I looked at the calendar this morning and my unit #1004 at the Destin Pelican Beach Resort is still open for the week of Christmas. My wife wrote a poem inviting your family to Destin for Christmas vacation. For the next couple of months, the rate is rent 3 nights get the 4th night free or rent 5 nights get 2 nights free. A snowbird has the condo booked from Jan 1- March 14th.   11/07/2009

Today's Spotlight is on Villa Coyaba....one of Destin Florida's finest Condominiums.  One of the most attractive things about this property is it's size.  Villa Coyaba is a 4 story complex with 30 total condos.  Many buyers enjoy the intimate setting and lack of crowd that is offered. Built in 2006, Villa Coyaba is built with incredible construction.  Poored concrete and complete with the latest in wind resistant glass.  With the exception of the top floor penthouse, all floor plans are identical with the exception of furnishings and upgrades. Size: 2200 sq ft Beds: 4 plus office/bunk room Baths: 3 full Kitchen includes 3cm granite and all Viking appliances. There are many things that attract buyers to Villa Coyaba.  But 4 stick out as the most popular.  The amenities, location, style,... 11/03/2009

Many are interested in owning Gulf front real estate, but do not understand what is involved with permitting etc.... Below is a breakdown from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that outlines the control.  If you have any questions about a specific property in Destin, Fl, do not hesitate to contact me and I will answer or get you in touch with the person who can. The Coastal Construction Control Line Program (CCCL) is an essential element of Florida's coastal management program. It provides protection for Florida's beaches and dunes while assuring reasonable use of private property. Recognizing the value of the state's beaches, the Florida legislature initiated the Coastal Construction Control Line Program to protect the coastal system from improperly sited and designed... 11/02/2009

 Destin-ation Paradise! Seeking investment partners for the most spectacular resort destination on the FLorida Emerald Coast featuring sugary sand beaches and pristine emerald waters. Emerald Grande is a new fractional ownership resort overlooking the Destin Harbor and Gulf of MExico. Unit E406A is a 2481 square foot 4 bedroom, 3 bath with balcony and the best views at the resort! This is the largest floor plan available making it extremely popular with vacationing families. This fractional offers four one-week periods throughout the year plus one two-week period in the summer. Try before you buy! Coma and stay and experience the hospitality and wonder of the resort and Harbor Walk VIllage before you invest. Get pampered! Relax! Dream big! Enjoy the full-service European spa, world-clas... 10/31/2009

U.S. Coast Guard Haunted House October 23, 09 - October 24, 09 Location: Destin Address: Coast Guard Station Hwy 98 Phone: 850.259.2924 Bring your family and friends to the Coast Guard Haunted House at the west end of the Destin Bridge. Station vessels on display, safe boating display and kids area. Request 1 item of non-perishable food per person or cash donation; all proceeds donated to Destin Harvest.     "MKC Jack W. Porter says of the U.S. Coast Guard Haunted House and food drive, which is expected to attract even more thrill-seekers this Halloween season. Don't be fooled by the location. Granted, this particular haunted house sits on one of the prettiest backyards on the planet (right across from Crab Island). But come nighttime, it's dark and spooky inside, with as many as 30 liv... 10/23/2009

   Year after year, snowbirds travel down to the gulf coast for 3-4 months. One of the premier destinations is Destin,Florida and the Pelican Beach Resort. About 3 weeks ago, my family and I purchased a Pelican Beach condo unit 1004 in Destin, Florida. Located in the heart of Destin, the resort overlooks the world famous, white sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. After arriving through the gated entry the fun filled vacation truly begins. Your family will enjoy all the amenities within the resort which includes a heated indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a Jacuzzi, an exercise room, steam room and sauna, game room, on site seasonal cafe,tennis courts, massage by appointment, outdoor grill area, and most importantly the beautiful white sandy beach. The Pelican Beach Resort now offers beginni... 10/23/2009

For the last 10 years my family has been travel ling to Destin,Florida for vacation. For the last 8 years we have been staying at the Pelican Beach Resort in Destin. We absolutely love this resort and decided 8 years ago that one day we would purchase a condo at the Pelican. Well that day has arrived. We closed on the condo purchase about 10 days ago(unit 1004) and we immediately remodeled our 1 br 2 ba condo to our liking. This condo is directly on the beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Unit 1004 sleeps 6 people(sleeper couch and hallway bunks). We have put this Pelican Beach condo on the rental program and you can click here to check availability or get more information. If you choose to rent this condo, please give the booking code A1080. Also, for more information just click on o... 10/21/2009

