St. Joe announces they will develop Breakfast Point in Panama City Beach

If you know Florida you know St. Joe. They are the largest private land holder in Florida and at one point owned 1 million acres of timberland in Florida. In Northwest Florida the own some of the most pristine gulf front land on the coast and have developed world class communities such as WaterSound, WaterColor, RiverCamps and The Retreat.

St.  Joe is developing a new master planned community in Panama City Beach which will be Phase 1 at Breakfast Point. This development includes 1,000 homesites with home target prices in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range. Phase I will be a 348-unit primary residential community and will sit near Breakfast Point Academy and the Breakfast Point Marketplace, which houses Publix, Home Depot and Dunkin' Donuts.

“This is the first phase, and we have been waiting for a while for the right time to develop,” said Bill McCalmont, St. Joe’s executive vice president and CFO. “It will take a number of years to build that out.”

Sales of developed lots to builders are expected to begin in 2011 with models open as early as the third quarter of 2011. Greene said he expects Breakfast Point to have success similar to the Hawks Landing development with profit margins in excess of 30 percent.

During St. Joe's earning call they also outlined details of increased development of the West Bay Sector Plan. More information on the West Bay Sector Plan can be found HERE.

Ironman Florida Triathlon this weekend in Panama City Beach

Ironman Florida is one of my favorite events to watch in our area. This event draws 2,500 athletes from all over the world to compete in a grueling 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. We have a number of local athletes and friends that will be competing at this years event.

Most local residents and visitors only know of our area for its beaches and fishing, but we are one of the top destinations in the World for endurance sporting events. The Emerald Coast host thousands of endurance athletes from all over the world to compete in 5Ks, half marathons, marathons, and triathlons. We have some of the best weather in the country and certainly some of the most scenic and amazing terrain to host events like Ironman Florida.

Team Baranowski will be out on course cheering on the athletes and our friends and volunteering at the event. If you have not seen an Ironman Triathlon it is a MUST see. Seeing 2,500 athletes start the swim in the Gulf of Mexico at sunrise is a breathtaking site.

If you wold like to see the event the start and finish area will be at the Boardwalk Beach Resort on South Thomas Drive. Competitors will be riding north into Bay County back roads and running the marathon along front beach road.

More details can be found at Ford Ironman Florida.

Danny Margagliano joins Team Baranowski of Keller Williams Realty Emerald Coast

We are very excited to have Danny Margagliano join Team Baranowski. 2010 has been a fantastic year for our team and we have been looking for the right person who equally shares our passion for Real Estate and our passion for this amazing area. As many of you know Tracy and I live and breath South Walton Beach. We work hard and play hard enjoying the amazing beaches, emerald waters, coastal dune lakes and back country road and trails on a daily basis. We wanted someone that is entrenched in the fabric of our community and truly appreciates the beauty of our area. We wanted someone that actually enjoys and uses the product we are selling…the beach. 

Danny has an extensive background as a top producing sales representative and is also an ex-pro surfer. He has traveled the world meeting amazing people and now calls the Emerald Coast home. Who better to sell beach property than someone that has spent a lifetime enjoying the finest beaches around the globe. Danny lives in Miramar Beach and will specializing in the Destin, Miramar Beach and 30A Area.

The addition of Danny to our team helps bring our coverage from Destin to Panama City Beach ensuring we can meet our clients most demanding needs. We looking forward to finishing 2010 with a bang and are expecting a stellar 2011! With all of the short sales and bank owned property our real estate market has no where to go except UP!

Danny will be contributing to our weekly newsletter by featuring top developments and communities from Destin to 30A. This will be an excellent addition to Tracy's Top Luxury Pick and Craig's Top Distressed Property Pick guaranteeing our weekly newsletter will be the most informative real estate newsletter on the coast.

Please join us on welcoming Danny to the Team Baranowski Family! Danny can be reached at danny@teambaranowski.com or 850.830.4747

Craig Baranowski – Team Baranowski

Luxury Home, Residential Land and Bank Owned Property Links

Team Baranowski has been doing a lot of work on our websites ensure our clients and visitors have the best experience possible and are able to easily navigate properties for sale. I just updated all of our most popular property links and have consolidated into one area on the home page. The links are posted below and cover luxury homes and condos, residential land, bank owned property, short sales and REO for 30A, Destin, Sandestin, Miramar Beach. If you would like to be on a property alert for any of these links just click on the SAVE SEARCH link and add your name and email. 

Here is an example on how to do it: if you are searching for WaterColor homes for sale or 30A homes under $1.2mil, you would click on the links and the search results would come up. You can modify the search criteria by clicking the MODIFY SEARCH link, create a NEW SEARCH or SAVE SEARCH.

