getaway

When I previewed this property, 8860 Baypines Dr, I enjoyed the many extra details where great attention has been given for a complete remodel. This is a very upscale second home or rental ready property. The outdoor surrounding porch has been incorporated into the indoor living space. It has transformed the entire home for great entertainment paradise.
Click here to see all available properties in Baypines Cottages.

The Bungalows of Seagrove Fl

7/26/2014

The Bungalows of Seagrove Florida, in the Heart of Scenic 30A.

Rental Ready~ ONLY 400 yards to the beach!! Well maintained/one owner~

New A/C (June,2014)~ fully furnished ~washer/dryer recently serviced ~painted and new carpet in 2013~ tv's included~ queen-sized bed in master bedroom ~2 full-sized beds in 2nd bedroom~
Rental Ready~ ONLY 400 yards to the beach!! Well maintained/one owner.
Rental Projections: 22 weeks=$20,750/yr(Per Southern Vac. Rentals)

Click here to view listing Click here to see all the Bungalows

Sandestin Resort, Pine Ridge Villas Short Sale

7/25/2014

Pine Ridge Villas, Short Sale 375,000, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL THREE BEDROOM THREE BATH CONDO IN THE PINE RIDGE VILLAS CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY WITHIN THE SANDESTIN GOLF & BEACH RESORT. THIS CONDO HAS PANORAMIC VIEWS THAT INCLUDE THE 13TH FAIRWAY & 15TH GREEN OF THE BAYTOWNE GOLF COURSE. THIS GREAT CONDO HAS 10 FT CEILINGS WITH 5 CEILING FANS & CROWN MOLDING IN FOYER, LIVING ROOM & ALL BEDROOMS. MASTER SUITE FEATURES WALK-IN CLOSET, TUMBLED MARBLE COUNTERTOPS WITH DOUBLE VANITY, SEPARATE SHOWER WITH SEAT & JACUZZI WHIRLPOOL TUB. WET BAR WITH GRANITE COUNTER TOP AND TUMBLE MARBLE BACKSPLASH IN LIVING AREA. TRAVERTINE MARBLE FLOORING IN FOYER,DINING & LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN & MASTER BATH. ALL ELECTRIC KITCHEN INCLUDES GRANITE COUNTER TOP WITH TUMBLED MARBLE FULL UNDER CABINET BACKSPLASH AND STAINLESS APPLIANCES.

See full listing here See all available Units

Sandestin Florida, Sandpiper Village

7/24/2014

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort - Sandpiper Village - Great Value!

Sandestin's Sandpiper Village was developed in 1976, there are 73 detached cottages with 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms and with 1 or 2 stories. This is what many consider an original Sandestin neighborhood. However, most of each property's structures have been remodeled, updated, etc. making them more current and creating a lower insurance coverage as a result. The owners' association is a condo association. This has created a wonderful value for the owners with the roof, exterior, etc. insured, maintained, updated and protecting value for all Sandpiper owners. These homes are rental capable and are favorites among returning guests. Click here to see homes

One Beach Club Drive, Condominiums

7/22/2014

Sandestin Resort's, One Beach Club Drive Condominiums.

One Beach Club Drive Condominium’s, located on the beachside. There are 102 units built in 2003. Some of these residential condos have views of both the gulf and the bay. There are 2,3,4 & 5 bedoom units from 1,900sq ft to over 5,000sq ft.

Private poolside cabanas, tennis courts, (on-site) first class fitness center, clubroom, media room, large pool, hot tub and beach club memberships are just some of what makes One Beach Club Drive Condominium the special place it truly is. Click here to see available units

One Beach Club Drive embodies all the Sandestin Resort has to offer.

Sandestin offers a variety of real estate options

7/20/2014

Sandestin offers a variety of real estate options, with amenities that include golf, biking, the beach, marine activities, and shopping, dining and entertainment at the Village of Baytowne Wharf! These amenities extend to the Grand Boulevard shopping plaza, which includes more dining and shopping and even a Publix grocery store, all of which are accessible via golf cart!

If you are looking for a cottage style home in Sandestin, consider looking in Laurel Grove, Crystal Lake at Sandestin or the Bungalos at Sandestin. If an estate size home is what you need, then Burnt Pine, Island Green or Baytowne Avenue may be for you.

Sandestin also offers bay front and gulf front condos. Gulf Front condos include the Luau, Westwinds, Southwinds, Beachside and One Beach Club Drive. If walking to the beach is ideal, then these condos are a good place to live. Bay front condos are located primarily in the Village of Baytowne Wharf and include Bahia, Le Jardin, Elation, Observation Point, Grand Sandestin, Market Street Inn, Pilot House and Lasata. They are in the middle of the a Village at Baytowne Wharf and have quick access to dining, drinks and entertainment.

