[barbizq]

Hello, I am needing guidance in researching the Destin area. I don't even really know if it is Destin that I need to live in... but from what I have seen online it looks pretty nice. I am not wealthy. So I am not looking for $500k homes...

Here is what I am looking for... I need atleast a 4/2.5... I would love to be near the water... beach side not bay... most importantly though... is the school district. I have two young children... ds is in kindergarten and dd will be starting kindergarten there. I am NOT racist... let me throw that out there NOW before I continue. Having that said I would want to live in a predominantly white area of town. I would like the best school district that is available and will also need organized sports for my children. I also would prefer to live where I have a little more space between homes. I have 2 Great Danes and they are loud and I would prefer they didn't bother anyone....also bc of the Danes I would need somewhat of a yard. And lastly, I need to be able to either be lucky enought to purchase a home with a detached garage or have enought space to build atleast a 2 car garage if not 3.

Thanks so much for any pointers...

I forgot to mention... My family will need to be near Eglin... but I am interested in... Destin, Fort Walton, Miramar Beach etc.... Oh and Panama City.

Thanks again!

[beachmouse]

First, if your family needs to be near Eglin, Panama City is right out and Miramar Beach is pushing it a bit from a commute standpoint. The afternoon commute on US 98 in the summer is a nightmare.

Demographics- Okaloosa County runs about 83% white, 10% black and has a sizeable Asian and Asian-mixed population. You actually have to work fairly hard to find an elementary school that's more than 20% black, and the only neighborhoods I think of as 'black' are places you aren't going to be looking. (ie. the Sylvania Heights area of Ft. Walton Beach) The public schools in Okaloosa and Walton counties are generally well-regarded, and people who go private do so for religous, not academic reasons.

As for housing stock, it's pretty tight in the area because the Air Force owns 95%+ of the land south of I-10. If you want to be really close to the beach and stay under $250K, you're typically talking about a smallish cement block home with a good-sized yard or a bigger (2000sf+) home shoehorned onto a 50x100 foot lot. Both 4/2.5 and a good-sized yard requires being willing to go a little bit inland- the Shalimar/ Kenwood/Poquito Bayou areas on the north side of FWB have some bigger homes on real lots and are less than 10 minutes from the beach. If you are open to being north of the bay, the Bluewater Bay community is only a 10 minute drive to the Destin beaches across the toll bridge, generally has 1/4 to 1/3 acre lots in the older (pre 1992ish) part of town and is extremely family-friendly.

If you can be patient and are willing to do a little work on the property, you probably could score a foreclosure or short sale in Destin for a reasonable price. There are some nice homes in that category listed in the $200-$300K range right now. Keep in mind that insurance costs are going to be pretty high compared to inland areas and budget accordingly.

School districts are county by county in Florida. In Okaloosa County, (which has been among the top 3 school districts in the state for several years running) I'd say the best elementaries would be Destin, Bluewater and Plew in the Bluewater Bay/East Niceville area, Longwood on the north part of Ft. Walton Beach, and Ballet Academie in FWB if your kids are interested in a fine arts charter school.

State school grade reports web site:

School Accountability Report...

Organized kids' sports are widely available and get fairly competitive once you get to middle school age, especially in football, baseball/softball and soccer.

[barbizq]

Thank you so much! I am not really too concerned about the commute... my husband is special forces and gone all the time... so it isn't like he will be driving daily... for example he just got home yesterday... and was gone since Jan 7th... he will be home for a month... and gone for 4 months again... so he doesn't care about the commute... he would rather we be in a good area and that the kids and I would be close to everything and happy about where we are at... As a rule there is never anything near a base... I am in Bragg now and there is really nothing here... We are orginally from Miami.. I don't need to be on the beach... short drive is fine.... I want an average house.. I was hoping for a typical Florida/stucco/red roof home... 4/2.5 yard, good school.. and I would like to be near things... but def safety and school are most important. I have time.. I am looking now to move next summer..

Thanks again! Your post was very helpful!

[beachmouse]

Not so much stucco in these parts, save for a couple older and a couple newer parts of the area. The bulk of construction tends toward brick and hardiplank. It's a more Southern area, both in construction and in culture.

I think a lot of folks coming from Bragg are going to end up in Crestview because it's cheap and close to base, which is kind of a shame because it's also annoyingly far from what makes the area interesting.

Hopefully for y'all the timing ends up such that you're buying in the middle of the 33rd draw down, which should put a decent number of nice properties on the market.

[barbizq]

Oh really, being from south Florida I expected to come across the stucco homes.. that is fine.. doesn't really matter... As far as Crestview I def won't be there... I am so over living near a base! I am def staying south of I-10... and near the water... I am surprised at the numbers right now... I looked a few years ago when the talk began about the BRAC move.. and the prices were pretty steep.... hopefully I get lucky..

[beachmouse]

When they announced BRAC, it was pretty much the peak of the market here. Now things are down to something close to reasonable prices, and I think the bottom point comes if the 33rd is fully drawn down before the Ft . Bragg and F-35s show up in force. (Yes, it's a military town. Something like 73% of Okaloosa County's economy traces back to the DoD)

Having said that, I think we're going to hit the bottom sooner than the rest of the state because of the land scarcity issue, and that it's only going to be 2003 prices instead of about 1998 prices they're getting in other parts of the state.

[barbizq]

Several years ago I would have been quite worried about finding something and being able to afford that something!

Now I am not so worried... but the 10 hour drive between me and you is something... I need to travel there several times and check out the city.. cities...

I live in a 1972 brick/hardiplank ranch 3/2 lots of space about 2200sq feet with a detached garage and a pool as well as a nice sized yard which is fenced in. I would like to find the same there... My house here is 190k.. I would like to stay in this price range...

What are the better realty companies in the area? Remax? GMAC? etc..??

[AAbsolute]

Originally Posted by barbizq

Several years ago I would have been quite worried about finding something and being able to afford that something!

Now I am not so worried... but the 10 hour drive between me and you is something... I need to travel there several times and check out the city.. cities...

I live in a 1972 brick/hardiplank ranch 3/2 lots of space about 2200sq feet with a detached garage and a pool as well as a nice sized yard which is fenced in. I would like to find the same there... My house here is 190k.. I would like to stay in this price range...

What are the better realty companies in the area? Remax? GMAC? etc..??

The best schools in the area seem to be in Niceville which is South of I10 and 15 minutes North of the beaches. I like Walton County, but that's just for work reason's. Maybe you should sheck out Hwy 30A in Walton County for your family's peace of mind.

[Ryan Hardy]

Need to Check out BlueWater Bay... about 5 minutes from Destin and a world away.... (Tourists) good school... GREAT neighborhood, mostly retired/active military officers with a 36 hole gold course... we love it... and we are picky about our houses too...

[Ryan Hardy]

BTW... when are you moving this direction...?