Cape San Blas Real Estate Blog

  The only thing hotter than the weather here this week has been real estate as we have another record-breaking week for sales activity (record breaking for the nearly 2 years I’ve been writing this blog, that is), with two closings and seven new contracts.  We also have fifteen new properties entering the market, twenty-three price changes, and eight expired unsold. We end the week with our inventory up seven from last week, with 408 active MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 Corridor market, with 158 houses and an even 250 lots.  Speaking of lots, we have lots to cover today so let’s get started.

Both of our sales were homes, one single family and one townhouse, and we’ll start with the home in Treasure Shores, a pretty gulf front neighborhood out along C-30.  This is a beautiful 3-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 1,750 square foot first tier home with curb appeal to spare and absolutely awesome gulf views. It was built in 2003 and has been meticulously maintained ever since.  The sellers purchased the lot in 2000 for $85,000 and built the house for their personal residence, not a vacation rental and, happily, the buyers intend to do the same. It was first put on the market in July 2005 for $889,000 and has been adjusting downward in list price finally arriving at $479,000 which was what it took to attract a buyer, and they closed on Monday for $439,000.  The home was sold unfurnished and the buyers purchased it using conventional financing. This seems to definitely be a win-win situation for both parties so it’s nice to have a story with a happy ending for a change.

Our second sale takes us over to the Cape where this 2-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 1,120 square foot townhouse at Cape Shoals sold Tuesday for $210,000 cash, which is below the county’s assessed value of $220,802.  According to the MLS notes it needed a lot of repairs, despite the fact it is on a rental program. Hmm. (Guess you better look at those online vacation rental photos real close before booking). Anyhow, this place has only been on the market since January which makes it a relatively quick sale for our area and even more impressive considering it was listed as a short sale. The original list was $319,000, they dropped it to $229,000 on May 22nd, and that did the trick.  The sellers paid $342,000 for it in November 2005.

We have a whole slew of contracts to look at, four houses and three lots, and they’re all over the place. We’ll start with the houses and out on the Cape, with this 3-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath 1,856 square foot beach cottage on 30′ of gulf front which last sold in 1998 for $240,000. This place is a lot bigger than it looks. Very roomy inside. It has been on the market a long time with the seller first listing it back in March 2006 for $989,000; he has been whittling away at that for over three years, finally hitting $444,900 on May 29th, and now he has a contract. The MLS notes this is a short sale.

On the south facing beach of the Cape our second contract is for this 6-bedroom, 4-bath, 3,295 square foot gulf front home which was foreclosed on during construction.  The 50′ wide lot sold in May 2007 for $867,000 and then the county records show the owners giving a warrantly deed to the bank with a transaction value of $1,094,000 in October last year.  The bank listed it at the beginning of May for $449,900, a price which includes a full set of the house plans. 

We’re heading over to Gulf Pines out along the C-30 Corridor for our next contract, where this lovely first tier home which was my price change pick of the week just last Saturday went under contract on Wednesday.   To refresh your memory, this is a gorgeous gulf first tier 4-bedroom, 4-bath, 3,019 square foot home complete with an in-ground pool. Remember this view?

And the MLS details:

Features include: standing seam metal roof, additional room used as 5th bedroom, open living plan. Lush landscaping with irrigation, reclaimed heart pine flooring with custom moldings, large decks, covered back porch with outdoor shower.  Lockable storage on every level. Stainless steel appliances, custom cabinets with granite counters in the kitchen that is open to dining and living are. Bedroom and bath on living level have cypress ceilings and 8 foot doors. Elevator from covered parking and up to all levels. Main deck is large with seating for 16.  3rd level Master Bedroom has board & batton walls, large windows, covered deck, walk-in closet with built ins, pine flooring. Master bath has jacuzzi tub, his & her vanities and door separating dressing area from shower area. In-ground Pool and fence added in 2008. Covered parking. FEMA flood insurance available.

