[beachmouse]

The Niceville Bay Beacon is actually pretty good for a weekly, and does better long features than the NWF Daily News. Unfortunately, they're low budget and don't really do a web version, but you could e-mail them about getting a couple of issues:

Beacon Newspapers, Niceville Florida

Northwest Florida Daily News (in recent months, containing less actual news):

Northwest Florida Daily News

A couple of Bluewater websites:

We voted to go to a special tax district a couple years back because we wanted better landscaping but didn't want a development-wide HOA. About half of town was developed without neighborhood HOAs and the non-HOA residents felt like a special tax district was better than a HOA because it's a lot more limited in its power. It's about $70 per residental unit per year regardless of home size or value. Anyways, here's their web site, complete with explanations in the correspondence section about how beaver control on private property is outside of what the special tax district can do.

http://www.bluewaterbay.org/

General golf course website with links about swim, tennis, marina, etc.:

http://www.bwbresort.com/

The area is probably 90-95% year round residents with the rest snowbirds and a small number of short term rental condos/townhomes.

[Memphis1979]

Originally Posted by adner

I live right by a tourist town now and we stay away as much as we can on the weekends. So, I know what you mean by that. Were people pretty friendly with you when you moved? If anyone has any pics of bluewater bay i would love to see them. The landscape, the streets, the schools etc. Does Niceville have a paper I could look at online??? Thanks guys.

The poster above me did really well on the paper front.

My suggestion would be that you come down and visit for a week, and see the area for yourself. I never move to an area I have never visited before.

BTW, what part of Misery do you live in? My mother lived there a few years back in Doniphan (spl) in the south east corner.

[linc]

Originally Posted by adner

Thanks guys! I am not looking for beach front. Oh, I would love it, but I'm afraid I could not afford it. Want under $1600 a month. BUT, I do really want the amentities at my fingertips. That's a big deal to me. Want the pool, want the tennis court, want the exercise room. Sounds like Santa Rosa Beach would be nice. Wondered if the tourists stayed at the beach or if they ventured into the city.

Linc- can I be nosey and ask what u guys do for a living down there. All I know if r/e. I do have my insurance license, but I just got them and dont have much experience yet.

One other thing. Is it as nice to live there as it is to visit?????
Thanks again guys, I appreciate the time u took to reply. Good luck on the move linc, let me know how u like it once your there.

Adner,

I am a computer programmer and my wife is a vet tech/pet groomer. We didn't have any trouble finding jobs. I called a company while I was in Destin looking at houses and drove over to an interview. They called me the next week and said I had the job. My wife went into 6 or so grooming shops/vet clinics and most of them said she could work there when she got into town. FYI.... we will finally be living there next Wednesday

[adner]

Thanks everyone. I had a death in the family and have not been back to the site for awhile. I looked at the links you guys sent me. That helps a bunch.

Glad to hear you had no problem getting a job down there. That is a real worry for us. Again, all we know are sales and that's pretty scary when you don't know anyone.

Please let me know how the new ones moving down there like it and what you think.

Also, would love to see pics of the towns. Not the beach, I've seen that, the actual towns.

Thanks again.

[maybemovinsouth]

Okaloosa schools are pretty much right up there with the best in the state.

PS--As a Choctaw and FSU grad, there are worst things in the world than going to school at FSU.

[campagnalaura]

WE ARE relocating from Scottsdale, AZ. My husband is working in Santa Rosa Beach and I am looking at himes in Destin. We have a 7,6 and 4 year old, we are lookin gat homes in Kelly planatation, Regatta Bay, Destiny and Burnt Pine, are any of these communities more kid friendly than others? We want a family friendly community. Thank you

[2bohemians]

Originally Posted by campagnalaura

WE ARE relocating from Scottsdale, AZ. My husband is working in Santa Rosa Beach and I am looking at himes in Destin. We have a 7,6 and 4 year old, we are lookin gat homes in Kelly planatation, Regatta Bay, Destiny and Burnt Pine, are any of these communities more kid friendly than others? We want a family friendly community. Thank you

Hello again, We live in Santa Rosa Beach too !!

We responded to your other post about the neighborhoods. Would you consider the Santa Rosa Beach / 30A area too?