Sandestin has four golf courses, Baytowne, The Raven, Burnt Pine and The Links. The Baytowne golf course was designed by Tom Jackson and features wide, forgiving fairways and 18 holes of play, which start on the Bayside of Sandestin and continue on to the Beachside and back again. The Raven golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and was featured in Golf Digest. Burnt Pine was designed by Rees Jones and is the most exclusive of the four courses with spectacular views of the Bay. The Links, also designed by Tom Jackson, is perhaps the most challenging of the 4 courses with narrow fairways and water hazards along most of the holes. The challenging play of The Links at Sandestin, along with beautiful bay views from most of the holes, makes this course a favorite for more advanced golfers. Many of the Sandestin homes has views of these golf courses, this is a true golfers paradise.

Whatever your home or condominiums needs, Sandestin is a place where you can turn your dreams into a lifestyle!

Lunch in Baytowne

7/19/2014

Nice day to sit outside and enjoy lunch in Baytowne ~ Sandestin Florida

Magnolia Dune Seagrove Florida

7/18/2014

Sold ! I love this sign. Magnolia Dune Seagrove Florida

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOMES IN MAGNOLIA DUNE

How Sandestin Got its Name

7/18/2014

How Sandestin Got its Name:

The name of our resort community, Sandestin Resort, is a fusion of the names of two towns that border it on either side, Santa Rosa Beach and Destin. Sandestin Resort first opened in 1974 with a few hundred acres, a Sheraton Hotel (where the Bay Club is now located), the links golf course and a grass hut on the beach. In 1981 the vision, what we now know as Sandestin took shape. 1998 Intrawest acquired Sandestin and the Village at Baytowne Wharf, now the heart of the resort, was conceived as part of the future for Sandestin.

Today Sandestin is one of the top resort communities in America, almost anything you could desire is only a golf cart ride way.

Sandestin is a true destination resort with everything you could need or want available on-site. After you have found your perfect home in Sandestin, it is time to enjoy the fun-filled lifestyle. Where golf carts are the preferred method of transportation. So how about starting your permanent vacation now.

By Gena Bolton

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

7/18/2014

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a feast for the senses.

Whether it is the rhythmic waves lapping along our spectacular sugar white beaches, or the soft mist rolling off the green fairways giving away to another sunny day at our 2400 acre resort. Whether it is the the delighted squeals from children playing, or the the shared laughter of friends remembering adventures of the past day at a village coffee shop. Whatever the moment captured, the sights and sounds of Sandestin offer a sense of warmth, safety and comfort. The feelings that Sandestin inspires can be difficult to describe at times, but those who have discovered this paradise will tell you that one thing is easily understood - Sandestin is a place to call home. As the resort is home for so many kind and gracious people. Sandestin is often a special place for family and friends to gather together. It is a place where traditions are born and kept: where family memories are made and treasured. So we thought it only appropriate to start a blog that celebrates this place we call home.
By: Gena Bolton

Flood Zone - Florida

7/17/2014

Flood Zone Helpful Hints

A lot of people don’t know the flood map is not set in stone,” “understand they are limited in many aspects, budget, resources and time available, and you can challenge it.”

Article From the Herald/Times

Why are flood insurance rates rising?
Faced with a $24 billion deficit in the National Flood Insurance Program, Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Act to help make the program more fiscally sound.

How does a homeowner know if his or her property is currently subsidized?
The insurance premium rate sheet includes a one-page summary that lists the flood zone as well as a box indicating if the rate is grandfathered or not. If “yes” is checked, the property is grandfathered, indicating the property was likely built before the National Flood Insurance Program was federally mandated and benefits from a subsidy.

What will happen to my rates if my rate is “grandfathered?”
Until now, the federal policy was to allow property owners who maintained payments on their flood insurance to receive the subsidized rate and avoid the rate shock of having their insurance match the true market rate. Under the Biggert-Waters Act, property owners who have subsidized policies for non-primary residences and commercial property will see annual increases in their rates of 25 percent until the rate matches the full risk rate.

Property owners with subsidized rates who sell their home, allow their policy to lapse or purchase a policy for the first time, will no longer be eligible for subsidies starting this month and will be charged the full risk rate.

What is a “full risk rate”?
A full risk rate is one in which the premium takes into account the full range of possible flood losses, including rare but catastrophic floods.

How can a property owner find out what the property’s full risk rate will be?
Many factors influence the rate but the most important is the elevation of the structure in relation to the base flood elevation (or BFE.) A community’s Flood Insurance Rate Map (or FIRM) indicates the portion of that community that has a 1 percent or greater chance of flooding each year. That is considered the Special Flood Hazard Area, or high-risk zone. The higher the elevation of a structure above the base flood elevation, the lower the flood risk. This information is reflected on an Elevation Certificate, a form completed by a licensed engineer or surveyor.