The sellers purchased the undeveloped lot in 2000 for $85,000 and built the home. It’s been on the market for some time now, with the list price peaking in August 2007 at $1,000,500; they had it down to $599,000 last week when we featured it here, and then for some reason they put it back up to $625,000 on Monday and went under contract on Wednesday so I’m not sure what that’s all about.

Next stop is one of my favorite houses, this charming first tier beach cottage in Money Bayou. This may look familiar too as it, too, was a price change pick of the week on May 16. This is a 1,724 square foot, 3-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath gulf first tier classic beach cottage.  If you like cottage style you would love this place.  Although it was built in 2004 it has the comfy look and feel inside of a beautifully cared for cottage from the 40’s: white beadboarding, quality period fixtures, built in fireplace, hardwood floors, white windowpane kitchen cabinets, beach views you have to see to believe and a huge covered front porch overlooking the beach. It last sold in August 2004 for $699,000 and has been on the market since April 2008 when it entered the MLS at $599,900 and went under contract Money with a final list of $429,000.

The first of our three lots with new contracts is this interior lot on Summerhouse Lane in the San Dunes subdivision back out on the Cape. This is a pretty piece of property in a very nice subdivision which has landscaping, pavers, and a community pool. The lot is being sold by the devloper and the list price when it went under contract this week was $169,000.

Not far from San Dunes is our next contract which is another interior gulf view lot on Cape San Blas Road, a bank-owned property with a list price of $155,000. The county records indicate this was apparently an unsold lot in the Ocean Haven development and the last recorded transaction involving it shows the sheriff turning over to the bank in December with a transaction value of $100,000.

We’ve finally arrived at our seventh and final new contract and it is on this 50′ wide gulf front lot at St. Vincent Point near the tip of Indian Pass with an absolutely awesome, world class gorgeous view of St. Vincent Island. Just as gorgeous as the view is the list price: $164,900! For a gulf front lot. That is no typo. It is on track to close on Tuesday.

  There may be a lot of new listings this week but selecting a pick of the week from among them is a no-brainer: how can you not like 100′ of bay front on Cape San Blas, with an average dept of 924′, for a total of a little over 2 acres, for only $349,000?  This is sweet.

My price change pick of the week was a simple choice, too, and easily goes to this gulf front home in Secluded Dunes, the northernmost development on Cape San Blas, which lowers its price from $695,000 to $565,000.  This 3-bedroom, 4-bath, 1,800 square foot home is situated on an 87′ wide gulf front lot, so at this price it’s like paying market price for the lot and having the house thrown in for free. This is priced to sell. Here are the MLS details:

SELLER MOTIVATED– Located just steps away from St. Joseph State Park is this comfortable beach house featuring large living area with breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico and the state park. The beachfront screened porch, the fully equipped kitchen, wetbar, elevator, steam shower in master bedroom, charming furnishings make this a place to relax and enjoy; however, the most valuable feature of this home is the location; steps to the most pristine beaches and waters in Florida. Beach restoration completed!

Here is a recent aerial showing the home’s location since the completion of beach restoration:

Wow! We finally made it. This has been quite a week. There are a lot of good values out there again and it’s a great time to diversify. If you’re interested in finding out more about these or other properties please give me a call toll free at 877-512-9366 or send me an email to Sherri@SherriDodsworth.com . Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have a great afternoon and hope to see you back soon.

It will be interesting to see the impact on real estate as we transition from a capitalist economy to an economy of central planning controlled entirely by Washington. Let’s see how we did in our final week of operating in a free market. Our inventory continues its slow climb back up, not a good sign. We end the week with a total of 377 active MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, C-30 Corridor market, up three from last week, with 149 homes and 228 lots for sale. No sales, but two new contracts, six new listings and an even ten price changes.

In what is becoming more and more common, both of our new contracts are shorts sales, one townhome and one lot, both gulf front properties on the Cape.

The townhouse is at Cape Shoals and is a 2-bedroom, 1120 square foot end unit built in 1984. Listed for $319,000, the home last sold in November 2005 for $342,000, and is currently assessed by the county for $270,402. (Not sure how Kes came up with that $2 at the end). Since there are contingencies, no projected closing date noted.