My family made a business trip/vacation to Destin,Florida lat week and we always visit this great small church there. On Sunday morning the preacher announced that we would have evening services on the beach at Beasley Park in Ft. Walton. We were also asked to bring a picnic supper. We met more of the people at the church and enjoyed the fellowship. After eating under the pavilion, we all moved to the beach for the singing and lesson. After singing several contemporary worship songs, Brad the preacher spoke a few minutes. He informed us that we were sitting on the only beach in the area that used to be a "black only" beach. He said that with tears in his eyes and said he regrets where this nation once was in regards to integration. If you are planning on visiting in the Destin area, let... 10/20/2009

Rulnick Realty welcomes two new team members to its Destin Florida real estate office. Clark Turnipseed, a licensed Realtor, provides a unique perspective for buyers, having years of experience as a Mortgage Broker Associate. Once he finds his buyers the right property he knows how to structure an offer that best fits their financial goals. Clark was educated as a civil engineer but is a people person by experience. His personal motto is “When people work together they can move mountains!” With over 20 years in management and sales, he understands what it means to provide service, attention to detail and follow up. He can assist with helping buyers find their dream home, condo or investment opportunity all along the Emerald Coast.   Brittany McCormick serves as Office Manager of Rulnick... 10/15/2009

Rulnick Realty welcomes Pittman Watson, real estate agent in Destin Florida. Pittman R. Watson, a licensed Florida Realtor, moved to the Emerald Coast in 2004 from Mississippi. A detail-oriented person, Pittman is able to help buyers locate the perfect property and see the transaction through to a smooth closing. His background is in the Service Industry, having been in management in the restaurant business. Pittman also ran a successful Art and Frame Store in Destin, which had an emphasis on design and re-design of local resort rentals.Pittman will be helping buyers and sellers along the Emerald Coast in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview and vicinity. Pittman is a hard working “people person” that never meets a stranger. He is an active church ... 10/01/2009

I just stopped by last week on the way to doing a BPO. I try to limit myself to visiting once every few months at most. This place makes great dishes but the homemade bake goods are some of the best around. They make everything fresh everyday. The size portions are unlike anything you see around Destin. The bear claw's have a basic covering that consits of an apple pie like topping. They make a great Rice Krispie treat. When I go I like to get the Banana Pancakes dish. You will want to get a to go box and make sure to try the muffins they make you will not be sorry.      Cuisine Southern Hours Daily 24 hr Address 635 U.S. 98 E Location Destin Phone 850/837-8824 Prices Main courses $7-$10; breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and burgers $5-$9 Credit Cards Not accepted Season Closed 2 we... 09/27/2009

Contact Brandon Jordan cell (850) 758-1236 Detached Single Family . MLS#: 512989 OfficeFile#: ListPrice: $519,000 Status: Active ApproxSF: 3,506 BG: Address: 310 TEQUESTA DR DESTIN, FL Bedrooms: 4 Zip: 32541 Baths Full/Half: 3/ County: OKALOOSA Stories: 2 MainArea: 14 Destin YearBuilt: 2004 SubArea: 02 E DESTIN NO OF 98 OccStat: Occupied Subdiv: EMERALD LAKES ImmOcc? ParcelID: 00-2S-22-0981-0000-0250 ConstrStat: Construction Complete ElemSch: DESTIN Middle: DESTIN High: FORT WALTON BEACH Dir: East on Hwy 98 coming from Destin Commons - turn left at traffic light at Emerald Lakes Subdivision. Go through gate and follow Tequesta through roundabout to the right look for sign on the left. Legal: EMERALD LAKES PH III LOT 25 From the moment you enter into the driveway, the details will take y... 09/23/2009

These graphs include information for single family homes between Destin and Inlet Beach.   09/22/2009

We're starting to see stabilization in prices in our area......I guess that means we're at or near the bottom......if only we had a crystal ball. I do think the crystal ball would tell us that until short sales and foreclosures are becoming a thing of the past, instead of a major part of the present, that we won't see appreciation and we'll probably still see pockets of price drops in areas. While I'll never be able to predict the future, what I can give you are the facts:Condo Market. The number of condos going under contract in August this year doubled compared to August 2008, showing significant growth in consumer intensity. All totaled, the number of condos going under contract year-to-date this year has exceeded last year by 499 units (up 85%). Condo inventory also continues to dec... 09/13/2009