What is the importance of the risk designation?
The higher the risk, the higher the premium. Under Biggert-Waters, the goal was to gradually phase out subsidies so that property owners were paying the true cost of the flood risk for their property.

FEMA uses various kinds of zone designations to determine risk:

V zones are usually located near the ocean and are particularly vulnerable to storm surges. They are the highest risk, and premiums in this zone are the most expensive.
A zones are usually located near a river, lake or stream, the second highest risk zone. Average premium is around $500 annually.
B, C, X, and A99 zones are less prone to flooding.

How does a property owner know if the rate is an accurate reflection of the flood risk?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency bases its risk assessment on flood insurance rate maps (or FIRMS) based on technical studies that evaluate the flood risk in communities and regions on a large scale. Because the maps do not investigate individual properties, are not updated annually and may not reflect significant changes that could affect water flow, some homes may be mapped in the wrong zones.

If a property owner knows of a change in structure or water body, a change in mangrove vegetation that could affect water flow, or suspects the map to be inaccurate, he can apply to FEMA to modify the map or the property’s risk designation.

“The areas where we see the most conservative mapping is along the coast, where flooding is associated with storm surge,” Cummins said. “As a layman, you have to ask what’s changed in my area? If you can tie that to something that affects water levels, you can call a professional and ask if the typography is represented in the flood map.”

How does a property owner challenge a flood map or risk designation?
Homeowners can file an application for a change after they raise the elevation of their property. They may also file a Letter of Map Revision (or LOMR) that asks FEMA to move the map lines based on a detailed survey, signed and sealed by an engineer, and provided by the property owners.

The property owner must supply FEMA with supporting material to justify their claim. It may be as simple as an elevation certificate or as complex as numerical modeling of wave impacts. All the supporting material usually requires three signatures: the professional engineer must validate the authenticity and technical validity of the information; the homeowner must agree to it; and, a local official must approve it.

It is expensive for most homeowners to hire an engineer to proceed with a detailed survey and it is not uncommon for a group of homeowners to pool their resources and get a community or area remapped.

How do you get an elevation certificate?
Every property in a flood zone already has had a surveyor certify the property’s elevation. The insurance agent then rates the property based on that elevation certificate. Elevation certificates may be part of a homeowner’s mortgage documents or be in their file with the insurance agent or lender.

Homeowners may also hire a surveyor to complete a new elevation certificate. The cost usually starts at about $200.

C.O.B.R.A. Flood Zone - Destin Florida

7/16/2014

C.O.B.R.A. (Coastal Barrier Resources Act) Flood Zone

Confused as to what a C.O.B.R.A. (Coastal Barrier Resources Act) flood zone is?

Depending upon which flood zone the property is in, will depend on what type of flood insurance you can obtain. For example, if you buy in a flood zone “x” you qualify for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is also the Government Flood Insurance Program. Cost is about $365/year for up to $250,000 of insurance.

COBRA Flood zone as described completely by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA:
“The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (COBRA) of 1982 and later amendments, removed the Federal government from financial involvement associated with building and development in undeveloped portions of designated coastal barriers (including the Great Lakes). These areas were mapped and designated as Coastal Barrier Resources System units or “otherwise” protected areas. They are colloquially called COBRA zones. COBRA banned the sale of NFIP flood insurance for structures built or substantially improved on or after a specified date. For the initial COBRA designation, this date is October 1, 1983. For all subsequent designations, this date is the date the COBRA zone was identified. COBRA zones and their identification dates are shown on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

Communities may permit development in these areas even though no Federal assistance is available, provided that the development meets NFIP requirements.Now, what does all this mean to you? If you are interested in purchasing a home that has been designated as in a Cobra Zone AE zone, and you wish to obtain a mortgage, flood insurance is required….and you can not obtain a flood policy from NFIP. You must obtain private flood insurance, which can be very expensive. In the Destin FL real estate market, there are many communities in a COBRA zone.

When you find the home you want to purchase send the listing to an insurance company. They will let you know which flood zone the home is in.

Here’s another example…I have a Buyer purchasing a home which is in an “AE” flood zone. This means NFIP is available, it’s just a little more expensive. Since we don’t have an elevation certificate yet, the insurance provider gave a range from $400 – $1,500 per year. Once we provide them with an elevation certificate (a surveyor provides this) which determines the “base” elevation of the home, we can then get an exact cost of the flood insurance. The base elevation determines how high above sea level the homes sits, ie. 8′, 10′, etc. (The higher the better).

South Walton Things to Do!

7/10/2014