The gulf front short sale lot is only about a half mile south of the townhouse in the San Dunes subdivsion. It last sold in February 2005 for $1.1M and is currently assessed by the county at $500,000, both above the list price of $499,500.  Yow. It, too, has contingencies so we’ll have to wait to see what it closes for.

  My pick of the week from our six new listings is on a gulf-front, pre-construction, 4-bedroom, 3-bath 2100 square foot home on the Cape for $669,000, the lowest price of any single family gulf front X-zone home on the northern portion of the Cape. This photo is of an existing home of similar style, and according to the builder, the pool shown will be available for an additional $27,000. The lot is good size, 50 by 350.  Here’s your chance to pick your own colors and interior details.

One property stands out among our ten price changes, and my pick of the week from these is this stately bay front home on 2+ acres reduced from $995,000 to $925,000.  With 135 of waterfront , a dock, 3455 square foot under heat and air and a total of 5280 square feet when you add in porch and deck space, this is a heck of a lot of bang for the buck.  Here’s more details from the MLS:

Fabulous home on pristine St. Joseph Bay decorated colorfully and fun with tons of detail and quality items. This home features an elevator, two master suites, 10′ ceilings, a bunk room, media room, weather station,  Corian counters, 2 fireplaces, and 2 living rooms. Storage galore with apprx. 1000+ sq. ft. for boat & related water sports gear. Easily accessible to the shared dock on the Bay. Local architect designed the south master suite. The home also features two master bedroom areas each with large tiled bathrooms, double sinks, whirpool tub, large walk-in closets, and abundant natural light. Storage througout with great closets, and a dream kitchen. Built-in grill in the sun-room overlooking St. Joseph Bay. Ample parking for at least 4-5 cars. The entire lot is 2 acres plus with room on the road front for a guest cottage or small shop. The screened porch is tiled and fully decorated also features a fireplace. The quality and space in this home is truly unique for our area. A great value for a quality home on such large bayfront lot.

I hope you’re having a good weekend; we’re off to a rainy start here on the Cape and if you, too, have to play inside today, give me a call or send me an email to Sherri@SherriDodsworth.com and let’s talk real estate. I’m on my cell at 850-227-5197 and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for stopping by.

Another chilly morning here on the Cape, about the same as yesterday, with 37 on the thermometer when I woke up. The weather may be cold, but real estate was pretty hot this week with four closings. Our inventory remains steady with a total of 366 active MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, C-30 Corridor market, with 145 homes and 221 lots. No new contracts, but we have 13 new listings and 10 new price tags.  Let’s see who went to the closing table.

Our first (and second)  closing was a two-fer: a gulf front home and an adjoining lot with a combined list price of $1.248M. The sellers bought the properties as a single 100′ wide roadfront to waterline lot back in 1997 for $125,000 and subsequently did a minor replat chopping it up into two gulf front lots and one first tier.  They closed this week for $1.17M which sounds like a lot of profit, but a check of the county clerk’s records revealed there have been some hefty mortgages written using the property as collateral so much of this may have gone to the bank. That $1.17M is also a little shy of the tax assessed value of $1,192,739.

Our third sale was this 3-bedroom, 3-bath, 1186 square foot gulf front home in Treasure Shores which we last saw when it went under contract on Christmas Eve. The sellers purchased it in 1998 for $332,000 and listed it in November 2007 for $929,000. They have tweaked the price lower and lower since then, finally down to $749,000 which was low enough to generate an offer, and they closed on Tuesday for an even $625,000 cash. Nice way to start the year off.  Note to Kes: your assessed value on this home is a bit high at $733,137. It’s looking as if the new sale prices are getting to be consistently below what the county tax man says they should be.

Our fourth and final sale of the week was a bank-owned bay view lot in Treasure Bay along the C-30 Corridor which had previously been listed at $84,900 but expired in November. The previous owners had been trying to sell it since February 2007 when they listed it for $159,000. The bank took possession this past July, and sold it on Tuesday for $75,000 cash. This sale, too, is only 77% of the county’s assessed value of $97,500, which, in fairness to Kes, is what the adjacent lot sold for in February 2007. A very similar lot just five lots north from our sale sold in April 2007 for $145,000.  Ouch!