Quick Pointers:

If you are searching for properties or homes along Scenic 30A you will want to select SOUTH WALTON EAST and SOUTH SANTA ROSA BEACH.

For Sandestin and Miramar Beach property searches you will want to select SOUTH WALTON WEST under AREA.

Most clients search by SUBDIVISION or CONDO PROJECT which will really narrow your search. For Example, if you want to find homes in Rosemary Beach you would select ROSEMARY BEACH under subdivisions and select ROSEMARY BEACH under the CONDO PROJECT section if you want to search condos in Rosemary Beach.

SALE TYPE is an excellent tool if you want to only look at REOs or Short Sales.

LOT DESCRIPTION has a great search criteria of 1/2 MILE FROM WATER which will help you locate properties close to the gulf. Not all agents use this in the MLS so not all properties will show up.

If you have any questions on a property or would like us to set you up on a custom property search please give us a call at 850-583-1640 or email us at info@teambaranowski.com.

If you are a builder that specializes in custom homes along Scenic 30A in the premier developments of WaterColor, WaterSound, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach and Seaside, you have certainly have had a tough 18 to 24 months. Recently it appears that construction starts for custom homes on Scenic 30A are beginning to rise. Driving along Scenic 30A you can see new homes starting in Rosemary Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, WaterColor and WaterSound. The design review board for WaterSound and WaterColor have had a sizable increase in new home design reviews over the past 6 months which means even more construction should resume in these key developments.

At our markets peak land prices were out of control with lots in WaterSound Beach selling for $975K…and these were not waterfront lots or close to the gulf. These lots are now selling for less than a fourth of what they were at the peak! As an example, a lot currently for sale on West Salt Box Lane in WaterSound Beach that was originally purchased for $780,000 in 2005 is now listed for $160,000. A lot on Founders Lane which originally purchased before the boom for $366,000 in 2003 is now under contract and offered at $199,000!

Land prices are dropping to exceptionally low levels in the premier communities along Scenic 30A. Reduced lot prices and highly competitive prices by custom builders and architects have been a primary contributor to the new construction starts along Scenic 30A. What used to cost $400/sf or more to build in WaterSound or WaterColor can now be done for $200/sf or less. With lots prices plunging to record lows and premium distressed inventory depleting, a buy and build plan of action is looking promising for many buyers looking for home on Scenic 30A.

WaterColor Lots for sale

WaterSound Beach Lots for Sale

WaterSound West Beach Lots for Sale

Rosemary Beach Lots for Sale

Scenic 30A Bank Owned Lots for Sale

Alys Beach Lots for Sale

If you are looking for that special home site to build your dream home, please give Tracy or Craig a call at 850.259.4270 | 850.259.1788 or email us at info@teambaranowski.com.

85 Cottage Way Under Contract in 6 Days!!

Don't let the size of this cottage in Seacrest fool you! 85 Cottage Way in the Cottages at Camp Creek is a quaint and cozy cottage in the heart of Seacrest. This hardworking floor plan provides ample space to enjoy the beach life without all of the maintenance of a larger house. With 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, this cottage can easily sleep 8 if you were looking for a solid rental investment opportunity or it could provide a lovely space for a family of four.

Cute, quaint and cozy cottages close to the beach and Scenic 30A are in short supply at this price! This beauty will not last long!

Light and bright with gorgeous windows, this cottage backs up to Camp Creek Cottage's large community pool. With just a short stroll to the beach or a bike ride to Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach, this community is ideally located on 30A. Come take a look, you won't be disappointed.

I just read two reports with one saying the Consumer Confidence Index retreats in September 2010 from August Nationally and the other says that the index rose in Florida. So what is it? Are we confident or are we not? I think one thing is for sure, the real estate market along the Emerald Coast has been HOT in what is a typically slow time of the year. This does not mean that prices are rising…I am talking about great buys and buyers snatching up the premium inventory.

This week Team Baranowski had 10 Contracts: 7 listings sold and 3 foreclosed condos under contract. Our phones were ringing non-stop, our websites hit all-time traffic records and most of our contracts were multiple offer situations. With mortgage rates at an all-time low and real estate prices at ridiculously low price points there is not a better time to buy. Our inquiries from buyers have quadrupled in the past 2 months and is making up for the slow down from the Deepwater Horizion Oil Spill during peak season.

Fannie Mae Home Path foreclosures have been especially attractive for condo buyers as they are able to secure financing with only 10% and extremely competitive interest rates!

Foreclosures and short sales are the hot buys with great deals to be had in vacant land, homes and condos. Two of our listings were under contract within 3 hours of hitting the MLS.