    Search Destin, Florida Foreclosures and Short Sales at www.mainsailrealtycompany.com.     I LOVE OVER PRICED SHORT SALES - Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Isn't it funny how one $10,000 price adjustment on a $200,000 short sale listing can create a frenzy and multiple offers? I have found that over priced short sales are a great opportunity for the buyer's agent that understands the short sale process. If a short sale is listed for $200,000 and the comps are $160,000, one can offer $160,000 and educate the listing agent and seller with the comps. I have had great success with this and wanted to share this with the rest of you. These short sales stay under the radar and can present fantastic buying opportunities. Let me know if anyone else has had success with this strategy. To ... 09/13/2009

DESTIN FL FORECLOSURES AND SHORT SALES  DESTIN FL FORECLOSURE SEARCH - ALL LISTINGS!   WHY DO YOU NEED A REALTOR WHEN BUYING AND SELLING FORECLOSURES AND SHORT SALES? Buying and selling short sales and bank owned properties in Destin FL can be a very rewarding process.   Our current shift to a distressed market makes real estate agents even more valuable to buyers and sellers of distressed properties.  These types of transactions are not typical and require a high level of expertise.  One should hire a real estate agent that has the experience and training needed to successfully close one of these transactions.  I am a certified distressed property expert (CDPE) www.cdpenow.com and I have also completed "Short Sale Superstars" training www.shortsalesuperstars.com.    I personally endors... 09/11/2009

Over the last several years, my family and I have vacationed on the emerald coast of Florida. We have always stayed at the Pelican Beach Resort in Destin. This is a beautiful resort in the heart of Destin and located only about a mile from the Destin airport where we fly in, tie down the plane and get a rental car.It is located directly on the beach with an unobstructed view of the gulf. About 8 years ago we started watching the property values of the DestinPelican Beach Resortcondos start climbing through the roof. My wife said she sure wanted to buy one of those Destin condosbut I told her that one of these days the prices will drop and drop they did. The prices peaked in 2006 and have been on a steady decline up until recently. Now, the Pelican Beach Resort condosare slowly starting... 09/10/2009

http://twitter.com/Puppysit   Welcome! PUPPYSIT IS NOW LOCATED IN THE OKALOOSA COUNTY AREA! Our House Pamper your pet with comfortable accommodations for those times when you are away. Our full-time care will ensure your pet's stay is enjoyable and safe. At this time I take in no more than a few dogs at a time. If your pet is used to sleeping with you, please make sure that they are freshly bathed and they will be welcome to sleep with us in our an air-conditioned home. Your dog must be friendly as I have 3 small dogs of my own that they will need to be compatible with. Fresh food, water, and linens will be provided daily for your dog. We suggest bringing their normal food to avoid unwanted tummy upsets. Feel free to bring any washable bedding material from home that may provide a famil... 09/08/2009

FACT: Sales are up month over month and year over year…for the last 14 months.FACT: Pending sales are up 45% over this time last year. The spreadsheet on my DebbieJames.com blog, shows YTD comparisons of active, pending, sold and expired for January – August 2008 vs. January – August 2009. This spreadsheet tells us the following: Buyers are seeing the value in purchasing property, again, in Destin. How else would pending sales be up, on average, 45%??!! And look at July and August, 73.57% & 56.46% respectively! Properties that are priced for today’s market value are selling. FACT: No amount of marketing will sell an over-priced property. In the next couple of weeks, I will post September numbers. Let’s see how they compare to the same time last year. 09/06/2009

Destiny by the Sea is the most exclusive gulf front rental community in Destin, Florida. Destiny by the Sea is located on Scenic Gulf Drive on the east end of Destin, Florida. Destiny by the Sea is a gated community that consists of mediterranean-style vacation homes and full time residences. Many of the nation's rich and famous make Destiny by the Sea their rental destination of choice. It is one of the most sought after rental communities on the coast for it's privacy, security, and incredible beaches. You can enjoy the community pool and hot tub or spend your days relaxing on Destiny by the Sea's gorgeous deeded beaches. Destiny by the Sea offers a wide range of rental home sizes. You will find rental homes from 3 bedrooms to 10 bedrooms and up to approximately 10,000 square feet. D... 08/23/2009