We have a good variety among our thirteen new listings, but my pick of the week from the lot is this  gulf front duplex on Indian Pass which enters the fray with the realisitic list price of $695,000, well below the county’s assessed value of $803,593, so we know these people are seriously interested in selling. Here are the MLS notes:

Gulf Front Duplex, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths each side on 50 foot lot with FEMA flood insurance. This is a turn key property with excellent rental potential. Fully furnished, new floors, paint and in excellent condition. Call today to preview this incredible gulf front opportunity. Total of over 4300 square feet of beach fun waiting to be loved.

This is a wonderfully secluded stretch of beach. That’s St. Vincent Island wildlife preserve there in the distance. Wouldn’t you love to have this as your front yard?

Most weeks when I do this review it’s the sellers changing their prices who finally get it right and typically the new listings offer little to warrant my “pick of the week” for terrific value, but this week it’s the other way around. I looked and looked through the ten price changes and really couldn’t find anything worth writing home about, so no pick this week.

If you are thinking of selling, call me now so we can get everything set to be ready for early spring when our market typically starts to pick up. You can reach me at my office, 850-227-7891, on my cell at 850-227-5197, or by email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com .

Wasn’t it good to get back to the normal routine this week and finally have the holidays over and done with? I’m glad to return to focusing my full attention on my real estate business with renewed vigor. The first week of this new year brought us eight new listings and twenty new price tags, and that’s it. No new contracts and no closings. We also had a number of sellers renew listings, so our inventory is back up a bit, with 365 MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 market, up twelve from last week’s 353, with 148 homes and 217 lots. Looks as if there were a lot of folks who put “Sell that property” on their resolutions list.

My pick of the week from our eight new listings  is something fun and different - how about a bay front lot on the Cape, complete with dock, for only $120,000?

What’s the catch? Because the lot is only roughly 50 feet deep, you couldn’t meet the septic setbacks from the bay and so it was basically deemed unbuildable. With the advent of sewer out here, though, that may no longer be the case. This is currently being investigated. If you’d like to have your own private dock on the bay, this is worth looking into. Here’s an aerial view:

By the way, the sellers put several other properties on the market this week. According to the tax records, they purchased this piece in 1999 for $19,500.

Turning now to our twenty price changes, where my pick of the week is this first tier gulf lot with gorgeous views and an equally gorgeous new price of only $199,000, less than the $200,000 the sellers paid for it in 2002.

Here’s what the MLS copy says:

Beautiful 1st tier lot only steps from the beach. This superb building lot sits high offering great gulf views, is dry, is the largest 1st tier lot in the sub-division and is in the “X” flood zone. “Curve at the Cape”, is a gated community with paved roads, underground utilities, well planned landscaping mixed with a healthy abundance of natural vegetation providing tranquility at its best. There are two walkovers for easy access to a beautiful, secluded, beach. There is great shelling on this large beach, or get your kayak and/or canoe ready for a day of fun. At this price you can have your dream retreat come true.

You can see just how close to the beach this is:

That didn’t take long, did it?  Give me a call on my cell at 850-227-5197 or shoot me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth if you’re interested in finding out more about any of these properties, or if you’re thinking of selling. I’ll be glad to help you either way. Hope you have a great week and as always, thanks for stopping by today.

For Capers, 2008 will be remembered as the Year of Beach Restoration, so it’s fitting that the project should be nearing completion as we plan our bonfire-on-the-beach New Year’s Eve parties. I stopped at Stumphole this afternoon on the way home from work and got out and shot a few photos of the amazing work being done by Manson Construction as they do the seemingly impossible, laying down hundreds of feet of fresh beach in front of the rocks. My friend Steve who has been working on the project since near the beginning, said they only have 400 feet to go until the project is complete.

The target spot is marked with a large rock atop the wall spray painted with a day glow orange smiley face, (think southern take on the megalithic moai of Easter Island).