Foreclosures on 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, Point Washington

Land Foreclosures on 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, Point Washington

Foreclosures in Destin, Miramar Beach

The two consumer confidence reports can be read by clicking the links below;

Consumer confidence inches up as worst of oil spill crisis ends

Consumer Confidence Index retreats

The real estate market has been far from friendly for the past two years with the real estate market being flooded with short sales and foreclosures. Speculators are all but a distant memory and are a prime candidate for the endangered species list. One thing is for sure, second homes, whether in the mountains or at the beach, have long had a strong family appeal. In recent years, savvy developers have been building communities aimed at families in the same way they once built for avid golfers, skiers or tennis players. Many of the second homes are being bought because of family-friendly amenities and are used as a place for family gatherings, especially during holidays.

Scenic 30A has many great family-friendly communities such as: Seaside, WaterColor, WaterSound, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach. Every year families are coming more often, with the off-season holidays growing significantly in popularity. Six years ago it was a ghost town during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Now, these are very popular holidays and offer a fantastic family-friendly atmosphere for some quality family time. Communities such as Seaside and Rosemary Beach have a calender full of fun family friendly events and activities all year and have become the central gathering points of families visiting our area. The majority of our buyers seeking second homes for their family request to be in or around Rosemary Beach, WaterColor and Seaside.

“Family-friendly definitely sells now,” says Steve Adelson, a partner in Discovery Land Co., which develops luxury second-home communities with a family focus. “In today’s market, the speculators are gone, and our buyers are real users. For people to be able to afford these kinds of homes, they usually have worked hard, spent a lot of time in the office, and on vacation they really want quality time with their families.”

This past Labor Day weekend Rosemary Beach hosted a "Random Acts of Rosemary" event for the kids. We were lucky enough to be driving by and were able to take advantage of the impromptu giant slip-n-slide on the eastern green of Rosemary Beach. It was a great time!

With all of my years of selling Real Estate I have yet to run across some really outlandish requests for homes. Out on the beach the strangest request we get usually revolves around wish lists and budgets…like a gulf front home in excellent condition for $300K. My friends at Zillow.com have published yet another great list of unique homes. These homes are very unique, one-of-a-kind homes for sale throughout the United States. These homes are for some very special buyers. The list ranges from a fire station, an earth ship, a shoe house, a cave house and a decommissioned missile silo! I re!ally enjoyed checking out the homes and hope you enjoy reading about them too!

10 Unique, One-of-a-Kind Homes by Zillow.com

Well we did it again for the third straight year! Keller Williams Realty ranked highest in Home Buyer satisfaction by JD Power and Associates for the third year in a row. This rounds out a fantastic year for Keller Williams! In the past year, Keller Williams Realty has continued to grow despite the well-publicized turmoil in the real estate industry. In addition to becoming the 3^rd largest real estate company in the U.S., surpassing RE/MAX®, Keller Williams Realty was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31^st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine and was voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises and the Trendsetter of the year for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report. Team Baranowski is proud to be part of such a fantastic organization at Keller Williams Realty Emerald Coast!

Keller Williams Realty Named Highest Ranked in Home Buyer Satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates for Third Straight Year AUSTIN, TEXAS (July 30, 2010) —According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Home Buyer/Seller StudySM, Keller Williams Realty, Inc., the third largest real estate company in the United States, has received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms for the third year in a row. The company also ranked second among home sellers in the study for the second year in a row.   “We are incredibly proud of our associates for earning this distinction and want to thank them for their commitment to their clients and communities," said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty. “We see this honor as demonstration of our company philosophy that it is the agent’s brand that matters most and no amount of money spent on advertising can replace the influence and reputations our agents have in their local communities. Our associates have earned this on their own, by building relationships in their communities."   The study was produced by J.D. Power and Associates to measure home buyers and sellers customer satisfaction. The results of the home-buying experience were determined by three factors including the buyer’s experience with their agent, the real estate office and a variety of additional services. Keller Williams Realty performed particularly well in the agent and office factors. And, overall satisfaction of buyers for the industry was up over last year.   Additionally, the study noted that the importance of real estate agents has increased substantially in the past year, with buyers and sellers relying on the negotiating skills of their chosen agent and help in navigating the market.   “It is thrilling to see our firm, once again, get public recognition for its incredible focus on customer satisfaction from such a prestigious group. Our associates continually demonstrate that it is possible to deliver the highest level of customer service in one of the toughest real estate markets on record," said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty. “We feel incredibly fortunate to be in business with them, and want to congratulate them on their hard work and dedication."   In the past year, Keller Williams Realty has continued to grow despite the well-publicized turmoil in the real estate industry. In addition to becoming the 3rd largest real estate company in the U.S., surpassing RE/MAX®, Keller Williams Realty was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine and was voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises and the Trendsetter of the year for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.
Download printable version	For more information: Amber Presley 512/327-3070 Email

Everyone on the Gulf Coast feels like they are in a nightmare that they can't wake up from. With the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill free flowing for over 81 days it is nightmare that everyone wants to end. Last week BP successfully capped the well and everyone waited as extensive tests were carried out to see if it actually worked.

