Emerald Coast Real Estate

BLUEWATER BAY, NICEVILLE FLORIDA REAL ESTATE

Bluewater Bay is a mixed use of Residential, Resort, and Commercial Properties.  Located just across the bridge from Destin, Bluewater Bay is the location of choice for families, retirees, military personnel and part-timers. 

With over 2,500 acres, 50 miles of paved roads, and 7 miles of paved bike paths, residents and guests alike can always find something to do.  There are over a dozen neighborhoods that make up Bluewater Bay giving you opportunities to live in estate homes, patio homes, condominiums, on the water, on the golf course, or just about anything else that interests you.

The 36 Holes of Championship Golf, Tennis Center, and Swim Center, and other amenities make the Bluewater Bay Community a top choice in the area.

Unique Features of Bluewater Bay

·         Diversity of neighborhoods.  There are golf course, patio home, estate home, waterfront, communities available

·         Miles and miles of walking, jogging, and biking trails

·         Tennis, Golf, and Swimming available through separate memberships

·         Close to the beautiful beaches of the Emerald Coast

·         Convenient to Fine Dining and Shopping

About Bluewater Bay Homes

If you want an older home with character, Bluewater Bay has it.  If you want a new contemporary home, Bluewater Bay has it.  If you want a home on a Golf Course, Bluewater Bay has it.  If you want a home with a dock, Bluewater Bay has it.  If you want to build a new home, you can do it in Bluewater Bay.  In other words, Bluewater Bay has it all.  Bluewater Bay also has many Luxury Homes and Condos.

Amenities

·         Swimming

·         Tennis

·         Walking, jogging, biking

·         Deep Water Dockage

·         Marina

·         Golf

Schools

·         Elementary – Bluewater and Plew

·         Middle – Destin or Ruckel

·         High - Niceville

CHARDONNAY ESTATES, NICEVILLE FLORIDA REAL ESTATE

Chardonnay Estates is located just across the mid-bay bridge in the prestigious Bluewater Bay Community.  With 80 Mediterranean Homes Built after 2002, Chardonnay Estates has become one of the most popular neighborhoods in the Bluewater Bay area.

Unique Features of Chardonnay Estates

·         Convenient to everything

·         Great Schools

·         Family and Retiree Neighborhood

·         All Homes are Relatively New

·         Mediterranean Theme

About Chardonnay Estates Homes

·         2000-2600 square foot homes

·         Stucco exteriors

·         Landscaped Yards

·         10-12 ft. ceilings

·         Fireplaces

·         Low Homeowners Fees

Amenities

·         None

Schools

·         Elementary – Bluewater

·         Middle – Destin or Ruckel

·         High – Niceville

SWIFT CREEK, NICEVILLE FL

Swift Creek is a Gorgeous residential neighborhood located on the Northern Outskirts of Niceville.  A long time favorite of Military Officers, Local Business and Political Leaders, Swift Creek features several phases and contains newer homes from 2200 square feet to over 4000 square feet.

Unique Features of Swift Creek

·         One of the newest subdivisions in Niceville with most homes being built after 1999.

·         There are still vacant lots available so that you can design and build your own home.

·         Conveniently Located to the High School and Eglin Air Force Base

·         Master Planned Community with cul-de-sacs and modern amenities

About Swift Creek Homes

·         Typically Built after 1999

·         Large Homes 2500-4000+ Square Feet

·         Architecturally Distinct

·         Upscale Finishes

·         Brick and Stucco Exteriors

·         Tall Ceilings

·         Custom Cabinets and Granite Countertops

·         Strict Architectural Control

Amenities

·         Parks and Playgrounds

·         3.7 Mile Nature Trail with Bridges and Observation Areas

·         Tennis Court

·         Swimming Pool

Schools

·         Elementary – Edge

·         Middle – Ruckel

·         High - Niceville

BAYSHORE PLACE

Bayshore Place is a upscale residential neighborhood consisting of approximately 125 single family homes located in Southern Niceville. 

Unique Features of the Neighborhood:

·         Above average lot sizes with most exceeding ½ acre in size.

·         One of the newest subdivisions in Niceville with most homes built after 2002.

·         Built to more stringent building codes than homes built prior to 2000

·         No Homeowners Association Fees

About Bayshore Place Homes

·         Typically Built after 2002

·         Exteriors Constructed from Brick and Stucco

·         Dimensional or Architectural Shingled Roofs

·         Large Yards

·         Ceilings Higher than 10 ft. common

Amenities

·         None

Schools

·         Elementary – Valparaiso

·         Middle – Lewis

·         High - Niceville

For the past couple of years, we have all been talking about the correlation between property taxes and individuals ability to afford homes along the Emerald Coast.  After a couple of years of heated debate, Amendment 1 was put to a vote this week.  The amendment passed overwhelmingly this week as most residents want their tax bills lowered. 

The Key Points of Amendment 1 Are:

1. It doubles Florida’s Homestead Exemption to $50,000 for non-school taxes.  The previous exemption was $25,000
2. It Provides Portability.  This means that homesteaders can transfer $500,000 worth of the non-taxed value they’ve accumulated over the years to their next home.
3. It does not take away the Save Our Homes Cap of 3%.
4. Businesses receive a $25,000 exemption from the intangible tax.

Opponents of the Amendment are concerned that vital services will need to be scaled back.

This is a good first step but more still needs to be done.  Our property taxes have nearly doubled in the last 5 years and this relief will only benefit the average property owner about $240 per year. 

Flying under the radar though has been insurance rates.  We continue to read daily about the high cost of insurance in our state but the reality is that rates have dropped dramatically in the last 18 months.  There are some categories of properties that are expensive to insure but justifiably so.  If you build a house in a low area or on the water, you should expect to pay higher rates. 

The insurance on my home is almost back to the levels of 2003.  That’s good news for me.

So what does this all mean?  Well the overall cost of property ownership is decreasing, although more slowly than we like. 

Insurance and taxes are relative in nature.  For those of us that live here, we complain, mainly because the increase was significant and occured over a relatively short time.  I had a client from Texas in town today.  They had a walk-through on a condominium that they had purchased.  They told me that the property taxes on their Texas home with a market value of $150,000 were higher than those on the new $300,000 condominium they had just purchased.

I’m glad I live along the Emerald Coast….At least we have beautiful beaches, great weather, great schools, great public services, and our taxes are less than Texas.