It is absolutely amazing to see just how much sand has been put in place in this area:

To give you an idea of just how big a change this is, here’s a photo taken in the wake of Gustav earlier this summer from the same general location of where I was standing when I took each of these photos, just shooting in opposite directions, but it gets the point across.

The calendar said Christmas but the weather said summer. What a beautiful warm, sunny week it has been. I hope you had a good holiday with family and friends. Santa brought us one closing and two contracts, three new listings ,  three new price tags and eleven expired unsold. Our inventory took a nice healthy dip, too, down 11 fromt last week to 367 active listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, and C-30 Corridor market, with 150 homes (vs. 154) and 217 lots (vs. 224).

 Our sale was the 2-bedroom, 2-bath, gulf view Barrier Dunes townhouse we looked at last week when it went under contract with a list price of $299,000.  According to the tax records, the seller paid $425,000 for it in March 2005 and put it on the market in February 2007 starting with a list price of $435,000. He has lowered it incrementally since then and finally closed on Christmas Eve for $277,500.

Shoppers wanted gulf front this week, as our two new contracts are on a gulf front home in Treasure Shores (C-30 Corridor) and a gulf front lot on the Cape. This gulf front single family home was recently one of my picks of the week when it was reduced from an already low $795,000 to bargain priced $749,000.  Check out the view from the decks:

  Like living in a Florida postcard. Here’s the listing notes details:

Lovely home with a great layout for lots of company. Each bedroom has a private bathroom, and all rooms face the beach. On the first level the kitchen, dining and living space enjoy ample beach front views; this area extends to the front deck with equally breathtaking views and roomy space for gatherings. On the west side of this floor is a king size bedroom with bath. On the top level are two bedrooms, a den-sitting area, and the master bedroom. All three rooms open to a large screened porch. Storm shutters, tile roof, great rental with a loyal follow up, and mostly in excellent condition with new carpet installed in 2007.

With a gross rental income of $31,185 the numbers work well. This 3-bedroom, 3-bath 1,886 square foot home was built in 1997 and sits on a 75′ wide, roughly half acre gulf front lot. There are contingencies to be met so no indication as to when it may close.

The gulf front lot on the Cape which went under contract is also one of our new listings, so new, in fact, that photos of it have not yet been posted to the MLS. It is a 116′ wide property two lots north of the Sunrise Sunset townhouses which are about halfway between Stumphole and Scallop Cove. Priced aggressively to sell with a list price of $399,000, it’ll be interesting to see what it finally closes for. It, too, has contingencies to be met so no note as to when it is scheduled to close. List price is $3,439 per waterfront foot, which is about where we were back in 1995 when I first started selling real estate on the Cape.

Only three new listings, one of which is the lot above already under contract and the other two really don’t excite me so no pick of the week for new listings today.

Among our three price changes, my clear winner for pick of the week is easily this bay front home on the Cape which was reduced from $989,000 to a very attractive $899,000. This 4-bedroom, 3 bath, 3,376 square foot beauty is a treasure trove of bells and whistles.

   Check out the view from the deck:

Here’s the description from the MLS:

Beautiful bay front home with private boat dock including two boat lifts and a private inground screen-enclosed swimming pool.

The spacious open floor plan features a large, entertainer kitchen and large living room and dining room. There is a full apartment on the lower level with full kitchen, living room, bedroom and bath and private entrance and walkout to pool area. The sunrise view from the porch was recently featured in Atlantic Southeast Airlines travel magazine. The privacy, decks, porches and views galore make this a truly special home.

If an in-ground pool isn’t enough, enjoy a dip in the hot tub instead.

And here’s your view from the living room (complete with fireplace).

This peaceful private setting would truly be like being on vacation everyday of your life.

Call me at 850-227-5197 if you’d like additional info on these or other area properties, or shoot me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com . Be sure to check out my year in review on Thursday where we’ll look back and see how 2008 stacked up. Have a safe New Year’s Eve and don’t forget to make those resolutions!