I feel like we are in the Wizard of Oz movie where Dorothy's house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East and no one believed she was really dead. I personally wanted to wait a few days before posting the news…just to make sure I don't end up eating my words to moment I hit the "publish" button on the blog post.

As with the Wizard of Oz, we may have capped the oil leak and can have a quick celebration…but we now have a very long and arduous journey ahead to clean up over 81 days of free flowing oil. BP has been employing thousands of workers to clean up the oil spill. I see hundreds of workers congregate at key entry points of our beaches. It is an interesting sight as you see dozens of workers scour the beaches for any presence of oil.

The past two weeks we had family in town and we spent a few days on the beach and we watched closely wondering what they are cleaning up as we never saw any tar balls or any workers find anything. It would be great if they could maximize their time and clean up the few pieces of litter on our beaches, but I guess they are not paid to clean up trash…just oil.

So far the oil trajectory maps have been favorable with the oil moving west and our beaches remain beautiful and the water is stellar! Come on out and play we will save a spot for you on the beach!

Team Baranowski closely tracks what is happening in our local market with detailed monthly and year to date analysis. Our market continues to see home sales rise with our year to date sales up 11% from 2009. Across Florida there is more good news that existing home sales rose 27% in April. How will the end of the new home buyer tax credit affect home sales after June 30th, 2010? Only time will tell. However, we remain optimistic that our available inventory will continue to deplete. There has been a small increase in new construction along Scenic 30-A which is a welcomed signed for many in the area.

Below is detailed article published by FloridaRealtors.org that highlights Aprils existing home sales growth.

Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 27 percent in April, which means that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison for 20 months, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Another positive sign: Last month's statewide existing-home median price of $140,100 was 1 percent higher than the statewide median price in April 2009.

Existing home sales rose 27 percent last month with a total of 16,781 homes sold statewide compared to 13,244 homes sold in April 2009, according to Florida Realtors. Statewide existing home sales last month increased nearly 3 percent over statewide sales activity in March. Meanwhile, April's statewide existing-home median price was 2.3 percent higher than March's statewide existing-home median price of $137,000. It marks the second month in a row that the statewide existing-home median price has increased over the previous month's median.

"Buyers responding to the federal homebuyer tax credit before it expired helped to boost home sales across Florida," said 2010 Florida Realtors President Wendell Davis, a broker with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. "And buying conditions remain favorable, with a variety of housing options available in local markets at attractive and affordable prices. Plus, current mortgage interest rates are at historically low levels, which gives buyers more 'bang' for their buck."

Florida Realtors also reported a 55 percent increase in statewide sales of existing condos in April compared to the previous year's sales figure; statewide existing condo sales last month rose 2 percent over the total units sold in March. Though April's statewide existing-condo median price of $103,600 was down 3 percent compared to the year-ago figure, it was 6.9 percent higher than March's statewide existing-condo median price.

Seventeen of Florida's metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported increased existing home sales in April while all but one MSA had higher condo sales. A majority of the state's MSAs have reported increased sales for 22 consecutive months.

Florida's median sales price for existing homes last month was $140,100; a year ago, it was $138,100 for a 1 percent gain. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.

Thenational median sales price for existing single-family homes in March 2010 was $170,700, up 0.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). In California, the statewide median resales price was $301,790in March; in Massachusetts, it was $280,000; in Maryland, it was $235,785; and in New York, it was $209,900.

According to NAR's latest outlook, two trends are influencing a broader stabilization of home prices in housing markets across the nation: months of increased sales activity and lower levels of inventory. "Foreclosures have been feeding into the inventory pipeline at a fairly steady pace and are being absorbed manageably," said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. "With home values stabilizing, a revival in homebuying confidence will likely help the housing market get back on its feet even as the tax credit impact disappears."

In Florida's year-to-year comparison for condos, 7,291 units sold statewide last month compared to 4,703 units in April 2009 for an increase of 55 percent. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $103,600; in April 2009 it was $107,200 for a 3 percent decrease. The national median existing condo price was $170,600 in March, according to NAR.

Interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.10 percent in April, up from the average rate of 4.81 percent during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac. Florida Realtors' sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

Among the state's smaller markets, the Panama City MSA reported a total of 128 homes sold in April compared to 108 homes a year earlier for a 19 percent increase. The market's existing home median sales price last month was $160,000; a year earlier it was $156,800 for an increase of 2 percent. A total of 65 condos sold in the MSA in April compared to 53 units sold the same month a year earlier for an increase of 23 percent. The existing condo median price last month was $187,100; a year earlier, it was $172,900 for an 8 percent gain.