While the rest of the country shovels and shivers, we’ve been savoring warm and sunny weather all week here on the Cape, with uncharacteristically mild temps in the hgh 70’s, low 80’s. Gotta love it. Our white Christmas is of the sandy shoes variety. Wrapping presents and holiday parties apparently filled most peoples schedules this week as it was a relatively quiet week for real estate, though we did manage to come up with at least one new contract and finally had a closing, the first so far this month. Our inventory remains unchanged with 378 active MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, C-30 Corridor and Indian Pass market, with 154 homes and 224 lots. In other activity we have twelve new listings, thirteen new price tags, and twelve expired unsold.

Our closing was on the house at Money Bayou which only went under contract around the first of the month. The sellers bought it in March 2002 for $237,000, listed it in early November for $299,900, and sold it on Friday for $250,000. Not bad in our current market. Sounds like a win win situation for both them and the buyers. Nice to have a story with a happy ending for a change, isn’t it?

  Our one new contract is on yet another Barrier Dunes townhouse, this one a 2-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 1,369 square foot gulf view unit listed for $299,000. According to the county tax rolls, the seller paid $425,000 for it in March 2005 so the happy ending here will only be on the Buyers side.  According to the MLS, this is scheduled to close on Christmas Eve, so some good little girl or boy is getting a place at the beach for Christmas!  Shhh . . . don’t tell. Way to go, Santa. (I don’t think I’ve ever been quite that good).

I have two picks of the week from among our twelve new listings, a golf course lot for only $57,600, and at the opposite end of the spectrum a gorgeous bayfront estate for $1,350,000.

The golf course lot is a quarter acre located on St. Joseph’s Bay Country Club with great golf course views. At $57,600, this is one of the lowest priced lots in our market. Three adjacent lots are also available making this a great opportunity to pick up all four lots and build two duplex buildings with a total of four units.

Since it doesn’t cost a penny to dream might as well dream grand dreams, and this newly listed bayfront estate on St. Joe Bay is truly grand. Situated on over 5 acres with 250+ feet on the water, this is a nature lovers dream come true. Check out the sunset view from the deck.

This is over on C-30 not far from Presnell’s. Here is the home’s dock.

Enjoy fishing right in your own back yard. Sweet!

  My pick of the week from our thirteen new price tags, is this gulf second tier lot at Ovation on the Cape which was $419,000 but now only $250,000, which is a far cry from the $450K the sellers paid for it in August 2005. Ovation is the premier subdivision on the Cape, first class all the way.

That does it for this week. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah. Remember to take stock of and treasure the abundant blessings in our lives even during challenging times like this.  My wish for you is the gift of peace that keeping life in perspective brings.

  Thoughts of shopping fill the air as we draw another week closer to Christmas and Hannukah, and we had a few shoppers decide to pick up a little piece of paradise for some lucky person on their list. Virtually no change in our inventory, standing steady at 378, down one from last week, with 156 homes and 222 lots in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 Corridor market. Once again, no closings this week, but we do have five new listings, an even dozen price changes, two new contracts, and five expired unsold.

Our two new contracts are on a home in Money Bayou and a lagoon front lot at Indian Pass. Let’s start with the home.

  This is a gulf first tier single family 2-bedroom, 1-bath, 1,224 square foot home with gorgeous views throughout of both the gulf and Money Bayou. Although it’s located in our market, it’s listed in the Bay County MLS, and is a Fanny Mae owned bank foreclosure with a list price of $375,250.

Our second contract is on this lagoon front lot in the Mystic Palms subdivision near the point on Indian Pass.  Assessed by the county for $250,000, it is listed for sale for only $225,000, so it’ll be interesting to see what it actually closes for. There are contingencies to be met so no indication as to

when it might be scheduled to close.

My new listing pick of the week from among our five new listings is this priced-to-sell-NOW 51′ wide, 0.64 acre gulf front lot at Two Palms on the Cape for only $499,000. Here’s how the MLS notes describe it:

If you are looking for a deal on a gulf front, don’t let this one pass you by. The owner says SELL and at $499K, this beautiful .64 acre gulf front lot is priced to sell! Located in prestigious Two Palms subdivision, the beaches are wide, gorgeous and secluded plus the owners have dedicated beach access via private boardwalks. The owners in Two Palms have maintained an abundance of natural vegetation to allow each home to enjoy its privacy as well as the views. The homes already built in Two Palms are executive type homes so the value of your property is protected. This is the gulf front deal you have been waiting on!

The beach at Two Palms is wide and secluded, as shown in these two views:

As for our twelve new price tags, my pick of the week easily goes to this gorgeous bay front home on the Cape originally listed in April for $979,000, and re-priced this week to sell immediately at only $499,000, less than what until recently you would hope to pick up the lot alone for. This is no fixer-upper, either - it is a waterfront showplace anyone would be proud to call their own. It even has an inground pool, with one of the best poolside views on the Cape. Check it out.

Here’s the scopp from the MLS notes:

BAY FRONT - PRICE REDUCED!! All modern decor inside this house with your very own private waterfront pool. Almost 70′ of bay frontage with a panoramic view looking over St. Joe Bay with Cape San Blas on one side and Port St. Joe on the other. Built in bookcases, vaulted ceiling, elevator, fireplace, recessed lighting, and the latest in kitchen appliances are just some of the great aspects to this home. Launch your kayak in your backyard and go fishing, scalloping, or snorkeling for the day.

Here’s a shot of the exterior:

That does it for this week’s market wrap up. Give me a call toll free at 877-512-9366 or shoot me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com to find out more about these properties or to explore what your property might bring in today’s market. I love hearing from my readers so just stop in to say hello. Thanks for stopping by today.

Can it really be December already? Doesn’t seem possible but it’s most definitely the first weekend of December because two of the biggest rivals in college football are on for this afternoon: the 109th meeting of Army-Navy kicks off at noon and Florida and Alabama rumble at 4. I don’t have a dog in that fight, but as a Navy vet I DO hope the mid-shipmen make it seven wins in a row against Army. So let’s take care of business so we can get on with the games.

We whittled away nicely at our inventory ths week with nearly a 3% reduction, coming in with a total of 379 active MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 Corridor market, with 6 fewer homes this week than last, 155 vs. 161, and 5 fewer lots, 224 vs. 229.

No closings, but we do have two new contracts, four new listings, nine price changes and sixteen expired unsold. Both of our contracts are on homes, and both in the Money Bayou area.

    Our first new contract is on this lovely 2-bedroom, 2 1/2/ bath 739 square foot Key West-style home over in Money Bayou we saw deeply discounted several months ago. This home had a contract back in mid-July which fell through. The seller gave $630,000 for it in mid-2005, listed it back in March of this year for $399,900, but dropped it not long thereafter to the unbelievable price of $299,000. There are contingencies to be met so no way of knowing yet when it might close, but this will be an interesting one to watch. I hate to see this happen to anyone. 

Our second Money Bayou contract is on a home which came on the market back in January, originally asking $375,000, but subsequently lowered to $299,900. The sellers bought it back in early 2002 for $237,000 so they should have plenty of room for a potential profit. It’s scheduled to close by the 17th.

Only one home among the four new listings and it’s my pick of the week. This is a 3-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath, 1,692 square foot townhome at Seacliffs on Cape San Blas, with beautiful views from throughout, and a beautiful price tag to match, only $365,000. Check out the views from its decks.

This townhome is in great condition and definitely priced to sell. It has been used as a second home, and not rented. Other features include easy access to the boardwalk, unobstructed views from all floors, enclosed garage, elevator, tile floors, carpet and vinyl, fully furnished and just ready for you to move in.

I’m going with a lot for my pick of the week from our nine price changes. It’s a canal front lot on Indian Pass just past the bridge reduced from $219,000 to $199,000. The MLS notes tell why I like this particular property at this price:

Old Florida at its finest (with FEMA!) - come see this beautiful canal front 1/2 acre lot which overlooks Indian Lagoon, has deeded Gulf access as well as a Gulf front pool and clubhouse in the quiet and secluded Indian Summer subdivision. Protective covenants and restrictions, low annual dues of $1000, LARGE 90 ft wide by ~300 ft deep lot - very nice value in an ideal natural setting. This lot would be either an outstanding investment property, or the perfect peaceful setting for your new beach house - very short walk to the community boardwalk to the beach (around the Gulf front pool), while still being able to enjoy the endless marsh and lagoon views from the back of the property. PLENTY of buildbale area on this lot which qualifies for the inexpensive federal flood insurance. Must see this setting and subdivision to appreciate.

BEST DEAL IN INDIAN SUMMER!! Recent survey by Edwin Brown shows the majority of this property lies out of the CBRA area, which would qualify for federal flood insurance. PLENTY of room for a large house with federal flood insurance available. Outstanding views of the marsh, canal and lagoon. A future house would even provide views of the Gulf, which is only a short walk down the private oyster shell road to the community boardwalk to the beach (and Gulf front pool and clubhouse). Very nice opportunity - come check it out.

That about does it for this week. There’s still time to wrap a nice property up in time to surprise someone this Christmas with a little piece of paradise along the Forgotten Coast. If you’d like more info on these or other opportuniies give me a call toll free at 877-512-9366, ext. 109 or shoot me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com . Have a great week, and don’t forget . . .

GO NAVY - BEAT ARMY!!!!

What a tumultuous week.  The 22-month campaign marathon finally, mercifully came to an end while the stock market continues to whip wildly back and forth like a loose fire hose. It doesn’t look as if the stock market is going to be the safe haven of choice any time soon, which bodes well for the likelihood of real estate returning as the alternative investment of choice. 

No wild undulations locally as our inventory continues to whittle its way down, coming in this week with a total of 380 active MLS listings in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 Corridor market, down 6 from last week, with 158 homes (vs. 157) and 222 lots (vs. 229).  Only one sale this week and no new contracts, but we have four new listings, ten price changes, and twenty expired unsold.

Our one sale was the home out on C-30 that went under contract back in mid-September. This 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 1600 square foot home was listed in August for $285,000 and closed this week for $260,000. The sellers did ok as they paid $220,000 for it in 2001 so they’ll make a nice little 9% return. 

My pick of the week from our four new listings is this Florida cottage with a gulf view in Money Bayou which is priced right at only $299,900.  This 4-bedroom, 2-bath, 1650 square foot home was built in 1999 and is situated on a quarter acre lot. Just a short stroll and you’re on the beach. Here’s what the listing notes say:

Beautiful home with view of water. Large living space with fireplace and oversized bedrooms. Wonderful wide porches for entertaining. Florida room /Art Studio gives this house several nice living spaces. Fenced back yard with shed. Large workroom/storage under house. Lots of parking area.

There’s lots to like among this week’s ten new price changes, too, but if I had to pick just one it would be this gulf front single family home in Treasure Shores reduced from an already low $795,000 to bargain priced $749,000.  Check out the view from the decks:

  I could get used to having my coffee there in the mornings. Here’s the listing notes details:

Lovely home with a great layout for lots of company. Each bedroom has a private bathroom, and all rooms face the beach. On the first level the kitchen, dining and living space enjoy ample beach front views; this area extends to the front deck with equally breathtaking views and roomy space for gatherings. On the west side of this floor is a king size bedroom with bath. On the top level are two bedrooms, a den-sitting area, and the master bedroom. All three rooms open to a large screened porch. Storm shutters, tile roof, great rental with a loyal follow up, and mostly in excellent condition with new carpet installed in 2007.

With a gross rental income of $31,185 the numbers work well. This 3-bedroom, 3-bath 1,886 square foot home was built in 1997 and sits on a 75′ wide, roughly half acre gulf front lot.

That’s a wrap for this week. I enjoy hearing from my readers so if you’d like additional info on these or other properties, or if you just want to talk about what’s going on at the beach, give me a call at 850-227-5197, or shoot me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com . Thanks for stopping by today.